Military spending in Laos
Laos: Military spending was 26.46 million constant 2022 US$ in 2016. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2016)
26.46 million constant 2022 US$
Change on year
down 3.1%
World rank
166th
of 172 countries
All-time high
197.94 million constant 2022 US$
in 1992
All-time low
687,576 constant 2022 US$
in 1959
Years of data
63
1954–2016
Military spending in Laos, 1954–2016
Source: Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in constant 2022 US$.
Analysis
In 2016, military spending in Laos stood at 26.46 million constant 2022 US$.
The figure is down 3.1% on the previous year and up 47.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending in Laos peaked at 197.94 million constant 2022 US$ in 1992 and was at its lowest, 687,576 constant 2022 US$, in 1959.
That places Laos 166th out of 172 countries with data for 2016, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military spending in Laos, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 | 6.21 million constant 2022 US$ | — |
| 1955 | 983,670 constant 2022 US$ | -84.2% |
| 1956 | 956,778 constant 2022 US$ | -2.7% |
| 1957 | 872,371 constant 2022 US$ | -8.8% |
| 1958 | 729,682 constant 2022 US$ | -16.4% |
| 1959 | 687,576 constant 2022 US$ | -5.8% |
| 1960 | 138.97 million constant 2022 US$ | +20111.7% |
| 1961 | 64.32 million constant 2022 US$ | -53.7% |
| 1962 | 138.35 million constant 2022 US$ | +115.1% |
| 1963 | 182.95 million constant 2022 US$ | +32.2% |
| 1964 | 131.40 million constant 2022 US$ | -28.2% |
| 1965 | 193.40 million constant 2022 US$ | +47.2% |
| 1966 | 190.66 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.4% |
| 1967 | 178.27 million constant 2022 US$ | -6.5% |
| 1968 | 164.03 million constant 2022 US$ | -8.0% |
| 1969 | 148.35 million constant 2022 US$ | -9.6% |
| 1970 | 143.27 million constant 2022 US$ | -3.4% |
| 1971 | 124.86 million constant 2022 US$ | -12.9% |
| 1972 | 97.63 million constant 2022 US$ | -21.8% |
| 1973 | 87.08 million constant 2022 US$ | -10.8% |
| 1974 | 80.39 million constant 2022 US$ | -7.7% |
| 1975 | 73.68 million constant 2022 US$ | -8.4% |
| 1976 | 96.47 million constant 2022 US$ | +30.9% |
| 1977 | 140.82 million constant 2022 US$ | +46.0% |
| 1978 | 115.28 million constant 2022 US$ | -18.1% |
| 1979 | 103.65 million constant 2022 US$ | -10.1% |
| 1980 | 81.01 million constant 2022 US$ | -21.8% |
| 1981 | 80.00 million constant 2022 US$ | -1.3% |
| 1982 | 93.53 million constant 2022 US$ | +16.9% |
| 1983 | 104.15 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.4% |
| 1984 | 117.23 million constant 2022 US$ | +12.6% |
| 1985 | 121.01 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 116.07 million constant 2022 US$ | -4.1% |
| 1987 | 108.87 million constant 2022 US$ | -6.2% |
| 1988 | 97.17 million constant 2022 US$ | -10.7% |
| 1989 | 88.72 million constant 2022 US$ | -8.7% |
| 1990 | 145.42 million constant 2022 US$ | +63.9% |
| 1991 | 166.66 million constant 2022 US$ | +14.6% |
| 1992 | 197.94 million constant 2022 US$ | +18.8% |
| 1993 | 183.77 million constant 2022 US$ | -7.2% |
| 1994 | 165.31 million constant 2022 US$ | -10.0% |
| 1995 | 144.62 million constant 2022 US$ | -12.5% |
| 1996 | 123.65 million constant 2022 US$ | -14.5% |
| 1997 | 105.49 million constant 2022 US$ | -14.7% |
| 1998 | 57.38 million constant 2022 US$ | -45.6% |
| 1999 | 33.00 million constant 2022 US$ | -42.5% |
| 2000 | 27.51 million constant 2022 US$ | -16.7% |
| 2001 | 23.36 million constant 2022 US$ | -15.1% |
| 2002 | 20.18 million constant 2022 US$ | -13.6% |
| 2003 | 21.18 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.9% |
| 2004 | 19.14 million constant 2022 US$ | -9.6% |
| 2005 | 17.21 million constant 2022 US$ | -10.1% |
| 2006 | 17.91 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.1% |
| 2007 | 18.88 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.4% |
| 2008 | 19.84 million constant 2022 US$ | +5.1% |
| 2009 | 17.86 million constant 2022 US$ | -10.0% |
| 2010 | 19.32 million constant 2022 US$ | +8.1% |
| 2011 | 21.56 million constant 2022 US$ | +11.6% |
| 2012 | 23.63 million constant 2022 US$ | +9.6% |
| 2013 | 24.36 million constant 2022 US$ | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 26.19 million constant 2022 US$ | +7.5% |
| 2015 | 27.30 million constant 2022 US$ | +4.3% |
| 2016 | 26.46 million constant 2022 US$ | -3.1% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 26.46 million constant 2022 US$ is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 485.52 million constant 2022 US$, 5% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Laos's 26.46 million constant 2022 US$ is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.15 billion constant 2022 US$, 1% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending in Laos changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | +20111.7% | 687,576 constant 2022 US$ | 138.97 million constant 2022 US$ |
| 1962 | +115.1% | 64.32 million constant 2022 US$ | 138.35 million constant 2022 US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.74 million constant 2022 US$ | 687,576 constant 2022 US$ | 6.21 million constant 2022 US$ | 6 |
| 1960s | 153.07 million constant 2022 US$ | 64.32 million constant 2022 US$ | 193.40 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1970s | 106.31 million constant 2022 US$ | 73.68 million constant 2022 US$ | 143.27 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1980s | 100.78 million constant 2022 US$ | 80.00 million constant 2022 US$ | 121.01 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 132.32 million constant 2022 US$ | 33.00 million constant 2022 US$ | 197.94 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.31 million constant 2022 US$ | 17.21 million constant 2022 US$ | 27.51 million constant 2022 US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 24.12 million constant 2022 US$ | 19.32 million constant 2022 US$ | 27.30 million constant 2022 US$ | 7 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 163 Guinea-Bissau 29.97 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 164 Mauritius 28.93 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 165 Sierra Leone 28.24 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 167 Gambia 18.64 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 168 Haiti 16.61 million constant 2022 US$ compare
- 169 Cape Verde 14.40 million constant 2022 US$ compare
More reference data data for Laos
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6615 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.913 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.3021 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.88 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 3.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 12.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.64 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military spending in Laos?
- Military spending in Laos was 26.46 million constant 2022 US$ in 2016, according to Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military spending recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 197.94 million constant 2022 US$ in 1992.
- What is the lowest military spending recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 687,576 constant 2022 US$ in 1959.
- How does Laos rank for military spending?
- Laos ranks 166th out of 172 countries with data for 2016.
- Is military spending rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military spending. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
This data is expressed in US dollars. It is adjusted for inflation but does not account for differences in the cost of living between countries.