Cambodia

 
Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

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

Area

Total area: 181,040 sq km
Land area: 176,520 sq km
Comparative area: slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Land Boundaries

Total 2,572 km, Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

Coastline

443 km

Maritime Claims

Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

International Disputes

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

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
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: 16%
Permanent crops: 1%
Meadows and pastures: 3%
Forest and woodland: 76%
Other: 4%

Irrigated Land

920 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment

Current issues: logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand are resulting in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); deforestation; soil erosion; in rural areas, a majority of the population does not have access to potable water
Natural hazards: monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts
International agreements: party to - Marine Life Conservation, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the sea, Marine Dumping

Note: A land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap

PEOPLE

Population

10,861,218 (July 1996 est.)
10,561,373 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

45% (male 2,505,998; female 2,432,620) (July 1996 est.)
46% (male 2,438,104; female 2,367,414) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

51% (male 2,579,986; female 3,007,838) (July 1996 est.)
51% (male 2,494,203; female 2,932,788) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

4% (male 143,759; female 191,017) (July 1996 est.)
3% (male 143,527; female 185,337) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

2.77% (1996 est.)
2.83% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

43.5 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
44.42 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

15.78 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
16.16 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.86 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.93 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

107.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
109.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total population: 49.48 years (1996 est.), 49.46 years (1995 est.)
Male: 48.39 years (1996 est.), 48 years (1995 est.)
Female: 51.39 years (1996 est.), 51 years (1995 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

5.81 children born/woman (1996 est.)
5.81 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Noun: Cambodian(s)
Adjective: Cambodian

Ethnic Divisions

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

Religions

Theravada Buddhism 95%
Other 5%

Languages

Khmer (official), French

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1990 est.)

Total population: 35%
Male: 48%
Female: 22%

Labor Force

2.5 million to 3 million

By occupation:

Agriculture 80% (1988 est.)

GOVERNMENT

Names

Conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
Conventional short form: Cambodia
Local long form: Reacheanachak Kampuchea
Local short form: Kampuchea

Digraph

Type

Multiparty liberal democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in September 1993

Capital

Phnom Penh

Administrative Divisions

21 provinces (khet, singular and plural); Banteay Meanchey, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Kracheh, Mondol Kiri, Phnum Penh, Pouthisat, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanokiri, Siemreab-Otdar Meanchey, Sihanoukville, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev

Note: Siemreab-Otdar Meanchey may have been divided into two provinces named Siemreab and Otdar Meanchey

Independence

9 November 1949 (from France)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 9 November 1949

Constitution

Promulgated September 1993

Legal System

Currently being defined

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: King Norodom SIHANOUK (reinstated 24 September 1993)
Head of government: power shared between First Prime Minister Prince Norodom RANARIDDH and Second Prime Minister HUN SEN
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; elected by the National Assembly

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

National Assembly

Members elected for five-year terms; elections last held 23 May 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120 total) FUNCINPEC 58, CPP 51, Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party 10, Molinaka 1

note: the May 1993 elections were for the Constituent Assembly which became the National Assembly after the new constitution was promulgated in September 1993

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court provided for by the constitution has not yet been established and the future judicial system is yet to be defined by law

Political Parties and Leaders

National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC), Prince NORODOM RANARIDDH; Cambodian Pracheachon Party or Cambodian People's Party (CPP), CHEA SIM; Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party, SON SANN faction; Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party, IENG MOULY faction; Democratic Kampuchea (DK, also known as the Khmer Rouge), KHIEU SAMPHAN; Molinaka, PROM NEAKAREACH

Member of

ACCT, AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

National Anthem

National anthem

Flag

Horizontal band of red separates two equal horizontal bands of blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat in the center

