Map of Cambodia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Following a five-year struggle communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh in 1975 and ordered the evacuation of all cities and towns; over 1 million displaced people died from execution or enforced hardships. A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside and touched off 13 years of fighting. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy as did the rapid diminishment of the Khmer Rouge in the mid-1990s.


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Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand and Vietnam

Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 105 00 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 181,040 km²
Land: 176,520 km²
Water: 4,520 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Land boundaries
Total: 2,572 km
Border countries: (3) Laos 541 km; , Thailand 803 km; , Vietnam 1,228 km

Coastline: 443 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November; dry season (December to April; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
Extremes highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

Natural resources: timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential

Land use
Arable land: 13%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 11%
Forests and woodland: 66%
Other: 10% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 920 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: monsoonal rains (June to November; flooding; occasional droughts

Geography
Note: a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap


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Population: 11,163,861 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 2.72% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Cambodian(s)
Adjective: Cambodian

Ethnic groups: Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

Languages: Khmer (official), French

Religions: Theravada Buddhism 95%, other 5%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 45% (male 2,573,135; female 2,497,776)
15-64 years: 52% (male 2,668,089; female 3,084,009)
65 years and over: 3% (male 144,001; female 196,851) (July 1997 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.72% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 42.63 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 15.39 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand are resulting in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries; deforestation; soil erosion; in rural areas, a majority of the population does not have access to potable water

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 106 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 50.25 years
Male: 48.79 years
Female: 51.79 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.81 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 35%
Male: 48%
Female: 22% (1990 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
Conventional short form: Cambodia
Local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea
Local short form: Kampuchea

Government type: multiparty liberal democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in September 1993

Capital: Phnom Penh

Administrative divisions: 22 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 1 municipality* (krong, singular and plural; Banteay Mean Cheay, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Keb*, Kracheh, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Cheay, Phnum Penh, Pouthisat, Preah Seihanu (Sihanoukville), Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev

Dependent areas

Independence: 9 November 1949 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 9 November 1949

Constitution: promulgated 21 September 1993

Legal system: currently being defined

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: King Norodom SIHANOUK (reinstated 24 September 1993)
Head of government: power shared between First Prime Minister Prince Norodom RANARIDDH (since NA 1993) and Second Prime Minister HUN SEN (since NA 1993)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the king
Elections: none; the king is a constitutional monarch; prime ministers appointed by the king

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 23 May 1993 (next to be held NA 1998)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FUNCINPEC 58, CPP 51, BLDP 10, MOLINAKA 1
Note: the May 1993 elections were for the Constituent Assembly which became the National Assembly after the new constitution was promulgated in September 1993

Judicial branch: Supreme Court provided for by the constitution has not yet been established and the future judicial system is yet to be defined by law

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador VAR HUOTH
In the us chancery: 4,500 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,011
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 726-7,742
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 726-8,381
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth M. QUINN
From the us embassy: 27 EO Street 240, Phnom Penh
From the us mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96,546
From the us telephone: [855] (23) 426,436, 426,438
From the us FAX: [855] (23) 426,811

Flag description: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined in black in the center of the red band

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The Cambodian economy - virtually destroyed by decades of war - is slowly recovering. Government leaders are moving toward restoring fiscal and monetary discipline and have established good working relations with international financial institutions. Growth, starting from a low base, has been strong in 1991-96. Despite such positive developments, the reconstruction effort faces many tough challenges because of the persistence of internal political divisions and the related lack of confidence of foreign investors. Rural Cambodia, where 90% of about 9.5 million Khmer live, remains mired in poverty. The almost total lack of basic infrastructure in the countryside will hinder development and will contribute to a growing imbalance in growth between urban and rural areas over the near term. Moreover, the government's lack of experience in administering economic and technical assistance programs and rampant corruption among officials will slow the growth of critical public sector investment. The decline of inflation from the 1992 rate of more than 50% is one of the bright spots.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 7.4% (1996 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $710 (1996 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 51%
Industry: 14%
Services: 35%

Agriculture products: rice, rubber, corn, vegetables

Industries: rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 7.9% (1993 est.)

Labor force: 2.5 million to 3 million
By occupation: agriculture 80% (1996 est.)