Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Laos
Laos: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region was 2.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Laos, 1964–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise exports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Laos is 2.7%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Laos peaked at 30.2% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1981.
Laos ranks 166th 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 low- and middle-income economies outside region in Laos, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 18.4% | — |
| 1970 | 0.1% | -99.7% |
| 1971 | 0.1% | +78.7% |
| 1973 | 0.1% | -6.1% |
| 1981 | 0.0% | -87.7% |
| 1982 | 5.3% | +43516.9% |
| 1983 | 1.1% | -78.3% |
| 1984 | 12.5% | +985.5% |
| 1985 | 3.7% | -70.1% |
| 1986 | 3.5% | -6.9% |
| 1987 | 2.0% | -41.1% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | -32.7% |
| 1989 | 30.2% | +2094.0% |
| 1990 | 2.3% | -92.4% |
| 1991 | 4.7% | +107.5% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | -89.8% |
| 1998 | 0.4% | -16.2% |
| 1999 | 0.6% | +59.7% |
| 2000 | 3.4% | +420.2% |
| 2001 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 3.4% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 3.4% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 3.4% | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 3.3% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 3.4% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3.8% | +14.1% |
| 2017 | 3.4% | -10.9% |
| 2018 | 2.4% | -30.5% |
| 2019 | 1.9% | -21.4% |
| 2020 | 2.3% | +21.1% |
| 2021 | 2.7% | +20.3% |
| 2022 | 2.7% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 2.7% | +0.0% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 2.7% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 19.4%, 14% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 2.7% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.1%, 66% of the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +43516.9% | 0.0% | 5.3% |
| 1989 | +2094.0% | 1.4% | 30.2% |
| 1984 | +985.5% | 1.1% | 12.5% |
| 2000 | +420.2% | 0.6% | 3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 18.4% | 18.4% | 18.4% | 1 |
| 1970s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 3 |
| 1980s | 6.6% | 0.0% | 30.2% | 9 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | 0.4% | 4.7% | 5 |
| 2000s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 1.9% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.6% | 2.3% | 2.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Laos
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 low- and middle-income economies outside region in Laos?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Laos was 2.7% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 30.2% in 1989.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1981.
- How does Laos rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region?
- Laos ranks 166th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 18.2%. 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 low- and middle-income economies outside region (% of total merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to other low- and middle-income economies in other World Bank regions 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.