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Background:
|
 Following
a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured
Phnom Penh in April 1975 and ordered the evacuation of all
cities and towns; over 1.5 million displaced people died from
execution, enforced hardships, or starvation. A 1978
Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside
and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris
Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire,
which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored
elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy
and the final elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early
1999. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition
government, but a second round of national elections in 1998
led to the formation of another coalition government and
renewed political stability. The July 2003 elections were
relatively peaceful, but negotiations among contending
political parties have yet to yield a new coalition
government. |
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Location:
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Southeastern
Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand,
Vietnam, and Laos |
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Map references:
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Southeast
Asia |
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Area:
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total:
181,040 sq km
land: 176,520 sq km
water: 4,520 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller
than Oklahoma |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
2,572 km
border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam
1,228 km |
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Coastline:
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443 km |
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Climate:
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tropical; rainy,
monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to
April); little seasonal temperature variation |
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Terrain:
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mostly low, flat
plains; mountains in southwest and north |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m |
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Natural resources:
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oil and gas,
timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates,
hydropower potential |
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Land use:
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arable land:
20.96%
permanent crops: 0.61%
other: 78.43% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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2,700 sq km (1998
est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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monsoonal rains
(June to November); flooding; occasional droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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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, most of the
population does not have access to potable water; declining
fish stocks because of illegal fishing and overfishing |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine
Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
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Geography - note:
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a land of paddies
and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap |
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Population:
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13,363,421
note: estimates for this country take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in
lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death
rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the
distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise
be expected (July 2004 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
38.3% (male 2,583,606; female 2,534,460)
15-64 years: 58.6% (male 3,742,178; female 4,095,303)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 149,466; female 258,408)
(2004 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
19.5 years
male: 18.8 years
female: 20.4 years (2004 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.8% (2004 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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27.13
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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Death rate:
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9.1 deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
73.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 64.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
male: 82.51 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 58.41 years
male: 55.71 years
female: 61.23 years (2004 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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2.7% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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170,000 (2001
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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12,000 (2001
est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Cambodian(s)
adjective: Cambodian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Khmer 90%,
Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4% |
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Religions:
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Theravada
Buddhist 95%, other 5% |
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Languages:
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Khmer (official)
95%, French, English |
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Literacy:
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definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 69.9%
male: 80.5%
female: 60.3% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional
long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
conventional short form: Cambodia
local short form: Kampuchea
local long form: Preahreacheanacha Kampuchea (phonetic
pronunciation)
former: Kingdom of Cambodia, Khmer Republic, Democratic
Kampuchea, People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia |
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Government type:
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multiparty
democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in
September 1993 |
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Capital:
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Phnom Penh |
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Administrative divisions:
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20 provinces (khaitt,
singular and plural) and 4 municipalities* (krong, singular
and plural); Banteay Mean Chey, Batdambang, Kampong Cham,
Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal,
Koh Kong, Keb*, Kracheh, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Chey, Pailin*,
Phnom Penh*, Pouthisat, Preah Sihanouk (formerly Kompong Som)*,
Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanakir, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng,
Svay Rieng, Takao |
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Independence:
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9 November 1953
(from France) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day,
9 November (1953) |
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Constitution:
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promulgated 21
September 1993 |
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Legal system:
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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 |
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Executive branch:
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chief of
state: King NORODOM Sihanouk (reinstated 24 September
1993)
head of government: Prime Minister HUN Sen (since 30
November 1998) and Deputy Prime Ministers SAR Kheng (since
1993) and TOL Lah (since 1998)
cabinet: Council of Ministers in theory appointed by
the monarch; in practice named by the prime minister
elections: none; the monarch is chosen by a Royal
Throne Council; following 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 king |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral
consists of the National Assembly (123 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)
elections: National Assembly - last held 27 July 2003
(next to be held in July 2008); Senate - last held 2 March
1999 (scheduled to be held in 2004 but delayed)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote
by party - CPP 47%, SRP 22%, FUNCINPEC 21%, other 10%; seats
by party - CPP 73, FUNCINPEC 26, SRP 24; Senate - percent of
vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CPP 31, FUNCINPEC 21,
SRP 7, other 2 (July 2003) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Council
of the Magistracy (provided for in the constitution and formed
in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower courts) exercises
judicial authority |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Cambodian
Pracheachon Party (Cambodian People's Party) or CPP [CHEA Sim];
National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful,
and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM
Ranariddh]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM Rangsi] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador ROLAND Eng
FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381
telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742
chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of
mission: Ambassador Charles Aaron RAY
embassy: 27 EO Street 240, Phnom Penh
mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546
telephone: [855] (23) 216-436/438
FAX: [855] (23) 216-437/811 |
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Economy - overview:
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Cambodia's
economy slowed dramatically in 1997-1998 due to the regional
economic crisis, civil violence, and political infighting.
Foreign investment and tourism fell off. In 1999, the first
full year of peace in 30 years, progress was made on economic
reforms. Growth resumed and has remained about 5.0% during
2000-2003. Tourism was Cambodia's fastest growing industry,
with arrivals up 34% in 2000 and up another 40% in 2001 before
the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US. Cambodia
expects 1 million foreign tourists in 2004. Economic growth
has been largely driven by expansion in the clothing sector
and tourism. Clothing exports were fostered by the
U.S.-Cambodian Bilateral Textile Agreement signed in 1999.
