Cambodia vs Laos
Cambodia vs Laos: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 191,000 people in Cambodia and 129,000 people in Laos, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Cambodia, by 62,000 people, or 1.48 times that in Laos.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- Cambodia has been higher since 1989, when it overtook Laos.
- In 2020, Cambodia ranked 33 and Laos ranked 47 of 170 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Cambodia | Laos | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 191,000 | 129,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 191,000 | 129,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 191,300 | 129,100 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 191,000 | 129,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 191,300 | 129,100 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 191,300 | 129,100 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 191,300 | 129,100 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 191,300 | 129,100 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 191,300 | 129,100 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 191,300 | 129,100 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 191,300 | 129,100 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 191,300 | 129,100 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 191,000 | 129,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 191,000 | 129,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 191,000 | 129,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 191,000 | 129,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 192,000 | 129,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 192,000 | 129,100 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 192,000 | 129,100 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 207,000 | 129,100 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 360,000 | 129,100 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 359,000 | 129,100 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 359,000 | 129,100 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 360,500 | 129,000 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 307,700 | 137,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 308,500 | 137,000 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 70,000 | 45,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 102,000 | 37,000 | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 135,000 | 37,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 112,000 | 53,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 112,000 | 55,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 99,000 | 56,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 35,000 | 53,700 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 30,000 | 54,000 | – |
| 1983 | 20,000 | 49,000 | – |
| 1982 | 20,000 | 46,000 | – |
| 1981 | 20,000 | 46,000 | – |
| 1980 | 35,000 | 55,000 | – |
| 1979 | 10,000 | 46,000 | – |
| 1978 | 70,000 | 47,000 | – |
| 1977 | 70,000 | 45,000 | – |
| 1976 | 62,000 | 46,000 | – |
| 1975 | 62,000 | 46,000 | – |
| 1974 | 220,000 | 60,000 | – |
| 1973 | 213,000 | 71,000 | – |
| 1972 | 200,000 | 79,000 | – |
| 1971 | 205,000 | 72,000 | – |
| 1970 | 85,000 | 62,000 | – |
| 1969 | 85,000 | 59,000 | – |
| 1968 | 84,000 | 62,000 | – |
| 1967 | 83,000 | 62,000 | – |
| 1966 | 83,000 | 93,000 | – |
| 1965 | 76,000 | 86,000 | – |
| 1964 | 75,000 | 91,000 | – |
| 1963 | 75,000 | 83,000 | – |
| 1962 | 70,000 | 60,000 | – |
| 1961 | 65,000 | 55,000 | – |
| 1960 | 35,000 | 29,000 | – |
| 1959 | 35,000 | 29,000 | – |
| 1958 | 36,000 | 25,000 | – |
| 1957 | 36,000 | 25,000 | – |
| 1956 | 40,000 | 25,000 | – |
| 1955 | 40,000 | 25,000 | – |
| 1954 | 44,000 | 25,000 | – |
| 1953 | 44,000 | 25,000 | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Correlates of War
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel, with paramilitary forces where they are trained and equipped like soldiers, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Before 1985: Correlates of War Project, National Material Capabilities v7.0; Singer, Bremer and Stuckey (1972), “Capability Distribution, Uncertainty, and Major Power War, 1820–1965”, in Bruce Russett (ed.), Peace, War, and Numbers, Sage, 19–48.
- Ranks count the 170 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Cambodia vs Laos
Health
- Life expectancyCambodia: 70.7 years in 2023Laos: 69 years in 2023
- Child mortalityCambodia: 1.8 per 100 live births in 2024Laos: 2.9 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityCambodia: 19.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023Laos: 31.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterCambodia: 29.1% in 2022Laos: 17.9% in 2022
- DepressionCambodia: 3.1% in 2017Laos: 2.91% in 2017
- Suicide rateCambodia: 4.5 per 100,000 people in 2017Laos: 8.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationCambodia: 17.4 million people in 2023Laos: 7.67 million people in 2023
- Population growthCambodia: 1.25% a year in 2023Laos: 1.38% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateCambodia: 2.58 births per woman in 2023Laos: 2.42 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationCambodia: 41.1% in 2025Laos: 40.3% in 2025
- Median ageCambodia: 25.8 years in 2023Laos: 24.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overCambodia: 6% in 2023Laos: 4.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateCambodia: -1.8 per 1,000 people in 2023Laos: -1.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingCambodia: 1.45% of GDP in 2025Laos: 0.19% of GDP in 2013
- Military spending in US dollarsCambodia: $716M in 2025Laos: $21.8M in 2013
- Military spending per personCambodia: $42 in 2025Laos: $3 in 2013
- Military share of state spendingCambodia: 8.2% of government spending in 2025Laos: 0.8% of government spending in 2013
- National powerCambodia: 0.16% of world capability in 2022Laos: 0.06% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersCambodia: 2.02% of the labour force in 2020Laos: 4.08% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsCambodia: 56 million TIV in 2023Laos: 7 million TIV in 2024