Merchandise exports to high-income economies in Laos
Laos: Merchandise exports to high-income economies was 13.3% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to high-income economies in Laos, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise exports.
Analysis
Laos recorded 13.3% for merchandise exports to high-income economies in 2023.
The figure is up 42.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to high-income economies in Laos peaked at 83.1% in 1963 and was at its lowest, 0.5%, in 1960.
Laos ranks 195th of 206 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise exports to high-income economies in Laos, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.5% | — |
| 1962 | 61.1% | +11203.5% |
| 1963 | 83.1% | +35.9% |
| 1964 | 61.2% | -26.3% |
| 1965 | 25.0% | -59.2% |
| 1967 | 4.7% | -81.2% |
| 1968 | 8.6% | +82.9% |
| 1969 | 1.3% | -85.4% |
| 1970 | 34.9% | +2680.0% |
| 1971 | 2.6% | -92.7% |
| 1972 | 6.1% | +139.1% |
| 1973 | 4.7% | -22.9% |
| 1974 | 15.7% | +232.6% |
| 1981 | 36.6% | +133.4% |
| 1982 | 21.1% | -42.5% |
| 1983 | 27.6% | +31.2% |
| 1984 | 33.6% | +21.6% |
| 1985 | 33.9% | +0.8% |
| 1986 | 17.3% | -49.1% |
| 1987 | 29.3% | +69.7% |
| 1988 | 29.4% | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 12.9% | -56.0% |
| 1990 | 19.6% | +51.5% |
| 1991 | 36.5% | +86.5% |
| 1992 | 53.1% | +45.5% |
| 1993 | 35.6% | -32.9% |
| 1994 | 21.8% | -38.7% |
| 1995 | 21.8% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 10.7% | -50.7% |
| 1997 | 73.8% | +587.3% |
| 1998 | 48.3% | -34.6% |
| 1999 | 38.0% | -21.3% |
| 2000 | 9.4% | -75.4% |
| 2001 | 9.4% | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 9.4% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 9.4% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 9.4% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 9.4% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 9.4% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 9.4% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 9.4% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 9.4% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 9.4% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 9.3% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 9.3% | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 9.4% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 9.4% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 9.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 9.7% | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 8.0% | -17.6% |
| 2018 | 7.2% | -9.3% |
| 2019 | 9.1% | +26.0% |
| 2020 | 12.2% | +33.1% |
| 2021 | 13.3% | +9.5% |
| 2022 | 13.3% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 13.3% | +0.0% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 13.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 51.0%, 26% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 13.3% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 59.1%, 23% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to high-income economies in Laos changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +11203.5% | 0.5% | 61.1% |
| 1970 | +2680.0% | 1.3% | 34.9% |
| 1997 | +587.3% | 10.7% | 73.8% |
| 1974 | +232.6% | 4.7% | 15.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 30.7% | 0.5% | 83.1% | 8 |
| 1970s | 12.8% | 2.6% | 34.9% | 5 |
| 1980s | 26.9% | 12.9% | 36.6% | 9 |
| 1990s | 35.9% | 10.7% | 73.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.4% | 9.4% | 9.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.0% | 7.2% | 9.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.0% | 12.2% | 13.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 192 Micronesia (country) 15.1% compare
- 193 Sierra Leone 13.7% compare
- 194 Guam 13.6% compare
- 196 Afghanistan 12.9% compare
- 197 Eritrea 11.9% compare
- 198 Benin 11.5% compare
More private sector data for Laos
- Merchandise trade 124.1% (2025)
- Food imports 12.7% (2023)
- Manufactures imports 61.7% (2023)
- Merchandise imports 10.34 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 23.2% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 32.8% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 12.38 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,572 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.6762 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 31.87 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to high-income economies in Laos?
- Merchandise exports to high-income economies in Laos was 13.3% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise exports to high-income economies recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 83.1% in 1963.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to high-income economies recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5% in 1960.
- How does Laos rank for merchandise exports to high-income economies?
- Laos ranks 195th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to high-income economies rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise exports to high-income economies (% of total merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Merchandise exports to high-income economies are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to high-income economies according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise exports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.