Share of forest area within protected areas in Laos
Laos: Share of forest area within protected areas was 25.7% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of forest area within protected areas in Laos, 1990–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of forest area within protected areas in Laos is 25.7%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 8 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of forest area within protected areas in Laos peaked at 27.1% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 25.7%, in 2025.
Laos ranks 69th of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Share of forest area within protected areas in Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 27.1% | — |
| 2000 | 26.7% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 26.3% | -1.5% |
| 2015 | 26.1% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 19.3% | -25.9% |
| 2017 | 19.2% | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 25.9% | +34.8% |
| 2025 | 25.7% | -1.0% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 25.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 17.4%, 1.5× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Laos's 25.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 16.2%, 1.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 27.1% | 27.1% | 27.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 26.7% | 26.7% | 26.7% | 1 |
| 2010s | 22.7% | 19.2% | 26.3% | 4 |
| 2020s | 25.8% | 25.7% | 25.9% | 2 |
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)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of forest area within protected areas in Laos?
- Share of forest area within protected areas in Laos was 25.7% in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of forest area within protected areas recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 27.1% in 1990.
- What is the lowest share of forest area within protected areas recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 25.7% in 2025.
- How does Laos rank for share of forest area within protected areas?
- Laos ranks 69th out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of forest area within protected areas rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of forest area within protected areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas (%).