What is liberal democracy index in Laos?

Liberal democracy index in Laos was 0.11 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest liberal democracy index recorded in Laos?

The highest recorded value was 0.164 in 1958.

What is the lowest liberal democracy index recorded in Laos?

The lowest recorded value was 0.059 in 1940.

How does Laos rank for liberal democracy index?

Laos ranks 135th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is liberal democracy index rising or falling in Laos?

Over the last ten years it is up 23.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Laos data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Liberal Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Liberal Democracy Index in Laos

Name: Liberal Democracy Index in Laos
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Laos: Liberal Democracy Index was 0.11 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.11

Change on year

down 6.0%

World rank

135th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.164

in 1958

All-time low

0.059

in 1940

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Liberal Democracy Index in Laos, 1900–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Laos recorded 0.11 for liberal democracy index in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.0% on the previous year and up 23.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, liberal democracy index in Laos peaked at 0.164 in 1958 and was at its lowest, 0.059, in 1940.

Laos ranks 135th of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 126 years of available data.

Liberal Democracy Index in Laos, year by year

Annual values for Liberal Democracy Index in Laos, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.065	—
1901	0.065	+0.0%
1902	0.065	+0.0%
1903	0.065	+0.0%
1904	0.065	+0.0%
1905	0.065	+0.0%
1906	0.065	+0.0%
1907	0.065	+0.0%
1908	0.065	+0.0%
1909	0.065	+0.0%
1910	0.065	+0.0%
1911	0.065	+0.0%
1912	0.065	+0.0%
1913	0.065	+0.0%
1914	0.065	+0.0%
1915	0.065	+0.0%
1916	0.065	+0.0%
1917	0.065	+0.0%
1918	0.065	+0.0%
1919	0.065	+0.0%
1920	0.065	+0.0%
1921	0.065	+0.0%
1922	0.065	+0.0%
1923	0.065	+0.0%
1924	0.065	+0.0%
1925	0.065	+0.0%
1926	0.065	+0.0%
1927	0.065	+0.0%
1928	0.065	+0.0%
1929	0.065	+0.0%
1930	0.065	+0.0%
1931	0.065	+0.0%
1932	0.065	+0.0%
1933	0.065	+0.0%
1934	0.065	+0.0%
1935	0.065	+0.0%
1936	0.065	+0.0%
1937	0.065	+0.0%
1938	0.065	+0.0%
1939	0.065	+0.0%
1940	0.059	-9.2%
1941	0.061	+3.4%
1942	0.062	+1.6%
1943	0.06	-3.2%
1944	0.063	+5.0%
1945	0.063	+0.0%
1946	0.082	+30.2%
1947	0.104	+26.8%
1948	0.128	+23.1%
1949	0.127	-0.8%
1950	0.125	-1.6%
1951	0.129	+3.2%
1952	0.13	+0.8%
1953	0.128	-1.5%
1954	0.127	-0.8%
1955	0.13	+2.4%
1956	0.13	+0.0%
1957	0.147	+13.1%
1958	0.164	+11.6%
1959	0.158	-3.7%
1960	0.145	-8.2%
1961	0.124	-14.5%
1962	0.124	+0.0%
1963	0.124	+0.0%
1964	0.124	+0.0%
1965	0.11	-11.3%
1966	0.111	+0.9%
1967	0.13	+17.1%
1968	0.13	+0.0%
1969	0.13	+0.0%
1970	0.13	+0.0%
1971	0.13	+0.0%
1972	0.129	-0.8%
1973	0.129	+0.0%
1974	0.128	-0.8%
1975	0.073	-43.0%
1976	0.068	-6.8%
1977	0.068	+0.0%
1978	0.068	+0.0%
1979	0.068	+0.0%
1980	0.068	+0.0%
1981	0.068	+0.0%
1982	0.068	+0.0%
1983	0.068	+0.0%
1984	0.068	+0.0%
1985	0.068	+0.0%
1986	0.071	+4.4%
1987	0.071	+0.0%
1988	0.071	+0.0%
1989	0.091	+28.2%
1990	0.092	+1.1%
1991	0.087	-5.4%
1992	0.083	-4.6%
1993	0.087	+4.8%
1994	0.086	-1.1%
1995	0.087	+1.2%
1996	0.087	+0.0%
1997	0.087	+0.0%
1998	0.087	+0.0%
1999	0.088	+1.1%
2000	0.088	+0.0%
2001	0.088	+0.0%
2002	0.089	+1.1%
2003	0.089	+0.0%
2004	0.089	+0.0%
2005	0.089	+0.0%
2006	0.088	-1.1%
2007	0.088	+0.0%
2008	0.088	+0.0%
2009	0.088	+0.0%
2010	0.089	+1.1%
2011	0.089	+0.0%
2012	0.089	+0.0%
2013	0.09	+1.1%
2014	0.09	+0.0%
2015	0.089	-1.1%
2016	0.088	-1.1%
2017	0.093	+5.7%
2018	0.09	-3.2%
2019	0.109	+21.1%
2020	0.094	-13.8%
2021	0.104	+10.6%
2022	0.113	+8.7%
2023	0.106	-6.2%
2024	0.117	+10.4%
2025	0.11	-6.0%

Laos compared with similar countries

Laos's 0.11 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.203, 54% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Laos's 0.11 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.3575, 31% of the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.065	0.065	0.065	10
1910s	0.065	0.065	0.065	10
1920s	0.065	0.065	0.065	10
1930s	0.065	0.065	0.065	10
1940s	0.0809	0.059	0.128	10
1950s	0.1368	0.125	0.164	10
1960s	0.1252	0.11	0.145	10
1970s	0.0991	0.068	0.13	10
1980s	0.0712	0.068	0.091	10
1990s	0.0871	0.083	0.092	10
2000s	0.0884	0.088	0.089	10
2010s	0.0916	0.088	0.109	10
2020s	0.1073	0.094	0.117	6

Countries ranked near Laos

134 Cameroon 0.114 compare
135 Turkey 0.11 compare
137 Burkina Faso 0.103 compare
137 Iran 0.103 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Laos

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 80 (1987)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6,489 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0008 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6,489 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (1987)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -4.76 % change on previous year (1984)

All data for Laos →

Frequently asked questions

What is liberal democracy index in Laos?: Liberal democracy index in Laos was 0.11 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest liberal democracy index recorded in Laos?: The highest recorded value was 0.164 in 1958.
What is the lowest liberal democracy index recorded in Laos?: The lowest recorded value was 0.059 in 1940.
How does Laos rank for liberal democracy index?: Laos ranks 135th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is liberal democracy index rising or falling in Laos?: Over the last ten years it is up 23.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Laos data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Liberal Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Liberal Democracy Index in Laos. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/liberal-democracy-index/lao-pdr/

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About this data

Indicator: Liberal Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 28,671 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, individual and minority rights, equality before the law, and executive constraints.