Cambodia :: East & Southeast Asia
Introduction
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 April 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 December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off 20 years of civil war.
The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a cease-fire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. 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 remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders were tried for crimes against humanity by a hybrid UN-Cambodian tribunal supported by international assistance. In 2018, the tribunal heard its final cases, but it remains in operation to hear appeals. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local (Commune Council) elections were held in Cambodia in 2012, with little of the violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2013 were disputed, with the opposition - the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) - boycotting the National Assembly. The political impasse was ended nearly a year later, with the CNRP agreeing to enter parliament in exchange for commitments by the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) to electoral and legislative reforms. The CNRP made further gains in local commune elections in June 2017, accelerating sitting Prime Minister Hun SEN's efforts to marginalize the CNRP before national elections in 2018. Hun Sen arrested CNRP President Kem SOKHA in September 2017. The Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP in November 2017 and banned its leaders from participating in politics for at least five years. The CNRP's seats in the National Assembly were redistributed to smaller, less influential opposition parties, while all of the CNRP's 5,007 seats in the commune councils throughout the country were reallocated to the CPP. With the CNRP banned, the CPP swept the 2018 national elections, winning all 125 National Assembly seats and effectively turning the country into a one-party state.
Geography
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:
181,035 sq km
land:
176,515 sq km
water:
4,520 sq km
country comparison to the world: 90
Area - comparative:
one and a half times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oklahoma
Land boundaries:
total:
2,530 km
border countries (3):
Laos 555 km, Thailand 817 km, Vietnam 1158 km
Coastline:
443 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
12
nm
exclusive economic zone:
200
nm
contiguous zone:
24
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:
mean elevation:
126 m
lowest point:
Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point:
Phnum Aoral 1,810 m
Natural resources:
oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential, arable land
Land use:
agricultural land:
32.1%
(2011 est.)
arable land:
22.7%
(2011 est.)
/
permanent crops:
0.9%
(2011 est.)
/
permanent pasture:
8.5%
(2011 est.)
forest:
56.5%
(2011 est.)
other:
11.4%
(2011 est.)
Irrigated land:
3,540 sq km
(2012)
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
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, most of the population does not have access to potable water; declining fish stocks because of illegal fishing and overfishing; coastal ecosystems choked by sediment washed loose from deforested areas inland
Environment - international agreements:
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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap (Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake)
People and Society
Population:
16,926,984
(July 2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
Nationality:
noun:
Cambodian(s)
adjective:
Cambodian
Ethnic groups:
Khmer 97.6%, Cham 1.2%, Chinese 0.1%, Vietnamese 0.1%, other 0.9%
(2013 est.)
Languages:
Khmer (official) 96.3%, other 3.7%
(2008 est.)
Religions:
Buddhist (official) 97.9%, Muslim 1.1%, Christian 0.5%, other 0.6%
(2013 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
30.18%
(male 2,582,427/female 2,525,619)
15-24 years:
17.28%
(male 1,452,784/female 1,472,769)
25-54 years:
41.51%
(male 3,442,051/female 3,584,592)
55-64 years:
6.44%
(male 476,561/female 612,706)
65 years and over:
4.59%
(male 287,021/female 490,454)
(2020 est.)
Dependency ratios:
total dependency ratio:
55.7
youth dependency ratio:
48.2
elderly dependency ratio:
7.6
potential support ratio:
13.2
(2020 est.)
Median age:
total:
26.4 years
male:
25.6 years
female:
27.2 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Population growth rate:
1.4%
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
Birth rate:
21.3 births/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
Death rate:
7.3 deaths/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
Net migration rate:
-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
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:
24.2% of total population
(2020)
rate of urbanization:
3.25% annual rate of change
(2015-20 est.)
