Municipal water withdrawal in Laos
Laos: Municipal water withdrawal was 130.00 million cubic meters in 2023. ▲ Rising
Municipal water withdrawal in Laos, 1987–2023
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
Laos recorded 130.00 million cubic meters for municipal water withdrawal in 2023. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, municipal water withdrawal in Laos peaked at 130.00 million cubic meters in 2003 and was at its lowest, 79.20 million cubic meters, in 1987.
That places Laos 133rd out of 183 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Municipal water withdrawal in Laos, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 79.20 million cubic meters | — |
| 1988 | 82.38 million cubic meters | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 85.55 million cubic meters | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 88.72 million cubic meters | +3.7% |
| 1991 | 91.90 million cubic meters | +3.6% |
| 1992 | 95.08 million cubic meters | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 98.25 million cubic meters | +3.3% |
| 1994 | 101.42 million cubic meters | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 104.60 million cubic meters | +3.1% |
| 1996 | 107.78 million cubic meters | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 110.95 million cubic meters | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 114.12 million cubic meters | +2.9% |
| 1999 | 117.30 million cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 120.47 million cubic meters | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 123.65 million cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 126.83 million cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 130.00 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 130.00 million cubic meters is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 245.90 million cubic meters, 53% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Laos's 130.00 million cubic meters is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.04 billion cubic meters, 12% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 82.38 million cubic meters | 79.20 million cubic meters | 85.55 million cubic meters | 3 |
| 1990s | 103.01 million cubic meters | 88.72 million cubic meters | 117.30 million cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 128.09 million cubic meters | 120.47 million cubic meters | 130.00 million cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 130.00 million cubic meters | 130.00 million cubic meters | 130.00 million cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 130.00 million cubic meters | 130.00 million cubic meters | 130.00 million cubic meters | 4 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More environment data for Laos
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.77 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.51 Percentage change (2025)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 5.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is municipal water withdrawal in Laos?
- Municipal water withdrawal in Laos was 130.00 million cubic meters in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest municipal water withdrawal recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 130.00 million cubic meters in 2003.
- What is the lowest municipal water withdrawal recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 79.20 million cubic meters in 1987.
- How does Laos rank for municipal water withdrawal?
- Laos ranks 133rd out of 183 countries with data for 2023.
- Is municipal water withdrawal rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – AQUASTAT (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Municipal water withdrawal. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Water withdrawn each year for direct use by the population, usually measured as the total supplied by the public distribution network.