Laos scores 36.7/100 on the 2023 RSF World Press Freedom Index, ranking #160 globally. Freedom House rates it Not Free (13/100). Context: pop 7.2 million, GDP $18.17B.
2023 Press Freedom Scorecard
Overall score and global position
In the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, Laos scores 36.66 out of 100 and ranks #160 globally — one of the most restricted press environments in the world. Of the 25 Freedom House indicators, Laos earns 0 at the maximum 4/4 and 14 at 0/4; its strongest category is Personal Autonomy (6/16) and its weakest is Associational Rights (0/12).
36.7 / 100
Composite index comparison
Press freedom score — higher is freer.
Elections, political pluralism, government functioning.
Freedom of expression, association, rule of law, personal autonomy.
Academic press-freedom index from the Varieties of Democracy project (0–1 rescaled to 0–100).
Five-year RSF trend
Over 2019–2023, Laos moved from 35.51 to 36.66 on the RSF scale (a gain of 1.15 points). The lowest recorded score was 29.44 and the highest was 36.66.
Year-over-year RSF movement
Laos's biggest single-year RSF movement in the 2019–2023 window was a gain of 7.20 points between 2021 (29.44) and 2022 (36.64).
| Years | From | To | Δ score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 → 2020 | 35.51 | 35.72 | ▲ 0.21 |
| 2020 → 2021 | 35.72 | 29.44 | ▼ -6.28 |
| 2021 → 2022 | 29.44 | 36.64 | ▲ 7.20 |
| 2022 → 2023 | 36.64 | 36.66 | ▲ 0.02 |
Full socio-economic dashboard
Demographics & geography
Economy & labour
Health
Education
Administration
All socio-economic indicators from the World Bank country dataset (2023 snapshot).
Democratic Rights & Civil Liberties
Freedom status explained
Freedom House classifies Laos as Not Free with a 2024 aggregate score of 13/100 — basic political rights and civil liberties are widely denied.
Within Freedom House's Asia region (43 countries), Laos ranks #38 on the latest aggregate score — the 12th percentile. The region leaders are New Zealand, Japan, Australia.
Political Rights vs Civil Liberties
Rating 7 of 7 (1 = best)
Rating 6 of 7 (1 = best)
Civil liberties are rated higher than political rights — everyday freedoms are better protected than the formal political framework (elections, pluralism, government functioning).
Twelve-year Freedom House trend
Between 2013 and 2024, Freedom House moved Laos from Not Free (Not Free, 11/100) to Not Free (Not Free, 13/100).
Indicator trajectory (A–G over 12 years)
Of the 25 Freedom House indicators tracked for Laos, 4 moved at least one point across the available Freedom House history. The eight with the largest absolute change appear below.
| Code | Indicator | Earliest | Latest | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C2 | Anti-corruption safeguards | 0/4 (2013) | 1/4 (2024) | ▲ +1 |
| C3 | Government transparency | 0/4 (2013) | 1/4 (2024) | ▲ +1 |
| D2 | Religious expression | 2/4 (2013) | 1/4 (2024) | ▼ -1 |
| G1 | Freedom of movement | 1/4 (2013) | 2/4 (2024) | ▲ +1 |
Latest A–G indicator scorecard
Electoral Process
PR
-
A1Free and fair head-of-government elections
0/4
-
A2Free and fair legislative elections
0/4
-
A3Electoral laws and framework
0/4
Political Pluralism & Participation
PR
-
B1Right to organise in political parties
0/4
-
B2Opposition can realistically gain power
0/4
-
B3Free political choice without domination
0/4
-
B4Political rights of minorities
0/4
Functioning of Government
PR
-
C1Elected officials determine government policy
0/4
-
C2Safeguards against corruption
1/4
-
C3Transparency of government
1/4
Freedom of Expression & Belief
CL
-
D1Free and independent media
0/4
-
D2Freedom of religious expression
1/4
-
D3Academic freedom
1/4
-
D4Free private discussion
1/4
Associational & Organisational Rights
CL
-
E1Freedom of assembly
0/4
-
E2Freedom for NGOs
0/4
-
E3Free trade unions
0/4
Rule of Law
CL
-
F1Independent judiciary
0/4
-
F2Due process in civil and criminal matters
0/4
-
F3Protection from illegitimate force
1/4
-
F4Equal treatment under the law
1/4
Personal Autonomy & Individual Rights
CL
-
G1Freedom of movement
2/4
-
G2Property rights
1/4
-
G3Personal social freedoms
2/4
-
G4Equality of opportunity
1/4
Each indicator is scored 0–4 by Freedom House analysts; category subtotals combine into the Political Rights (A + B + C = 0–40) and Civil Liberties (D + E + F + G = 0–60) aggregates shown above. 2024 edition.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Laos see its biggest RSF press-freedom change?
The sharpest single-year shift was an improvement of 7.20 points between 2021 (29.44) and 2022 (36.64) on the RSF index.
Which Freedom House indicator moved most in Laos?
Indicator C2 (Anti-corruption safeguards) changed by +1 points, moving from 0/4 to 1/4 across the available history — the biggest indicator-level movement of the 25 Freedom House sub-scores for Laos.
How does Laos rank within its Freedom House region?
Laos holds position #38 of 43 in the Asia region on the latest Freedom House aggregate score. The region's top country is New Zealand (99/100).
What is Laos's economic context for its press freedom score?
Laos has a GDP of $18.17B across a population of 7.2 million, giving a per-capita GDP of about $2,535. Its capital is Vientiane; the official language is Lao.