Legend:
Definition of Term
 Arranged
by Countries Field Listing
| 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. |
| 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 |
| Area: |
total: 181,040 sq km
land: 176,520 sq km
water: 4,520 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller than Oklahoma |
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 2,572 km
border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam
1,228 km |
| Coastline: |
443 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM
exclusive economic zone: 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
extremes: |
lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m |
| Natural
resources: |
timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower
potential |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 20.96%
permanent crops: 0.61%
other: 78.43% (1998 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
2,700 sq km (1998 est.) |
| 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, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation,
Ozone Layer Protection, 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
|
| Population: |
12,775,324
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 2002 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years: 40.7% (male 2,646,883; female 2,550,015)
15-64 years: 55.8% (male 3,373,692; female 3,758,736)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 182,149; female 263,849)
(2002 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.24% (2002 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
32.93 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
10.51 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population: 57.1 years
female: 59.5 years (2002 est.)
male: 54.81 years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
4.66 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
4.04% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
220,000 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
14,000 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun: Cambodian(s)
adjective: Cambodian |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4% |
| Religions: |
Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5% |
| Languages: |
Khmer (official) 95%, French, English |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 35%
male: 48%
female: 22% (1990 est.)
|
| Country
name: |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
conventional short form: Cambodia
local short form: Kampuchea
local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea
former: Khmer Republic, Kampuchea Republic |
| Government
type: |
multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy established
in September 1993 |
| Capital: |
Phnom Penh |
| Administrative
divisions: |
20 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities*
(krong, singular and plural); Banteay Mean Cheay, Batdambang,
Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot,
Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Keb*, Kracheh, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Cheay,
Pailin*, Phnum Penh*, Pouthisat, Preah Seihanu* (Sihanoukville),
Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng,
Svay Rieng, Takev |
| 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 |
| 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) and Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since NA) and TOL
LAH (since NA)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
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 apppointed by the king |
| 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 July 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, other 2 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the constitution
and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower courts)
exercises 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] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory),
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO (observer) |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador ROLAND ENG
FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381
telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742
chancery: 4500 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador Charles Aaron RAY
embassy: 16, Street 228 (between streets 51 and 63), Phnom
Penh
mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546
telephone: [855] (23) 216-436
FAX: [855] (23) 216-437 |
| 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
- overview: |
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. In 1999, the first full year
of peace in 30 years, progress was made on economic reforms and
growth resumed at 5%. GDP growth for 2000 had been projected to
reach 5.5%, but the worst flooding in 70 years severely damaged
agricultural crops, and high oil prices hurt industrial production,
and growth for the year is estimated at only 4%. In 2001, severe
floods damaged an estimated 15% of the area devoted to rice. Tourism
now is Cambodia's fastest growing industry, with arrivals up 34%
in 2000 and up another 40% in 2001 before the September 11 terrorist
attacks in the US. 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 corruption
within the 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.
|
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity - $18.7 billion (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
5.3% (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2001 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 50%
industry: 15%
services: 35% (2000 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
36% (1997 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 34% (1997) |
| Distribution
of family income - Gini index: |
40 (1997) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
1.6% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
6 million (1998 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 80% (2001 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
2.8% (1999 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $363 million
expenditures: $532 million, including capital expenditures
of $225 million (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products,
rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
| Electricity
- production: |
132 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel: 62%
hydro: 38%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0% |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
122.76 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (2000) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
rice, rubber, corn, vegetables |
| Exports: |
$1.05 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
timber, garments, rubber, rice, fish |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 46.4%, Vietnam 26.1%, Germany 5.6%, Singapore 5.0%, UK 3.9%
(2000) |
| Imports: |
$1.4 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials,
machinery, motor vehicles |
| Imports
- partners: |
Singapore 22.5%, Thailand 19.8%, Hong Kong 15.6%, China 4.9%,
Vietnam 4.9% (2000) |
| Debt
- external: |
$829 million (1999 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$548 million pledged in grants and concessional loans for 2001
by international donors |
| Currency: |
riel (KHR) |
| Currency
code: |
KHR |
| Exchange
rates: |
riels per US dollar - 3,895.0 (January 2002), 3,918.5 (2001),
3,840.8 (2000), 3,807.8 (1999), 3,744.4 (1998), 2,946.3 (1997)
|
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year
|
| Railways: |
total: 603 km
narrow gauge: 603 km 1.000-m gauge (2001 est.) |
| Highways: |
total: 35,769 km
paved: 4,165 km
unpaved: 31,604 km (1997) |
| Waterways: |
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 |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville), Kampot, Krong Kaoh Kong, Phnom Penh
|
| Merchant
marine: |
total: 404 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,889,404
GRT/2,740,232 DWT
ships by type: bulk 37, cargo 312, chemical tanker 2, combination
bulk 5, container 7, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional
large-load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 15,
refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 9, short-sea passenger
2
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here
as a flag of convenience: Aruba 1, Belize 8, British Virgin Islands
1, Bulgaria 3, China 21, Cyprus 15, Denmark 1, Egypt 7, Estonia
1, Georgia 1, Germany 1, Greece 12, Honduras 5, Hong Kong 12,
Iceland 1, Indonesia 2, Iran 1, Ireland 1, Italy 1, Japan 5, Jordan
1, Latvia 2, Lebanon 5, Liberia 5, Lithuania 1, Malta 1, Netherlands
1, Norway 2, Panama 7, Romania 4, Russia 67, Saint Kitts and Nevis
10, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Singapore 15, South Korea
24, Syria 13, Thailand 1, Turkey 22, Ukraine 13, United Arab Emirates
2, United Kingdom 1, United States 5, Vietnam 2, Virgin Islands
(UK) 1 (2002 est.) |
| Airports: |
20 (2001) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 16 15
under 914 m: 2 1 (2002)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 13 |
| Heliports: |
2 (2002)
|
| Disputes
- international: |
demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam
is nearing completion; accuses Thailand of moving or destroying
boundary markers and encroachment, of not respecting its claims,
and of sealing off access to the Preah Vihear temple ruin awarded
to Cambodia by the ICJ in 1962; accuses Vietnam of territorial
encroachments and initiating armed border incidents in seven provinces,
despite substantial demarcation efforts to date; disputes several
offshore islands with Vietnam, which prevents delimitation of
a maritime boundary |
| 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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