(KPL) The total population of the Lao PDR was 6,492,228 in 2015, an increase from 5,621,982 million in 2005, of which 3,237,458 were females, according to a report launched last Friday.

The Lao Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Planning and Investment, launched in Vientiane the final report of the 4^th Population and Housing Census (PHC) 2015 which provides important data about the country’s socio-economic development.

The enumeration for the 2015 PHC was conducted on 1^st March 2015.  Prior to this final report, the Provisional Report was released in December 2015. 

One in 11 children aged 6-16 years of age are no longer going to school. Nearly 7% have never attended school. About 1 in 6 women have no educational attainment compared to only 1 in 11 for males.

Population growth, which was about 1.45 per cent per year from 2005-2015, decreased from about 2.08 per cent from 1995-2005.

The largest proportions of migrants are aged 20-24 with males accounting for 24% and females accounting for 26%.

The crude birth rate in the Lao PDR was estimated at 28 births per 1,000 people. Vientiane Capital had the lowest crude birth rate of 22 births per 1,000 people.

The infant mortality rate decreased from 70 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2005 to 57 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2015.

The final report provides detailed data and presents the results in the broad categories of population and household characteristics, including spatial distribution of the population, age and sex composition, fertility, mortality, religion and ethnic composition, education and literacy, migration, economic activity, disabilities and housing conditions.

“The Population and Housing Census is the largest statistical operation in the country.  A number of challenges were faced during the operation.  However, the Lao Statistics Bureau applied international standards and ensured the quality of the data through a number of processes,” said Director of the Lao Statistics Bureau Samaychanh Boupha.

The success of the 4^th PHC provides benefits for the country’s development.  “The results from the 2015 PHC give us detailed demographic and socio-economic data to help planners at the national to the lowest administrative levels monitor and strengthen their plans and programmes towards LDC graduation and SDG achievements,” said Minister of Planning and Investment Souphanh Keomixay.

The 2015 PHC results reported in today’s launch show both progress and challenges for the country’s development in particular geographic disparities.  The results highlight the continuous growth in the total population, and in particular the young population and working age group who are the main labour force of the country.

“Around 1 in 3 Lao people are between 10-24 years old and 64 percent of the total population is in the working age group.  This continues to provide Lao PDR a unique demographic window of opportunity to accelerate economic development,” said UNFPA Representative Frederkia Meijer.

For the first time, the government provided around half of its funding to carry out the 2015 Population and Housing Census. 

It was carried out by the Lao Statistics Bureau under the leadership of the high-level National Steering Committee headed by the Deputy Prime Minister of Lao PDR, with support mainly from UNFPA, the Swiss Development Cooperation, the World Bank, the Government of China, and UNICEF.

The Lao Statistics Bureau will continue to analyse the PHC data in some areas in depth including migration, fertility, youth, gender, disabilities and economic activities. 

In the upcoming years, a number of key statistics surveys will also be conducted to provide socio-economic data for the monitoring and implementation of national and sub-national plans and programmes. 

These include the new round of Lao Social Indicator Survey, Labour Force Survey, Economic Survey, Lao Expenditure and Consumption Survey and updated LaoInfo database to disseminate data from there survey.

KPL