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Cambodia vs Laos
Side-by-side comparison of Cambodia and Laos from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Cambodia
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 1,224 years
In short
Cambodia scores 45.1 in the NationsTree Index (109th in the world) and Laos scores 36.2 (141st), a gap of 8.9 points. Their trees are 7.1 m and 5.0 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Cambodia has 2.3 times the population of Laos. Laos has 31% more land area than Cambodia. The economy of Cambodia is 87% larger than that of Laos (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Cambodia 17.8 million and Laos 7.9 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $10,383 in Laos and $8,543 in Cambodia (2025, international dollars). People in Cambodia live on average 1.6 years longer (70.8 vs 69.2 years).
Of 34 indicators reported by both countries, Cambodia ranks higher in the world on 19 and Laos on 15. Cambodia is clearly stronger in main industries, economy and tourism. Laos is clearly stronger in trade.
As a nation, Cambodia is the older of the two (statehood since 802, 1,224 years), compared with Laos (since 1949). Over the last five years Cambodia improved faster (direction score 95 vs 75 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Cambodia and Laos.
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Cambodia overtook Laos in the NationsTree Index in 2018 and has stayed ahead since.
Cambodia overtook Laos in life expectancy in 1998 and has stayed ahead since.
Laos overtook Cambodia in GDP per person (PPP) in 1994 and has stayed ahead since.
Cambodia has been ahead of Laos in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
CambodiaLaos All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Cambodia | Laos |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 181,03589th/216 · 2024 | 236,80083rd/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 176,52089th/216 · 2024 | 230,80080th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 17.8 m72nd/217 · 2025 | 7.9 m102nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 1.18%90th/217 · 2025 | 1.32%77th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 99.9106th/216 · 2024 | 33.7167th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 41.1%170th/217 · 2025 | 40.3%172nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 29.5%73rd/217 · 2025 | 29.8%72nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 6.4%134th/217 · 2025 | 4.8%152nd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $51.27 bn95th/210 · 2025 | $18.30 bn137th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $152.47 bn90th/199 · 2025 | $81.75 bn111th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $130.29 bn90th/199 · 2025 | $69.86 bn111th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $2,872165th/210 · 2025 | $2,325172nd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $8,543148th/199 · 2025 | $10,383138th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $2,750157th/201 · 2025 | $2,150163rd/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 5.3%44th/210 · 2025 | 4.5%62nd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 2.4%71st/180 · 2025 | 7.7%149th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 0.3%2nd/187 · 2025 | 1.2%8th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 50.3%25th/55 · 2023 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 25.5%24th/189 · 2025 | 88.8%158th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -1.0%54th/192 · 2025 | 1.9%24th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 16.1%50th/197 · 2025 | 16.6%45th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 43.1%11th/200 · 2025 | 29.2%58th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 29.0%5th/192 · 2025 | 9.1%111th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 35.0%195th/200 · 2025 | 43.6%173rd/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $35.19 bn77th/182 · 2025 | $5.28 bn2016 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $34.58 bn76th/182 · 2025 | $6.66 bn2016 |
| Exports % of GDP | 68.6%30th/183 · 2025 | 33.2%2016 |
| Imports % of GDP | 67.4%40th/183 · 2025 | 41.9%2016 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 136.1%31st/183 · 2025 | 75.1%2016 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 0.0%164th/170 · 2024 | 1.8%104th/170 · 2023 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 78.0%25th/171 · 2024 | 32.8%86th/171 · 2023 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 15.4%89th/171 · 2024 | 23.2%63rd/171 · 2023 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 2.2%103rd/171 · 2024 | 20.2%26th/171 · 2023 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 5.3%96th/168 · 2024 | 7.4%83rd/168 · 2023 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -3.7%124th/191 · 2025 | 12.0%19th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 9.9%21st/196 · 2025 | 7.7%26th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.8%120th/209 · 2021 | 5.4%69th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.04%87th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%57th/195 · 2021 | 0.23%2012 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 3.89%27th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.79%59th/209 · 2021 | 1.49%44th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 23.3%44th/206 · 2024 | 5.3%134th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 7,01158th/183 · 2022 | 25,18825th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 1.3 m86th/194 · 2020 | 