Governance at a glance
- Government
- Unitary Communist state
- UN member
- Yes
- Independent
- Yes
- CPI score (2026)
- 34/100
- Press freedom (2025)
- 33.2/100 #150
- Electoral democracy (2025)
- 0.135
- HDI
- 0.617
- Regional blocs
- ASEAN
Government and leaders
- Government type
- Unitary Communist state
| Title | Name |
|---|---|
| General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party | Thongloun Sisoulith |
| Prime Minister of Laos | Sonexay Siphandone |
Safety and security
- Traffic deaths (2019)
- 17.9/100k
- Military spending (2013)
- 0.2% of GDP
Corruption perceptions index
- CPI score (2026)
- 34 / 100
- Interpretation
- Significant corruption
Democracy index
- Electoral (2025)
- 0.135
- Liberal
- 0.110
- Participatory
- 0.118
- Deliberative
- 0.060
- Egalitarian
- 0.114
Press freedom index
- Overall score (2025)
- 33.2 / 100
- Global rank
- #150 / 180
- Rank change
- +3 vs previous year
- RSF zone
- Asie-Pacifique
- Political #152
- 25.3
- Economic #133
- 34.0
- Legal #164
- 25.1
- Social #140
- 42.5
- Safety #145
- 39.3
Press freedom historical data
| Year | Score | Rank | Political | Economic | Legal | Social | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33.2 | 150 | 25.3 | 34.0 | 25.1 | 42.5 | 39.3 |
| 2024 | 33.8 | 153 | 25.0 | 40.1 | 31.0 | 30.4 | 42.3 |
| 2023 | 36.7 | 160 | 36.0 | 33.3 | 25.5 | 38.3 | 50.2 |
| 2022 | 36.6 | 161 | 36.1 | 20.9 | 31.6 | 44.0 | 50.6 |
| 2021 | 29.4 | 172 | - | - | - | - | 42.5 |
| 2020 | 35.7 | 172 | - | - | - | - | 43.3 |
| 2019 | 35.5 | 171 | - | - | - | - | 100.0 |
| 2018 | 33.6 | 170 | - | - | - | - | 44.0 |
| 2017 | 33.6 | 170 | - | - | - | - | 43.3 |
| 2016 | 28.4 | 173 | - | - | - | - | 64.2 |
| 2015 | 28.8 | 171 | - | - | - | - | 44.0 |
| 2014 | 28.8 | 171 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2013 | 32.0 | 168 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2012 | 89.0 | 165 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2010 | 80.5 | 168 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2009 | 92.0 | 169 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2008 | 70.0 | 164 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2007 | 75.0 | 161 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2006 | 67.5 | 156 | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2005 | 66.5 | 155 | - | - | - | - | - |