ECONOMY

Overview

The Cambodian economy - virtually destroyed by decades of war - is slowly recovering. Government leaders are moving toward restoring fiscal and monetary discipline and have established good working relations with international financial institutions. Growth, starting from a low base, has been strong in 1991-95. Despite such positive developments, the reconstruction effort faces many tough challenges because of the persistence of internal political divisions and the related lack of confidence of foreign investors. Rural Cambodia, where 90% of about 9.5 million Khmer live, remains mired in poverty. The almost total lack of basic infrastructure in the countryside will hinder development and will contribute to a growing imbalance in growth between urban and rural areas over the near term. Moreover, the government's lack of experience in administering economic and technical assistance programs and rampant corruption among officials will slow the growth of critical public sector investment. The decline of inflation from the 1992 rate of more than 50% is one of the bright spots.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $7 billion (1995 est.); $6.4 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

6.7% (1995 est.)
5% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$660 (1995 est.)
$630 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

6% (1995 est.)
26%-30% (1994 est.)

Unemployment Rate

Budget

Revenues: $210 million
Expenditures: $346 million, including capital expenditures of $120 million (1994 est.)

Exports

$240.7 million (1995 est.)
$283.6 million (f.o.b., 1993)

Commodities:

Timber
Rubber
Soybeans
Sesame

Partners:

Imports

$630.5 million (1995 est.)
$479.3 million (c.i.f., 1993)

Commodities:

Cigarettes
Construction materials
Petroleum products
Machinery
Motor vehicles

Partners:

Singapore
Vietnam
Japan
Australia
Hong Kong
Indonesia

External Debt

$383 million to OECD members (1993)

Industrial Production

Growth rate 7.9% (1993 est.); accounts for 13.5% of GDP

Electricity

Capacity: 40,000 kW
Production: 160 million kWh
Consumption per capita: 14 kWh (1993)

Industries

Rice milling
Fishing
Wood and wood products
Rubber
Cement
Gem mining

Agriculture

Mainly subsistence farming except for rubber plantations; main crops - rice, rubber, corn; food shortages - rice, meat, vegetables, dairy products, sugar, flour

Illicit Drugs

Increasingly used as a transshipment country for heroin produced in the Golden Triangle; growing money-laundering center; high-level narcotics-related corruption in government; possible small-scale heroin production; large producer of cannibis

Economic Aid

Recipient: IMF pledged $120 million in aid for 1995-98; U.S. commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $725 million; Western (non-US countries) (1970-89), $300 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $1.8 billion; donor countries and multilateral institutions pledged $880 million in assistance in 1992

Currency

1 new riel (CR) = 100 sen

Exchange Rates

Riels (CR) per US$1 - 2,585 (December 1994), 2,470 (December 1993), 2,800 (September 1992), 500 (December 1991), 560 (1990), 159.00 (1988), 100.00 (1987)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Total: 603 km
Narrow gauge: 603 km 1.000-m gauge

Highways

Total: 34,100 km
Paved: bituminous 3,000 km
Unpaved: 31,100 km (1994 est.)

Inland Waterways

3,700 km navigable all year to craft drawing 0.6 meters; 282 km navigable to craft drawing 1.8 meters

Ports

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

Merchant Marine

None

Airports

Total: 14
With paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
With paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
With paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 2
With unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 7

Heliports

2 (1995 est.)

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

7,000 telephones (1981 est.); service barely adequate for government requirements and virtually nonexistent for general public

Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: international service limited to Vietnam and other adjacent countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Radio

Broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: NA

Television

Broadcast stations: 1
Televisions: 70,000 (1993 est.)

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Khmer Royal Armed Forces (KRAF)

Created in 1993 by the merger of the Cambodian People's Armed Forces and the two non-Communist resistance armies; note - the KRAF is also known as the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF)

Resistance Forces

National Army of Democratic Kampuchea (Khmer Rouge)

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 2,336,606; males fit for military service 1,302,234; males reach military age (18) annually 79,514 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $85 million, 1.4% of GDP (1995 est.)

History
World Atlas

Last modified: 9 december 1997

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