Malaysia vs Thailand
Malaysia vs Thailand: Armed forces, share of workers
Armed forces, share of workers in 2020: 0.81% of the labour force in Malaysia and 1.13% of the labour force in Thailand, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Thailand, by 0.32 percentage points, or 1.4 times that in Malaysia.
% of the labour force · IISS
What the numbers say
- Thailand has been higher since 2010, when it overtook Malaysia.
- In 2020, Malaysia ranked 87 and Thailand ranked 59 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 | Malaysia | Thailand | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0.81 | 1.13 | 0.79 |
| 2019 | 0.82 | 1.14 | 0.79 |
| 2018 | 0.84 | 1.13 | 0.8 |
| 2017 | 0.86 | 1.15 | 0.8 |
| 2016 | 0.87 | 1.14 | 0.81 |
| 2015 | 0.88 | 1.14 | 0.82 |
| 2014 | 0.91 | 1.14 | 0.82 |
| 2013 | 0.94 | 1.14 | 0.83 |
| 2012 | 0.98 | 1.11 | 0.87 |
| 2011 | 1.02 | 1.17 | 0.88 |
| 2010 | 1.05 | 1.07 | 0.89 |
| 2009 | 1.09 | 1.06 | 0.89 |
| 2008 | 1.13 | 1.08 | 0.89 |
| 2007 | 1.17 | 1.09 | 0.89 |
| 2006 | 1.21 | 1.11 | 0.95 |
| 2005 | 1.26 | 1.12 | 0.96 |
| 2004 | 1.26 | 1.13 | 0.94 |
| 2003 | 1.24 | 1.17 | 0.98 |
| 2002 | 1.25 | 1.16 | 1 |
| 2001 | 1.29 | 1.15 | 1.01 |
| 2000 | 1.29 | 1.19 | 1.07 |
| 1999 | 1.44 | 1.1 | 1.09 |
| 1998 | 1.55 | 1.1 | 1.13 |
| 1997 | 1.63 | 0.99 | 1.15 |
| 1996 | 1.79 | 1.18 | 1.18 |
| 1995 | 1.86 | 1.29 | 1.2 |
| 1994 | 1.58 | 0.92 | 0.94 |
| 1993 | 1.64 | 0.95 | 0.98 |
| 1992 | 1.89 | 0.93 | 1.03 |
| 1991 | 1.96 | 0.96 | 1.03 |
| 1990 | 2.06 | 0.98 | 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
Malaysia vs Thailand
Health
- Life expectancyMalaysia: 76.7 years in 2023Thailand: 76.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMalaysia: 0.8 per 100 live births in 2024Thailand: 0.9 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMalaysia: 6.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023Thailand: 6.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionMalaysia: 3.52% in 2017Thailand: 3.09% in 2017
- Suicide rateMalaysia: 7.8 per 100,000 people in 2017Thailand: 10.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMalaysia: 35.1 million people in 2023Thailand: 71.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthMalaysia: 1.24% a year in 2023Thailand: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMalaysia: 1.55 births per woman in 2023Thailand: 1.21 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMalaysia: 77.4% in 2025Thailand: 62.8% in 2025
- Median ageMalaysia: 30.1 years in 2023Thailand: 39.7 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMalaysia: 7.5% in 2023Thailand: 14.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateMalaysia: 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2023Thailand: 0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMalaysia: 1.04% of GDP in 2025Thailand: 1.04% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsMalaysia: $4.55B in 2025Thailand: $5.57B in 2025
- Military spending per personMalaysia: $138 in 2025Thailand: $84 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMalaysia: 4.4% of government spending in 2025Thailand: 4.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelMalaysia: 136,000 people in 2020Thailand: 455,000 people in 2020
- National powerMalaysia: 0.46% of world capability in 2022Thailand: 0.79% of world capability in 2022
- Arms importsMalaysia: 7 million TIV in 2024Thailand: 33 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsMalaysia: 20 million TIV in 2024Thailand: 15 million TIV in 2024