Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Laos
Laos: Medical doctors per 1,000 people was 0.331 per 1,000 people in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Laos, 1960–2022
Source: World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2022, medical doctors per 1,000 people in Laos stood at 0.331 per 1,000 people.
That represents a change of up 1.8% on the previous year and up 3.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, medical doctors per 1,000 people in Laos peaked at 0.729 per 1,000 people in 1985 and was at its lowest, 0.02 per 1,000 people, in 1960.
That places Laos 149th out of 194 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Laos, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.02 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1965 | 0.041 per 1,000 people | +105.0% |
| 1970 | 0.066 per 1,000 people | +61.0% |
| 1976 | 0.051 per 1,000 people | -22.7% |
| 1985 | 0.729 per 1,000 people | +1329.4% |
| 1990 | 0.234 per 1,000 people | -67.9% |
| 1995 | 0.336 per 1,000 people | +43.6% |
| 2000 | 0.279 per 1,000 people | -17.0% |
| 2004 | 0.346 per 1,000 people | +24.0% |
| 2005 | 0.267 per 1,000 people | -22.8% |
| 2009 | 0.197 per 1,000 people | -26.2% |
| 2010 | 0.332 per 1,000 people | +68.5% |
| 2012 | 0.321 per 1,000 people | -3.3% |
| 2013 | 0.326 per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 0.377 per 1,000 people | +15.6% |
| 2015 | 0.4 per 1,000 people | +6.1% |
| 2016 | 0.371 per 1,000 people | -7.3% |
| 2017 | 0.44 per 1,000 people | +18.6% |
| 2018 | 0.361 per 1,000 people | -18.0% |
| 2019 | 0.363 per 1,000 people | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 0.356 per 1,000 people | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 0.325 per 1,000 people | -8.7% |
| 2022 | 0.331 per 1,000 people | +1.8% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 0.331 per 1,000 people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.3555 per 1,000 people, 93% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Laos's 0.331 per 1,000 people is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.06 per 1,000 people, 31% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Laos changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +1329.4% | 0.051 per 1,000 people | 0.729 per 1,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.0305 per 1,000 people | 0.02 per 1,000 people | 0.041 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.0585 per 1,000 people | 0.051 per 1,000 people | 0.066 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1980s | 0.729 per 1,000 people | 0.729 per 1,000 people | 0.729 per 1,000 people | 1 |
| 1990s | 0.285 per 1,000 people | 0.234 per 1,000 people | 0.336 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 2000s | 0.2722 per 1,000 people | 0.197 per 1,000 people | 0.346 per 1,000 people | 4 |
| 2010s | 0.3657 per 1,000 people | 0.321 per 1,000 people | 0.44 per 1,000 people | 9 |
| 2020s | 0.3373 per 1,000 people | 0.325 per 1,000 people | 0.356 per 1,000 people | 3 |
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)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 15 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5161 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0489 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.5055 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is medical doctors per 1,000 people in Laos?
- Medical doctors per 1,000 people in Laos was 0.331 per 1,000 people in 2022, according to World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 0.729 per 1,000 people in 1985.
- What is the lowest medical doctors per 1,000 people recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.02 per 1,000 people in 1960.
- How does Laos rank for medical doctors per 1,000 people?
- Laos ranks 149th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is medical doctors per 1,000 people rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (Global Health Workforce Statistics), OECD, and country data, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Medical doctors per 1,000 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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