Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Lao People's Democratic Republic
Lao People's Democratic Republic: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 1.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Lao People's Democratic Republic, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Lao People's Democratic Republic is 1.2%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and down 40.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Lao People's Democratic Republic peaked at 3.3% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.7%, in 2010.
Lao People's Democratic Republic ranks 180th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Lao People's Democratic Republic, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 2.5% | — |
| 1992 | 2.7% | +8.5% |
| 1993 | 2.7% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 2.6% | -3.6% |
| 1995 | 2.6% | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 2.5% | -5.8% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | -3.9% |
| 1998 | 2.3% | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 2.2% | -6.1% |
| 2000 | 2.0% | -5.1% |
| 2001 | 1.9% | -8.0% |
| 2002 | 1.8% | -5.6% |
| 2003 | 1.6% | -7.7% |
| 2004 | 1.5% | -8.6% |
| 2005 | 1.4% | -9.9% |
| 2006 | 1.2% | -11.2% |
| 2007 | 1.1% | -10.9% |
| 2008 | 0.9% | -11.6% |
| 2009 | 0.8% | -11.5% |
| 2010 | 0.7% | -15.2% |
| 2011 | 1.0% | +35.6% |
| 2012 | 1.2% | +25.8% |
| 2013 | 1.5% | +21.6% |
| 2014 | 1.7% | +18.0% |
| 2015 | 2.0% | +15.8% |
| 2016 | 2.6% | +31.3% |
| 2017 | 3.3% | +24.1% |
| 2018 | 2.9% | -11.4% |
| 2019 | 2.5% | -12.6% |
| 2020 | 2.3% | -7.2% |
| 2021 | 2.1% | -11.5% |
| 2022 | 1.2% | -41.9% |
| 2023 | 1.2% | -1.9% |
| 2024 | 1.2% | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 1.2% | +1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.7% | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.4% | 0.8% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.9% | 0.7% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 2.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lao People's Democratic Republic
More education data for Lao People's Democratic Republic
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 35,584 (2022)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 16,396 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 116,303 (2025)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 115,863 (2025)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 532,092 (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 739,554 (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.0716 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0939 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Lao People's Democratic Republic was 1.2% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
- The highest recorded value was 3.3% in 2017.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.7% in 2010.
- How does Lao People's Democratic Republic rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Lao People's Democratic Republic ranks 180th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Lao People's Democratic Republic?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Lao People's Democratic Republic data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.