Map of Cambodia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

top of page


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.


top of page


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
Comparative: slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Land boundaries

Coastline: 443 km

Maritime claims

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

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

Land use

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


top of page


Population: 12,212,306
Growth rate: 2.27% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: 36% (1997 est.)

Nationality

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

Languages: Khmer (official) 95% French English

Religions: Theravada Buddhist 95% other 5%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.27% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 33.48 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 10.79 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 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 have resulted 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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 66.82 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 4.82 children born/woman (2000 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

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name

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

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

Legislative branch: bicameral consists of the National Assembly (122 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Senate (61 seats; two members appointed by the monarch two elected by the National Assembly and 57 elected by 'functional constituencies'; members serve five-year terms

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: Buddhist Liberal Party or BLP [IENG MOULY]; Cambodian Pracheachon Party or Cambodian People's Party or CPP [CHEA SIM]; Khmer Citizen Party or KCP [NGUON SOEUR]; National United Front for an Independent Neutral Peaceful and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM RANARIDDH]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP (formerly Khmer Nation Party or KNP) [SAM RANGSI]

International organization participation: ACCT AsDB ASEAN 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

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


top of page


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 and tourism fell off. Also in 1998 the main harvest was hit by drought. But in 1999 the first full year of peace in 30 years progress was made on economic reforms and growth resumed at 4%. The long-term development of the economy after decades of war remains a daunting challenge. The population lacks education and productive skills particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside which suffers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure. Recurring political instability and corruption within government discourage foreign investment and delay foreign aid. On the brighter side the government is addressing these issues with assistance from bilateral and multilateral donors. So long as political stability lasts the Cambodian economy is likely to grow at a respectable pace.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $710 (1999 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: rice rubber corn vegetables

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 6 million (1998 est.)
By occupation: agriculture 80% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 2.8% (1999 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 36% (1997 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.5% (1999 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $942 million (f.o.b. 2000 est.)
Commodities: timber garments rubber rice fish
Partners: Vietnam 18% Thailand 15% US 10% Singapore 8% China 5% (1997)

Imports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b. 2000 est.)
Commodities: cigarettes gold construction materials petroleum products machinery motor vehicles
Partners: Thailand 16% Vietnam 9% Japan 7% Hong Kong 5% China 5% (1997)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $829 million (1999 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: riels per US dollar - 3,909 (January 2000) 3,841 (2000) 3,808 (1999) 3,744 (1998) 2,946 (1997) 2,624 (1996)


top of page


Electricity
Production: 210 million kWh (1998)
Consumption: 195 million kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1999)
Imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 21,800 (mid-1998)
Mobile cellular: 80,000 (2000)

Telephone system
General assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; rural areas have little telephone service
Domestic: NA
International: adequate but expensive landline and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .kh
Service providers isps: 2 (2000)
Users: NA

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $112 million (FY01 est.)
Percent of gdp: 3% (FY01 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 19 (2000 est.)
With paved runways total: 6
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2 (2000 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 13
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 11 (2000 est.)

Heliports: 3 (2000 est.)

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 603 km
Narrow gauge: 603 km 1.000-m gauge

Roadways

Waterways
Note: navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 m or less; 282 km navigable to craft drawing as much as 1.8 m

Merchant marine
Total: 295 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,305,932 GRT/1,853,487 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 22, cargo 237, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 3, container 8, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 7, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea passenger 1
Note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Cyprus 3, South Korea 1, Malta 1, Panama 1, Russia 1, Singapore 1 (2000 est.)

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: portions of boundary with Vietnam are disputed; parts of border with Thailand are indefinite

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs