Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
conventional short form: Cambodia
local short form: Kampuchea
local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea
former: Khmer Republic, Kampuchea Republic 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.Location Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos Area total: 181,040 sq km
land: 176,520 sq km
water: 4,520 sq km Area - comparative slightly smaller than Oklahoma Coastline 443 km 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 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, 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 Geography - note a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap 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.) 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.) Median age total: 19.2 years
male: 18.4 years
female: 20 years (2002) 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: 0.59 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (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 Internet country code .kh Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 69.9%
male: 80.5%
female: 60.3% (2003 est.) Government type multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in September 1993 National holiday Independence Day, 9 November (1953) 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 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) 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. Exports - partners US 60.2%, Germany 9.1%, UK 7.1%, Singapore 4.4% (2002) Currency riel (KHR) Currency code KHR 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) 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 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 |
