Lao People's Dem. Rep. (LAO)

Annual exports and imports in 2024 (USD).

Source: UN Comtrade. Warehouse 1: partner = World totals by HS4 and year.

Exports

$6.04B

Imports

$7.08B

Total trade

$13.12B

Trade balance

-$1.03B

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Lao People's Dem. Rep. - trade dependency by partner, 2024 (USD)

Share of exports, imports, and total trade attributed to each partner.

Year: 2024 | Unit: USD | Snapshot: 20251222 | Source: UN Comtrade

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Showing top 10 partners by total dependency.

Rank #1

China (CHN)

Total

33.7%

Exports

38.2%

$2.31B

Imports

29.8%

$2.11B

Total

33.7%

$4.42B

Rank #2

Thailand (THA)

Total

28.5%

Exports

13.1%

$791.92M

Imports

41.7%

$2.95B

Total

28.5%

$3.74B

Rank #3

Viet Nam (VNM)

Total

11.6%

Exports

19.9%

$1.20B

Imports

4.5%

$317.29M

Total

11.6%

$1.52B

Rank #4

Australia (AUS)

Total

3.3%

Exports

5.7%

$347.39M

Imports

1.1%

$80.70M

Total

3.3%

$428.09M

Rank #5

USA (USA)

Total

2.3%

Exports

1.6%

$99.19M

Imports

2.9%

$204.08M

Total

2.3%

$303.28M

Rank #6

Japan (JPN)

Total

1.9%

Exports

1.6%

$97.64M

Imports

2.1%

$149.44M

Total

1.9%

$247.08M

Rank #7

Singapore (SGP)

Total

1.2%

Exports

1.4%

$85.57M

Imports

1.1%

$77.88M

Total

1.2%

$163.46M

Rank #8

Germany (DEU)

Total

0.9%

Exports

1.6%

$95.06M

Imports

0.4%

$27.59M

Total

0.9%

$122.65M

Rank #9

India (IND)

Total

0.8%

Exports

1.4%

$82.93M

Imports

0.4%

$25.26M

Total

0.8%

$108.19M

Rank #10

Switzerland (CHE)

Total

0.8%

Exports

1.0%

$58.92M

Imports

0.7%

$47.56M

Total

0.8%

$106.48M

Rank	Partner	Export dependency	Import dependency	Total dependency
1	China (CHN)	38.2% $2.31B	29.8% $2.11B	33.7% $4.42B
2	Thailand (THA)	13.1% $791.92M	41.7% $2.95B	28.5% $3.74B
3	Viet Nam (VNM)	19.9% $1.20B	4.5% $317.29M	11.6% $1.52B
4	Australia (AUS)	5.7% $347.39M	1.1% $80.70M	3.3% $428.09M
5	USA (USA)	1.6% $99.19M	2.9% $204.08M	2.3% $303.28M
6	Japan (JPN)	1.6% $97.64M	2.1% $149.44M	1.9% $247.08M
7	Singapore (SGP)	1.4% $85.57M	1.1% $77.88M	1.2% $163.46M
8	Germany (DEU)	1.6% $95.06M	0.4% $27.59M	0.9% $122.65M
9	India (IND)	1.4% $82.93M	0.4% $25.26M	0.8% $108.19M
10	Switzerland (CHE)	1.0% $58.92M	0.7% $47.56M	0.8% $106.48M

Generated by TradeVedia.comSource: UN Comtrade

Total trade for Lao People's Dem. Rep. in 2024 was $13.1B, ranking it 144 globally.
Exports amounted to $6.0B and imports were $7.1B, leading to a trade balance of -$1.0B.
The country's top export partner was China, with a 38.2% share ($2.3B), followed by Viet Nam (19.9%).
Thailand was the largest source of imports, accounting for 41.7% of the total ($2.9B), with China second at 29.8%.
Top exports included Ores, slag and ash ($964.6M) and precious metals/stones ($726.4M).
Key imports were Mineral fuels, oils, and waxes ($1.3B) and Machinery ($799.8M).

