Military personnel as a share of total population in Laos
Laos: Military personnel as a share of total population was 0.4% in 2022. ◆ Volatile
Military personnel as a share of total population in Laos, 1953–2022
Source: Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for military personnel as a share of total population in Laos is 0.4%, measured in 2022. That is the lowest value across all 70 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and down 12.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, military personnel as a share of total population in Laos peaked at 3.5% in 1964 and was at its lowest, 0.4%, in 2022.
Laos ranks 58th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Military personnel as a share of total population in Laos, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1953 | 1.3% | — |
| 1954 | 1.3% | -2.2% |
| 1955 | 1.3% | -2.2% |
| 1956 | 1.2% | -7.1% |
| 1957 | 1.2% | +2.9% |
| 1958 | 1.1% | -8.4% |
| 1959 | 1.3% | +12.8% |
| 1960 | 1.2% | -2.4% |
| 1961 | 2.3% | +85.2% |
| 1962 | 2.4% | +6.6% |
| 1963 | 3.3% | +35.1% |
| 1964 | 3.5% | +7.1% |
| 1965 | 3.3% | -7.7% |
| 1966 | 3.5% | +5.6% |
| 1967 | 2.2% | -34.9% |
| 1968 | 2.2% | -2.3% |
| 1969 | 2.0% | -7.1% |
| 1970 | 2.1% | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 2.4% | +13.4% |
| 1972 | 2.5% | +7.1% |
| 1973 | 2.2% | -12.2% |
| 1974 | 1.8% | -17.5% |
| 1975 | 1.5% | -17.4% |
| 1976 | 1.5% | -1.3% |
| 1977 | 1.5% | -3.2% |
| 1978 | 1.5% | +3.4% |
| 1979 | 1.5% | -3.2% |
| 1980 | 1.7% | +17.9% |
| 1981 | 1.4% | -17.8% |
| 1982 | 1.4% | -2.0% |
| 1983 | 1.4% | +4.1% |
| 1984 | 1.5% | +7.4% |
| 1985 | 1.5% | -2.7% |
| 1986 | 1.5% | +0.7% |
| 1987 | 1.5% | -3.1% |
| 1988 | 1.4% | -3.1% |
| 1989 | 1.4% | -3.2% |
| 1990 | 1.3% | -4.8% |
| 1991 | 1.2% | -6.5% |
| 1992 | 0.8% | -32.2% |
| 1993 | 0.8% | -2.9% |
| 1994 | 1.0% | +18.1% |
| 1995 | 1.0% | +7.8% |
| 1996 | 1.0% | -3.0% |
| 1997 | 1.0% | -3.1% |
| 1998 | 1.0% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | -2.5% |
| 2000 | 0.5% | -43.5% |
| 2001 | 0.5% | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 0.5% | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 0.5% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 0.5% | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 0.5% | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 0.5% | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 0.5% | -1.9% |
| 2008 | 0.5% | -2.1% |
| 2009 | 0.5% | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 0.5% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 0.4% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 0.4% | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 0.4% | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 0.4% | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 0.4% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 0.4% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 0.4% | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 0.4% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 0.4% | -1.5% |
| 2020 | 0.4% | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 0.4% | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 0.4% | -1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.3% | 7 |
| 1960s | 2.6% | 1.2% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.9% | 1.5% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.5% | 1.4% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Laos
More population data for Laos
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.3849 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5042 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.23 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5042 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 438,726 people (2100)
- Population density 40.11 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.9341 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.13 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is military personnel as a share of total population in Laos?
- Military personnel as a share of total population in Laos was 0.4% in 2022, according to Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Laos?
- The highest recorded value was 3.5% in 1964.
- What is the lowest military personnel as a share of total population recorded in Laos?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.4% in 2022.
- How does Laos rank for military personnel as a share of total population?
- Laos ranks 58th out of 194 countries with data for 2022.
- Is military personnel as a share of total population rising or falling in Laos?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Laos data come from?
- The figures come from Correlates of War - National Material Capabilities Version 7.0 (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Military personnel as a share of total population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Ratio of military personnel to total population, expressed as a percentage.