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Lao PDR vs Malaysia

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

Country A · Lao PDR
Country B · Malaysia

Climate

CO2 emissions

Lao PDR: 24.4 Mt CO2/year · 2024Malaysia: 290.2 Mt CO2/year · 2024
01002003001960198020002020Malaysia

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

Lao PDR: 3.14 t CO2/person/year · 2024Malaysia: 8.16 t CO2/person/year · 2024
051960198020002020Malaysiahigh 2023

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

Lao PDR: 0.10 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025Malaysia: 0.34 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
-10119401960198020002020Malaysiahigh 2024

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

Lao PDR: 11.4 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Malaysia: 28.3 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
01020301850190019502000Malaysia

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

Lao PDR: 61.4 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Malaysia: 388.7 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
02004001850190019502000Malaysiahigh 2014low 1860

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

Lao PDR: 3.52 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Malaysia: 8.87 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
05101850190019502000Malaysiahigh 2023

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

Lao PDR: 14.8 Mt CO2/year · 2023Malaysia: 286.5 Mt CO2/year · 2023
01002003001990200020102020Malaysia

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

Lao PDR: 22.1 kg CO2/person/year · 2024Malaysia: 203.2 kg CO2/person/year · 2024
0100200201420162018202020222024Malaysia

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

Lao PDR: 10,100 kWh/person/year · 2023Malaysia: 38,866 kWh/person/year · 2024
020k40k19801990200020102020Malaysialow 1984

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

Lao PDR: 0.17 % of electricity · 2024Malaysia: 2.24 % of electricity · 2025
01220002005201020152020Malaysia

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

Wind electricity

Lao PDR: 0.00 % of electricity · 2024Malaysia: 0.00 % of electricity · 2025
-10120002005201020152020Malaysia

The share of a country's electricity generated from wind turbines, onshore and offshore. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Coal electricity

Lao PDR: 23.3 % of electricity · 2024Malaysia: 44.6 % of electricity · 2025
0204020002005201020152020Malaysiahigh 2019

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

Lao PDR: 36.0 % of new cars · 2025Malaysia: 7.00 % of new cars · 2025
01020302022202320242025Malaysia

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

Lao PDR: 0.00 % of electricity · 2024Malaysia: 1.03 % of electricity · 2025
020406020002005201020152020Malaysiahigh 2003low 2004

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

Gas electricity

Lao PDR: 0.00 % of electricity · 2024Malaysia: 33.8 % of electricity · 2025
05020002005201020152020Malaysia

The share of a country's electricity generated from natural gas, the least polluting fossil fuel but still a fossil fuel. Ember via Our World in Data

Land & Life

Tree cover loss

Lao PDR: 351,069 ha/year · 2024Malaysia: 282,432 ha/year · 2024
0200k400k600k2005201020152020Malaysiahigh 2023

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

Lao PDR: 56.5 % of land · 2025Malaysia: 57.5 % of land · 2025
02040601990200020102020Malaysia

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

Deaths from natural disasters

Lao PDR: 0.00 deaths/year · 2021Malaysia: 53.0 deaths/year · 2021
05010020002005201020152020Malaysiahigh 2018low 2001

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

Lao PDR: 0.83 index (1 = species safe) · 2024Malaysia: 0.69 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
00.5200020102020Malaysialow 1997

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

Lao PDR: 18.8 % of land area · 2024Malaysia: 13.3 % of land area · 2024
01020201420162018202020222024Malaysia

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

Lao PDR: 31.1 kg/person/year · 2023Malaysia: 69.1 kg/person/year · 2023
0204060198020002020Malaysialow 1978

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

Lao PDR: 39.7 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023Malaysia: 48.3 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023
050100198020002020Malaysialow 1978

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

Lao PDR: 40.3 % living in cities · 2025Malaysia: 77.4 % living in cities · 2025
0501960198020002020Malaysia

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

Lao PDR: 4.79 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022Malaysia: 3.44 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022
0242005201020152020Malaysiahigh 2015

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

Lao PDR: 25,188 m³/person/year · 2022Malaysia: 16,717 m³/person/year · 2022
050k198020002020Malaysia

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

Lao PDR: 35.2 % of population · 2024Malaysia: 94.7 % of population · 2024
05010020002005201020152020Malaysia

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

Lao PDR: 2,108 mm/year · 2025Malaysia: 3,150 mm/year · 2025
01k2k3k19401960198020002020Malaysiahigh 1981low 1946

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

Lao PDR: 1.60 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025Malaysia: 14.9 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025
-2002019401960198020002020Malaysiahigh 1981low 1946

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

Lao PDR: 71.4 % of population · 2024Malaysia: 85.8 % of population · 2024
05020002005201020152020Malaysia

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)

Lao PDR: 27.0 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024Malaysia: 15.3 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
010203020002005201020152020Malaysiahigh 2007low 1999

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

Lao PDR: 0.82 ODP tonnes/year · 2021Malaysia: 181.5 ODP tonnes/year · 2021
02k4k1990200020102020Malaysiahigh 2000low 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