Background: Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863, and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In 1975, after a seven-year struggle, communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off 13 years of internecine warfare in which a coalition of Khmer Rouge, Cambodian nationalists, and royalist insurgents, with assistance from China, fought the Vietnamese-backed People’s Republic of Kampuchea (PRK). The 1991 Paris Agreements ended the country’s civil war and mandated democratic elections, which took place in 1993 and ushered in a period of multi-party democracy with a constitutional monarchy. King Norodom SIHANOUK was reinstated as head of state, and the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and the royalist FUNCINPEC party formed a coalition government. Nevertheless, the power-sharing arrangement proved fractious and fragile, and in 1997, a coup led by CPP leader and former PRK prime minister HUN SEN dissolved the coalition and sidelined FUNCINPEC. Despite further attempts at coalition governance, the CPP has since remained in power through elections criticized for lacking fairness, political and judicial corruption, media control, and influence over labor unions, all of which have been enforced with violence and intimidation. HUN SEN remained as prime minister until 2023, when he transferred power to his son, HUN MANET. HUN SEN has subsequently maintained considerable influence as the leader of the CPP and the Senate. The CPP has also placed limits on civil society, press freedom, and freedom of expression. Despite some economic growth and considerable investment from China over the past decade, Cambodia remains one of East Asia's poorest countries. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in 1999. A UN-backed special tribunal established in Cambodia in 1997 tried some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders for crimes against humanity and genocide. The tribunal concluded in 2022 with three convictions.

Area
Total: 181,035 km²
Land: 176,515 km²
Water: 4,520 km²
Comparative: 1.5 times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Land boundaries
Total: 2,530 km
Border countries (3): (3) Laos 555 km; Thailand 817 km; Vietnam 1158 km

Coastline: 443 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 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
Highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m
Lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
Mean elevation: 126 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 34.9% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 23.3% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 3% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 8.5% (2023 est.)
Forest: 39.4% (2023 est.)
Other: 25.8% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 3,540 km² (2012)

Major rivers: Mekong (shared with China [s], Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam [m]) - 4,350 km
Note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

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 (Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake)

Population
Total: 17,063,669 (2024 est.)
Male: 8,277,588
Female: 8,786,081
Distribution: population concentrated in the southeast, particularly in and around the capital of Phnom Penh; further distribution is linked closely to the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers
Growth rate: 0.99% (2024 est.)

Languages: Khmer (official) 95.8%, minority languages 2.9%, Chinese 0.6%, Vietnamese 0.5%, other 0.2% (2019 est.)
Major-language sample(s): ; សៀវភៅហេតុការណនៅលើពិភពលោក។ ទីតាំងពត៏មានមូលដានគ្រឹះយាងសំខាន់។. (Khmer); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Buddhist (official) 97.1%, Muslim 2%, Christian 0.3%, other 0.5% (2019 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 28.9% (male 2,497,056/female 2,436,618)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 5,456,941/female 5,765,206)
65 years and over: 5.3% (2024 est.) (male 323,591/female 584,257)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 52.1 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 44 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 8.1 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 12.4 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 27.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 26.9 years
Female: 28.9 years

Population growth rate: 0.99% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 18.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 5.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: population concentrated in the southeast, particularly in and around the capital of Phnom Penh; further distribution is linked closely to the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers

Urbanization
Urban population: 25.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 3.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 2.281 million PHNOM PENH (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.55 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 137 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 27.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 31.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 24.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 69.6 years
Female: 73.3 years

Total fertility rate: 2.17 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 6.4% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 27.2% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 22% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 20.4% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 15.3% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 16.3% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 0.3% (2024 est.); 0.3% (2023 est.); 0.3% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Phnom Penh
Geographic coordinates: 11 33 N, 104 55 E
Time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name means 'mountain of plenty,' from the Cambodian words phnom (mountain or hill) and penh (full)

Administrative divisions: 24 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 1 municipality (krong, singular and plural)
Provinces: Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom, Kampot, Kandal, Kep, Koh Kong, Kratie, Mondolkiri, Oddar Meanchey, Pailin, Preah Sihanouk, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Pursat, Ratanakiri, Siem Reap, Stung Treng, Svay Rieng, Takeo, Tbong Khmum
Municipalities: Phnom Penh (Phnum Penh)

Legal system: civil law system (influenced by the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia), customary law, Communist legal theory, and common law

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Executive branch
Chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004)
Head of government: Prime Minister HUN MANET (since 22 August 2023)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch
Election/appointment process: monarch chosen by the 9-member Royal Council of the Throne from among all eligible males of royal descent; after legislative elections, a member of the majority party or majority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of the National Assembly and appointed by the monarch
Note: MANET succeeded his father, HUN SEN, who had been prime minister since 1985

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Parliament
Legislative structure: bicameral

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

National anthem
Title: 'Nokoreach' (Royal Kingdom)
Lyrics/music: CHUON NAT/F. PERRUCHOT and J. JEKYLL
History: adopted 1941, restored 1993; the anthem, based on a Cambodian folk tune, was restored after the defeat of the Communist regime

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 5 (all cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 6% (2024 est.); 5% (2023 est.); 5.1% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 6% (2024 est.); 5% (2023 est.); 5.1% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 59.8% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 5.8% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 31.6% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.6% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 71.4% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -72.1% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 16.6% (2024 est.)
Industry: 41.8% (2024 est.)
Services: 35.6% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: 9.5% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 9.904 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 0.3% (2024 est.); 0.3% (2023 est.); 0.3% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 0.3% (2024 est.); 0.3% (2023 est.); 0.3% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $7.076 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $8.285 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 12.2% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $31.712 billion (2024 est.); $27.753 billion (2023 est.); $25.497 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: garments, semiconductors, trunks and cases, footwear, gold (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $34.329 billion (2024 est.); $29.421 billion (2023 est.); $34.759 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: refined petroleum, fabric, gold, plastic products, synthetic fabric (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 3.673 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 16.998 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 5.096 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 1.882 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 92.3% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 99%
Access electrification - rural areas: 88%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 55.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 5.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 38.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Production: 27,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Consumption: 4.39 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 4.36 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 77,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 18.779 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 8.026 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 10.753 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 15.664 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 38,000 (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 19.5 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 116 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 61% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 510,000 (2022 est.) Slowly increase as focus is on mobile internet
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.)

Military expenditures: 1.5% of GDP (2024 est.); 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.); 2.1% of GDP (2022 est.); 2.3% of GDP (2021 est.); 2.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 12 (2025)

Heliports: 1 (2025)

Railways
Total: 642 km (2014)
Narrow gauge: 642 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge
Note: under restoration

Merchant marine
Total: 195 (2023)
By type: container ship 2, general cargo 123, oil tanker 18, other 52