Lao PDR: Merchandise trade (% of GDP)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Lao PDR's merchandise trade (% of GDP) rose 14.76 percentage points on 2024 (from 109.37% to 124.13%).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +1.78 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 8.19 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.6 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 25.63 percentage points in 2022 and the biggest yearly fall was 14.62 percentage points in 1999. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is upward, about 7.33 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 85% 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.

How it compares

In 2025, Lao PDR had the 14th highest value of the 188 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Lao PDR in the 2025 ranking

• Czechia — 11th of 188: 137.32%
• Hungary — 12th of 188: 133.09%
• Cambodia — 13th of 188: 127.1%
• Thailand — 15th of 188: 118.64%
• North Macedonia — 16th of 188: 115.78%
• Brunei Darussalam — 17th of 188: 109.99%

What this measures

General merchandise trade includes goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e. It is the total of merchandise exports plus merchandise imports. 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 42 values

Merchandise trade (% of GDP) in nearby economies

• American Samoa — 117.68% (2022)
• Australia — 36.04% (2025)
• Brunei Darussalam — 109.99% (2025)
• Cambodia — 127.1% (2025)
• China — 32.59% (2025)
• Fiji — 70.62% (2025)
• French Polynesia — 38.74% (2024)
• Guam — 18.42% (2022)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 371.02% (2025)
• Indonesia — 36.3% (2025)
• Japan — 33.68% (2025)

More private sector & trade data for Lao PDR

• Merchandise imports (current US$) — US$10.34 billion (2025)
• Merchandise exports (current US$) — US$12.38 billion (2025)
• Merchandise imports from high-income economies (% of total merchandise imports) — 17.45% (2023)
• Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East Asia & Pacific (% of total merchandise imports) — 81.87% (2023)
• Merchandise imports by the reporting economy, residual (% of total merchandise imports) — 0% (2023)
• Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$) — US$5.47 billion (2023)
• Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within region (% of total merchandise imports) — 81.87% (2023)

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 merchandise trade (% of GDP)?

124.13% in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1984?

It is up 112.4 percentage points from 11.72% in 1984. The highest value was 124.13% in 2025 and the lowest 10.44% in 1985.

How does Lao PDR rank?

14th highest of 188 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in merchandise trade (% of GDP) unusual for Lao PDR?

In 2025, Lao PDR's merchandise trade (% of GDP) rose 14.76 percentage points on 2024 (from 109.37% to 124.13%). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +1.78 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 8.19 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator TG.VAL.TOTL.GD.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: World Trade Organization (WTO); World Bank GDP estimates, World Bank (WB); World Development Indicators, 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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