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Background:
|
Most
Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, whose
Angkor Empire extended over much of Southeast Asia and
reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries.
Subsequently, attacks by the Thai and Cham (from
present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire ushering in a
long period of decline. In 1863, the king of Cambodia
placed the country under French protection; it became
part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese
occupation in World War II, Cambodia became independent
within the French Union in 1949 and fully independent in
1953. After a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge
forces captured Phnom Penh in April 1975 and ordered the
evacuation of all cities and towns; at least 1.5 million
Cambodians died from execution, enforced hardships, or
starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT.
A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer
Rouge into the countryside, led to a 10-year Vietnamese
occupation, 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 it took one
year of negotiations between contending political
parties before a coalition government was formed.
Nation-wide local elections are scheduled for 2007 and
national elections for 2008. |
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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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Geographic coordinates:
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13 00 N,
105 00 E |
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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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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm |
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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% (2001) |
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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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13,607,069
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 2005
est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 37.3% (male 2,559,734/female 2,510,235)
15-64 years: 59.7% (male 3,887,642/female
4,232,313)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 150,862/female
266,283) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
19.91 years
male: 19.16 years
female: 20.79 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.81%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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27.08
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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8.97
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
71.48 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 80.13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 62.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 58.92 years
male: 56.98 years
female: 60.95 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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3.44
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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2.6%
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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170,000
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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15,000
(2003 est.) |
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree
of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and
protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and
Japanese encephalitis are high risks in some locations
(2004) |
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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: 73.6%
male: 84.7%
female: 64.1% (2004 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
conventional short form: Cambodia
local long form: Preahreacheanacha Kampuchea
(phonetic pronunciation)
local short form: Kampuchea
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)
: provinces: Banteay Mean Chey, Batdambang,
Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong
Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Koh Kong, Kracheh, Mondol Kiri,
Otdar Mean Chey, Pouthisat, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng,
Rotanakir, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takao
: municipalities: Keb, Pailin, Phnom Penh, Preah
Seihanu |
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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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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October
2004)
head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since
14 January 1985) and Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG
(since 3 February 1992), Norodom SIRIVUDH, SOK AN, LU
LAY SRENG, TEA BANH, HOR NAMHONG, NHEK BUNCHHAY (since
16 July 2004)
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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International organization participation:
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ACCT,
APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory),
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador EK SEREYWATH
chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC
20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742
FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Joseph A. MUSSOMELI
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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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; only national flag to incorporate a building in
its design |
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Economy - overview:
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Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997 and 1998
due to the regional economic crisis, civil violence, and
political infighting, and foreign investment and tourism
decreased. In 1999, the first full year of peace in 30
years, the government made progress on economic reforms.
Growth resumed and remained about 5% from 2000 to 2004.
Economic growth has been largely driven by expansion in
the garment sector and tourism, but is expected to fall
in 2005 as growth in the garment sector stalls. Clothing
exports were fostered by a US-Cambodian Bilateral
Textile Agreement signed in 1999 which gave Cambodia a
guaranteed quota of US textile imports and established a
bonus for improving working conditions and enforcing
Cambodian labor laws and international labor standards
in the industry. With the January 2005 expiration of a
WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, Cambodia-based
textile producers are in direct competition with lower
priced producing countries such as China and India.
