Transport services (% of commercial service exports) in Laos
Laos: Transport services (% of commercial service exports) was 15.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Transport services in Laos, 1984–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of commercial service exports.
Analysis
Laos recorded 15.6% for transport services in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 17.6% on the previous year and up 94.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in Laos peaked at 89.9% in 1988 and was at its lowest, -227.4%, in 1992.
Laos ranks 98th of 198 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Transport services (% of commercial service exports) in Laos, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 50.0% | — |
| 1985 | 50.0% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 50.0% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 50.0% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 89.9% | +79.7% |
| 1989 | 82.5% | -8.2% |
| 1990 | 74.8% | -9.4% |
| 1991 | 54.6% | -26.9% |
| 1992 | -227.4% | -516.2% |
| 1993 | 21.7% | -109.5% |
| 1994 | 13.9% | -35.8% |
| 1995 | 19.2% | +37.8% |
| 1996 | 22.4% | +16.6% |
| 1997 | 9.7% | -56.5% |
| 1998 | 7.5% | -22.9% |
| 1999 | 9.7% | +29.2% |
| 2000 | 14.7% | +52.3% |
| 2001 | 20.1% | +36.2% |
| 2002 | 23.4% | +16.7% |
| 2003 | 26.2% | +11.6% |
| 2004 | 20.7% | -20.9% |
| 2005 | 19.8% | -4.3% |
| 2006 | 17.6% | -11.2% |
| 2007 | 16.3% | -7.4% |
| 2008 | 13.3% | -18.2% |
| 2009 | 10.8% | -18.6% |
| 2010 | 11.4% | +5.4% |
| 2011 | 9.8% | -14.6% |
| 2012 | 9.3% | -4.3% |
| 2013 | 9.5% | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 7.6% | -20.3% |
| 2015 | 8.0% | +5.3% |
| 2016 | 9.7% | +21.5% |
| 2017 | 10.7% | +10.4% |
| 2018 | 10.8% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 14.2% | +31.8% |
| 2020 | 23.1% | +62.8% |
| 2021 | 50.5% | +118.7% |
| 2022 | 24.6% | -51.3% |
| 2023 | 11.9% | -51.7% |
| 2024 | 18.9% | +59.4% |
| 2025 | 15.6% | -17.6% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 15.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 19.2%, 81% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 15.6% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 14.1%, 1.1× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Transport services (% of commercial service exports) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | -516.2% | 54.6% | -227.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 62.1% | 50.0% | 89.9% | 6 |
| 1990s | 0.6% | -227.4% | 74.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.3% | 10.8% | 26.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.1% | 7.6% | 14.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.1% | 11.9% | 50.5% | 6 |
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)
- Commercial service imports 1.65 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 23.2% (2023)
- Manufactures exports 32.8% (2023)
- Merchandise exports 12.38 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 1.83 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 1,572 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is transport services in Laos?
- Transport services in Laos was 15.6% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest transport services recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 89.9% in 1988.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was -227.4% in 1992.
- How does Laos rank for transport services?
- Laos ranks 98th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 94.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Transport services (% of commercial service exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Transport is the process of carriage of people and objects from one location to another as well as related supporting and auxiliary services. Also included are postal and courier services. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of service exports which are commercial services provided by residents to non-residents.