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

Health

be 66.7% less likely to be obese

In Azerbaijan, 27.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Laos, that number is 9.2% of people as of 2024.

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live 5.4 years less

In Azerbaijan, the average life expectancy is 75 years (72 years for men, 77 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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see 87.6% less spent on your healthcare

Azerbaijan spends $993 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Laos spends $123 as of 2023.

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have 89.6% fewer doctors per person

Azerbaijan has 31.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Laos has 3.3 as of 2022.

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have 21.2% less access to essential health services

Azerbaijan scores 66 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Laos scores 52 as of 2021.

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be 2.9 times more likely to die by suicide

Azerbaijan has a suicide rate of 1.6 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Laos, it is 4.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 78.2% less likely to be unemployed

In Azerbaijan, 5.5% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Laos, that number is 1.2% as of 2025.

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make 68.6% less money

Azerbaijan has a GDP per capita of $7,411 as of 2025, while in Laos, the GDP per capita is $2,325 as of 2025.

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Life

have 2.1 times more children

In Azerbaijan, there are approximately 10.0 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 6.2 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Azerbaijan, approximately 18.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Laos, 112.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 24.2% less likely to be literate

In Azerbaijan, the literacy rate is 99.8% as of 2023. In Laos, it is 75.6% as of 2023.

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be 2.2 times more likely to die during infancy

In Azerbaijan, approximately 12.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Laos, on the other hand, 27.2 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 27.8% less likely to have internet access

In Azerbaijan, approximately 90.8% of the population has internet access as of 2025. In Laos, about 65.6% do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 66.4% less on education

Azerbaijan spends 3.7% of its total GDP on education as of 2023. Laos spends 1.2% of total GDP on education as of 2023.

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spend 68.9% less on healthcare

Azerbaijan spends 4.3% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Laos, that number is 1.3% of GDP as of 2023.

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Infrastructure

live with 91.7% less strain on fresh water

Azerbaijan withdraws 58% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Laos withdraws 5% as of 2022.

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find 87.5% less home broadband

Azerbaijan has 21.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Laos has 2.7 as of 2023.

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use 29.7% less electricity

Azerbaijan uses 2,367 kWh of electricity per person each year as of 2023. Laos uses 1,665 kWh as of 2023.

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Environment

be 39.5% less likely to die from air pollution

In Azerbaijan, air pollution causes 114.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Laos, it causes 69.0 as of 2019.

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emit 12.1% less CO2

Azerbaijan emits 3.8 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), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024). 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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