Lao PDR
Capital: Vientiane · Lower middle income · Pop. 7.8 million
Source: World Bank Open Data (WHO/UNICEF JMP & FAO AQUASTAT) · drinking water 2024
In Lao PDR, 35.19% of the population uses safely managed drinking water — an improved source, located on premises, available when needed, and free from contamination (2024 estimate). That leaves roughly 5.0 million people without safely managed drinking water at home.
Sanitation tracks closely: 71.38% use safely managed sanitation services and 88.73% have at least a basic service (2024).
Lao PDR has about 25,188 cubic meters of renewable internal freshwater per person each year. It withdraws the equivalent of 4% of those internal resources annually (low water stress).
Agriculture accounts for about 96% of Lao PDR's water withdrawals, the rest going to households and industry.
Common questions
How many people in Lao PDR have safe drinking water?
35.19% of Lao PDR's population uses safely managed drinking water (2024), per WHO/UNICEF data; about 5.0 million people do not.
Does Lao PDR have enough freshwater?
Lao PDR has roughly 25,188 m³ of renewable internal freshwater per person per year, and uses about 4% of it annually (low stress).