Lao PDR: Exports of goods and services (current US$)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2016, Lao PDR's exports of goods and services (current US$) rose 7.9% on 2015 (from US$4.9 billion to US$5.28 billion).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1986 to 2015), the average change was +15.9% and a typical year strayed about 21% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.4 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 96.7% in 1985 and the biggest yearly fall was 32.8% in 1986. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2007 to 2016 the straight-line trend is upward, about US$492.09 million a year. A straight line explains 94% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

A straight-line projection, tested first

Extending that straight line gives about US$6.98 billion for 2019. We show this only because the same method, fitted on earlier years, predicted 2014 to 2016 better than "no change" would have: its average miss was US$314.12 million, against US$623.76 million for assuming no change. Treat it as a continuation of the recent pattern, not a forecast of events: it cannot see a recession, a policy change or a revision to the data.

See how a linear trend forecast works and the guide on forecasting without fooling yourself.

How it compares

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

What this measures

Exports of goods includes changes in the economic ownership of goods from residents of the compiling economy to non-residents, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Exports of services includes services provided by residents to non-residents. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.

Limitations: Because policymakers have tended to focus on fostering the growth of output, and because data on production are easier to collect than data on spending, many countries generate their primary estimate of GDP using the production approach. Moreover, many countries do not estimate all the components of national expenditures but instead derive some of the main aggregates indirectly using GDP (based on the production approach) as the control total. Data on exports and imports are compiled from customs reports and balance of payments data.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a gap-filled total.

All 33 values

Exports of goods and services (current US$) in nearby economies

• American Samoa — US$409 million (2022)
• Australia — US$418.06 billion (2025)
• Brunei Darussalam — US$10.76 billion (2025)
• Cambodia — US$35.19 billion (2025)
• China — US$4.11 trillion (2025)
• Fiji — US$3.25 billion (2024)
• French Polynesia — US$1.16 billion (2024)
• Guam — US$545 million (2022)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — US$853.59 billion (2025)
• Indonesia

More economic policy & debt data for Lao PDR

• Grants, excluding technical cooperation (BoP, current US$) — US$347.91 million (2023)
• Technical cooperation grants (BoP, current US$) — US$90.18 million (2023)
• Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Japan (current US$) — US$41.74 million (2023)
• Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Total (current US$) — US$435.39 million (2023)
• Net official development assistance and official aid received (current US$) — US$514.84 million (2023)
• Net official development assistance and official aid received (constant 2023 US$) — US$514.84 million (2023)
• Net official development assistance received (current US$) — US$514.84 million (2023)
• Net official development assistance received (constant 2023 US$)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Lao PDR's exports of goods and services (current US$)?

US$5.28 billion in 2016, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1984?

It is up 10,780% from US$48.57 million in 1984 (15.78% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$5.41 billion in 2014 and the lowest US$48.57 million in 1984.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator NE.EXP.GNFS.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs); National Accounts data files, Central Banks; Staff estimates, World Bank (WB) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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