Cambodia

Kingdom of CambodiaPreahreacheanachakr Kampuchea

multiparty liberal democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in September 1993Independence 9 November 1953 (from France)

Cambodia as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 109 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalPhnom Penh
Position13 00 N, 105 00 E
Area181,040 sq km
LocationSoutheastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos
2000

Every edition of Cambodia

Populationas each edition published it
12.21 million July 2000 est. · 6.99m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.27% 2000 est. · 4.41% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 19.2 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
56.53 years 2000 est. · 49.06 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
4.82 children per woman 2000 est. · 4.5 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
66.82 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 128 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$710 1999 est. · $280 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
4% 1999 est. · 7.5% in 1994

Introduction

1 field

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.

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 181,040 sq km

arable land 13%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 11%forests and woodland 66%other 10% (1993 est.)irrigated 920 sq km (1993 est.)
Area
181,040sq km
land: 176,520 sq kmwater: 4,520 sq kmslightly smaller than Oklahoma
Coastline
443km
contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm
Highest point
1,810m
Phnum Aorallowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
Land boundaries
2,572km
border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

13 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references

Southeast Asia

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

Natural resources

timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential

Natural hazards

  • monsoonal rains (June to November);
  • flooding;
  • occasional droughts

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

Environment - international agreements

party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note

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

People

15 fields
Population
12,212,306
growth rate: 2.27% (2000 est.)
Note
note: estimates for this country explicitly 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 and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth
33.48Death
10.79Net migration
0

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2000 est.)56.53
54.44 · 58.74
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1990 est.)35%
48% · 22%
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

Khmer 90%Vietnamese 5%Chinese 1%other 4%

Age structure

0-14 years:
42% (male 2,610,009; female 2,505,932)
15-64 years:
55% (male 3,132,198; female 3,542,655)
65 years and over:
3% (male 173,179; female 248,333) (2000 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.88 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.7 male(s)/female
total population:
0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

66.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.82 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Cambodian(s)
adjective:
Cambodian

Religions

Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%

Languages

Khmer (official) 95%, French, English

Government

Multiparty liberal democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in September 1993; King Norodom SIHANOUK (reinstated 24 September 1993); Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 30 November 1998)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

41%
CPP 41%FUNCINPEC 32%SRP 14%other 13%National Assembly - last held 26 July 1998 (next to be held NA 2003); Senate - last held 2 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

National Assembly, 59 seats, elected 26 July 1998one dot, one seat

CPP 31FUNCINPEC 21SRP 7

Percent of vote

CPP 41%FUNCINPEC 32%SRP 14%other 13%

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

Independence

9 November 1953 (from France)

National holiday

Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Constitution

promulgated 21 September 1993

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 chosen by a Royal Throne Council;
  • prime minister appointed by the monarch after a vote of confidence by the National Assembly

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

elections:
National Assembly - last held 26 July 1998 (next to be held NA 2003); Senate - last held 2 March 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results:
  • National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP 41%, FUNCINPEC 32%, SRP 14%, other 13%;
  • seats by party - CPP 64, FUNCINPEC 43, SRP 15;
  • Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - CPP 31, FUNCINPEC 21, SRP 7

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 in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Roland ENG
chancery:
4500 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone:
[1] (202) 726-7742
FAX:
[1] (202) 726-8381

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Kent M. WIEDEMANN
embassy:
27 EO Street 240, Phnom Penh
mailing address:
Box P, APO AP 96546
telephone:
[855] (23) 216-436, 216-438
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

Economy

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.

31 fields
Real growth rate
4%
(1999 est.)industrial production growth: NA%
Unemployment rate
2.8%
(1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector(1998 est.)

agriculture 43%industry 20%services 37% (1998 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$327 millionExpenditures
$393 million (1999 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 59.52%hydro 40.48%nuclear 0% · other 0%
Electricity production
210 million (1998)Electricity consumption
195 million (1998)

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.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $8.2 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $710 (1999 est.)

Labor force

6 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 80% (1999 est.)

Industries

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

Agriculture - products

rice, rubber, corn, vegetables

Exports

$821 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

timber, garments, rubber, rice, fish

Exports - partners

US, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, US

Imports

$1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

cigarettes, gold, construction materials, petroleum products, machinery, motor vehicles

Imports - partners

Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand

Debt - external

$829 million (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$470 million pledged in grants and concessional loans for 2000 by international donors

Currency

1 new riel (CR) = 100 sen

Exchange rates

new riels (CR) per US$1 - 3,786.0 (January 2000), 3,807.8 (1999), 3,744.4 (1998), 2,946.3 (1997), 2,624.1 (1996), 2,450.8 (1995)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
34,880
(1998)
Fixed lines
21,800
(mid-1998)

Telephone system

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)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1999)

Radios

1.34 million (1997)

Televisions

94,000 (1997)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

2
2,438 to 3,047 m
2
1,524 to 2,437 m
2
2
914 to 1,523 m
11
Paved 6Unpaved 13

Networkskm

Highways
35,769Railways
603
Highways: paved: 4,165 km · unpaved: 31,604 km (1997 est.) · Railways: narrow gauge: 603 km 1.000-m gauge

Railways

total:
603 km
narrow gauge:
603 km 1.000-m gauge

Highways

total:
35,769 km
paved:
4,165 km
unpaved:
31,604 km (1997 est.)

Waterways

3,700 km navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 m or less; 282 km navigable to craft drawing 1.8 m or less

Ports and harbors

Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville), Kampot, Krong Kaoh Kong, Phnom Penh

Merchant marine

total:
211 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 953,105 GRT/1,345,766 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 20, cargo 166, combination bulk 1, container 5, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 7, roll-on/roll-off 6 (1999 est.)

note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 8 countries: Aruba 1, Cyprus 7, Egypt 1, South Korea 1, Malta 1, Panama 1, Russia 5, Singapore 1 (1998 est.)

Airports

19 (1999 est.)

Heliports

3 (1999 est.)

Military

7 fields

Military branches

Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), including Army, Navy, and Air Force - created in 1993 by the merger of the Cambodian People's Armed Forces and the two noncommunist resistance armies note: there are also resistance forces comprised of the Khmer Rouge (also known as the National United Army or NUA) and a separate royalist resistance movement

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,763,568 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,547,078 (2000 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

  • offshore islands and sections of the boundary with Vietnam are in dispute;
  • maritime boundary with Vietnam not defined;
  • parts of border with Thailand are indefinite;
  • maritime boundary with Thailand not clearly defined

Illicit drugs

  • transshipment site for Golden Triangle heroin;
  • possible money laundering;
  • 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 [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Central Intelligence Agency. “Cambodia.” The World Factbook 2000. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/cambodia/2000.

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