Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio: 60.2
[see also: Dependency ratios - total dependency ratio country ranks ]
youth dependency ratio: 54
[see also: Dependency ratios - youth dependency ratio country ranks ]
elderly dependency ratio: 6.2
[see also: Dependency ratios - elderly dependency ratio country ranks ]
potential support ratio: 16.1 (2015 est.)
[see also: Dependency ratios - potential support ratio country ranks ]

Median age:
total: 23 years
[see also: Median age - total country ranks ]
male: 22.7 years
[see also: Median age - male country ranks ]
female: 23.3 years (2017 est.)
[see also: Median age - female country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 174

Population growth rate:
1.51% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
[see also: Population growth rate country ranks ]

Birth rate:
23.6 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
[see also: Birth rate country ranks ]

Death rate:
7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
[see also: Death rate country ranks ]

Net migration rate:
-1.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
[see also: Net migration rate country ranks ]

Population distribution:
most densely populated area is in and around the capital city of Vientiane; large communities are primarily found along the Mekong River along the southwestern border; overall density is considered one of the lowest in Southeast Asia

Urbanization:
urban population: 40.7% of total population (2017)
[see also: Urbanization - urban population country ranks ]
rate of urbanization: 4.13% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
[see also: Urbanization - rate of urbanization country ranks ]

Major urban areas - population:
VIENTIANE (capital) 997,000 (2015)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - at birth country ranks ]
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - 0-14 years country ranks ]
15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - 15-24 years country ranks ]
25-54 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - 25-54 years country ranks ]
55-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - 55-64 years country ranks ]
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - 65 years and over country ranks ]
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
[see also: Sex ratio - total population country ranks ]

Maternal mortality ratio:
197 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
[see also: Maternal mortality ratio country ranks ]

Infant mortality rate:
total: 49.9 deaths/1,000 live births
[see also: Infant mortality rate - total country ranks ]
male: 55.2 deaths/1,000 live births
[see also: Infant mortality rate - male country ranks ]
female: 44.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)
[see also: Infant mortality rate - female country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 30

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.6 years
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - total population country ranks ]
male: 62.6 years
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - male country ranks ]
female: 66.7 years (2017 est.)
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - female country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 184
[See also: Healthy Life Expectancy ]
[See also: Health Performance ]

Total fertility rate:
2.7 children born/woman (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
[see also: Total fertility rate country ranks ]

Contraceptive prevalence rate:
49.8% (2011/12)
[see also: Contraceptive prevalence rate country ranks ]

Health expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 191
[see also: Health expenditures country ranks ]

Physicians density:
0.18 physicians/1,000 population (2012)
[see also: Physicians density country ranks ]

Hospital bed density:
1.5 beds/1,000 population (2012)
[see also: Hospital bed density country ranks ]

Drinking water source:
improved: urban: 85.6% of population rural: 69.4% of population total: 75.7% of population
unimproved: urban: 14.4% of population rural: 30.6% of population total: 24.3% of population (2015 est.)

Sanitation facility access:
improved: urban: 94.5% of population rural: 56% of population total: 70.9% of population
unimproved: urban: 5.5% of population rural: 44% of population total: 29.1% of population (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.3% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
[see also: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate country ranks ]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
11,000 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
[see also: HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS country ranks ]

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
<500 (2016 est.)
[see also: HIV/AIDS - deaths country ranks ]

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria (2016)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
5.3% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 180
[see also: Obesity - adult prevalence rate country ranks ]

Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
26.5% (2011)
country comparison to the world: 22
[see also: Children under the age of 5 years underweight country ranks ]

Education expenditures:
3.3% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 147

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 79.9%
[see also: Literacy - total population country ranks ]
male: 87.1%
[see also: Literacy - male country ranks ]
female: 72.8% (2015 est.)
[see also: Literacy - female country ranks ]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 11 years
[see also: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) - total country ranks ]
male: 11 years
[see also: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) - male country ranks ]
female: 11 years (2015)