Laos trade expanded from USD 9.68 billion in 2017 to USD 15.56 billion in 2023, according to the Lao Trade Portal and Department of Foreign Trade. Over that period, exports rose from USD 4.89 billion to USD 8.37 billion, while imports increased from USD 4.79 billion to USD 7.19 billion. The reported annual balance moved between surplus and deficit, with the largest listed surplus reaching USD 1.74 billion in 2021.
Contents
- Annual trade totals
- Exports, imports, and the trade balance
- What Laos exported in 2023
- What Laos imported in 2023
- WITS 2023 trade snapshot
- Services, tariffs, and trade measures
- Foreign investment indicator
Annual trade totals
The Lao Trade Portal and Department of Foreign Trade reported total trade for each year from 2017 through 2023. The series shows growth in the value of goods traded, although the increase was not uniform from one year to the next.
| Year | Total trade | Exports | Imports | Trade balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | USD 9.68 billion | USD 4.89 billion | USD 4.79 billion | USD 0.10 billion |
| 2018 | USD 11.26 billion | USD 5.41 billion | USD 5.85 billion | -USD 0.44 billion |
| 2019 | USD 11.60 billion | USD 5.86 billion | USD 5.74 billion | USD 0.12 billion |
| 2020 | USD 11.23 billion | USD 6.17 billion | USD 5.06 billion | USD 1.10 billion |
| 2021 | USD 13.51 billion | USD 7.63 billion | USD 5.89 billion | USD 1.74 billion |
| 2022 | USD 15.01 billion | USD 8.20 billion | USD 6.81 billion | USD 1.39 billion |
| 2023 | USD 15.56 billion | USD 8.37 billion | USD 7.19 billion | USD 1.18 billion |
Source: [Lao Trade Portal/Department of Foreign Trade].
Total trade rose from USD 9.68 billion in 2017 to USD 11.26 billion in 2018, then reached USD 11.60 billion in 2019. It was USD 11.23 billion in 2020 before increasing to USD 13.51 billion in 2021. The series then recorded USD 15.01 billion in 2022 and USD 15.56 billion in 2023.
The 2020 figure is lower than the 2019 figure, but the reported export value increased from USD 5.86 billion to USD 6.17 billion. Imports declined from USD 5.74 billion in 2019 to USD 5.06 billion in 2020. In 2021, total trade rose to USD 13.51 billion, with exports of USD 7.63 billion and imports of USD 5.89 billion.
Exports, imports, and the trade balance
The reported balance changed from a small surplus in 2017 to a deficit in 2018, then returned to surplus in 2019. Lao PDR recorded exports of USD 4.89 billion and imports of USD 4.79 billion in 2017, producing a balance of USD 0.10 billion. In 2018, exports were USD 5.41 billion against imports of USD 5.85 billion, corresponding to a deficit of USD 0.44 billion.
In 2019, exports reached USD 5.86 billion and imports USD 5.74 billion, giving a reported surplus of USD 0.12 billion. The 2020 figures were USD 6.17 billion in exports and USD 5.06 billion in imports, with a balance of USD 1.10 billion. The surplus increased to USD 1.74 billion in 2021, when exports were USD 7.63 billion and imports were USD 5.89 billion.
The balance narrowed after 2021. In 2022, exports were USD 8.20 billion and imports were USD 6.81 billion, for a reported surplus of USD 1.39 billion. In 2023, exports reached USD 8.37 billion and imports USD 7.19 billion; the balance was USD 1.18 billion.
| Year | Export value | Import value | Reported balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | USD 4.89 billion | USD 4.79 billion | USD 0.10 billion surplus |
| 2018 | USD 5.41 billion | USD 5.85 billion | USD 0.44 billion deficit |
| 2020 | USD 6.17 billion | USD 5.06 billion | USD 1.10 billion surplus |
| 2021 | USD 7.63 billion | USD 5.89 billion | USD 1.74 billion surplus |
| 2023 | USD 8.37 billion | USD 7.19 billion | USD 1.18 billion surplus |
Source: [Lao Trade Portal/Department of Foreign Trade].
What Laos exported in 2023
The Lao Trade Portal and Department of Foreign Trade reported the composition of total exports in 2023 by product group. Electricity was the largest listed category, accounting for 28% of total exports. Gold and minerals, including gold, copper ore, and iron ore, accounted for 18%.
Paper and waste paper represented 9% of exports, while salt represented 5%. Cassava and rubber each accounted for 4%. Sugar and garments each accounted for 3%.
These categories describe shares of total exports, not separate annual dollar values. They also use the source’s product-group definitions: the minerals category includes gold, copper ore, and iron ore, while the electricity category is reported separately.
