Cambodia vs Laos
Cambodia vs Laos: National power
National power in 2022: 0.16% of world capability in Cambodia and 0.06% of world capability in Laos, by Correlates of War estimates. In 2022 the value was higher in Cambodia, by 0.11 percentage points, or 2.86 times that in Laos.
% of world capability · Correlates of War
What the numbers say
- Cambodia has been higher since 1984, when it overtook Laos.
- In 2022, Cambodia ranked 71 and Laos ranked 114 of 195 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
% of world capability · Correlates of War
| Year | Cambodia | Laos |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 0.16 | 0.06 |
| 2021 | 0.17 | 0.06 |
| 2020 | 0.17 | 0.06 |
| 2019 | 0.17 | 0.06 |
| 2018 | 0.17 | 0.06 |
| 2017 | 0.17 | 0.06 |
| 2016 | 0.16 | 0.06 |
| 2015 | 0.19 | 0.06 |
| 2014 | 0.16 | 0.05 |
| 2013 | 0.16 | 0.05 |
| 2012 | 0.16 | 0.05 |
| 2011 | 0.16 | 0.05 |
| 2010 | 0.15 | 0.06 |
| 2009 | 0.15 | 0.05 |
| 2008 | 0.16 | 0.05 |
| 2007 | 0.16 | 0.05 |
| 2006 | 0.15 | 0.05 |
| 2005 | 0.15 | 0.05 |
| 2004 | 0.15 | 0.06 |
| 2003 | 0.15 | 0.05 |
| 2002 | 0.15 | 0.05 |
| 2001 | 0.17 | 0.05 |
| 2000 | 0.17 | 0.04 |
| 1999 | 0.11 | 0.06 |
| 1998 | 0.12 | 0.06 |
| 1997 | 0.11 | 0.06 |
| 1996 | 0.1 | 0.06 |
| 1995 | 0.1 | 0.06 |
| 1994 | 0.1 | 0.05 |
| 1993 | 0.11 | 0.05 |
| 1992 | 0.13 | 0.05 |
| 1991 | 0.11 | 0.07 |
| 1990 | 0.13 | 0.06 |
| 1989 | 0.12 | 0.05 |
| 1988 | 0.09 | 0.06 |
| 1987 | 0.09 | 0.06 |
| 1986 | 0.08 | 0.06 |
| 1985 | 0.07 | 0.05 |
| 1984 | 0.06 | 0.05 |
| 1983 | 0.05 | 0.06 |
| 1982 | 0.05 | 0.06 |
| 1981 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| 1980 | 0.07 | 0.05 |
| 1979 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| 1978 | 0.1 | 0.05 |
| 1977 | 0.1 | 0.05 |
| 1976 | 0.09 | 0.05 |
| 1975 | 0.08 | 0.05 |
| 1974 | 0.18 | 0.06 |
| 1973 | 0.19 | 0.07 |
| 1972 | 0.18 | 0.07 |
| 1971 | 0.19 | 0.07 |
| 1970 | 0.11 | 0.07 |
| 1969 | 0.1 | 0.06 |
| 1968 | 0.11 | 0.06 |
| 1967 | 0.11 | 0.06 |
| 1966 | 0.11 | 0.09 |
| 1965 | 0.11 | 0.09 |
| 1964 | 0.11 | 0.09 |
| 1963 | 0.11 | 0.09 |
| 1962 | 0.11 | 0.07 |
| 1961 | 0.11 | 0.07 |
| 1960 | 0.08 | 0.05 |
| 1959 | 0.08 | 0.04 |
| 1958 | 0.08 | 0.04 |
| 1957 | 0.08 | 0.04 |
| 1956 | 0.08 | 0.04 |
| 1955 | 0.08 | 0.03 |
| 1954 | 0.09 | 0.03 |
| 1953 | 0.09 | 0.04 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The Correlates of War’s Composite Index of National Capability: the country’s share of the world’s military spending, soldiers, iron and steel, energy use, people and city dwellers, averaged.
- Source: 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 195 countries with a value in 2022, 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 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
- 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