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Cambodia Country Guide

Explore Cambodia in Asia

Cambodia with the capital city Phnom Penh is located in Asia (Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand). It covers some 181,040 square kilometres (slightly smaller than Oklahoma) with 14,241,000 citizens.

Interactive map of Cambodia

The landscape offers mostly low, flat plains with mountains in southwest and north. The average density of population is approximately 79 per km². The notable climate conditions in Cambodia can be described as tropical with rainy, monsoon season (May to November), dry season (December to April) and little seasonal temperature variation. Potential threats by nature are monsoonal rains (June to November) or flooding or occasional droughts.

To reach someone in Cambodia dial +855 prior to a number. There are 54,200 installed telephones. And there are 5,593,000 registered mobile phones. The cellular networks commonly support frequencies of 900/1800 MHz. Websites registered in this country end with the top level domain ".kh". If you want to bring electric equipment on your trip (e.g. laptop power supply), note the local power outlet of 230V - 50Hz.

About the flag and history of Cambodia

Cambodia Flag Icon

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 incorporate an actual building in its design.


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 five-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 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 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 have been tried or are awaiting trial for crimes against humanity by a hybrid UN-Cambodian tribunal supported by international assistance. 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 elections were held in Cambodia in April 2007, with little of the pre-election violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2008 were relatively peaceful, as were commune council elections in June 2012.



Geography Quick-Facts

SummaryContinent: Asia
Neighbours: Laos, Thailand, Vietnam
Capital: Phnom Penh
Size181,040 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 69,899 square miles (mi² or sqmi)
slightly smaller than Oklahoma
Population14,241,000
CurrencyName Riels, Currency Code:KHR
Country Top Level Domain (cTLD).kh
Telephone Country Prefix+855
Mobile Phone Connections5,593,000
Landline Phone Connections54,200

Country Position in World Rankings

Information about single country attributes and how these compare against the rest of the world. The information below is compiled with data from 2013. As such, it may differ a bit to the Information above in the text (which is from 2010).

Geography

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Area181,035 (sq km)90

People and Society

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Population15,205,539 68
Population growth rate1.67 (%)71
Birth rate24.88 (births/1,000 population)58
Death rate7.88 (deaths/1,000 population)105
Net migration rate-0.33 (migrant(s)/1,000 population)127
Maternal mortality rate250.00 (deaths/100,000 live births)44
Infant mortality rate52.70 (deaths/1,000 live births)37
Life expectancy at birth63.41 (years)179
Total fertility rate2.72 (children born/woman)73
Health expenditures5.60 (% of GDP)121
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate0.50 (%)68
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS63,000 52
HIV/AIDS - deaths3,100 45
Obesity - adult prevalence rate2.10 (%)183
Children under the age of 5 years underweight29.00 (%)19
Education expenditures2.60 (% of GDP)153
Unemployment, youth ages 15-243.40 (%)137

Economy

Value nameValueWorld Rank
GDP (purchasing power parity)37,250,000,000 108
GDP - real growth rate6.50 (%)35
GDP - per capita (PPP)2,400 187
Labor force7,900,000 61
Distribution of family income - Gini index37.90 73
Investment (gross fixed)19.10 (% of GDP)110
Taxes and other revenues14.40 (% of GDP)193
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)-4.60 (% of GDP)150
Inflation rate (consumer prices)2.90 (%)74
Central bank discount rate5.25 (%)65
Commercial bank prime lending rate15.22 (%)39
Stock of narrow money1,094,000,000 146
Stock of broad money5,695,000,000 125
Stock of domestic credit3,689,000,000 126
Industrial production growth rate5.70 (%)53
Current account balance-1,508,000,000 127
Exports6,148,000,000 105
Imports8,840,000,000 105
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold3,732,000,000 103
Debt - external3,992,000,000 129

Energy

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Electricity - production1,019,000,000 (kWh)146
Electricity - consumption2,573,000,000 (kWh)136
Electricity - imports1,830,000,000 (kWh)53
Electricity - installed generating capacity390,900 (kW)145
Electricity - from fossil fuels95.20 (% of total installed capacity)68
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants3.30 (% of total installed capacity)128
Electricity - from other renewable sources1.50 (% of total installed capacity)67
Refined petroleum products - consumption39,350 (bbl/day)110
Refined petroleum products - imports34,340 (bbl/day)82
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy3,590,000 (Mt)134

Communications

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Telephones - main lines in use530,000 95
Telephones - mobile cellular13,757,000 57
Internet hosts13,784 129
Internet users78,500 167

Transportation

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Airports16 142
Railways690 (km)101
Roadways39,618 (km)89
Waterways3,700 (km)29
Merchant marine544 21

Military

Value nameValueWorld Rank
Military expenditures2.40 (% of GDP)58

Data based on CIA facts book 2010 & 2013, wikipedia, national statistical offices and their census releases

List of current world heritage sites

NameSince
Angkor
Angkor is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. Stretching over some 400 km2, including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9t ...
1992
Temple of Preah Vihear
Situated on the edge of a plateau that dominates the plain of Cambodia, the Temple of Preah Vihear is dedicated to Shiva. The Temple is composed of a series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and staircases over an 800 metre long axis and ...
2008