Cambodia vs Laos
Cambodia vs Laos: Armed forces, share of workers
Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 2.02% of the labour force in Cambodia and 4.08% of the labour force in Laos, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Laos, by 2.07 percentage points, or 2.03 times that in Cambodia.
% of the labour force · IISS
What the numbers say
- Laos has been higher since 1994, when it overtook Cambodia.
- In 2020, Cambodia ranked 25 and Laos ranked 9 of 168 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 0.79% of the labour force in 2020.
Every year
% of the labour force · IISS
| Year | Cambodia | Laos | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2.02 | 4.08 | 0.79 |
| 2019 | 2.05 | 4.21 | 0.79 |
| 2018 | 2.1 | 4.38 | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 2.14 | 4.56 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 2.17 | 4.65 | 0.81 |
| 2015 | 2.26 | 4.74 | 0.82 |
| 2014 | 2.28 | 4.83 | 0.82 |
| 2013 | 2.32 | 4.93 | 0.83 |
| 2012 | 2.28 | 5.04 | 0.87 |
| 2011 | 2.26 | 5.15 | 0.88 |
| 2010 | 2.33 | 5.27 | 0.89 |
| 2009 | 2.47 | 5.41 | 0.89 |
| 2008 | 2.64 | 5.55 | 0.89 |
| 2007 | 2.64 | 5.72 | 0.89 |
| 2006 | 2.73 | 5.9 | 0.95 |
| 2005 | 2.82 | 6.07 | 0.96 |
| 2004 | 2.93 | 6.21 | 0.94 |
| 2003 | 3.03 | 6.35 | 0.98 |
| 2002 | 3.12 | 6.49 | 1 |
| 2001 | 3.48 | 6.64 | 1.01 |
| 2000 | 6.25 | 6.78 | 1.07 |
| 1999 | 6.45 | 6.92 | 1.09 |
| 1998 | 6.66 | 7.05 | 1.13 |
| 1997 | 7.09 | 7.18 | 1.15 |
| 1996 | 6.57 | 7.79 | 1.18 |
| 1995 | 7.14 | 7.98 | 1.2 |
| 1994 | 1.74 | 2.68 | 0.94 |
| 1993 | 2.71 | 2.26 | 0.98 |
| 1992 | 3.79 | 2.32 | 1.03 |
| 1991 | 3.28 | 3.41 | 1.03 |
| 1990 | 3.37 | 3.64 | 1.11 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel as a share of everyone working or looking for work, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Ranks count the 168 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
- Armed forces personnelCambodia: 191,000 people in 2020Laos: 129,000 people in 2020
- National powerCambodia: 0.16% of world capability in 2022Laos: 0.06% of world capability in 2022
- Arms importsCambodia: 56 million TIV in 2023Laos: 7 million TIV in 2024