Laos's forest cover fell from 76.6 % in 1994 to 71.5 % in 2023.
Laos · Environment
Forests, air quality, land, water and protected areas.
10 indicators · 10 with data
Land
Laos's forest area fell from 176,758 km in 1994 to 164,920 km in 2023.
Terrestrial protected areas (% of total land area)
% of land area
95th of 213 · 12th in East Asia & Pacific
Laos's terrestrial protected areas (% of total land area) rose from 16.7 % in 2013 to 18.8 % in 2025.
Laos's agricultural land (% of land area) rose from 7.3 % in 1994 to 9.9 % in 2023.
Laos's arable land (% of land area) rose from 3.6 % in 1994 to 5.3 % in 2023.
Air
Laos's air pollution (pm2.5) fell from 38.9 in 1994 to 26.0 in 2023.
Water
Laos's water stress rose from 1.8 % in 2005 to 3.9 % in 2022.
Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita
cubic metres per person
25th of 181 · 6th in East Asia & Pacific
Laos's renewable internal freshwater resources per capita fell from 40,640 in 1993 to 25,188 in 2022.
Access
Laos's safe drinking water rose from 5.1 % in 2000 to 35.2 % in 2024.
Laos's safe sanitation rose from 21.2 % in 2000 to 71.4 % in 2024.