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. A coalition government formed after national elections in 1998 brought renewed political stability and the surrender of remaining Khmer Rouge forces.


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

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: 11,626,520 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 2.49% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

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 2,667,768; female 2,587,590)
15-64 years: 52% (male 2,821,772; female 3,197,604)
65 years and over: 3% (male 143,016; female 208,770) (1999 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.49% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 41.05 births/1000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 16.2 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: illegal 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; soil erosion; in rural areas, a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; toxic waste delivery from Taiwan sparked unrest in Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville) in December 1998
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 105.06 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 48.24 years
Male: 46.81 years
Female: 49.75 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.81 children born/woman (1999 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: 20 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 3 municipalities* (krong, singular and plural); Banteay Mean Cheay, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Keb*, Krachen, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Cheay, Phnum Penh*, Pouthisat, Preah Seihanu* (Sihanoukville), Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev
Note: there may be a new municipality called Pailin

Dependent areas

Independence: 9 November 1953 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Constitution: promulgated 21 September 1993

Legal system: primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) period, royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences of customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing influence of common law in recent years

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: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 30 November 1998)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch after a vote of confidence by the National Assembly

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (122 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 26 July 1998 (next to be held NA 2003)
Election results: percent of vote by party_CPP 41%, FUNCINPEC 32%, SRP 14%, other 13%; seats by party_CPP 64, FUNCINPEC 43, SRP 15
Note: pursuant to the coalition agreement signed in November 1998, a Senate is being created and the legislature will thus become bicameral

Judicial branch: Supreme Council of the Magistracy, provided for in the constitution, was formed in December 1997; a Supreme Court and lower courts exercise judicial authority

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OPCW, 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) 216-436, 216-438
From the us FAX: [855] (23) 216-811

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: After four years of solid macroeconomic performance, Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997-98 due to the regional economic crisis, civil violence, and political infighting. Foreign investment fell off, and tourism has declined from 1996 levels. Also, in 1998 the main harvest was hit by drought. The long-term development of the economy after decades of war remains a daunting challenge. Human resource levels in the population are low, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside. The almost total lack of basic infrastructure in the countryside will continue to hinder development. Recurring political instability and corruption within government discourage foreign investment and delay foreign aid. Even so, growth may resume in 1999 at, say, 2%.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 0% (1998 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $700 (1998 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 51%
Industry: 15%
Services: 34% (1997 est.)

Agriculture products: rice, rubber, corn, vegetables

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

Industrial production growth rate: 7% (1995 est.)

Labor force: 2.5 million to 3 million
By occupation: agriculture 80% (1997 est.)