How much coast is there?

Laos: 0 km (2026 edition) · Vietnam: 3,444 km (2026 edition)

How high can you climb?

Vietnam’s highest peak towers 327 m above Laos’.

Laos: 2,817 m (2026 edition) · Vietnam: 3,144 m (2026 edition)

How many people live there?

Vietnam has 13 times as many people as Laos.

Laos: 7.87 million (2025) · Vietnam: 102 million (2025)

How crowded is it?

Vietnam is 9.5 times as densely populated as Laos.

Laos: 34 per km² (2025) · Vietnam: 324 per km² (2025)

How old is the typical person?

The typical person in Vietnam is 8.1 years older than in Laos.

Laos: 24.3 years (2023) · Vietnam: 32.4 years (2023)

How many children per woman?

Women in Laos have 0.5 more children on average than in Vietnam.

Laos: 2.4 children per woman (2024) · Vietnam: 1.9 children per woman (2024)

How many people are 65 or older?

9.5% of people in Vietnam are 65 or older, versus 4.8% in Laos.

Laos: 4.8% (2025) · Vietnam: 9.5% (2025)

How many Nobel laureates were born there?

Vietnam has produced 0.1 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Laos 0.0.

Laos: 0 (2025) · Vietnam: 0.1 (2025)

How many official languages?

Laos and Vietnam are practically level.

Laos: 1 (2026) · Vietnam: 1 (2026)

How big is the economy?

Vietnam’s economy is 28 times the size of Laos’.

Laos: $18.3 billion (2025) · Vietnam: $515 billion (2025)

How much is produced per person?

Vietnam produces 74% more per person than Laos.

Laos: Int$10,383 (2025) · Vietnam: Int$18,089 (2025)

How evenly is income shared?

Income is more unequally shared in Vietnam than in Laos (Gini 1.4 points higher).

Laos: 34.7 (2024) · Vietnam: 36.1 (2022)

How many people are looking for work?

Vietnam and Laos are practically level.

Laos: 1.2% (2025) · Vietnam: 1.5% (2025)

How much goes to the military?

Laos: no data · Vietnam: 1.8% (2018)

How expensive is it?

Vietnam’s price level (US = 100) is 1.3× Laos’.

Laos: 22% (2025) · Vietnam: 28% (2025)

How much is spent on health?

Vietnam spends 7.2 times as much on health per person as Laos.

Laos: $27 (2023) · Vietnam: $197 (2023)

How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?

A baby in Laos is 2.3 times as likely to die before turning one as in Vietnam.

Laos: 27.2 per 1,000 (2024) · Vietnam: 12 per 1,000 (2024)

How many doctors are there?

Vietnam has 3.3 times as many doctors per person as Laos.

Laos: 0.3 per 1,000 (2022) · Vietnam: 1.1 per 1,000 (2021)

How common is obesity?

9.0% of adults in Laos are obese, versus 2.5% in Vietnam.

Laos: 9% (2024) · Vietnam: 2.5% (2024)

How many adults smoke?

25% of adults in Laos smoke, versus 21% in Vietnam.

Laos: 25.4% (2024) · Vietnam: 21.1% (2024)

How do people rate their lives?

People in Vietnam rate their lives 0.91 points higher than in Laos.

Laos: 5.52 (2025) · Vietnam: 6.43 (2025)

How much do people drink?

Adults in Vietnam drink 81% more alcohol than in Laos.

Laos: 5.9 litres (2023) · Vietnam: 10.7 litres (2023)

How much meat is on the menu?

Vietnam has 95% more meat per person than Laos.

Laos: 31.1 kg (2023) · Vietnam: 60.5 kg (2023)

How much food is there per day?

Laos has 102 kcal more food per person per day than Vietnam.

Laos: 3,188 kcal (2023) · Vietnam: 3,086 kcal (2023)

How long do people work?

Laos: no data · Vietnam: 2,160 hours (2023)

How long do people go to school?

Adults in Vietnam went to school 2.9 years longer than in Laos.

Laos: 6.1 years (2023) · Vietnam: 9 years (2023)

How many tourists visit?

Laos welcomed 7.4 times as many tourists per resident as Vietnam (2019).

Laos: 0.61 (2019) · Vietnam: 0.08 (2015)

How many people are online?

84% of people in Vietnam are online, versus 66% in Laos.

Laos: 66% (2024) · Vietnam: 84% (2024)

Who has electricity at home?

100% of people in Vietnam have electricity, versus 97% in Laos.

Laos: 96.5% (2024) · Vietnam: 100% (2024)

How many live in cities?

40% of people in Laos live in cities, versus 39% in Vietnam.

Laos: 40% (2025) · Vietnam: 39% (2025)

How many phones per person?

Vietnam has 128 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Laos 65.

Laos: 65 (2023) · Vietnam: 128 (2024)

How much railway is there?

Vietnam’s railway network is 7.5 times as long as Laos’.

Laos: 422 km (2023) · Vietnam: 3,159 km (2021)

How much do they fly?

Airlines from Vietnam fly 5.1 times as many passengers per resident as those from Laos.

Laos: 0.11 (2023) · Vietnam: 0.54 (2023)

How much of the land is forest?

Forest covers 71% of Laos, but only 47% of Vietnam.

Laos: 71.5% (2023) · Vietnam: 47.4% (2023)

How much CO₂ does each person emit?

The average person in Vietnam emits 17% more CO₂ than someone in Laos.

Laos: 3.1 t (2024) · Vietnam: 3.7 t (2024)

How green is the power grid?

77% of Laos’ electricity is renewable, versus 45% in Vietnam.

Laos: 76.7% (2024) · Vietnam: 45.4% (2025)

How clean is the air?

The air in Laos carries 5% more fine dust than in Vietnam.

Laos: 27 µg/m³ (2024) · Vietnam: 25.6 µg/m³ (2024)

How dangerous are the roads?

Roads in Vietnam are 8% deadlier than in Laos.

Laos: 16.4 per 100k (2021) · Vietnam: 17.7 per 100k (2021)

How warm is it?

Vietnam is on average 0.7 °C warmer than Laos.

Laos: 23.7°C (2016–2025 avg) · Vietnam: 24.4°C (2016–2025 avg)

How much rain falls?

Vietnam gets 10% more rain than Laos.

Laos: 1,934 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Vietnam: 2,132 mm (2016–2025 avg)