Lao People's Dem. Rep.'s Trade Performance

In 2024, Lao People's Dem. Rep. engaged in $13.1B of total trade, ranking 144th worldwide. Exports reached $6.0B (rank 142), while imports totaled $7.1B (rank 143). This resulted in a negative trade balance of -$1.0B. The country's primary export destinations were its neighbors, with significant trade flows to China and Viet Nam.

Top Traded Goods

The leading export category for Lao People's Dem. Rep. was Ores, slag and ash, valued at $964.6M, which represents 16.0% of all exports. The second-largest export category was Natural, cultured pearls; precious, semi-precious stones; precious metals, metals clad with precious metal, and articles thereof; imitation jewellery; coin. On the import side, the country's largest expenditure was on Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes, totaling $1.3B, or 19.0% of all imports, followed by Machinery and mechanical appliances.

Exports

Lao People's Dem. Rep. - exports over time (Exports), 2015-2023 (USD)

Annual reported export values across available years.

Flow: Exports | Years: 2015-2023 | Unit: USD | Source: UN Comtrade

Generated by TradeVedia.comSource: UN Comtrade

Top export categories

Largest HS2 categories by export value in the selected year.

#1 • HS 26

Ores, slag and ash

$964.64M

16.0% share

#2 • HS 71

Natural, cultured pearls; precious, semi-precious stones; precious metals, metals clad with precious metal, and articles thereof; imitation jewellery; coin

$726.37M

12.0% share

#3 • HS 48

Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or paperboard

$467.46M

7.7% share

#4 • HS 31

Fertilizers

$410.83M

6.8% share

#5 • HS 07

Vegetables and certain roots and tubers; edible

$370.15M

6.1% share

#6 • HS 40

Rubber and articles thereof

$312.40M

5.2% share

#7 • HS 47

Pulp of wood or other fibrous cellulosic material; recovered (waste and scrap) paper or paperboard

$284.05M

4.7% share

#8 • HS 17

Sugars and sugar confectionery

$273.19M

4.5% share

#9 • HS 08

Fruit and nuts, edible; peel of citrus fruit or melons

$261.38M

4.3% share

#10 • HS 25

Salt; sulphur; earths, stone; plastering materials, lime and cement

$242.19M

4.0% share

#11 • HS 22

Beverages, spirits and vinegar

$210.68M

3.5% share

#12 • HS 85

Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers; television image and sound recorders and reproducers, parts and accessories of such articles

$206.46M

3.4% share

#13 • HS 62

Apparel and clothing accessories; not knitted or crocheted

$137.70M

2.3% share

#14 • HS 64

Footwear; gaiters and the like; parts of such articles

$134.51M

2.2% share

#15 • HS 11

Products of the milling industry; malt, starches, inulin, wheat gluten

$128.43M

2.1% share

Rank	Category	Value	Share
1	Ores, slag and ash	$964.64M	16.0%
2	Natural, cultured pearls; precious, semi-precious stones; precious metals, metals clad with precious metal, and articles thereof; imitation jewellery; coin	$726.37M	12.0%
3	Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or paperboard	$467.46M	7.7%
4	Fertilizers	$410.83M	6.8%
5	Vegetables and certain roots and tubers; edible	$370.15M	6.1%
6	Rubber and articles thereof	$312.40M	5.2%
7	Pulp of wood or other fibrous cellulosic material; recovered (waste and scrap) paper or paperboard	$284.05M	4.7%
8	Sugars and sugar confectionery	$273.19M	4.5%
9	Fruit and nuts, edible; peel of citrus fruit or melons	$261.38M	4.3%
10	Salt; sulphur; earths, stone; plastering materials, lime and cement	$242.19M	4.0%
11	Beverages, spirits and vinegar	$210.68M	3.5%
12	Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers; television image and sound recorders and reproducers, parts and accessories of such articles	$206.46M	3.4%
13	Apparel and clothing accessories; not knitted or crocheted	$137.70M	2.3%
14	Footwear; gaiters and the like; parts of such articles	$134.51M	2.2%
15	Products of the milling industry; malt, starches, inulin, wheat gluten	$128.43M	2.1%

Labels hide HS codes by default — hover a category to reveal the code.

Lao People's Dem. Rep. - export composition by product categories (Exports), 2024 (USD)

Largest product categories by export value in the selected year.

