Laos vs Vietnam
Laos vs Vietnam: Military spending per person
Military spending per person: $3 in Laos in 2013 and $104 in Vietnam in 2025, by SIPRI estimates. In 2013 the value was higher in Vietnam, by $58, or 18 times that in Laos.
US dollars per person · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- Vietnam has been higher since 2003, when it overtook Laos.
Every year
US dollars per person · SIPRI
| Year | Laos | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | – | $104 |
| 2024 | – | $85 |
| 2023 | – | $80 |
| 2022 | – | $71 |
| 2021 | – | $76 |
| 2020 | – | $73 |
| 2019 | – | $75 |
| 2018 | – | $72 |
| 2017 | – | $68 |
| 2016 | – | $68 |
| 2015 | – | $66 |
| 2014 | – | $62 |
| 2013 | $3 | $61 |
| 2012 | $3 | $53 |
| 2011 | $3 | $34 |
| 2010 | $2 | $31 |
| 2009 | $2 | $34 |
| 2008 | $3 | $24 |
| 2007 | $2 | $22 |
| 2006 | $2 | $16 |
| 2005 | $2 | $13 |
| 2004 | $2 | $11 |
| 2003 | $2 | $11 |
| 2002 | $2 | – |
| 2001 | $2 | – |
| 2000 | $3 | – |
| 1999 | $3 | – |
| 1998 | $6 | – |
| 1997 | $13 | – |
| 1996 | $16 | – |
| 1995 | $21 | – |
| 1994 | $24 | $6 |
| 1993 | $23 | $4 |
| 1992 | $23 | $5 |
| 1991 | – | $6 |
| 1990 | – | $8 |
| 1989 | – | $7 |
| 1988 | – | $21 |
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.
- 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
Laos vs Vietnam
Health
- Life expectancyLaos: 69 years in 2023Vietnam: 74.6 years in 2023
- Child mortalityLaos: 2.9 per 100 live births in 2024Vietnam: 1.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityLaos: 31.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023Vietnam: 15.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterLaos: 17.9% in 2022Vietnam: 57.8% in 2022
- DepressionLaos: 2.91% in 2017Vietnam: 2.88% in 2017
- Suicide rateLaos: 8.4 per 100,000 people in 2017Vietnam: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationLaos: 7.67 million people in 2023Vietnam: 100 million people in 2023
- Population growthLaos: 1.38% a year in 2023Vietnam: 0.64% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateLaos: 2.42 births per woman in 2023Vietnam: 1.91 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationLaos: 40.3% in 2025Vietnam: 38.8% in 2025
- Median ageLaos: 24.3 years in 2023Vietnam: 32.4 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overLaos: 4.5% in 2023Vietnam: 8.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateLaos: -1.3 per 1,000 people in 2023Vietnam: -0.8 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingLaos: 0.19% of GDP in 2013Vietnam: 2.15% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsLaos: $21.8M in 2013Vietnam: $10.9B in 2025
- Military share of state spendingLaos: 0.8% of government spending in 2013Vietnam: 9.9% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelLaos: 129,000 people in 2020Vietnam: 522,000 people in 2020
- National powerLaos: 0.06% of world capability in 2022Vietnam: 1.11% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersLaos: 4.08% of the labour force in 2020Vietnam: 0.95% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsLaos: 7 million TIV in 2024Vietnam: 177 million TIV in 2025