Population Statistics
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Laos
Population 1
| 7,953,556 | (2024 est.) |
|---|
Language 1
Lao (official)
French
English
Various languages and dialects spoken by other respective ethnic groups
Religion 2
| Buddhism | 64.7% |
|---|---|
| Christianity | 1.7% |
| No Religion | 31.4% |
| Not Stated | 2.1% |
| (2015 est.) |
Ethnicity 2
| Lao | 53.2% |
|---|---|
| Khmou | 11.0% |
| Hmong | 9.2% |
| Phouthay | 3.4% |
| Tai | 3.1% |
| Makong | 2.5% |
| Katong | 2.2% |
| Lue | 2.0% |
| Akha | 1.8% |
| Other | 11.6% |
| (2015 est.) |
The Laos Government officially recognises 49 ethnic groups, but the total number of ethnic groups is estimated to be well over 200.1
Lao in Australia
These demographic statistics pertain to individuals in Australia who were born in Laos, as reported in the 2021 Australian Housing and Population Census. The data specifically represents responses from first-generation migrants and does not encompass the total number of people in Australia who may identify as Lao.
Population 3
10,948
Citizenship
| Australian citizen | 85.8% |
|---|---|
| Not an Australian citizen | 13.6% |
Median Age
53
Gender
| Male | 45.2% |
|---|---|
| Female | 54.8% |
Religion
| Buddhism | 71.1% |
|---|---|
| No Religion | 14.4% |
| Catholic | 4.4% |
| Not Stated | 2.1% |
| Nature Religions | 2.1% |
Ancestry
| Lao | 72.2% |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 16.9% |
| Hmong | 8.4% |
| Vietnamese | 6.2% |
| Thai | 3.5% |
These are the top ancestry responses of people born in Laos. Respondents were able to provide up to two answers. Therefore, the sum of all ancestry responses exceeds the total number of people.
Language Spoken at Home
| Lao | 61.6% |
|---|---|
| English | 13.5% |
| Hmong | 8.6% |
| Mandarin | 4.5% |
| Thai | 2.7% |
| Other Languages | 3.1% |
Of those who speak a language other than English at home, 61.2% speak English fluently.
Diaspora
| New South Wales | 50.0% |
|---|---|
| Victoria | 20.9% |
| Queensland | 14.2% |
| Australian Capital Territory | 6.4% |
| Other | 8.3% |
Arrival to Australia
| Prior to 1991 | 67.9% |
|---|---|
| 1991 - 2000 | 9.1% |
| 2001 - 2010 | 9.0% |
| 2011 - 2015 | 4.6% |
| 2016 - 2021 | 6.4% |
Australians with Lao Ancestry
21,322
This figure represents the total number of people in Australia who reported Lao ancestry in the 2021 Census, including individuals born in Australia, Lao, and other countries, as well as responses nominating Hmong ancestry. It captures the responses of first-, second-, and third-generation migrants who may identify as Lao, regardless of their place of birth.4