Major urban areas - population:
2.078 million PHNOM PENH (capital)
(2020)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years:
1.02 male(s)/female
15-24 years:
0.99 male(s)/female
25-54 years:
0.96 male(s)/female
55-64 years:
0.78 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.59 male(s)/female
total population:
0.95 male(s)/female
(2020 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth:
22.9 years
(2014 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29
Maternal mortality rate:
160 deaths/100,000 live births
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
Infant mortality rate:
total:
43.7 deaths/1,000 live births
male:
49.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
37.3 deaths/1,000 live births
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
65.9 years
male:
63.4 years
female:
68.6 years
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
Total fertility rate:
2.39 children born/woman
(2020 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Contraceptive prevalence rate:
56.3%
(2014)
Drinking water source:
improved:
urban:
98.4% of population
rural:
77.8% of population
total:
80.3% of population
unimproved:
urban:
1.6% of population
rural:
22.2% of population
total:
19.7% of population
(2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure:
5.9%
(2017)
Physicians density:
0.19 physicians/1,000 population
(2014)
Hospital bed density:
1.9 beds/1,000 population
(2016)
Sanitation facility access:
improved:
urban:
100% of population
rural:
55.5% of population
total:
65.7% of population
unimproved:
urban:
0% of population
rural:
44.5% of population
total:
34.3% of population
(2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6%
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
73,000
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
1,300
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk:
very high
(2020)
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:
dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria
Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
3.9%
(2016)
country comparison to the world: 188
Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
24.1%
(2014)
country comparison to the world: 13
Education expenditures:
2.2% of GDP
(2018)
country comparison to the world: 158
Literacy:
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
80.5%
male:
86.5%
female:
75%
(2015)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total:
11 years
male:
11 years
female:
10 years
(2008)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total:
1.1%
male:
1%
female:
1.2%
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
Government
Country name:
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Cambodia
conventional short form:
Cambodia
local long form:
Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic transliteration)
local short form:
Kampuchea
former:
Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea, People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia
etymology:
the English name Cambodia is an anglicization of the French Cambodge, which is the French transliteration of the native name Kampuchea
Government type:
parliamentary constitutional monarchy
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: Phnom Penh translates as "Penh's Hill" in Khmer; the city takes its name from the present Wat Phnom (Hill Temple), the tallest religious structure in the city, whose establishment, according to legend, was inspired in the 14th century by a pious nun, Daun PENH
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)
Independence:
9 November 1953 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 9 November (1953)
Constitution:
history:
previous 1947; latest promulgated 21 September 1993
amendments:
proposed by the monarch, by the prime minister, or by the president of the National Assembly if supported by one fourth of the Assembly membership; passage requires two-thirds majority of the Assembly membership; constitutional articles on the multiparty democratic form of government and the monarchy cannot be amended; amended 1999, 2008, 2014, 2018
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
Citizenship:
citizenship by birth:
no
citizenship by descent only:
at least one parent must be a citizen of Cambodia
dual citizenship recognized:
yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
7 years
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004)
head of government:
Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985); Permanent Deputy Prime Minister MEN SAM AN (since 25 September 2008); Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992), TEA BANH, Gen., HOR NAMHONG, (since 16 July 2004), BIN CHHIN (since 5 September 2007), YIM CHHAI LY (since 24 September 2008), KE KIMYAN (since 12 March 2009), AUN PORNMONIROTH (since 24 September 2012), Prak SOKONN, CHEA SOPHARA (since 5 April 2016)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch
elections/appointments:
monarch chosen by the 9-member Royal Council of the Throne from among all eligible males of royal descent; following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or majority coalition named prime minister by the Chairman of the National Assembly and appointed by the monarch
Legislative branch:
description:
bicameral Parliament of Cambodia consists of: Senate (62 seats; 58 indirectly elected by parliamentarians and commune councils, 2 indirectly elected by the National Assembly, and 2 appointed by the monarch; members serve 6-year terms) ++ National Assembly (125 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held on 25 February 2018 (next to be held in 2024); National Assembly - last held on 29 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023)
election results:
++ Senate - percent of vote by party - CPP 96%, FUNCINPEC 2.4%, KNUP 1.6%; seats by party - CPP 58; composition - men 53, women 9, percent of women 14.5% ++ National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP 76.9%, FUNCINPEC 5.9%, LDP 4.9%, Khmer Will Party 3.4%, other 8.9%; seats by party - CPP 125; composition - men 100, women 25, percent of women 20%; note - total Parliament of Cambodia percent of women 18.2%
Judicial branch:
highest courts:
