Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Laos instead of Zambia, you would:

Health

be 97.3% less likely to be living with HIV/AIDS

In Zambia, 11.1% of people are living with AIDS/HIV as of 2020. In Laos, that number is 0.3% of people as of 2020.

live 1.9 years longer

In Zambia, the average life expectancy is 66 years (65 years for men, 68 years for women) as of 2022. In Laos, that number is 68 years (66 years for men, 70 years for women) as of 2022.

be 34.6% less likely to be obese

In Zambia, 8.1% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Laos, that number is 5.3% of people as of 2016.

Economy

make 2.3 times more money

Zambia has a GDP per capita of $3,700 as of 2023, while in Laos, the GDP per capita is $8,400 as of 2023.

be 80.0% less likely to be unemployed

In Zambia, 5.9% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Laos, that number is 1.2% as of 2023.

be 69.5% less likely to live below the poverty line

In Zambia, 60.0% live below the poverty line as of 2022. In Laos, however, that number is 18.3% as of 2018.

pay a 31.4% lower top tax rate

Zambia has a top tax rate of 35.0% as of 2016. In Laos, the top tax rate is 24.0% as of 2016.

Life

have 41.9% fewer children

In Zambia, there are approximately 34.1 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Laos, there are 19.8 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

Basic Needs

be 2.1 times more likely to have access to electricity

In Zambia, approximately 48% of people have electricity access (86% in urban areas, and 14% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Laos, that number is 100% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 93% in rural areas) as of 2022.

be 3.0 times more likely to have internet access

In Zambia, approximately 21.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Laos, about 62.0% do as of 2021.

be 24.0% more likely to have access to improved drinking water

In Zambia, approximately 72% of people have improved drinking water access (90% in urban areas, and 57% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Laos, that number is 89% of people on average (97% in urban areas, and 84% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 37.8% less on education

Zambia spends 3.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Laos spends 2.3% of total GDP on education as of 2020.

spend 51.8% less on healthcare

Zambia spends 5.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Laos, that number is 2.7% of GDP as of 2020.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, Ministry of Finance, Zambia Revenue Authority.

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 Zambia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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