Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Laos
Laos: Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source was 95.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Laos, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Laos is 95.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 3.5% on the previous year and up 27.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Laos peaked at 95.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 48.3%, in 2000.
Laos ranks 135th of 231 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 48.3% | — |
| 2001 | 50.5% | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 52.7% | +4.3% |
| 2003 | 54.9% | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 57.0% | +3.9% |
| 2005 | 59.0% | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 60.9% | +3.2% |
| 2007 | 62.8% | +3.1% |
| 2008 | 64.7% | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 66.5% | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 68.3% | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 70.1% | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 71.9% | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 73.7% | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 75.4% | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 77.1% | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 78.9% | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 80.6% | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 82.2% | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 83.9% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 85.9% | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 87.5% | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 89.1% | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 92.6% | +3.9% |
| 2024 | 95.9% | +3.5% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 95.9% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 85.4%, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Laos's 95.9% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 98.7%, 97% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 57.7% | 48.3% | 66.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 76.2% | 68.3% | 83.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 90.2% | 85.9% | 95.9% | 5 |
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)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.9142 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.4183 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Laos?
- Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source in Laos was 95.9% in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 95.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of population using at least a basic drinking water source recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.3% in 2000.
- How does Laos rank for share of population using at least a basic drinking water source?
- Laos ranks 135th out of 231 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of population using at least a basic drinking water source rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population using at least a basic drinking water source. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Proportion of people who use an improved drinking water source, which is either located on their premises, or at a collection point, which takes no more than 30 minutes for a roundtrip.