 |
|
Background:
|
Most
Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, whose
Angkor Empire extended over much of Southeast Asia
between the 10th and 14th centuries. Subsequently,
attacks by the Thai and Vietnamese weakened the
empire. In 1863, the king of Cambodia placed the
country under French protection; it became part of
French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese
occupation in World War II, Cambodia became
independent within the French Union in 1948 and
fully independent in 1953. After a five-year
struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured
Phnom Penh in April 1975 and ordered the evacuation
of all cities and towns; over 1.5 million displaced
people died from execution, enforced hardships, or
starvation. A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the
Khmer Rouge into the countryside and touched off
almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace
Accords mandated democratic elections and a
ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the
Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped
restore some semblance of normalcy and the final
elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early
1999. 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 July 2003 elections were relatively
peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations
between contending political parties before a
coalition government was formed. |
|
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:
|
territorial
sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
contiguous zone: 24 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:
|
oil and
gas, timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese,
phosphates, hydropower potential |
|
Land use:
|
arable
land: 20.96%
permanent crops: 0.61%
other: 78.43% (2001) |
|
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, most of
the population does not have access to potable
water; declining fish stocks because of illegal
fishing and overfishing |
|
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
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
|
Geography - note:
|
a land
of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River
and Tonle Sap
|
|
Population:
|
13,363,421
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
growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be
expected (July 2004 est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14
years: 38.3% (male 2,583,606; female 2,534,460)
15-64 years: 58.6% (male 3,742,178; female
4,095,303)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 149,466; female
258,408) (2004 est.) |
|
Median age:
|
total:
19.5 years
male: 18.8 years
female: 20.4 years (2004 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
1.8%
(2004 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
27.13
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
9.1
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Sex ratio:
|
at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2004
est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total:
73.67 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 64.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2004
est.)
male: 82.51 deaths/1,000 live births |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: 58.41 years
male: 55.71 years
female: 61.23 years (2004 est.) |
|
Total fertility rate:
|
3.51
children born/woman (2004 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
2.6%
(2003 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|
170,000
(2003 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|
15,000
(2003 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: 69.4%
male: 80.8%
female: 59.3% (2002)
|
|
Country name:
|
conventional
long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
conventional short form: Cambodia
local short form: Kampuchea
former: Kingdom of Cambodia, Khmer Republic,
Democratic Kampuchea, People's Republic of
Kampuchea, State of Cambodia
local long form: Preahreacheanacha Kampuchea
(phonetic pronunciation) |
|
Government type:
|
multiparty
democracy under a constitutional monarchy
established in September 1993 |
|
Capital:
|
Phnom
Penh |
|
Administrative divisions:
|
20
provinces (khaitt, singular and plural) and 4
municipalities (krong, singular and plural)
: provinces: Banteay Mean Chey, Batdambang,
Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong
Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Koh Kong, Kracheh, Mondol Kiri,
Otdar Mean Chey, Pouthisat, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng,
Rotanakir, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng,
Takao
: municipalities: Keb, Pailin, Phnom Penh,
Preah Sihanouk (formerly Kompong Som) |
|
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 14 January 1985) and Deputy Prime Ministers
SAR Kheng (since 3 February 1992), Prince SIRIVUDH,
SOK An, LU Laysreng, TEA Banh, HOR Namhong, NHEK
Bunchhay (since 16 July 2004)
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
cabinet: Council of Ministers in theory
appointed by the monarch; in practice named by the
prime minister |
|
Legislative branch:
|
bicameral
consists of the National Assembly (123 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 (July 2003)
elections: National Assembly - last held 27
July 2003 (next to be held in July 2008); Senate -
last held 2 March 1999 (scheduled to be held in 2004
but delayed) |
|
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:
|
Cambodian
Pracheachon Party (Cambodian People's Party) or CPP
[CHEA Sim]; National United Front for an
Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative
Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM Ranariddh];
Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM Rangsi] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
NA |
|
International organization participation:
|
ACCT,
ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, 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) |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
chief
of mission: Ambassador ROLAND Eng
chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC
20011
FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381
telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742 |
|
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
FAX: [855] (23) 216-437/811 |
|
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; only national flag to
incorporate a building in its design
|
|
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.
