If you lived in Laos instead of Aruba, you would:

Health

live 7.3 years less

In Aruba, the average life expectancy is 76 years (74 years for men, 79 years for women) as of 2024. In Laos, that number is 69 years (67 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

make 94.0% less money

Aruba has a GDP per capita of $38,591 as of 2024, while in Laos, the GDP per capita is $2,325 as of 2025.

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Life

have 2.8 times more children

In Aruba, there are approximately 7.6 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Laos, there are 20.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 2.2 times more likely to die during infancy

In Aruba, approximately 12.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Laos, on the other hand, 27.2 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 32.4% less likely to have internet access

In Aruba, approximately 97.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Laos, about 65.6% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 66.0% less on education

Aruba spends 3.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2021. Laos spends 1.2% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

find 84.4% less home broadband

Aruba has 17.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. Laos has 2.7 as of 2023.

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Environment

emit 35.0% less CO2

Aruba emits 5.2 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Laos emits 3.4 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), The World Factbook (2021–2022). How we calculate this

Laos: At a glance

Laos is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 230,800 sq km. Modern-day Laos has its roots in the ancient Lao kingdom of Lan Xang, established in the 14th century under King FA NGUM. For 300 years Lan Xang had influence reaching into present-day Cambodia and Thailand, as well as over all of what is now Laos. After centuries of gradual decline, Laos came under the domination of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the communist Pathet Lao took control of the government ending a six-century-old monarchy and instituting a strict socialist regime closely aligned to Vietnam. A gradual, limited return to private enterprise and the liberalization of foreign investment laws began in 1988. Laos became a member of ASEAN in 1997 and the WTO in 2013.
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