Supreme Council (organized into 5- and 9-judge panels and includes a court chief and deputy chief); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members); note - in 1997, the Cambodian Government requested UN assistance in establishing trials to prosecute former Khmer Rouge senior leaders for crimes against humanity committed during the 1975-1979 Khmer Rouge regime; the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia (also called the Khmer Rouge Tribunal) was established in 2006 and began hearings for the first case in 2009; court proceedings remain ongoing in 2019
judge selection and term of office:
Supreme Court and Constitutional Council judge candidates recommended by the Supreme Council of Magistracy, a 17-member body chaired by the monarch and includes other high-level judicial officers; judges of both courts appointed by the monarch; Supreme Court judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council judges appointed for 9-year terms with one-third of the court renewed every 3 years
subordinate courts:
Appellate Court; provincial and municipal courts; Military Court
Political parties and leaders:
Cambodia National Rescue Party or CNRP [KHEM SOKHA] (dissolved by the Cambodian Supreme Court in November 2017; formed from a 2012 merger of the Sam Rangsi Party or SRP and the former Human Rights Party or HRP [KHEM SOKHA, also spelled KEM SOKHA]) ++ Cambodian Nationality Party or CNP [SENG SOKHENG] ++ Cambodian People's Party or CPP [HUN SEN] ++ Khmer Economic Development Party or KEDP [HUON REACH CHAMROEUN] ++ Khmer National Unity Party or KNUP [NHEK BUN CHHAY] ++ Khmer Will Party [KONG MONIKA] ++ League for Democracy Party or LDP [KHEM Veasna] ++ National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM RANARIDDH]
International organization participation:
ADB, ARF, ASEAN, CICA, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINUSMA, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador CHUM SOUNRY (since 17 September 2018)
chancery:
4530 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 Patrick MURPHY (since 23 October 2019)
telephone:
[855] (23) 728-000
embassy:
#1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh
mailing address:
Unit 8166, Box P, APO AP 96546
FAX:
[855] (23) 728-600
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; red and blue are traditional Cambodian colors
note: only national flag to prominently incorporate an actual identifiable building into its design (a few other national flags - those of Afghanistan, San Marino, Portugal, and Spain - show small generic buildings as part of their coats of arms on the flag)
National symbol(s):
Angkor Wat temple, kouprey (wild ox); national colors: red, blue
National anthem:
name:
"Nokoreach" (Royal Kingdom)
lyrics/music:
CHUON NAT/F. PERRUCHOT and J. JEKYLL
note: adopted 1941, restored 1993; the anthem, based on a Cambodian folk tune, was restored after the defeat of the Communist regime
Economy
Economic overview:
Cambodia has experienced strong economic growth over the last decade; GDP grew at an average annual rate of over 8% between 2000 and 2010 and about 7% since 2011. The tourism, garment, construction and real estate, and agriculture sectors accounted for the bulk of growth. Around 700,000 people, the majority of whom are women, are employed in the garment and footwear sector. An additional 500,000 Cambodians are employed in the tourism sector, and a further 200,000 people in construction. Tourism has continued to grow rapidly with foreign arrivals exceeding 2 million per year in 2007 and reaching 5.6 million visitors in 2017. Mining also is attracting some investor interest and the government has touted opportunities for mining bauxite, gold, iron and gems.
++
++ Still, Cambodia remains one of the poorest countries in Asia, and long-term economic development remains a daunting challenge, inhibited by corruption, limited human resources, high income inequality, and poor job prospects. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the percentage of the population living in poverty decreased to 13.5% in 2016. More than 50% of the population is less than 25 years old. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the impoverished countryside, which also lacks basic infrastructure.
++
++ The World Bank in 2016 formally reclassified Cambodia as a lower middle-income country as a result of continued rapid economic growth over the past several years. Cambodia's graduation from a low-income country will reduce its eligibility for foreign assistance and will challenge the government to seek new sources of financing. The Cambodian Government has been working with bilateral and multilateral donors, including the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and IMF, to address the country's many pressing needs; more than 20% of the government budget will come from donor assistance in 2018. A 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.
++
++ Textile exports, which accounted for 68% of total exports in 2017, have driven much of Cambodia's growth over the past several years. The textile sector relies on exports to the United States and European Union, and Cambodia's dependence on its comparative advantage in textile production is a key vulnerability for the economy, especially because Cambodia has continued to run a current account deficit above 9% of GDP since 2014.
GDP real growth rate:
6.9%
(2017 est.)
7%
(2016 est.)
7%
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.9%
(2017 est.)
3%
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
Credit ratings:
Moody's rating:
B2
(2007)
Standard & Poors rating:
N/A
(2014)
GDP (purchasing power parity) - real:
$64.21 billion
(2017 est.)
$60.09 billion
(2016 est.)
$56.18 billion
(2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$22.09 billion
(2017 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,000
(2017 est.)
$3,800
(2016 est.)
$3,600
(2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 164
Gross national saving:
13.7% of GDP
(2017 est.)
14.3% of GDP
(2016 est.)
13.4% of GDP
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture:
25.3%
(2017 est.)
industry:
32.8%
(2017 est.)
services:
41.9%
(2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption:
76%
(2017 est.)
government consumption:
5.4%
(2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital:
21.8%
(2017 est.)
investment in inventories:
1.2%
(2017 est.)
exports of goods and services:
68.6%
(2017 est.)
imports of goods and services:
-73%
(2017 est.)
