Laos

Despite moderate life expectancy (68.96 years), Laos faces significant public health and education challenges. The literacy rate is low (75.64%) compared to regional peers, and the infant mortality rate (35.2 per 1,000 live births) is high, indicating substantial gaps in healthcare access and quality, particularly for vulnerable populations.

Laos maintains a relatively high fertility rate (2.42), which is above the replacement level (2.1) and higher than most neighboring countries like Thailand or Vietnam. This indicates continued population growth and a relatively young population structure, despite moderate urbanization (38.8%).

Laos retains a remarkably high percentage of its land area under forest cover, reported at over 71%. This figure is exceptionally high globally and regionally, suggesting strong conservation efforts or large tracts of inaccessible terrain, contrasting with rapid deforestation often seen in developing Southeast Asian nations.

Laos has achieved near-universal access to electricity, reaching 96.5% of the population. This is a significant achievement for a country with a low GDP per capita ($2,066.95) and likely reflects substantial investment in hydropower infrastructure, often for export, which benefits domestic connectivity.