Flow: Exports | Year: 2024 | Unit: USD | Source: UN Comtrade

Generated by TradeVedia.comSource: UN Comtrade

Lao People's Dem. Rep. - export composition by 4-digit product groups (Exports), 2024 (USD)

Area reflects share within the displayed list; hover for product codes.

Flow: Exports | Year: 2024 | Unit: USD | Source: UN Comtrade

Generated by TradeVedia.comSource: UN Comtrade

Imports

Lao People's Dem. Rep. - imports over time (Imports), 2015-2023 (USD)

Annual reported import values across available years.

Flow: Imports | Years: 2015-2023 | Unit: USD | Source: UN Comtrade

Generated by TradeVedia.comSource: UN Comtrade

Top import categories

Largest HS2 categories by import value in the selected year.

#1 • HS 27

Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes

$1.34B

19.0% share

#2 • HS 84

Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors; parts thereof

$799.78M

11.3% share

#3 • HS 87

Vehicles; other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof

$707.62M

10.0% share

#4 • HS 85

Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers; television image and sound recorders and reproducers, parts and accessories of such articles

$592.30M

8.4% share

#5 • HS 73

Iron or steel articles

$333.82M

4.7% share

#6 • HS 22

Beverages, spirits and vinegar

$243.40M

3.4% share

#7 • HS 39

Plastics and articles thereof

$231.31M

3.3% share

#8 • HS 72

Iron and steel

$225.13M

3.2% share

#9 • HS 47

Pulp of wood or other fibrous cellulosic material; recovered (waste and scrap) paper or paperboard

$224.38M

3.2% share

#10 • HS 17

Sugars and sugar confectionery

$198.30M

2.8% share

#11 • HS 38

Chemical products n.e.c.

$154.37M

2.2% share

#12 • HS 31

Fertilizers

$142.69M

2.0% share

#13 • HS 23

Food industries, residues and wastes thereof; prepared animal fodder

$126.05M

1.8% share

#14 • HS 28

Inorganic chemicals; organic and inorganic compounds of precious metals; of rare earth metals, of radio-active elements and of isotopes

$108.96M

1.5% share

#15 • HS 86

Railway, tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings and parts thereof; mechanical (including electro-mechanical) traffic signalling equipment of all kinds

$96.11M

1.4% share

Rank	Category	Value	Share
1	Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes	$1.34B	19.0%
2	Machinery and mechanical appliances, boilers, nuclear reactors; parts thereof	$799.78M	11.3%
3	Vehicles; other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and parts and accessories thereof	$707.62M	10.0%
4	Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers; television image and sound recorders and reproducers, parts and accessories of such articles	$592.30M	8.4%
5	Iron or steel articles	$333.82M	4.7%
6	Beverages, spirits and vinegar	$243.40M	3.4%
7	Plastics and articles thereof	$231.31M	3.3%
8	Iron and steel	$225.13M	3.2%
9	Pulp of wood or other fibrous cellulosic material; recovered (waste and scrap) paper or paperboard	$224.38M	3.2%
10	Sugars and sugar confectionery	$198.30M	2.8%
11	Chemical products n.e.c.	$154.37M	2.2%
12	Fertilizers	$142.69M	2.0%
13	Food industries, residues and wastes thereof; prepared animal fodder	$126.05M	1.8%
14	Inorganic chemicals; organic and inorganic compounds of precious metals; of rare earth metals, of radio-active elements and of isotopes	$108.96M	1.5%
15	Railway, tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings and parts thereof; mechanical (including electro-mechanical) traffic signalling equipment of all kinds	$96.11M	1.4%

Labels hide HS codes by default — hover a category to reveal the code.

Lao People's Dem. Rep. - import composition by product categories (Imports), 2024 (USD)

Largest product categories by import value in the selected year.

Flow: Imports | Year: 2024 | Unit: USD | Source: UN Comtrade

Generated by TradeVedia.comSource: UN Comtrade

Lao People's Dem. Rep. - import composition by 4-digit product groups (Imports), 2024 (USD)

Area reflects share within the displayed list; hover for product codes.

Flow: Imports | Year: 2024 | Unit: USD | Source: UN Comtrade

Generated by TradeVedia.comSource: UN Comtrade