Freedom in Laos
Where Laos sits on every statistic this site carries, each against the countries the same source covers. Laos has a figure for 50 of 60 indicators.
Personal
What a person may say, believe, publish, join and where they may go.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom of expression | 0.032 | 2025 | 157 of 163 |
| Freedom of association | 0.047 | 2025 | 152 of 163 |
| Civil liberties | 0.144 | 2025 | 157 of 163 |
| Freedom from political violence | 0.160 | 2025 | 149 of 163 |
| Equal protection of rights | 0.415 | 2025 | 121 of 163 |
| Academic freedom | 0.122 | 2025 | 144 of 163 |
| Media censorship effort | -1.483 | 2025 | 138 of 163 |
| Harassment of journalists | -2.290 | 2025 | 157 of 163 |
| Media self-censorship | -2.671 | 2025 | 159 of 163 |
| Universal right to vote | 1.000 | 2025 | 73 of 167 |
| Legal rights for women | 85.6 | 2023 | 62 of 164 |
| Women can get a passport as men do | 1.000 | 2023 | 76 of 164 |
| Access to justice for women | 0.000 | 2025 | 99 of 163 |
| Access to justice for men | 0.000 | 2025 | 105 of 163 |
| Civil liberties score | 11.0 | 2025 | 144 of 167 |
| Political rights score | 2.0 | 2025 | 142 of 167 |
Economic
What a person may own, trade, earn and keep.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulatory quality | 44.8 | 2024 | 117 of 169 |
| GDP per capita | $8,873 | 2025 | 106 of 157 |
| GDP growth | 4.5% | 2025 | — |
| Inflation | 7.7% | 2025 | — |
| Unemployment | 1.2% | 2025 | 7 of 163 |
Digital
What a person may read, send and encrypt online, and who is watching.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet use | 65.6% | 2024 | 103 of 154 |
Government
How power is held, checked and abused.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electoral democracy | 0.135 | 2025 | 149 of 163 |
| Liberal democracy | 0.110 | 2025 | 125 of 163 |
| Rule of law | 0.346 | 2025 | 109 of 163 |
| Judicial checks on government | 0.571 | 2025 | 93 of 163 |
| Legislative checks on government | 0.300 | 2025 | 116 of 157 |
| Political corruption | 0.765 | 2025 | 122 of 163 |
| Civil society participation | 0.229 | 2025 | 147 of 163 |
| Women’s political empowerment | 0.508 | 2025 | 140 of 163 |
| Voice and accountability | 31.1 | 2024 | 147 of 170 |
| Control of corruption | 28.0 | 2024 | 129 of 170 |
| Government effectiveness | 40.0 | 2024 | 111 of 169 |
| Political stability | 75.4 | 2024 | 37 of 170 |
Society
Health, schooling, safety and who takes part.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human Development Index | 0.617 | 2023 | 121 of 165 |
| Life expectancy | 69.2 | 2024 | 118 of 170 |
| Secondary school enrolment | 51.9% | 2024 | 77 of 85 |
| Government spending on education | 1.2% | 2023 | — |
| Health spending | 1.3% | 2023 | — |
| Health costs paid out of pocket | 44.8% | 2023 | 125 of 164 |
| Maternal mortality | 112.0 | 2023 | 109 of 167 |
| Women in parliament | 22.0% | 2025 | 97 of 156 |
| Women in the workforce | 61.6% | 2025 | — |
| Fertility rate | 2.40 | 2024 | — |
| Urban population | 40.3% | 2025 | — |
| Refugees who left | 84.4 | 2024 | 110 of 168 |
| Population | 7.9M | 2025 | — |
Environment
Energy, emissions and access to power.
| Statistic | Value | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| CO₂ emissions per person | 3.35 | 2024 | 91 of 165 |
| Renewable energy use | 51.5% | 2021 | 46 of 169 |
| Access to electricity | 96.5% | 2024 | 105 of 169 |
What is missing
10 of the 60 statistics here have no figure for Laos in the year they were last ranked. Coverage differs by source: an indicator missing here is one its producer does not publish for Laos, not a zero. Who publishes what