Transport services (% of commercial service imports) in Laos
Laos: Transport services (% of commercial service imports) was 27.8% 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 imports.
Analysis
Laos recorded 27.8% for transport services in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 32.7% on the previous year and up 759.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, transport services in Laos peaked at 76.1% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 3.0%, in 2014.
Laos ranks 109th of 197 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 imports) in Laos, year by year
| Year | % of commercial service imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 62.4% | — |
| 1985 | 39.3% | -37.1% |
| 1986 | 47.8% | +21.7% |
| 1987 | 49.5% | +3.6% |
| 1988 | 52.7% | +6.5% |
| 1989 | 76.1% | +44.4% |
| 1990 | 73.0% | -4.0% |
| 1991 | 47.7% | -34.6% |
| 1992 | 45.8% | -4.1% |
| 1993 | 46.1% | +0.7% |
| 1994 | 28.9% | -37.3% |
| 1995 | 43.7% | +51.0% |
| 1996 | 39.6% | -9.2% |
| 1997 | 22.2% | -43.9% |
| 1998 | 22.0% | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 5.8% | -73.8% |
| 2000 | 37.7% | +553.1% |
| 2001 | 28.1% | -25.5% |
| 2002 | 30.4% | +8.1% |
| 2003 | 26.4% | -12.9% |
| 2004 | 27.4% | +3.5% |
| 2005 | 27.8% | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 26.9% | -3.4% |
| 2007 | 21.5% | -20.2% |
| 2008 | 18.5% | -13.9% |
| 2009 | 14.4% | -21.8% |
| 2010 | 8.6% | -40.6% |
| 2011 | 7.0% | -18.3% |
| 2012 | 7.3% | +4.9% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | -53.3% |
| 2014 | 3.0% | -11.2% |
| 2015 | 3.2% | +6.5% |
| 2016 | 6.7% | +108.0% |
| 2017 | 7.8% | +15.1% |
| 2018 | 11.3% | +45.0% |
| 2019 | 11.7% | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 26.3% | +124.3% |
| 2021 | 51.7% | +97.0% |
| 2022 | 31.3% | -39.5% |
| 2023 | 30.0% | -4.1% |
| 2024 | 21.0% | -30.1% |
| 2025 | 27.8% | +32.7% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 27.8% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 40.9%, 68% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Laos's 27.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 29.5%, 94% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Transport services (% of commercial service imports) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +553.1% | 5.8% | 37.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 54.6% | 39.3% | 76.1% | 6 |
| 1990s | 37.5% | 5.8% | 73.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 25.9% | 14.4% | 37.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.0% | 3.0% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 31.4% | 21.0% | 51.7% | 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 27.8% 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 76.1% in 1989.
- What is the lowest transport services recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.0% in 2014.
- How does Laos rank for transport services?
- Laos ranks 109th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is transport services rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 759.3%. 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 imports). 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 imports which are commercial services provided by non-residents to residents.