World median is the middle country on each statistic: half of all countries with data are above it, half below. It is not an average, so it is never pulled up or down by giants or microstates.
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The median country fits inside Laos 2.1 times
Laos: 236,800 km² (2024) · World median: 111,370 km² (2024)
How much coast is there?
Laos: 0 km (2026 edition) · World median: 440 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Laos’ highest peak towers 482 m above the median country’s
Laos: 2,817 m (2026 edition) · World median: 2,335 m (2026 edition)
How much of the land is farmed?
Farmland covers 38% of the median country, versus 9.5% of Laos
Laos: 9.5% (2024) · World median: 37.8% (2024)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Laos has 6% more people than the median country
Laos: 7.87 million (2025) · World median: 7.4 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
The median country is 2.9 times as densely populated as Laos
Laos: 34 per km² (2025) · World median: 98 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in the median country are 10.7 cm taller than in Laos
Laos: 162.8 cm (2019) · World median: 173.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the median country are 7.5 cm taller than in Laos
Laos: 153.1 cm (2019) · World median: 160.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in the median country is 6.8 years older than in Laos
Laos: 24.3 years (2023) · World median: 31.1 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
Women in Laos have 0.5 more children on average than in the median country
Laos: 2.4 children per woman (2024) · World median: 1.9 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
8.6% of people in the median country are 65 or older, versus 4.8% in Laos
Laos: 4.8% (2025) · World median: 8.6% (2025)
How many refugees does it host?
Laos: no data · World median: 0.8 per 1,000 (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Laos and the median country are practically level
Laos: 0 (2026) · World median: 0 (2026)
How many official languages?
Laos and the median country are practically level
Laos: 1 (2026) · World median: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
The median country’s economy is 2.5 times the size of Laos’
Laos: $18.3 billion (2025) · World median: $45.5 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
The median country produces 2 times as much per person as Laos
Laos: Int$10,383 (2025) · World median: Int$21,072 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Laos than in the median country (Gini 0.3 points higher)
Laos: 34.7 (2024) · World median: 34.4 (2023)
How many live on less than $3 a day?
7.1% of people in Laos live on less than $3 a day, versus 1.6% in the median country
Laos: 7.1% (2024) · World median: 1.6% (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 5.1% in the median country, versus 1.2% in Laos
Laos: 1.2% (2025) · World median: 5.1% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Laos: no data · World median: 1.8% (2025)
How much does the central government collect in tax?
The median country’s central government collects 17% of GDP in tax, Laos’ 12%
Laos: 12.1% (2022) · World median: 17% (2024)
How expensive is it?
The median country’s price level (US = 100) is 2× Laos’
Laos: 22% (2025) · World median: 45% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
The median country spends 17 times as much on health per person as Laos
Laos: $27 (2023) · World median: $470 (2023)
How long do people live?
People in the median country live 5.4 years longer than in Laos
Laos: 69.2 years (2024) · World median: 74.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in Laos is 2.2 times as likely to die before turning one as in the median country
Laos: 27.2 per 1,000 (2024) · World median: 12.7 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
The median country has 5.1 times as many doctors per person as Laos
Laos: 0.3 per 1,000 (2022) · World median: 1.7 per 1,000 (2022)
How many hospital beds are there?
The median country has 42% more hospital beds per person than Laos
Laos: 1.7 per 1,000 (2023) · World median: 2.4 per 1,000 (2023)
How common is suicide?
The suicide rate in the median country is 2.3 times that in Laos
Laos: 4.4 per 100k (2023) · World median: 10 per 100k (2023)
How common is obesity?
24% of adults in the median country are obese, versus 9.0% in Laos
Laos: 9% (2024) · World median: 24% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
25% of adults in Laos smoke, versus 19% in the median country
Laos: 25.4% (2024) · World median: 19% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in the median country rate their lives 0.32 points higher than in Laos
Laos: 5.52 (2025) · World median: 5.83 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Laos drink 36% more alcohol than in the median country
Laos: 5.9 litres (2023) · World median: 4.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
The median country has 81% more meat per person than Laos
Laos: 31.1 kg (2023) · World median: 56.2 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Laos has 250 kcal more food per person per day than the median country
Laos: 3,188 kcal (2023) · World median: 2,938 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Laos: no data · World median: 1,974 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in the median country went to school 3.9 years longer than in Laos
Laos: 6.1 years (2023) · World median: 9.9 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
Laos welcomed 76% more tourists per resident than the median country (2019)
Laos: 0.61 (2019) · World median: 0.34 (2024)
How many World Heritage sites?
Laos has 1 more World Heritage site than the median country (4 against 3)
Laos: 4 (2026) · World median: 3 (2026)
How many Olympic medals has it won?
The median country has won 4 Olympic medals, Laos none
Laos: 0 (2026 edition) · World median: 4 (2026 edition)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
82% of people in the median country are online, versus 66% in Laos
Laos: 66% (2024) · World median: 82% (2024)
How fast is home internet?
Home internet in the median country is 2.2 times as fast as in Laos
Laos: 75 Mbps (2026) · World median: 161 Mbps (2026)
Who has electricity at home?
100% of people in the median country have electricity, versus 97% in Laos
Laos: 96.5% (2024) · World median: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
64% of people in the median country live in cities, versus 40% in Laos
Laos: 40% (2025) · World median: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
The median country has 115 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Laos 65
Laos: 65 (2023) · World median: 115 (2024)
How much railway is there?
The median country’s railway network is 5.1 times as long as Laos’
Laos: 422 km (2023) · World median: 2,141 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from the median country fly 2.2 times as many passengers per resident as those from Laos
Laos: 0.11 (2023) · World median: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 57% of Laos, but only 33% of the median country
Laos: 56.6% (2024) · World median: 32.8% (2024)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Laos emits 5% more CO₂ than someone in the median country
Laos: 3.1 t (2024) · World median: 3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
77% of Laos’ electricity is renewable, versus 31% in the median country
Laos: 76.7% (2024) · World median: 30.8% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in Laos carries 63% more fine dust than in the median country
Laos: 27 µg/m³ (2024) · World median: 16.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
Laos: no data · World median: 2.3 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in the median country are 5% deadlier than in Laos
Laos: 17.7 per 100k (2023) · World median: 18.6 per 100k (2023)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Laos is on average 0.7 °C warmer than the median country
Laos: 23.7°C (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 23°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Laos gets 91% more rain than the median country
Laos: 1,934 mm (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 1,014 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Laos bigger than the median country?
Laos is larger. The median country fits inside Laos 2.1 times.
Which has more people, Laos or the median country?
Laos has 6% more people than the median country (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Laos or the median country?
People in the median country live 5.4 years longer than in Laos. Life expectancy at birth is 69.2 years in Laos and 74.6 in the median country.
Are people taller in Laos or the median country?
Men in the median country are 10.7 cm taller than in Laos (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