The listed export shares show a mixture of energy, minerals, agricultural products, and manufactured goods. Electricity and gold-and-mineral products together represented 46% of total exports in the 2023 breakdown. Paper and waste paper added 9%, and salt added 5%. Cassava, rubber, sugar, and garments together represented 14%.
What Laos imported in 2023
The 2023 import breakdown from the Lao Trade Portal and Department of Foreign Trade was led by fuels, including diesel, gasoline, and special gasoline. Fuels accounted for 17% of total imports. Vehicles and spare parts accounted for 13%, and mechanical equipment accounted for 8%.
Steel represented 6% of imports. Electrical appliances represented 4%. Plastics, paper and waste paper, beverages, and sugar each represented 3% of total imports.
The named fuel group and vehicles-and-spare-parts group together accounted for 30% of total imports. Adding mechanical equipment brought those three categories to 38%. Steel brought the combined share to 44%, while electrical appliances brought it to 48%.
| 2023 import group | Share of total imports |
|---|---|
| Fuels, including diesel, gasoline, and special gasoline | 17% |
| Vehicles and spare parts | 13% |
| Mechanical equipment | 8% |
| Steel | 6% |
| Electrical appliances | 4% |
| Plastics | 3% |
| Paper and waste paper | 3% |
| Beverages | 3% |
| Sugar | 3% |
Source: [Lao Trade Portal/Department of Foreign Trade].
The export and import lists are not directly symmetrical. Paper and waste paper appears in both lists, with a 9% export share and a 3% import share in the 2023 source breakdown. Sugar also appears on both sides, with a 3% share of exports and a 3% share of imports.
WITS 2023 trade snapshot
The World Integrated Trade Solution, or WITS, reported a different set of 2023 estimates for Lao PDR. WITS estimated exports at USD 6.042 billion, imports at USD 7.075 billion, and total trade at USD 13.118 billion. Its estimated trade balance was a deficit of USD 1.033 billion.
These WITS figures should be read as a separate 2023 snapshot from the Lao Trade Portal and Department of Foreign Trade series. The two sources report different values and different signs for the annual balance. The Lao Trade Portal and Department of Foreign Trade reported 2023 exports of USD 8.37 billion, imports of USD 7.19 billion, total trade of USD 15.56 billion, and a USD 1.18 billion surplus; WITS estimated USD 6.042 billion in exports, USD 7.075 billion in imports, USD 13.118 billion in total trade, and a USD 1.033 billion deficit.
WITS also reported December 2023 monthly exports of USD 530.903 million and monthly imports of USD 703.643 million. Total monthly trade was USD 1.234546 billion, with a monthly trade balance of -USD 172.740 million.
| WITS measure | 2023 value |
|---|---|
| Estimated exports | USD 6.042 billion |
| Estimated imports | USD 7.075 billion |
| Estimated total trade | USD 13.118 billion |
| Estimated trade balance | -USD 1.033 billion |
| December exports | USD 530.903 million |
| December imports | USD 703.643 million |
| December total trade | USD 1.234546 billion |
| December trade balance | -USD 172.740 million |
Source: [WITS Lao Trade snapshot].
WITS reported Laos’ Herfindahl-Hirschman market concentration index at 0.22 and its index of export market penetration at 2.83. It reported world trade growth of -3.13% and country growth of 0.64%. These are indicators in the WITS snapshot and are not additional values from the Lao Trade Portal series.
Services, tariffs, and trade measures
The WITS Lao Trade snapshot reported service imports of USD 947,250,935.35 and service exports of USD 1,327,343,036.10. The service figures are reported separately from the goods trade totals above.
For tariffs, WITS reported duty-free imports of USD 3,634,147.45 thousand in the snapshot. It listed a maximum tariff rate of 40%, a weighted average tariff of 1.42%, and a duty-free tariff-line share of 60.15%.
WITS reported that Laos had 9 tariff agreements in 2023. It also reported 50 non-tariff measures and 5,205 affected HS 6-digit products in 2023. The tariff and non-tariff figures describe trade-policy measures and product coverage, rather than the value of annual exports or imports.
Foreign investment indicator
The WITS Lao Trade snapshot reported 2024 inward foreign direct investment stock of USD 15,393 million and inward foreign direct investment flow of USD 988 million. It reported outward foreign direct investment stock of USD 95 million in 2024.
These investment measures use a different period from the 2017–2023 goods-trade series and the 2023 monthly and tariff indicators. Inward stock is a position, inward flow is an investment movement during the reported period, and outward stock is reported separately. They therefore provide context for Lao PDR’s international economic position without replacing the trade totals, export shares, or import shares above.