Ease of Doing Business Index scores:
53.8
(2020)
Agriculture - products:
rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, cassava (manioc, tapioca), silk
Industries:
tourism, garments, construction, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles
Industrial production growth rate:
10.6%
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
Labor force:
8.913 million
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture:
48.7%
industry:
19.9%
services:
31.5%
(2013 est.)
Unemployment rate:
0.3%
(2017 est.)
0.2%
(2016 est.)
note: high underemployment, according to official statistics
country comparison to the world: 2
Population below poverty line:
16.5%
(2016 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%:
2%
highest 10%:
28%
(2013 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
3.947 billion
(2017 est.)
expenditures:
4.354 billion
(2017 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
17.9% (of GDP)
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-1.8% (of GDP)
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
Public debt:
30.4% of GDP
(2017 est.)
29.1% of GDP
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Current account balance:
-$1.871 billion
(2017 est.)
-$1.731 billion
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
Exports:
$11.42 billion
(2017 est.)
$10.07 billion
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
Exports - partners:
US 21.5%, UK 9%, Germany 8.6%, Japan 7.6%, China 6.9%, Canada 6.7%, Spain 4.7%, Belgium 4.5%
(2017)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear
Imports:
$14.37 billion
(2017 est.)
$12.65 billion
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials, machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products
Imports - partners:
China 34.1%, Singapore 12.8%, Thailand 12.4%, Vietnam 10.1%
(2017)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$12.2 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$9.122 billion
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
Debt - external:
$11.87 billion
(31 December 2017 est.)
$10.3 billion
(31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Exchange rates:
riels (KHR) per US dollar -
4,055
(2017 est.)
4,058.7
(2016 est.)
4,058.7
(2015 est.)
4,067.8
(2014 est.)
4,037.5
(2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access:
population without electricity:
4 million
(2019)
electrification - total population:
75%
(2019)
electrification - urban areas:
100%
(2019)
electrification - rural areas:
67%
(2019)
Electricity - production:
5.21 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
Electricity - consumption:
5.857 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
Electricity - imports:
1.583 billion kWh
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Electricity - installed generating capacity:
1.697 million kW
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Electricity - from fossil fuels:
35% of total installed capacity
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
0% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
63% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
Electricity - from other renewable sources:
2% of total installed capacity
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Crude oil - production:
0 bbl/day
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Crude oil - exports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Crude oil - imports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
Crude oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl
(1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
Refined petroleum products - production:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
Refined petroleum products - consumption:
45,000 bbl/day
(2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
Refined petroleum products - exports:
0 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
Refined petroleum products - imports:
43,030 bbl/day
(2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m
(1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
10.55 million Mt
(2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines:
total subscriptions:
56,749
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
less than 1
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Telephones - mobile cellular:
total subscriptions:
21,684,767
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
129.92
(2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
Telecommunication systems:
general assessment:
well on its way to rollout 5G services, Chinese company Huawei dealing with the infrastructure for the 5G rollout; mobile-cellular phone systems are widely used in urban areas to bypass deficiencies in the fixed-line network; mobile-phone coverage is rapidly spreading in rural areas; competition among mobile operators strong; about 50% of Cambodians own at least one smart phone; in 2018, the MPTC began a free Wi-Fi service for visitors and residents of Phnom Penh, in selected parks around the city customers can access free Wi-Fi services; fixed broadband penetration is predicted to reach over 2% by 2023; in 2021, Cambodia hopes to launch it first communications satellite into orbit
(2020)
domestic:
fixed-line connections stand at about 1 per 100 persons and declining; mobile-cellular usage, aided by competition among service providers, has increased to about 130 per 100 persons
(2019)
international:
country code - 855; landing points for MCT and AAE-1 via submarine cables providing communication to Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)
(2019)
note: the COVID-19 outbreak is negatively impacting telecommunications production and supply chains globally; consumer spending on telecom devices and services has also slowed due to the pandemic's effect on economies worldwide; overall progress towards improvements in all facets of the telecom industry - mobile, fixed-line, broadband, submarine cable and satellite - has moderated
Broadcast media:
