Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Laos instead of North Korea, you would:

Health

be 22.1% less likely to be obese

In North Korea, 6.8% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Laos, that number is 5.3% of people as of 2016.

live 3.6 years less

In North Korea, the average life expectancy is 72 years (68 years for men, 76 years for women) as of 2022. In Laos, that number is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

make 4.6 times more money

North Korea has a GDP per capita of $1,700 as of 2015, while in Laos, the GDP per capita is $7,900 as of 2022.

be 24.4% more likely to be unemployed

In North Korea, 3.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2022. In Laos, that number is 3.8% as of 2022.

Life

have 50.0% more children

In North Korea, there are approximately 13.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Laos, there are 19.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 17.8% more likely to die during childbirth

In North Korea, approximately 107.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Laos, 126.0 women do as of 2020.

be 12.9% less likely to be literate

In North Korea, the literacy rate is 100.0% as of 2015. In Laos, it is 87.1% as of 2021.

be 70.1% more likely to die during infancy

In North Korea, approximately 22.2 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Laos, on the other hand, 37.8 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 90.1% more likely to have access to electricity

In North Korea, approximately 53% of people have electricity access (36% in urban areas, and 11% in rural areas) as of 2021. In Laos, that number is 100% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 93% in rural areas) as of 2021.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Laos: At a glance

Laos is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 230,800 sq km. Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual, limited return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1988. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997 and the WTO in 2013.
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How big is Laos compared to North Korea? See an in-depth size comparison.

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