| Military branches | Lao People's Armed Forces (LPAF): Lao People's Army (LPA, includes Riverine Force), Air Force, Self-Defense Militia Forces (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - minimum 18 months (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 0.2% of GDP (2017 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2016 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2015 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2014 est.) 0.2% of GDP (2013 est.) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | information is limited and estimates for the size of the Lao People’s Armed Forces (LPAF) vary; approximately 30,000 active duty troops (26,000 Army; 4000 Air Force) (2020) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the LPAF is armed largely with weapons from the former Soviet Union; since 2010, China and Russia are the leading suppliers of military equipment to Laos (2020) |
Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021