886,400103rd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $1.12 bn66th/175 · 2020 | $227.0 m121st/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 5.4%83rd/168 · 2020 | 3.5%97th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 326,00085th/107 · 2020 | 707,00068th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 70.8148th/217 · 2024 | 69.2159th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 18.4119th/196 · 2024 | 29.4138th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.21143rd/174 · 2019 | 0.33131st/174 · 2022 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 0.72018 | 1.795th/145 · 2023 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 83%137th/193 · 2024 | 67%176th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 22.1%138th/153 · 2021 | 29.0%132nd/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 58.8%148th/173 · 2024 | 50.5%155th/173 · 2025 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 3.1%2013 | 2.2%2018 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 9.9%134th/217 · 2025 | 7.4%154th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 4.6%133rd/193 · 2023 | 1.3%193rd/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 71.9%76th/98 · 2021 | 75.6%72nd/98 · 2023 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 21.4%118th/150 · 2024 | 14.9%130th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.606151st/193 · 2023 | 0.617147th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | — | 34.760th/108 · 2024 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | — | 7.1%81st/108 · 2024 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 99.2%133rd/215 · 2024 | 96.5%147th/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 30.0%129th/150 · 2024 | 35.2%124th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 51.6%81st/144 · 2024 | 71.4%63rd/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 68.5%126th/186 · 2024 | 65.6%132nd/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 116104th/210 · 2024 | 65187th/210 · 2023 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 4.1145th/208 · 2024 | 2.7154th/208 · 2023 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.10142nd/164 · 2022 | 2.30117th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 6502004 | — |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 675,283112th/161 · 2023 | 842,280101st/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 1.1065th/203 · 2024 | 3.35115th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 52.4%46th/212 · 2021 | 49.2%50th/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 19.4112th/200 · 2023 | 26.0140th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 37.6%87th/214 · 2024 | 56.6%41st/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 593115th/149 · 2024 | 84298th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 44.1138th/205 · 2025 | 40.2148th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 22.6185th/207 · 2025 | 28.0169th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 41.3168th/207 · 2025 | 48.1142nd/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 71.589th/207 · 2025 | 75.375th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 45.4141st/205 · 2025 | 44.1150th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 27.5190th/205 · 2025 | 27.5189th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 1.82011 | — |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $739.0 m89th/156 · 2025 | $22.8 m2013 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.5%91st/156 · 2025 | 0.2%2013 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 8.2%40th/154 · 2025 | 0.8%2013 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 191,00033rd/170 · 2020 | 129,00047th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 2.01%25th/168 · 2020 | 4.08%9th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 56.0 m62nd/163 · 2023 | 7.0 m117th/163 · 2024 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 1.0 m2000 | — |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.09%2015 | 0.04%2002 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 1126th/137 · 2024 | 1126th/137 · 2023 |
| Scientific articles articles | 201128th/197 · 2023 | 72146th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Cambodia or Laos?
Cambodia has the larger population: 17.8 m (2025) compared with 7.9 m for Laos (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Cambodia or Laos?
Laos is larger: 236,800 km² (2024) compared with 181,035 km² for Cambodia (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Cambodia or Laos?
Cambodia has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $152.47 bn intl. (2025) compared with $81.75 bn intl. for Laos (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Cambodia or Laos?
Laos has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $10,383 intl. (2025) compared with $8,543 intl. for Cambodia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Cambodia or Laos?
Cambodia has the higher life expectancy at birth: 70.8 years (2024) compared with 69.2 years for Laos (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Cambodia or Laos?
Cambodia spends more on the military: $739.0 m (2025) compared with $22.8 m for Laos (2013). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Cambodia or Laos?
Cambodia: 45.1 points (109th in the world); Laos: 36.2 points (141st). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Macao
Mongolia
Myanmar
New Zealand
Brunei
Papua New GuineaSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Cambodia vs Laos — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/cambodia-vs-laos. Data as of 26 October 2026.