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Military Strength: Flag of Cambodia Cambodia vs Flag of Laos Laos

Military Strength
Cambodia Laos
Global Military Index 26.0 (#81) 18.8 (#107)
Military personnel 191,000 129,000
– Reserve troops 0 0
– Paramilitary forces 67,000 100,000
Military aircraft 25 32
– incl. combat aircraft 0 4
– incl. bombers 0 0
– incl. helicopters 21 23
Military ships 21 0
– incl. aircraft carriers 0 0
– incl. submarines 0 0
Main battle tanks 644 160
Nuclear warheads 0 0
Military Forces Chart

Overview

Cambodia (ranked #81 globally) holds a stronger overall military position than Laos (#107) on the Global Military Index. Cambodia fields 191,000 active troops vs 129,000 for Laos, backed by 67,000 paramilitary. Cambodia's $0.7B defense budget is 31:1 that of Laos ($0.02B).

In the air, Cambodia operates 25 aircraft including 0 combat jets, while Laos fields 32 with 4 fighters.

Cambodia operates a 21-ship naval fleet; Laos has no navy. On the ground, Cambodia deploys 644 main battle tanks vs 160 for Laos.

Neither Cambodia nor Laos possesses nuclear weapons.

Global Military Index

Full ranking →
🇰🇭 Cambodia World #81
26.0/ 100
Six-pillar composite: manpower, ground forces, naval power, air power, nuclear deterrent and defense budget, with a readiness modifier from budget per soldier.
Pillar Weight Score Basis
Manpower 15% 69.3 144400 effective
Ground forces 20% 60.3 644 main battle tanks
Naval power 20% 15.6 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 20.5 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 30.6 $0.7B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×0.87 Budget per soldier
🇱🇦 Laos World #107
18.8/ 100
Six-pillar composite: manpower, ground forces, naval power, air power, nuclear deterrent and defense budget, with a readiness modifier from budget per soldier.
Pillar Weight Score Basis
Manpower 15% 61.2 59100 effective
Ground forces 20% 50.4 160 main battle tanks
Naval power 20% 0.0 Carrier tiers, nuclear vs conventional submarines
Air power 25% 25.7 Weighted by aircraft type & fleet age
Nuclear deterrent 10% 0.0 No declared capability
Defense budget 10% 9.6 $0.0B, PPP-adjusted
Readiness modifier ×0.80 Budget per soldier

Country Profile

Economy & Geography
Cambodia Laos
Population 17.6 million 7.8 million
GDP $46.4 billion $16.5 billion
GDP per capita $2,628 $2,124
Military budget $695.3 million $22.7 million
– share of GDP 1.5% 0.2%
– share of govt spending 0.0% 0.8%
– per capita spending $39 $4
Land area 176,515 km² 230,800 km²
Coastline 443 km 0 km
Military Budget Evolution
Military Personnel Evolution
Economic Metrics Chart
Related Comparisons
Cambodia vs Laos Air Forces Strongest militaries in the world (2026)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has more military personnel, Cambodia or Laos?
Cambodia has approximately 191,000 active military personnel compared to Laos's 129,000.
Which country has more combat aircraft, Cambodia or Laos?
Laos operates 4 combat aircraft compared to Cambodia's 0. This includes fighters, strike aircraft, and multirole combat jets.
Who has the larger navy, Cambodia or Laos?
Cambodia has a larger navy with 21 vessels compared to Laos's 0 ships.
Which country spends more on defense, Cambodia or Laos?
Cambodia has a larger defense budget at $695 million (31:1 more) compared to Laos's $23 million annually.
Do Cambodia and Laos have nuclear weapons?
Neither Cambodia nor Laos currently possesses nuclear weapons.
How do the tank forces of Cambodia and Laos compare?
Cambodia operates 644 main battle tanks compared to Laos's 160. Tank numbers reflect both active inventory and reserves.