Cambodia vs Laos
Cambodia vs Laos: Military spending per person
Military spending per person: $42 in Cambodia in 2025 and $3 in Laos in 2013, by SIPRI estimates. In 2013 the value was higher in Cambodia, by $13, or 4.67 times that in Laos.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Cambodia has been higher since 1998, when it overtook Laos.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Cambodia | Laos |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $42 | – |
| 2024 | $41 | – |
| 2023 | $39 | – |
| 2022 | $36 | – |
| 2021 | $37 | – |
| 2020 | $37 | – |
| 2019 | $36 | – |
| 2018 | $34 | – |
| 2017 | $29 | – |
| 2016 | $24 | – |
| 2015 | $21 | – |
| 2014 | $18 | – |
| 2013 | $16 | $3 |
| 2012 | $15 | $3 |
| 2011 | $13 | $3 |
| 2010 | $12 | $2 |
| 2009 | $10 | $2 |
| 2008 | $6 | $3 |
| 2007 | $6 | $2 |
| 2006 | $6 | $2 |
| 2005 | $5 | $2 |
| 2004 | $5 | $2 |
| 2003 | $5 | $2 |
| 2002 | $5 | $2 |
| 2001 | $6 | $2 |
| 2000 | $7 | $3 |
| 1999 | $7 | $3 |
| 1998 | $7 | $6 |
| 1997 | $9 | $13 |
| 1996 | $11 | $16 |
| 1995 | $13 | $21 |
| 1994 | $12 | $24 |
| 1993 | $5 | $23 |
| 1992 | $8 | $23 |
| 1991 | $6 | – |
| 1990 | $4 | – |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence for each person living there, in US dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
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 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
- 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