Energy intensity in Laos
Laos: Energy intensity was 1.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2022)
1.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar
Change on year
down 11.4%
World rank
57th
of 166 countries
All-time high
1.58 kilowatt-hours per dollar
in 2017
All-time low
0.184 kilowatt-hours per dollar
in 1984
Years of data
43
1980–2022
Energy intensity in Laos, 1980–2022
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilowatt-hours per dollar.
Analysis
Laos recorded 1.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar for energy intensity in 2022.
The figure is down 11.4% on the previous year and up 117.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy intensity in Laos peaked at 1.58 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.184 kilowatt-hours per dollar, in 1984.
That places Laos 57th out of 166 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Energy intensity in Laos, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per dollar | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.5525 kilowatt-hours per dollar | — |
| 1981 | 0.2614 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -52.7% |
| 1982 | 0.2403 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -8.1% |
| 1983 | 0.2299 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.3% |
| 1984 | 0.184 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -20.0% |
| 1985 | 0.1878 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 0.2098 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +11.7% |
| 1987 | 0.2148 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 0.214 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 0.2195 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 0.21 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.3% |
| 1991 | 0.2204 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +5.0% |
| 1992 | 0.2148 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.5% |
| 1993 | 0.2125 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 0.1961 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -7.7% |
| 1995 | 0.208 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +6.0% |
| 1996 | 0.218 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +4.8% |
| 1997 | 0.2187 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 0.2064 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -5.6% |
| 1999 | 0.1904 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -7.8% |
| 2000 | 0.4125 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +116.7% |
| 2001 | 0.413 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 0.4059 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 0.4129 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 0.3961 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.1% |
| 2005 | 0.4241 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +7.1% |
| 2006 | 0.5262 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +24.1% |
| 2007 | 0.4677 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -11.1% |
| 2008 | 0.4786 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +2.3% |
| 2009 | 0.5068 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +5.9% |
| 2010 | 0.5224 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 0.5102 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.3% |
| 2012 | 0.5401 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +5.9% |
| 2013 | 0.5605 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 0.5551 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 0.9704 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +74.8% |
| 2016 | 1.43 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +47.3% |
| 2017 | 1.58 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +10.3% |
| 2018 | 1.53 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.9% |
| 2019 | 1.48 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 1.31 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -11.5% |
| 2021 | 1.33 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +1.1% |
| 2022 | 1.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -11.4% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 1.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.8261 kilowatt-hours per dollar, 1.4× the median. (41 countries reporting)
- Laos's 1.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar, 100% of the median. (17 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Energy intensity in Laos changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +116.7% | 0.1904 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.4125 kilowatt-hours per dollar |
| 2015 | +74.8% | 0.5551 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.9704 kilowatt-hours per dollar |
| 1981 | -52.7% | 0.5525 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.2614 kilowatt-hours per dollar |
| 2016 | +47.3% | 0.9704 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.43 kilowatt-hours per dollar |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.2514 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.184 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.5525 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2095 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.1904 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.2204 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4444 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.3961 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.5262 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9679 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.5102 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.58 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.27 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.33 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 3 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 54 Seychelles 1.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 55 Iraq 1.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 56 Mongolia 1.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 58 Jordan 1.15 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 59 Australia 1.13 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 60 Palestine 1.13 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
More energy & mining data for Laos
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 8.72 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 18.8% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy intensity in Laos?
- Energy intensity in Laos was 1.18 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2022, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest energy intensity recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 1.58 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2017.
- What is the lowest energy intensity recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.184 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 1984.
- How does Laos rank for energy intensity?
- Laos ranks 57th out of 166 countries with data for 2022.
- Is energy intensity rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 117.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Energy intensity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 43 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours of total energy supply per international-$ of GDP.