2003 Edition

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*, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev

Age structure

0-14 years: 39.3% (male 2,606,568; female 2,557,736) 15-64 years: 57.6% (male 3,599,216; female 3,962,520) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 148,287; female 250,437) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

rice, rubber, corn, vegetables

Airports

21 (2002)

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

under 914 m

1 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 13

Area

land

176,520 sq km

total

181,040 sq km

water

4,520 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Oklahoma

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 almost 20 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 in 1998. Geography Cambodia

Birth rate

27.28 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$607 million, including capital expenditures of $254 million (2001 est.)

revenues

$396 million

Capital

Phnom Penh

Climate

tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

443 km

Constitution

promulgated 21 September 1993

Country name

conventional long form

Kingdom of Cambodia

conventional short form

Cambodia

former

Khmer Republic, Kampuchea Republic

local long form

Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea

local short form

Kampuchea

Currency

riel (KHR)

Currency code

KHR

Death rate

9.26 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$829 million (1999 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Charles Aaron RAY

embassy

27 EO Street 240, Phnom Penh

mailing address

Box P, APO AP 96546

telephone

[855] (23) 216-436/438

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador ROLAND ENG

Disputes - international

completed boundary demarcation with Thailand; accuses Vietnam of moving and destroying boundary markers and encroachments, initiating border incidents; accuses Thailand of preventing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; maritime boundary with Vietnam hampered by dispute over offshore islands

Distribution of family income - Gini index

40.4 (1997)

Economic aid - recipient

$548 million pledged in grants and concessional loans for 2001 by international donors

Economy - overview

Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997-1998 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 5.0%. Despite severe flooding, GDP grew at 5.0% in 2000, 6.3% in 2001, and 5.2% in 2002. Tourism was Cambodia's fastest growing industry, with arrivals up 34% in 2000 and up another 40% in 2001 before the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US. Even given these stout growth estimates, 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. The government is addressing these issues with assistance from bilateral and multilateral donors.

Electricity - consumption

110.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

119 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

65%

hydro

35%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

lowest point

Gulf of Thailand 0 m

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

Ethnic groups

Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

Exchange rates

riels per US dollar - 3,912.08 (2002), 3,916.33 (2001), 3,840.75 (2000), 3,807.83 (1999), 3,744.42 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

chief of state

King Norodom SIHANOUK (reinstated 24 September 1993)

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

head of government

Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 30 November 1998) and Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 1993) and TOL LAH (since 1998)

Exports

$1.38 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities

timber, garments, rubber, rice, fish

Exports - partners

US 60.2%, Germany 9.1%, UK 7.1%, Singapore 4.4% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 726-8381

[855] (23) 216-437/811

chancery

4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone

[1] (202) 726-7742

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Cambodia

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 Cambodia

GDP

purchasing power parity - $20.42 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

40%

industry

20%

services

40% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.5% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

13 00 N, 105 00 E

Geography - note

a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap People Cambodia

Government type

multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in September 1993

Heliports

2 (2002) Military Cambodia

Highways

paved

1,996 km

total

12,323 km

unpaved

10,327 km (2000 est)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

2.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

12,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

170,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

33.8% (1997)

lowest 10%

2.9%

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 This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$1.73 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities

petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials, machinery, motor vehicles

Imports - partners

Thailand 24.8%, Singapore 16.9%, China 12.1%, Hong Kong 10.9%, South Korea 5.5%, Vietnam 5.2% (2002)

Independence

9 November 1953 (from France)

Industrial production growth rate

16% (2001 est.)

Industries

tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Infant mortality rate

female

66.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

84.96 deaths/1,000 live births

total

75.94 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.3% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)

Internet country code

.kh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet users

10,000 (2002) Transportation Cambodia

Irrigated land

2,700 sq km (1998 est.)

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

Labor force

6 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 80% (2001 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

total

2,572 km

Land use

arable land

20.96%

other

78.43% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0.61%

Languages

Khmer (official) 95%, French, English

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

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)

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 (2003)

elections

National Assembly - last held 27 July 2003 (next to be held in July 2007); Senate - last held 2 March 1999 (next to be held in 2004)

Life expectancy at birth

female

60.47 years (2003 est.)

male

55.49 years

total population

57.92 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

60.3% (2003 est.) Government Cambodia

male

80.5%

total population

69.9%

Location

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

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 NM

continental shelf

200 NM

exclusive economic zone

200 NM

territorial sea

12 NM

Median age

female

20 years (2002)

male

18.4 years

total

19.2 years

Merchant marine

convenience

Aruba 1, Belize 11, Bulgaria 3, Cambodia 194, Canada 4, China 25, Cyprus 14, Egypt 10, Estonia 2, France 1, Georgia 1, Germany 1, Gibraltar 1, Greece 13, Honduras 8, Hong Kong 12, Iceland 1, Indonesia 2, Iran 1, Ireland 1, Italy 2, Japan 2, Jordan 1, North Korea, 1, South Korea, 25, Latvia 3, Lebanon 6, Liberia 7, Malaysia 1, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 4, Netherlands 1, Norway 1, Panama 10, Romania 2, Russia 75, Saint Kitts and Nevis 4, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Singapore 17, Syria 20, Turkey 18, Ukraine 16, United Arab Emirates 3, United Kingdom 1, United States 5, Vietnam 3 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

bulk 49, cargo 412, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 4, container 17, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 7, short-sea passenger 2

total

527 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,328,371 GRT/3,294,028 DWT

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$112 million (FY01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

3% (FY01 est.) Transnational Issues Cambodia

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

3,275,533 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

1,829,535 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

165,395 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Nationality

adjective

Cambodian

noun

Cambodian(s)

Natural hazards

monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts

Natural resources

timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

3,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

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

Population

13,124,764

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 and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

36% (1997 est.)

Population growth rate

1.8% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1999)

Radios

1.34 million (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

602 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

total

602 km

Religions

Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%

Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF)

Army, Navy, Air Force

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

adequate landline and/or cellular service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; rural areas have little telephone service

international

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

21,800 (mid-1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

80,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations

6 (2003)

Televisions

94,000 (1997)

Terrain

mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Total fertility rate

3.58 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

2.8% (1999 est.)

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