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Cambodia vs Lao PDR

29 metrics with data for both countries. The solid line is Cambodia; the dashed grey line is Lao PDR.

Country A · Cambodia
Country B · Lao PDR

Climate

CO2 emissions

Cambodia: 21.9 Mt CO2/year · 2024Lao PDR: 24.4 Mt CO2/year · 2024
010201960198020002020Lao PDRlow 1979

Carbon dioxide released each year from burning fossil fuels and industry. The main driver of global warming. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

CO2 emissions per person

Cambodia: 1.24 t CO2/person/year · 2024Lao PDR: 3.14 t CO2/person/year · 2024
01231960198020002020Lao PDRhigh 2020low 1979

Each person's share of their country's yearly CO2 emissions. A fairer way to compare countries of very different sizes. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Temperature anomaly

Cambodia: -0.16 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025Lao PDR: 0.10 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
-2-10119401960198020002020Lao PDRhigh 2024low 1943

How much warmer or cooler a country's year was compared with its 1991-2020 average. Watch the map turn red as you move the slider towards today. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Methane emissions

Cambodia: 23.8 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Lao PDR: 11.4 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
010201850190019502000Lao PDRhigh 2021

Methane traps around 80 times more heat than CO2 over 20 years. It comes mainly from livestock, rice, landfill and leaky fossil fuel infrastructure. Global Carbon Project / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

All greenhouse gases

Cambodia: 91.8 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Lao PDR: 61.4 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0501001501850190019502000Lao PDRhigh 1987low 1852

Every warming gas combined: CO2, methane and nitrous oxide, expressed as CO2-equivalents. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Nitrous oxide emissions

Cambodia: 4.56 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Lao PDR: 3.52 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0241850190019502000Lao PDRhigh 2018

N2O is nearly 300 times more warming than CO2 and comes mostly from fertilised farmland and livestock. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Consumption-based CO2

Cambodia: 39.1 Mt CO2/year · 2023Lao PDR: 14.8 Mt CO2/year · 2023
020401990200020102020Lao PDR

CO2 counted where goods are used rather than where they are made. Compare with production emissions to see who imports their footprint. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Aviation emissions per person

Cambodia: 9.86 kg CO2/person/year · 2022Lao PDR: 22.1 kg CO2/person/year · 2024
0204020142016201820202022Lao PDR

Each person's share of the CO2 from flights taking off in their country, including passengers and freight. ICCT / Graver et al. via Our World in Data

Energy

Energy use per person

Cambodia: 4,591 kWh/person/year · 2023Lao PDR: 10,100 kWh/person/year · 2023
05k10k19801990200020102020Lao PDRlow 1994

How much energy each person uses in a year, across electricity, transport, heating and industry. Energy Institute / Ember via Our World in Data

Solar electricity

Cambodia: 10.6 % of electricity · 2025Lao PDR: 0.17 % of electricity · 2024
0510200020052010201520202025Lao PDR

The share of a country's electricity generated from solar panels. The fastest-growing energy source in history. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Coal electricity

Cambodia: 56.6 % of electricity · 2025Lao PDR: 23.3 % of electricity · 2024
0204060200020052010201520202025Lao PDRhigh 2024

The share of electricity still generated by burning coal, the most polluting fuel. The number that must reach zero first. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Electric car sales

Cambodia: 5.00 % of new cars · 2025Lao PDR: 36.0 % of new cars · 2025
010203020212022202320242025Lao PDR

The share of newly sold cars that are electric. Norway crossed 90% in the early 2020s; most of the world is following. International Energy Agency via Our World in Data

Oil electricity

Cambodia: 2.53 % of electricity · 2025Lao PDR: 0.00 % of electricity · 2024
050100200020052010201520202025Lao PDRhigh 2007low 2023

The share of a country's electricity generated by burning oil. Rare on big grids, still common on islands. Ember via Our World in Data

Land & Life

Tree cover loss

Cambodia: 93,417 ha/year · 2024Lao PDR: 351,069 ha/year · 2024
0200k400k2005201020152020Lao PDRhigh 2010

Forest area lost each year to fire, logging, farming and storms. Not all loss is permanent deforestation, but the trend matters. Global Forest Watch (Hansen/UMD) via Our World in Data

Forest area

Cambodia: 35.9 % of land · 2025Lao PDR: 56.5 % of land · 2025
02040601990200020102020Lao PDR

