Lao PDR: Subsidies and other transfers (current LCU)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2022, Lao PDR's subsidies and other transfers (current LCU) fell 3.4% on 2021 (from 2.72 trillion to 2.63 trillion).

Across the 13 yearly changes before that (2009 to 2021), the average change was +14.4% and a typical year strayed about 14.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.2 standard deviations below 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 44.8% in 2017 and the biggest yearly fall was 3.4% in 2022. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2013 to 2022 the straight-line trend is upward, about 220.4 billion a year. A straight line explains 86% 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.

Closest to Lao PDR in the 2022 ranking

• India — 1st of 8: 15.24 trillion
• Congo, Dem. Rep. — 3rd of 8: 1.89 trillion
• Serbia — 4th of 8: 1.58 trillion
• Australia — 5th of 8: 447.35 billion

What this measures

Subsidies are current unrequited payments that government units, including nonresident government units, make to enterprises on the basis of the levels of their production activities or the quantities or values of the goods or services that they produce, sell, export or import. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.

Limitations: For most countries central government finance data have been consolidated into one account, but for others only budgetary central government accounts are available. Countries reporting budgetary data are noted in the country metadata. Because budgetary accounts may not include all central government units (such as social security funds), they usually provide an incomplete picture. In federal states the central government accounts provide an incomplete view of total public finance. Data on government revenue and expense are collected by the IMF through questionnaires to member countries and by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

All 15 values

Subsidies and other transfers (current LCU) in nearby economies

• Australia — 447.35 billion (2022)
• Cambodia — 8.4 trillion (2023)
• Fiji — 1.41 billion (2024)
• Kiribati — 130.48 million (2023)
• Korea, Rep. — 484.57 trillion (2024)
• Macao SAR, China — 27.62 billion (2024)
• Malaysia — 135.38 billion (2024)
• Marshall Islands — 24.54 million (2020)
• Micronesia, Fed. Sts. — 6.75 million (2020)
• Mongolia

More public sector data for Lao PDR

• Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values) — 7 million (2024)
• Armed forces personnel, total — 129,000 (2020)
• Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) — 4.08% (2020)
• CPIA business regulatory environment rating (1=low to 6=high) — 3.5 (2025)
• CPIA debt policy rating (1=low to 6=high) — 2 (2025)
• CPIA economic management cluster average (1=low to 6=high) — 3 (2025)
• CPIA policy and institutions for environmental sustainability rating (1=low to 6=high) — 3.5 (2025)
• CPIA quality of budgetary and financial management rating (1=low to 6=high) — 3 (2025)
• CPIA financial sector rating (1=low to 6=high)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Lao PDR's subsidies and other transfers (current LCU)?

2.63 trillion in 2022, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2008?

It is up 405.73% from 519.1 billion in 2008 (12.27% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 2.85 trillion in 2019 and the lowest 519.1 billion in 2008.

Is the latest change in subsidies and other transfers (current LCU) unusual for Lao PDR?

In 2022, Lao PDR's subsidies and other transfers (current LCU) fell 3.4% on 2021 (from 2.72 trillion to 2.63 trillion). Across the 13 yearly changes before that (2009 to 2021), the average change was +14.4% and a typical year strayed about 14.5% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.2 standard deviations below 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: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator GC.XPN.TRFT.CN, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF) 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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