Faced with the possibility that over the next five years
Cambodia may lose orders and some of the 250,000
well-paid jobs the industry provides, Cambodia has
committed itself to a policy of continued support for
high labor standards in an attempt to maintain favor
with buyers. Tourism growth remains strong, with
arrivals up 15% in 2004. 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. Fully 75% of the population remains
engaged in subsistence farming. Fear of renewed
political instability and a dysfunctional legal system
coupled with extensive government corruption discourage
foreign investment. The Cambodian government continues
to work with bilateral and multilateral donors to
address the country's many pressing needs. In December
2004, official donors pledged $504 million in aid for
2005 on the condition that the Cambodian government
begins taking steps to address rampant corruption. The
next donor pledging session is scheduled for December
2005. 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. More than 50%
of the population is 20 years or younger. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$26.99
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.4%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 35%
industry: 30%
services: 35% (2004 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% (2004 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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2.5%
(2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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40% (2004
est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
|
lowest
10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 33.8% (1997) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
|
40 (2004
est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
3.1%
(2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
|
20.9% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $548.2 million
expenditures: $836.7 million, including capital
expenditures of $291 million of which 75% was financed
by external assistance (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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rice,
rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca |
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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:
|
22% (2002
est.) |
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Electricity - production:
|
122
million kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil
fuel: 65%
hydro: 35%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
|
100.6
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
|
0 kWh
(2002) |
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Oil - production:
|
0 bbl/day
(2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
|
7,200
bbl/day (2002 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Current account balance:
|
$-316.2
million (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
|
$2.311
billion f.o.b. (2004 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 55.9%,
Germany 11.7%, UK 6.9%, Vietnam 4.4%, Canada 4.2% (2004)
|
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Imports:
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$3.129
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
petroleum
products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials,
machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products |
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Imports - partners:
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Thailand
22.5%, Hong Kong 14.1%, China 13.6%, Vietnam 10.9%,
Singapore 10.8%, Taiwan 8.4% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
|
$997.5
million (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
|
$2.4
billion (2002 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
|
$504
million pledged in grants and concessional loans for
2005 by international donors |
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Currency (code):
|
riel (KHR)
|
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Currency code:
|
KHR |
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Exchange rates:
|
riels per
US dollar - 4,016.25 (2004), 3,973.33 (2003), 3,912.08
(2002), 3,916.33 (2001), 3,840.75 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
|
calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
|
35,400
(2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
380,000
(2002) |
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Telephone system:
|
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:
|
AM 2, FM
17, (2003) |
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Radios:
|
1.34
million (1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
7 (2003)
|
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Televisions:
|
94,000
(1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.kh |
|
Internet hosts:
|
818
(2003) |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
2 (2000)
|
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Internet users:
|
30,000
(2002) |
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Railways:
|
total:
602 km
narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2004) |
|
Highways:
|
total:
12,323 km
paved: 1,996 km
unpaved: 10,327 km (2000 est) |
|
Waterways:
|
2,400 km
(mainly on Mekong River) (2004) |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Phnom
Penh |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total:
479 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,913,910 GRT/2,713,967
DWT
by type: bulk carrier 34, cargo 396, chemical
tanker 9, container 6, livestock carrier 3,
passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated
cargo 11, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 193 (Canada 4, China 39, China 2,
Cyprus 4, Egypt 5, Estonia 2, France 1, Germany 1,
Greece 6, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 3, Indonesia 1, Isle of
Man 1, Israel 1, Italy 1, Japan 1, Lebanon 1, Nigeria 2,
Norway 1, Russia 58, Singapore 5, South Korea 23, Syria
8, Turkey 7, Ukraine 6, UAE 1, United States 7, Yemen 1)
(2005) |
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Airports:
|
20 (2004
est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total:
6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total:
14
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
|
Heliports:
|
2 (2004
est.) |
|
Military branches:
|
Royal
Cambodian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force |
|
Military service age and obligation:
|
18-30
years of age for compulsory military service for all
males; conscription law passed September 2004; service
obligation is 18 months (September 2004) |
|
Manpower available for military service:
|
males
age 18-49: 2,981,823 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service:
|
males
age 18-49: 1,844,144 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
|
males:
175,305 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$112
million (FY01 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
3% (FY01
est.) |
|
Disputes - international:
|
Southeast
Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check
the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Thailand dispute
sections of boundary with missing boundary markers and
Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory; maritime
boundary with Vietnam is hampered by unresolved dispute
over offshore islands; Cambodia accuses Thailand of
obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded
to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; in 2004
Cambodian-Laotian and Laotian-Vietnamese boundary
commissions reerect missing markers completing most of
their demarcations |
|
Illicit drugs:
|
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 |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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