Health spending as a share of total government spending in Laos
Laos: Health spending as a share of total government spending was 3.2% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Health spending as a share of total government spending in Laos, 2000–2023
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Laos recorded 3.2% for health spending as a share of total government spending in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 24.6% on the previous year and up 9.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, health spending as a share of total government spending in Laos peaked at 7.1% in 2001 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 2012.
That places Laos 188th out of 195 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Health spending as a share of total government spending in Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 6.2% | — |
| 2001 | 7.1% | +13.8% |
| 2002 | 6.1% | -13.1% |
| 2003 | 6.8% | +11.5% |
| 2004 | 5.9% | -14.4% |
| 2005 | 5.9% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 4.4% | -26.2% |
| 2007 | 3.9% | -10.6% |
| 2008 | 3.2% | -18.1% |
| 2009 | 5.7% | +78.4% |
| 2010 | 2.7% | -52.8% |
| 2011 | 1.8% | -32.5% |
| 2012 | 1.8% | -2.8% |
| 2013 | 2.9% | +66.4% |
| 2014 | 2.7% | -6.9% |
| 2015 | 3.4% | +22.5% |
| 2016 | 3.6% | +8.3% |
| 2017 | 4.1% | +12.4% |
| 2018 | 4.2% | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 5.2% | +23.0% |
| 2020 | 4.3% | -16.4% |
| 2021 | 4.6% | +6.1% |
| 2022 | 4.3% | -7.1% |
| 2023 | 3.2% | -24.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5.5% | 3.2% | 7.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.2% | 1.8% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.1% | 3.2% | 4.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More health data for Laos
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.5667 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,260 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 317 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 80 and above, female, per capita 0.0034 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, annual growth rate 1.68 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 80 and above, male, per capita 0.0023 units per person (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, gaps filled 26 (2025)
- Pertussis - number of reported cases, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is health spending as a share of total government spending in Laos?
- Health spending as a share of total government spending in Laos was 3.2% in 2023, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 7.1% in 2001.
- What is the lowest health spending as a share of total government spending recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 2012.
- How does Laos rank for health spending as a share of total government spending?
- Laos ranks 188th out of 195 countries with data for 2023.
- Is health spending as a share of total government spending rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Health spending as a share of total government spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Domestic general government health expenditure expressed as a percentage of total expenditure of the general government.