How much of a country's land is covered by forest. FAO via Our World in Data

Deaths from natural disasters

Cambodia: 0.97 deaths/year · 2021Lao PDR: 0.00 deaths/year · 2021
010020030020002005201020152020Lao PDRlow 2003

People killed by floods, storms, droughts, heatwaves, earthquakes and other disasters each year. Single events dominate single years. IHME Global Burden of Disease via Our World in Data

Red List Index

Cambodia: 0.79 index (1 = species safe) · 2024Lao PDR: 0.83 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
00.5200020102020Lao PDRlow 2023

Tracks extinction risk across all assessed species. 1 means no species at risk; falling values mean wildlife sliding towards extinction. IUCN / SDG 15.5.1 via Our World in Data

Protected land

Cambodia: 39.8 % of land area · 2024Lao PDR: 18.8 % of land area · 2024
02040201420162018202020222024Lao PDR

The share of a country's land under legal protection for nature. The global 30x30 target aims for 30% by 2030. World Bank / UNEP-WCMC via Our World in Data

Meat supply per person

Cambodia: 16.1 kg/person/year · 2023Lao PDR: 31.1 kg/person/year · 2023
0102030198020002020Lao PDRhigh 1992low 1980

Meat available for consumption per person. Livestock drives around 15% of global emissions and most deforestation. FAO via Our World in Data

Nitrogen fertiliser use

Cambodia: 30.0 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023Lao PDR: 39.7 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023
02040198020002020Lao PDRlow 1962

Nitrogen applied per hectare of cropland. It feeds half the world, but runoff chokes rivers and coastal seas. FAO via Our World in Data

Urban population

Cambodia: 41.1 % living in cities · 2025Lao PDR: 40.3 % living in cities · 2025
020401960198020002020Lao PDRlow 1975

The share of people living in towns and cities. Urbanisation shapes energy use, land use and how people experience climate change. UN World Urbanization Prospects via Our World in Data

Water

Water stress

Cambodia: 1.04 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022Lao PDR: 4.79 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022
024201020152020Lao PDR

How much of a country's renewable freshwater is withdrawn each year. Above 25% counts as stressed; above 100% means drawing down reserves. FAO AQUASTAT (SDG 6.4.2) via Our World in Data

Renewable water per person

Cambodia: 7,011 m³/person/year · 2022Lao PDR: 25,188 m³/person/year · 2022
050k198020002020Lao PDRhigh 1979

Each person's share of the country's renewable freshwater. Below 1,700 m³ is water stress; below 1,000 m³ is scarcity. FAO AQUASTAT via Our World in Data

Safely managed drinking water

Cambodia: 30.0 % of population · 2024Lao PDR: 35.2 % of population · 2024
010203020002005201020152020Lao PDR

The share of people with safe drinking water at home, available when needed and free from contamination. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Annual precipitation

Cambodia: 1,898 mm/year · 2025Lao PDR: 2,108 mm/year · 2025
01k2k19401960198020002020Lao PDRhigh 1972low 1951

Total rain and snow that fell over a country in a year, averaged across its land area. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Rainfall anomaly

Cambodia: 6.50 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025Lao PDR: 1.60 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025
-2002019401960198020002020Lao PDRhigh 1972low 1951

How much wetter (teal) or drier (brown) a country's year was compared with its 1961-1990 average. A simple drought and deluge signal. Derived from Copernicus ERA5 precipitation via Our World in Data

Safely managed sanitation

Cambodia: 51.6 % of population · 2024Lao PDR: 71.4 % of population · 2024
02040602005201020152020Lao PDR

The share of people whose toilet waste is safely treated rather than left to contaminate water and soil. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Pollution

Air pollution (PM2.5)

Cambodia: 19.0 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024Lao PDR: 27.0 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
010203020002005201020152020Lao PDRhigh 2004

Average exposure to fine particles small enough to enter the bloodstream. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³. World Bank / van Donkelaar et al. via Our World in Data

Ozone-depleting substances

Cambodia: 5.48 ODP tonnes/year · 2021Lao PDR: 0.82 ODP tonnes/year · 2021
0501001990200020102020Lao PDRlow 1989

Consumption of chemicals that destroy the ozone layer. Watch the map fade towards zero: the Montreal Protocol is the world's most successful environmental treaty. UN Environment Programme via Our World in Data