intl.life
Flag of Laos

Laos

South-eastern Asia

Capital
Vientiane
Population
6.9 million (2017)
Currency
Laotian Kip LAK
Plugs
ABCEF 230 V
Drives on the
right
Local time
Laos highlighted on a globe

Plugs and voltage

Type A socket, as found in Laos Type A Type C socket, as found in Laos Type C

Laos uses Types A and C sockets; Types B, E and F are also found. Mains supply is 230 V at 50 Hz.

At 230 V, devices made only for 100–127 V (many American and Japanese hair dryers, curling irons and some shavers) will be damaged without a step-down converter. Chargers labelled “100–240V” work fine with just a plug adapter.

Money

₭ Laotian Kip LAK

Average in 2025: 1 USD = 20,444 LAK (World Bank). No daily reference rate is published for this currency by the ECB; check a live rate before exchanging.

Price level 29 (US = 100, 2025)

Everyday household prices in Laos are about 29% of US prices when converted at market exchange rates: cheaper than the median country (50). All countries

Language

  • Laoofficial69%

Bars show the share of the population that speaks each language (CLDR estimates).

Time

Laos is on UTC+7, with no daylight saving time.

Driving

Traffic in Laos drives on the right, so the steering wheel is on the left.

Public holidays in the next 12 months

8 national public holidays from 2 November 2026. Banks, offices and many shops close; regional holidays are not shown. Dates marked “estimated” follow a lunar calendar and can move by a day.

December 2026

  • Lao National Day

January 2027

  • New Year's Day

March 2027

  • International Women's Rights Day

April 2027

  • Lao New Year's Day
  • Lao New Year's Day
  • Lao New Year's Day

May 2027

  • International Labor Day
  • International Labor Day (in lieu)

Travel advisories

United States · State Department

Level 2 Exercise increased caution

Read the full advisory. Checked 2026-11-02.

United Kingdom · FCDO

  • FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country

Updated 2026-08-13. Read the full advice. Checked 2026-11-02.

Advisories are written for each government's own citizens and change without notice: read the original before you travel.

Other practical facts

Calling code
+856
Internet domain
.la
Measurement
Metric
Paper size
A4
Week starts on
Sunday
Read more
Wikipedia
Coat of arms or emblem of Laos
Coat of arms / emblem

More in South-eastern Asia

Compare all of South-eastern Asia side by side

Flag: Flag of Laos.svg, Public domain. Arms: Emblem of Laos (1991-2025).svg, Public domain. Electricity: resolved by intl.life from three sources, see methodology.