Deforestation embedded in trade in Laos

Laos: Deforestation embedded in trade was -5,462 hectares in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
-5,462 hectares
Change on year
down 22.6%
World rank
158th
of 178 countries
All-time high
-1,777 hectares
in 2005
All-time low
-10,303 hectares
in 2021
Years of data
19
2005–2023

Deforestation embedded in trade in Laos, 2005–2023

-10.0k-8.0k-6.0k-4.0k-2.0k2005201420232005: -1.8k hectares2006: -3.5k hectares2007: -3.0k hectares2008: -2.5k hectares2009: -2.1k hectares2010: -2.3k hectares2011: -2.5k hectares2012: -1.9k hectares2013: -2.6k hectares2014: -2.4k hectares2015: -2.4k hectares2016: -3.4k hectares2017: -3.3k hectares2018: -3.7k hectares2019: -5.0k hectares2020: -7.5k hectares2021: -10.3k hectares2022: -4.5k hectares2023: -5.5k hectares

Source: Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.

Analysis

The most recent figure for deforestation embedded in trade in Laos is -5,462 hectares, measured in 2023.

The figure is down 22.6% on the previous year and down 106.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, deforestation embedded in trade in Laos peaked at -1,777 hectares in 2005 and was at its lowest, -10,303 hectares, in 2021.

That places Laos 158th out of 178 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s -2,560 hectares -3,462 hectares -1,777 hectares 5
2010s -2,952 hectares -4,961 hectares -1,898 hectares 10
2020s -6,934 hectares -10,303 hectares -4,456 hectares 4

Countries ranked near Laos

  1. 155 Nicaragua -3,840 hectares compare
  2. 156 Madagascar -4,947 hectares compare
  3. 157 Cameroon -5,456 hectares compare
  4. 159 Philippines -5,609 hectares compare
  5. 160 Thailand -5,696 hectares compare
  6. 161 Angola -6,006 hectares compare

See the full ranking of 178 places →

More environment data for Laos

All data for Laos →

Frequently asked questions

What is deforestation embedded in trade in Laos?
Deforestation embedded in trade in Laos was -5,462 hectares in 2023, according to Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest deforestation embedded in trade recorded in Laos?
The highest recorded value was -1,777 hectares in 2005.
What is the lowest deforestation embedded in trade recorded in Laos?
The lowest recorded value was -10,303 hectares in 2021.
How does Laos rank for deforestation embedded in trade?
Laos ranks 158th out of 178 countries with data for 2023.
Is deforestation embedded in trade rising or falling in Laos?
Over the last ten years it is down 106.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Laos data come from?
The figures come from Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Deforestation embedded in trade. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Deforestation embedded in trade
Unit
hectares
Source
Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
178 places, 3,320 data points, 2005–2023
Last refreshed

Deforestation driven by imported goods minus exported goods from agriculture and forest plantations. Net importers of deforestation are countries who contribute to net deforestation in other countries – the deforestation that they cause in other countries is given as a positive value.