mixture of state-owned, joint public-private, and privately owned broadcast media; 27 TV broadcast stations with most operating on multiple channels, including 1 state-operated station broadcasting from multiple locations, 11 stations either jointly operated or privately owned with some broadcasting from several locations; multi-channel cable and satellite systems are available (2019); 84 radio broadcast stations - 1 state-owned broadcaster with multiple stations and a large mixture of public and private broadcasters; one international broadcaster is available (2019) as well as one Chinese joint venture television station with the Ministry of Interior; several television and radio operators broadcast online only (often via Facebook)
(2019)
Internet country code:
.kh
Internet users:
total:
6,579,808
percent of population:
40%
(July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
Broadband - fixed subscriptions:
total:
166,200
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:
1
(2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
Transportation
National air transport system:
number of registered air carriers:
6
(2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers:
25
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:
1,411,059
(2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:
680,000
mt-km
(2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix:
XU
(2016)
Airports:
16
(2013)
country comparison to the world: 142
Airports - with paved runways:
total:
6
(2019)
2,438 to 3,047 m:
3
1,524 to 2,437 m:
2
914 to 1,523 m:
1
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total:
10
(2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m:
2
(2013)
914 to 1,523 m:
7
(2013)
under 914 m:
1
(2013)
Heliports:
1
(2013)
Railways:
total:
642 km
(2014)
narrow gauge:
642 km
1.000-m gauge
(2014)
note: under restoration
country comparison to the world: 107
Roadways:
total:
47,263 km
(2013)
paved:
12,239 km
(2013)
unpaved:
35,024 km
(2013)
country comparison to the world: 84
Waterways:
3,700 km
(mainly on Mekong River)
(2012)
country comparison to the world: 28
Merchant marine:
total:
268
by type:
bulk carrier 2, general cargo 176, oil tanker 19, other 71
(2019)
country comparison to the world: 57
Ports and terminals:
major seaport(s):
Sihanoukville (Kampong Saom)
river port(s):
Phnom Penh (Mekong)
Military and Security
Military and security forces:
Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: High Command Headquarters, Royal Cambodian Army, Royal Khmer Navy, Royal Cambodian Air Force; Gendarmerie Royale Khmer (military police force responsible for internal security under Ministry of Interior); the National Counter Terrorism Committee; the National Committee for Maritime Security (performs Coast Guard functions and has representation from military and civilian agencies)
(2019)
Military expenditures:
2.3% of GDP
(2019)
2.2% of GDP
(2018)
2.1% of GDP
(2017)
2% of GDP
(2016)
1.8% of GDP
(2015)
country comparison to the world: 38
Military and security service personnel strengths:
assessments of the size of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces vary; approximately 115,000 total active troops (110,000 Army; 3,000 Navy; 1,000 Air Force); 10,000 Gendarmerie
(2019 est.)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions:
the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces are armed largely with older Chinese and Russian-origin equipment; it has received limited amounts of newer equipment since 2010 with China as the principal provider, followed by Ukraine
(2019 est.)
Military deployments:
200 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 180 Lebanon (UNIFIL); 330 Mali (MINUSMA)
(2020)
Military service age and obligation:
18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory and voluntary military service
(2012)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international:
Cambodia is concerned about Laos' extensive upstream dam construction; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of boundary; in 2011 Thailand and Cambodia resorted to arms in the dispute over the location of the boundary on the precipice surmounted by Preah Vihear Temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by an International Court of Justice decision in 1962 and part of a UN World Heritage site; Cambodia accuses Vietnam of a wide variety of illicit cross-border activities; progress on a joint development area with Vietnam is hampered by an unresolved dispute over sovereignty of offshore islands
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
stateless persons:
57,444 (2019)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation:
Cambodia is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Cambodian men, women, and children migrate to countries within the region and, increasingly, the Middle East for legitimate work but are subjected to sex trafficking, domestic servitude, or forced labor in fishing, agriculture, construction, and factories; Cambodian men recruited to work on Thai-owned fishing vessels are subsequently subjected to forced labor in international waters and are kept at sea for years; poor Cambodian children are vulnerable and, often with the families' complicity, are subject to forced labor, including domestic servitude and forced begging, in Thailand and Vietnam; Cambodian and ethnic Vietnamese women and girls are trafficked from rural areas to urban centers and tourist spots for sexual exploitation; Cambodian men are the main exploiters of child prostitutes, but men from other Asian countries, and the West travel to Cambodia for child sex tourism
tier rating:
Tier 2 Watch List – Cambodia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute making significant efforts to meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; authorities made modest progress in prosecutions and convictions of traffickers in 2014 but did not provide comprehensive data; endemic corruption continued to impede law enforcement efforts, and no complicit officials were prosecuted or convicted; the government sustained efforts to identify victims and refer them to NGOs for care, but victim protection remained inadequate, particularly for assisting male victims and victims identified abroad; a new national action plan was adopted, but guidelines for victim identification and guidance on undercover investigation techniques are still pending after several years (2015)
Illicit drugs:
narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in the government, military, and police; limited methamphetamine production; vulnerable to money laundering due to its cash-based economy and porous borders
