Lao PDR: Gross savings (% of GDP)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2016, Lao PDR's gross savings (% of GDP) rose 6.89 percentage points on 2015 (from 10.75% to 17.64%).

Across the 19 yearly changes before that (1985 to 2015), the average change was −0.18 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 6.7 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 16.97 percentage points in 2002 and the biggest yearly fall was 11.54 percentage points in 2012. 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 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 12% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

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

How it compares

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

Closest to Lao PDR in the 2016 ranking

• French Polynesia — 1st of 4: 23.29%
• New Caledonia — 2nd of 4: 19.33%
• Yemen, Rep. — 4th of 4: -4.51%

What this measures

Savings is an amount that represents the part of disposable income (adjusted for the change in pension entitlements) that is not spent on final consumption. Gross savings are calculated as gross national income less total consumption, plus net transfers. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 22 values

Gross savings (% of GDP) in nearby economies

• Australia — 22.15% (2025)
• Brunei Darussalam — 45.33% (2025)
• Cambodia — 39.09% (2025)
• China — 42.72% (2024)
• Fiji — 13.06% (2024)
• French Polynesia — 23.29% (2016)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 30.55% (2025)
• Indonesia — 35.04% (2025)
• Japan — 32.06% (2024)
• Kiribati — 12.85% (2024)
• Korea, Rep. — 35.6% (2025)
• Macao SAR, China

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$514.84 million (2023)
• Net official development assistance received (constant 2023 US$)

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Questions people ask

What is Lao PDR's gross savings (% of GDP)?

17.64% in 2016, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1984?

It is up 12.64 percentage points from 5% in 1984. The highest value was 22.57% in 2006 and the lowest -0.61% in 1988.

Is the latest change in gross savings (% of GDP) unusual for Lao PDR?

In 2016, Lao PDR's gross savings (% of GDP) rose 6.89 percentage points on 2015 (from 10.75% to 17.64%). Across the 19 yearly changes before that (1985 to 2015), the average change was −0.18 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 6.7 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, 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).

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator NY.GNS.ICTR.ZS, 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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