Military spending, per capita in Laos
Laos: Military spending, per capita was 3.83 constant 2022 US$ per person in 2016. ◆ Volatile
Military spending, per capita in Laos, 1960–2016
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in constant 2022 US$ per person.
Analysis
In 2016, military spending, per capita in Laos stood at 3.83 constant 2022 US$ per person.
That represents a change of down 4.6% on the previous year and up 27.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military spending, per capita in Laos peaked at 81.39 constant 2022 US$ per person in 1965 and was at its lowest, 2.86 constant 2022 US$ per person, in 2009.
That places Laos 168th out of 171 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, per capita in Laos, year by year
| Year | constant 2022 US$ per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 65.51 constant 2022 US$ per person | — |
| 1961 | 29.64 constant 2022 US$ per person | -54.7% |
| 1962 | 62.32 constant 2022 US$ per person | +110.3% |
| 1963 | 80.56 constant 2022 US$ per person | +29.3% |
| 1964 | 56.57 constant 2022 US$ per person | -29.8% |
| 1965 | 81.39 constant 2022 US$ per person | +43.9% |
| 1966 | 78.43 constant 2022 US$ per person | -3.6% |
| 1967 | 71.66 constant 2022 US$ per person | -8.6% |
| 1968 | 64.42 constant 2022 US$ per person | -10.1% |
| 1969 | 56.91 constant 2022 US$ per person | -11.7% |
| 1970 | 53.66 constant 2022 US$ per person | -5.7% |
| 1971 | 45.66 constant 2022 US$ per person | -14.9% |
| 1972 | 34.85 constant 2022 US$ per person | -23.7% |
| 1973 | 30.33 constant 2022 US$ per person | -13.0% |
| 1974 | 27.35 constant 2022 US$ per person | -9.8% |
| 1975 | 24.51 constant 2022 US$ per person | -10.4% |
| 1976 | 31.48 constant 2022 US$ per person | +28.4% |
| 1977 | 45.15 constant 2022 US$ per person | +43.4% |
| 1978 | 36.35 constant 2022 US$ per person | -19.5% |
| 1979 | 32.11 constant 2022 US$ per person | -11.7% |
| 1980 | 24.6 constant 2022 US$ per person | -23.4% |
| 1981 | 23.76 constant 2022 US$ per person | -3.4% |
| 1982 | 27.11 constant 2022 US$ per person | +14.1% |
| 1983 | 29.41 constant 2022 US$ per person | +8.5% |
| 1984 | 32.22 constant 2022 US$ per person | +9.6% |
| 1985 | 32.36 constant 2022 US$ per person | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 30.17 constant 2022 US$ per person | -6.7% |
| 1987 | 27.51 constant 2022 US$ per person | -8.8% |
| 1988 | 23.86 constant 2022 US$ per person | -13.3% |
| 1989 | 21.17 constant 2022 US$ per person | -11.3% |
| 1990 | 33.72 constant 2022 US$ per person | +59.3% |
| 1991 | 37.58 constant 2022 US$ per person | +11.4% |
| 1992 | 43.41 constant 2022 US$ per person | +15.5% |
| 1993 | 39.23 constant 2022 US$ per person | -9.6% |
| 1994 | 34.37 constant 2022 US$ per person | -12.4% |
| 1995 | 29.34 constant 2022 US$ per person | -14.6% |
| 1996 | 24.51 constant 2022 US$ per person | -16.5% |
| 1997 | 20.48 constant 2022 US$ per person | -16.4% |
| 1998 | 10.93 constant 2022 US$ per person | -46.6% |
| 1999 | 6.18 constant 2022 US$ per person | -43.5% |
| 2000 | 5.06 constant 2022 US$ per person | -18.0% |
| 2001 | 4.23 constant 2022 US$ per person | -16.5% |
| 2002 | 3.6 constant 2022 US$ per person | -15.0% |
| 2003 | 3.72 constant 2022 US$ per person | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 3.31 constant 2022 US$ per person | -10.9% |
| 2005 | 2.93 constant 2022 US$ per person | -11.4% |
| 2006 | 3 constant 2022 US$ per person | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 3.12 constant 2022 US$ per person | +3.8% |
| 2008 | 3.23 constant 2022 US$ per person | +3.5% |
| 2009 | 2.86 constant 2022 US$ per person | -11.3% |
| 2010 | 3.05 constant 2022 US$ per person | +6.5% |
| 2011 | 3.35 constant 2022 US$ per person | +10.0% |
| 2012 | 3.63 constant 2022 US$ per person | +8.1% |
| 2013 | 3.68 constant 2022 US$ per person | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 3.91 constant 2022 US$ per person | +6.0% |
| 2015 | 4.01 constant 2022 US$ per person | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 3.83 constant 2022 US$ per person | -4.6% |
Laos compared with similar countries
- Laos's 3.83 constant 2022 US$ per person is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 35.33 constant 2022 US$ per person, 11% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Laos's 3.83 constant 2022 US$ per person is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 81.86 constant 2022 US$ per person, 5% of the median. (20 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Military spending, per capita 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +110.3% | 29.64 constant 2022 US$ per person | 62.32 constant 2022 US$ per person |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 64.74 constant 2022 US$ per person | 29.64 constant 2022 US$ per person | 81.39 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1970s | 36.14 constant 2022 US$ per person | 24.51 constant 2022 US$ per person | 53.66 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 27.22 constant 2022 US$ per person | 21.17 constant 2022 US$ per person | 32.36 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 27.97 constant 2022 US$ per person | 6.18 constant 2022 US$ per person | 43.41 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.51 constant 2022 US$ per person | 2.86 constant 2022 US$ per person | 5.06 constant 2022 US$ per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.64 constant 2022 US$ per person | 3.05 constant 2022 US$ per person | 4.01 constant 2022 US$ per person | 7 |
Countries ranked near Laos
- 165 Malawi 6.73 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 166 Democratic Republic of Congo 6.05 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 167 Madagascar 3.98 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 169 Sierra Leone 3.34 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 170 Haiti 1.43 constant 2022 US$ per person compare
- 171 Venezuela 0.1706 constant 2022 US$ per person 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, per capita in Laos?
- Military spending, per capita in Laos was 3.83 constant 2022 US$ per person in 2016, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest military spending, per capita recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 81.39 constant 2022 US$ per person in 1965.
- What is the lowest military spending, per capita recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.86 constant 2022 US$ per person in 2009.
- How does Laos rank for military spending, per capita?
- Laos ranks 168th out of 171 countries with data for 2016.
- Is military spending, per capita rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Military spending, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 57 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Military spending divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Military spending ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Military spending Barnum et al. – Global Military Spending Dataset (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Military spending divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.