Laos
What exactly constitutes the spatial extent of the city? For these aggregations, we used the Global Human Settlement Layer Urban Center Database (GHS-UCDB) to define the boundaries of the city. These cities -- or urban centers -- cover areas that are densely populated and built-up, and so may extend beyond the spatial borders of these cities that we may be familiar with. The GHS area is shaded in blue.
View Laos on the sprawlmap
Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Laos as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 5.17, which is highly disconnected.
Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 4.39, 5.01, 5.47 and 6.09. In each period, new street development in Laos steadily grows more disconnected than in the last.
Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Laos spans a total of 16366 kilometers. The period with the greatest volume of street construction was 2001-2014. These roads have an SNDi of 6.09, which is highly disconnected.
Effect on the aggregate network: New construction in each period adds to the total stock of streets, but does not change streets that have already been built. Therefore, it has a limited effect on the street network as a whole. The SNDis of the aggregate street network in the respective time periods are 4.39, 4.73, 4.89 and 5.17. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Laos has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.35 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.28.
The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Laos rose steadily. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Laos, we can consider three of its most populous regions: Vientiane [prefecture], Champasak and Khammouan. Out of the three regions, Champasak and Khammouan do not follow the same trend as the country. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Champasak followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Khammouan followed a zig-zag trend with an overall decrease.
How do development practices in Laos fare in comparison to others in the world? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Laos was the 30th-most disconnected out of the 155 countries in the world. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has fallen; relative to other countries in the world, street construction in Laos has become more connected. Laos ranked 26th in 1975, 24th in 1976-1990, 37th in 1991-2000 and 30th in 2001-2014.
The largest city in Laos is Vientiane, with a population of 407100 people. Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Vientiane as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 4.04, which is highly disconnected. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Vientiane rose steadily.
As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Laos is Vientiane with an SNDi of 4.04, which is highly disconnected. Conversely, the most connected city is Pakse with an SNDi of 2.52, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness. See trends for these cities: Pakse, Vientiane
The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Laos rose steadily. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Laos, we can consider three of its most populous regions: Vientiane [prefecture], Champasak and Khammouan. Out of the three regions, Khammouan does not follow the same trend as the country. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Khammouan followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase.
To date, Laos is the 19th-most disconnected out of the 155 countries in the world. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other countries in the world, the street network in Laos has become more disconnected. Laos ranked 26th in 1975, 27th in 1976-1990, 26th in 1991-2000 and 19th in 2001-2014.
The largest city in Laos is Vientiane, with a population of 407100 people. Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Vientiane as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 4.04, which is highly disconnected. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Vientiane rose steadily.