1990 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1990 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to October); dry season (December to March); little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
443 km
Comparative area
slightly smaller than Oklahoma
Contiguous zone
24 nm;
Continental shelf
200 nm;
Disputes
offshore islands and three sections of the boundary with Vietnam are in dispute; maritime boundary with Vietnam not defined; occupied by Vietnam on 25 December 1978
Environment
a land of paddies and forests dominated by Mekong River and Tonle Sap
Extended economic zone
200 nm;
Land boundaries
2,572 km total; Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km
Land use
16% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 3% meadows and pastures; 76% forest and woodland; 4% other; includes 1% irrigated
Natural resources
timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential
Note
buffer between Thailand and Vietnam
Terrain
mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
181,040 km2; land area: 176,520 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
39 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate
16 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Ethnic divisions
90% Khmer (Cambodian), 5% Chinese, 5% other minorities
Infant mortality rate
128 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Labor force
2.5-3.0 million; 80% agriculture (1988 est.)
Language
Khmer (official), French
Life expectancy at birth
47 years male, 50 years female (1990)
Literacy
48%
Nationality
noun--Cambodian(s); adjective--Cambodian
Net migration rate
0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Organized labor
Kampuchea Federation of Trade Unions (FSC); under government control
Population
6,991,107 (July 1990), growth rate 2.2% (1990)
Religion
95% Theravada Buddhism, 5% other
Total fertility rate
4.5 children born/woman (1990)
Government
Administrative divisions
18 provinces (khet, singular and plural) and 1 autonomous municipality* (rottatheanei, singular and plural); 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, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev; note--there may be a new province of Banteay Meanchey and Siemreab-Otdar Meanchey may have been divided into two provinces named Siemreab and Otdar Meanchey
Capital
Phnom Penh
Constitution
27 June 1981
Diplomatic representation
none
Elections
CGDK--none; PRK--National Assembly--last held 1 May 1981; in February 1986 the Assembly voted to extend its term for five years (next to be held by March 1990); results--KPRP is the only party; seats--(123 total) KPRP 123
Executive branch
CGDK--president, prime minister; PRK--chairman of the Council of State, Council of State, chairman of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers
Flag
CGDK--red with the yellow silhouette of a stylized three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat in the center; Non-Communists--three horizontal bands of blue, red (double width), and blue with a white stylized temple representing Angkor Wat centered on the red band; PRK--red with the yellow silhouette of a stylized five-towered temple representing Angkor Wat in the center
Independence
9 November 1953 (from France)
Judicial branch
CGDK--none; PRK--Supreme People's Court
Leaders
Chief of State--CGDK--President Prince NORODOM SIHANOUK (since NA July 1982); PRK--Chairman of the Council of State HENG SAMRIN (since 27 June 1981); Head of Government--CGDK--Prime Minister SON SANN (since NA July 1982); PRK--Chairman of the Council of Ministers HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985)
Legislative branch
CGDK--none; PRK--unicameral National Assembly
Long-form name
none
Member of
ADB, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IRC, ITU, Mekong Committee (inactive), NAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO for CGDK; none for PRK
National holidays
CGDK--Independence Day, 17 April (1975); PRK--Liberation Day, 7 January (1979)
Political parties and leaders
CGDK--three resistance groups including Democratic Kampuchea (DK, also known as the Khmer Rouge) under Khieu Samphan, Khmer People's National Liberation Front (KPNLF) under Son Sann, and National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC) under Prince Norodom Sihanouk; PRK--Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party (KPRP) led by Heng Samrin
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
disputed between the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (CGDK) led by Prince NORODOM SIHANOUK and the People's Republic of Kampuchea (PRK) led by HENG SAMRIN
Economy
Agriculture
mainly subsistence farming except for rubber plantations; main crops--rice, rubber, corn; food shortages--rice, meat, vegetables, dairy products, sugar, flour
Aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $719 million; Western (non-US) countries (1970-85), $270 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $950 million
Budget
revenues $NA; expenditures $NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Currency
riel (plural--riels); 1 riel (CR) = 100 sen
Electricity
126,000 kW capacity; 150 million kWh produced, 21 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
riels (CR) per US$1--218 (November 1989) 100.00 (1987), 30.00 (1986), 7.00 (1985)
Exports
$32 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--natural rubber, rice, pepper, wood; partners--Vietnam, USSR, Eastern Europe, Japan, India
External debt
$600 million (1989)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$890 million, per capita $130; real growth rate 0% (1989 est.)
Imports
$147 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--international food aid; fuels, consumer goods; partners--Vietnam, USSR, Eastern Europe, Japan, India
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
NA%
Overview
Cambodia is a desperately poor country whose economic development has been stymied by deadly political infighting. The economy is based on agriculture and related industries. Over the past decade Cambodia has been slowly recovering from its near destruction by war and political upheaval. It still remains, however, one of the world's poorest countries, with an estimated per capita GDP of about $130. The food situation is precarious; during the 1980s famine has been averted only through international relief. In 1986 the production level of rice, the staple food crop, was able to meet only 80% of domestic needs. The biggest success of the nation's recovery program has been in new rubber plantings and in fishing. Industry, other than rice processing, is almost nonexistent. Foreign trade is primarily with the USSR and Vietnam. Statistical data on the economy continues to be sparse and unreliable.
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Airports
22 total, 9 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 4 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Highways
13,351 km total; 2,622 km bituminous; 7,105 km crushed stone, gravel, or improved earth; 3,624 km unimproved earth; some roads in disrepair
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, Phnom Penh
Railroads
612 km 1.000-meter gauge, government owned
Telecommunications
service barely adequate for government requirements and virtually nonexistent for general public; international service limited to Vietnam and other adjacent countries; stations--1 AM, no FM, 1 TV
Military and Security
Branches
PRK--People's Republic of Kampuchea Armed Forces; Communist resistance forces--National Army of Democratic Kampuchea (Khmer Rouge); non-Communist resistance forces--Sihanoukist National Army (ANS) and Khmer People's National Liberation Front (KPNLF)
Defense expenditures
NA
Military manpower
males 15-49, 1,857,129; 1,025,456 fit for military service; 61,649 reach military age (18) annually