Even given Cambodia's recent growth, 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.
Fear of renewed political instability and a dysfunctional
legal system coupled with government corruption discourage
foreign investment. The Cambodian government continues to work
with bilateral and multilateral donors to address the
country's many pressing needs. The major economic challenge
for Cambodia over the next decade will be fashioning an
economic environment in which the private sector can create
enough jobs to handle Cambodia's demographic imbalance. About
60% of the population is 20 years or younger; most of these
citizens will seek to enter the workforce over the course of
the next 10 years. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power
parity - $22.76 billion (2003 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.5% (2003 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power
parity - $1,700 (2003 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
30%
industry: 40%
services: 30% (2003 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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36% (1997 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3% (2003 est.) |
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Labor force:
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7 million (2003
est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 75%
(2003 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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2.5% (2000 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$438 million
expenditures: $630, including capital expenditures of
$291 million of which 75% was financed by external assistance
(2002 est.) |
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Industries:
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tourism,
garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products,
rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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22% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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119 million kWh
(2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel:
65%
hydro: 35%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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110.6 million kWh
(2001) |
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001
est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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3,600 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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rice, rubber,
corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca |
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Exports:
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$1.616 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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Clothing, timber,
rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear |
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Exports - partners:
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US 59.8%, Germany
9.2%, UK 7%, Singapore 4.4% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$2.124 billion
f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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petroleum
products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials, machinery,
motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products |
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Imports - partners:
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Thailand 22.9%,
Singapore 15.7%, Hong Kong 15.1%, China 11.2%, Taiwan 8.5%,
South Korea 5.1%, Vietnam 4.8% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$2.4 billion
(2002 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$548 million
pledged in grants and concessional loans for 2001 by
international donors (actual disbursement in 2002 was about
$500 million) |
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Currency:
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riel (KHR) |
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Currency code:
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KHR |
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Exchange rates:
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riels per US
dollar - 3,973.33 (2003), 3,912.08 (2002), 3,916.33 (2001),
3,840.75 (2000), 3,807.83 (1999) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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35,400 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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380,000 (2002) |
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Telephone system:
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general
assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular service in
Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile phone coverage
is rapidly expanding in rural areas
domestic: NA
international: country code - 855; 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) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 2, FM 17,
(2003) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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7 (2003) |
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Internet country code:
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.kh |
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Internet hosts:
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1,391 (2002) |
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Internet users:
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30,000 (2002) |
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Railways:
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total: 602
km
narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2003) |
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Highways:
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total:
12,323 km
paved: 1,996 km
unpaved: 10,327 km (2000 est) |
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Waterways:
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3,700 km
note: navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 m or
less; 282 km navigable to craft drawing as much as 1.8 m |
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Ports and harbors:
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Kampong Som (Sihanoukville),
Kampot, Krong Kaoh Kong, Phnom Penh, Sre Ambol, Keo Phoh Port
(privately owned) (2003) |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 467
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,913,910 GRT/2,713,967 DWT
registered in other countries: 19 (2003 est.)
by type: bulk 42, cargo 360, chemical tanker 6,
combination bulk 3, container 13, liquefied gas 1, livestock
carrier 4, multi-functional large load carrier 1,
passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 13,
roll on/roll off 5, short-sea/passenger 2
foreign-owned: Algeria 2, Angola 1, Aruba 1, Bahamas 1,
Belize 10, British Virgin Islands 7, Bulgaria 1, Canada 4,
China 35, Cyprus 14, Egypt 8, Finland 1, France 1, Georgia 1,
Germany 1, Gibraltar 1, Greece 9, Honduras 8, Hong Kong 12,
Indonesia 2, Iran 1, Italy 2, Japan 1, Jordan 1, North Korea
2, South Korea 31, Lebanon 2, Liberia 7, Malaysia 1, Malta 2,
Marshall Islands 11, Netherlands 2, Nigeria 2, Norway 1,
Panama 8, Romania 1, Russia 81, Saint Kitts and Nevis 2, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Samoa 2, Singapore 7, Spain 1,
Syria 19, Taiwan 1, Turkey 11 |
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Airports:
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20 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 15
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 12 |
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Heliports:
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2 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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Royal Cambodian
Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force |
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Military manpower - military age:
|
18 years of age
(2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age
15-49: 3,402,703 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age
15-49: 1,899,710 (2004 est.) |
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Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
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males:
170,072 (2004 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$112 million
(FY01 est.) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
3% (FY01 est.) |
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Disputes - international:
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land boundary
disputes persist among Cambodian claims that Thailand and
Vietnam moved or destroyed boundary markers; maritime boundary
with Vietnam is hampered by dispute over offshore islands;
Cambodia periodically accuses Thailand of obstructing access
to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ
decision in 1962; 2003 anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh resulted
in the destruction of the Thai Embassy, damage to 17
Thai-owned businesses, and disputes over full payment of
compensation |
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Illicit drugs:
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narcotics-related
corruption reportedly involving some in the government,
military, and police; possible small-scale opium, heroin, and
amphetamine production; large producer of cannabis for the
international market; vulnerable to money laundering due to
its cash-based economy and porous borders |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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