Growth resumed and has remained about 5.0% during
2000-2003. Tourism was Cambodia's fastest growing
industry, with arrivals up 34% in 2000 and up
another 40% in 2001 before the 11 September 2001
terrorist attacks in the US. Cambodia expects 1
million foreign tourists in 2004. Economic growth
has been largely driven by expansion in the clothing
sector and tourism. Clothing exports were fostered
by the U.S.-Cambodian Bilateral Textile Agreement
signed in 1999. Even given Cambodia's recent growth,
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 a dysfunctional legal system coupled
with government corruption discourage foreign
investment. The Cambodian government continues to
work with bilateral and multilateral donors to
address the country's many pressing needs. The 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. About 60% of the
population is 20 years or younger; most of these
citizens will seek to enter the workforce over the
course of the next 10 years. |
|
GDP:
|
purchasing
power parity - $25.02 billion (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
5%
(2003 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing
power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
35%
industry: 30%
services: 35% (2003 est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed):
|
15.9%
of GDP (2003) |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
36%
(1997 est.) |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage
share:
|
lowest
10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 33.8% (1997) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
|
40.4
(1997) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
1.7%
(2003 est.) |
|
Labor force:
|
7
million (2003 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture
75% (2003 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
2.5%
(2000 est.) |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$476.5 million
expenditures: $734.8 million, including
capital expenditures of $291 million of which 75%
was financed by external assistance (2003 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
rice,
rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca |
|
Industries:
|
tourism,
garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood
products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
22%
(2002 est.) |
|
Electricity - production:
|
119
million kWh (2001) |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil
fuel: 65%
hydro: 35%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
110.6
million kWh (2001) |
|
Electricity - exports:
|
0 kWh
(2001) |
|
Electricity - imports:
|
0 kWh
(2001) |
|
Oil - production:
|
0
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption:
|
3,600
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Oil - exports:
|
NA
(2001) |
|
Oil - imports:
|
NA
(2001) |
|
Current account balance:
|
$-218.1
million (2003) |
|
Exports:
|
$1.616
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
Clothing,
timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear |
|
Exports - partners:
|
US
57.6%, Germany 10.1%, UK 7.1% (2003 est.) |
|
Imports:
|
$2.124
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
petroleum
products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials,
machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products |
|
Imports - partners:
|
Thailand
25.8%, Hong Kong 14%, Singapore 11.5%, China 11.1%,
Taiwan 8.8%, Vietnam 8.1%, South Korea 5.3% (2003
est.) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
|
$861.4
million (2003) |
|
Debt - external:
|
$2.4
billion (2002 est.) |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
$548
million pledged in grants and concessional loans for
2001 by international donors (actual disbursement in
2002 was about $500 million) |
|
Currency:
|
riel (KHR) |
|
Currency code:
|
KHR |
|
Exchange rates:
|
riels
per US dollar - 3,973.33 (2003), 3,912.08 (2002),
3,916.33 (2001), 3,840.75 (2000), 3,807.83 (1999) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar
year
|
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
35,400
(2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
380,000
(2002) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general
assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular
service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities;
mobile phone coverage is rapidly expanding in rural
areas
domestic: NA
international: country code - 855; 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) |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 2,
FM 17, (2003) |
|
Radios:
|
1.34
million (1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
7
(2003) |
|
Televisions:
|
94,000
(1997) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.kh |
|
Internet hosts:
|
818
(2003) |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
|
2
(2000) |
|
Internet users:
|
30,000
(2002)
|
|
Railways:
|
total:
602 km
narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2003) |
|
Highways:
|
total:
12,323 km
paved: 1,996 km
unpaved: 10,327 km (2000 est) |
|
Waterways:
|
2,400
km (mainly on Mekong River) (2004) |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Kampong
Som (Sihanoukville), Kampot, Krong Kaoh Kong, Phnom
Penh, Sre Ambol, Keo Phoh Port (privately owned)
(2003) |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total:
467 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,913,910 GRT/2,713,967
DWT
registered in other countries: 19 (2003 est.)
foreign-owned: Algeria 2, Angola 1, Aruba 1,
Bahamas 1, Belize 10, British Virgin Islands 7,
Bulgaria 1, Canada 4, China 35, Cyprus 14, Egypt 8,
Finland 1, France 1, Georgia 1, Germany 1, Gibraltar
1, Greece 9, Honduras 8, Hong Kong 12, Indonesia 2,
Iran 1, Italy 2, Japan 1, Jordan 1, North Korea 2,
South Korea 31, Lebanon 2, Liberia 7, Malaysia 1,
Malta 2, Marshall Islands 11, Netherlands 2, Nigeria
2, Norway 1, Panama 8, Romania 1, Russia 81, Saint
Kitts and Nevis 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
5, Samoa 2, Singapore 7, Spain 1, Syria 19, Taiwan
1, Turkey 11
by type: bulk 42, cargo 360, chemical tanker
6, combination bulk 3, container 13, liquefied gas
1, livestock carrier 4, multi-functional large load
carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 16,
refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 5,
short-sea/passenger 2 |
|
Airports:
|
20
(2003 est.) |
|
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 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total:
15
under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 12 |
|
Heliports:
|
2 (2003
est.)
|
|
Military branches:
|
Royal
Cambodian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force |
|
Military manpower - military age:
|
18
years of age (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - availability:
|
males
age 15-49: 3,402,703 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - fit for military service:
|
males
age 15-49: 1,899,710 (2004 est.) |
|
Military manpower - reaching military age
annually:
|
males:
170,072 (2004 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
|
$112
million (FY01 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
|
3%
(FY01 est.)
|
| Transnational
Issues |
Cambodia |
|
Disputes - international:
|
land
boundary disputes persist among Cambodian claims
that Thailand and Vietnam moved or destroyed
boundary markers; maritime boundary with Vietnam is
hampered by dispute over offshore islands; Cambodia
periodically accuses Thailand of obstructing access
to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by
ICJ decision in 1962; 2003 anti-Thai riots in Phnom
Penh resulted in the destruction of the Thai
Embassy, damage to 17 Thai-owned businesses, and
disputes over full payment of compensation |
|
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
|
|
