Lao PDR Unemployment Rate
Unemployment as % of total labor force SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
Overview
Lao PDR's unemployment rate stood at 1.19% in 2025, a rise of +0.01pp from 2024. Lao PDR ranked 8th globally.
Data & projection
| Year | Unemployment Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1.19% | +0.01pp | #8 |
| 2024 | 1.17% | −0.01pp | #8 |
| 2023 | 1.19% | −0.02pp | #8 |
| 2022 | 1.21% | −0.87pp | #8 |
| 2021 | 2.08% | −0.27pp | #13 |
| 2020 | 2.35% | −0.18pp | #16 |
| 2019 | 2.53% | −0.37pp | #30 |
| 2018 | 2.90% | −0.37pp | #32 |
| 2017 | 3.27% | +0.63pp | #36 |
| 2016 | 2.63% | +0.63pp | #25 |
| 2015 | 2.01% | +0.27pp | #17 |
| 2014 | 1.73% | +0.26pp | #15 |
| 2013 | 1.47% | +0.26pp | #11 |
| 2012 | 1.21% | +0.25pp | #10 |
| 2011 | 0.96% | +0.25pp | #8 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Lao PDR matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2023. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Lao PDR's unemployment rate was 1.19% in 2025. Ranked 8th globally. This represents a 1.1% increase from the previous year.
Lao PDR's unemployment rate peaked at 3.27% in 2017.
The lowest unemployment rate in Lao PDR was 0.71% in 2010.
Lao PDR ranks 8th globally in unemployment rate as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
The unemployment rate of Lao PDR in 2025 was 1.19%. This ranks 8th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_lao-pdr_unemployment-rate,
title = {Lao PDR Unemployment Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/lao-pdr/unemployment-rate},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}