Cambodia - KH - KHM - CAM - East and Southeast Asia

Last updated: May 07, 2025

Cambodia Images

Prasat Bayang is a ruined temple near Angkor Borei, in eastern Cambodia. The temple has the earliest known depictions of Khmer numerals, dating back to A.D. 604.
Approaching the Royal Palace grounds in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital.
The Throne Hall at the Royal Palace grounds in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Built in 1917, the building is used for religious and royal ceremonies, and as a meeting place for guests of the king.
Kneeling figure beside the Silver Pagoda on the Royal Palace grounds in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The Silver Pagoda lies on the south side of the palace complex. The main building houses many national treasures, including gold and jeweled Buddha statues.
On the grounds of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The palace area contains at least three stupas with royal remains.
The Independence Monument in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, was completed in 1958 to commemorate Cambodia's independence from France in 1953. Its lotus shape mimics the style seen at the Khmer temple at Banteay Srei and other Khmer historical sites.
The Pagoda at Wat Phnom, built in 1373 on a man-made hill, is the tallest religious structure (27 m; 89 ft) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Entrance to the National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh. Built between 1917 and 1924 to preserve Cambodia's cultural traditions, it houses the world's largest collections of Khmer art and has an important collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures.
Entrance to the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, a museum and documentation center for the genocide of 1.5 one million Cambodians by the Khmer Rouge that occurred between 1975 and 1979.
View of the main Angkor Wat temple complex reflected in a pool. The central towered portion appears on the Cambodian flag.
Some of the impressive and beautifully preserved temples at Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
Sections of the Angkor Wat temple area in Cambodia are overgrown with trees. Here a massive root system is slowly engulfing a temple building.
Serene statues on a bridge at the South Gate at Angkor Thom in Cambodia.
Phimeanakas is a three-tiered Hindu temple at Angkor Thom in Cambodia that dates to the end of the 10th century.
Ta Prohm is the modern name of the temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia, built largely in the late 12th and early 13th century. Located approximately 1 km east of Angkor Thom, Khmer King Jayavarman VII founded Ta Prohm as a Buddhist monastery and university.
The Bayon is a richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor, Cambodia, best known for the multitude of serene and smiling stone faces on its many towers. The temple was built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries by King Jayavarman VII.
Close up of one of the 216 faces at the Bayon temple at Angkor Thom in Cambodia.
The Baphuon is a temple located in Angkor Thom, Cambodia. Built in the mid-11th century, it is a three-tiered temple mountain.
Pre Rup is a Hindu temple at Angkor, Cambodia, dedicated to the god Shiva. It was built as the state temple of Khmer King Rajendravarman in the mid 10th century. This view is from the top of the temple.
Preah Khan is a temple located northeast of Angkor Thom in Cambodia, built in the 12th century for King Jayavarman VII to honor his father. The purpose of this two-story building with round columns is unknown, but it is referred to as "the library."
Banteay Srei is a 10th-century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva that lies 25 km (15 mi) north-east of the main group of temples at Angkor. Banteay Srei is built largely of red sandstone, and the buildings are miniature in scale compared to other Angkorian construction. This photo shows the entrance way (on the left) and part of the moat and the wall that surrounds the temple complex.
Prasat Bayang is a ruined temple near Angkor Borei, in eastern Cambodia. The temple has the earliest known depictions of Khmer numerals, dating back to A.D. 604.
Approaching the Royal Palace grounds in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital.

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Cambodia Factbook Data

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Bridgette L. WALKER (since August 2024)

embassy: #1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh

mailing address: 4540 Phnom Penh Place, Washington DC 20521-4540

telephone: [855] (23) 728-000

FAX: [855] (23) 728-700

email address and website:
ACSPhnomPenh@state.gov

https://kh.usembassy.gov/

Age structure

0-14 years: 28.9% (male 2,497,056/female 2,436,618)

15-64 years: 65.8% (male 5,456,941/female 5,765,206)

65 years and over: 5.3% (2024 est.) (male 323,591/female 584,257)

This is the population pyramid for Cambodia. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.

For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page.

Geographic coordinates

13 00 N, 105 00 E

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.55 male(s)/female

total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Natural hazards

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

Area - comparative

one and a half times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oklahoma

one and a half times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory and voluntary military service (conscription only selectively enforced since 1993; service is for 18 months); women may volunteer (2024)

Background

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 1975, after a seven-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 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off 13 years of internecine warfare in which a coalition of Khmer Rouge, Cambodian nationalists, and royalist insurgents, with assistance from China, fought the Vietnamese-backed People’s Republic of Kampuchea (PRK).

The 1991 Paris Agreements ended the country’s civil war and mandated democratic elections, which took place in 1993 and ushered in a period of multi-party democracy with a constitutional monarchy. King Norodom SIHANOUK was reinstated as head of state, and the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and the royalist FUNCINPEC party formed a coalition government. Nevertheless, the power-sharing arrangement proved fractious and fragile, and in 1997, a coup led by CPP leader and former PRK prime minister HUN SEN dissolved the coalition and sidelined FUNCINPEC. Despite further attempts at coalition governance, the CPP has since remained in power through elections criticized for lacking fairness, political and judicial corruption, media control, and influence over labor unions, all of which have been enforced with violence and intimidation. HUN SEN remained as prime minister until 2023, when he transferred power to his son, HUN MANET. HUN SEN has subsequently maintained considerable influence as the leader of the CPP and the Senate. The CPP has also placed limits on civil society, press freedom, and freedom of expression. Despite some economic growth and considerable investment from China over the past decade, Cambodia remains one of East Asia's poorest countries.

The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in 1999. A UN-backed special tribunal established in Cambodia in 1997 tried some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders for crimes against humanity and genocide. The tribunal concluded in 2022 with three convictions.

Environment - current issues

illegal logging activities and strip mining for gems have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity; destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries; soil erosion; limited access to potable water in rural areas; illegal fishing and overfishing; deforestation leading to sediment build-up in coastal ecosystems

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Military expenditures

2.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
2.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
2.3% of GDP (2020 est.)
2.2% of GDP (2019 est.)
2.2% of GDP (2018 est.)

Population below poverty line

16.5% (2016 est.)

Exports - commodities

garments, semiconductors, trunks and cases, footwear, gold (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

USA 36%, Germany 6%, China 6%, Japan 6%, Thailand 5% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Administrative divisions

24 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 1 municipality (krong, singular and plural)

provinces: Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom, Kampot, Kandal, Kep, Koh Kong, Kratie, Mondolkiri, Oddar Meanchey, Pailin, Preah Sihanouk, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Pursat, Ratanakiri, Siem Reap, Stung Treng, Svay Rieng, Takeo, Tbong Khmum

municipalities: Phnom Penh (Phnum Penh)

Agricultural products

cassava, rice, maize, sugarcane, vegetables, oil palm fruit, rubber, bananas, jute, pork (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Military and security forces

Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF): Royal Cambodian Army, Royal Khmer Navy, Royal Cambodian Air Force, Royal Gendarmerie (Military Police); National Committee for Maritime Security (2025)

note 1: the National Committee for Maritime Security performs coast guard functions and has representation from military and civilian agencies

note 2: the Cambodian National Police are under the Ministry of Interior

Budget

revenues: $5.9 billion (2020 est.)

expenditures: $4.666 billion (2020 est.)

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Capital

name: Phnom Penh

geographic coordinates: 11 33 N, 104 55 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the name means "mountain of plenty," from the Cambodian words phnom (mountain or hill) and penh (full)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, fabric, gold, plastic products, synthetic fabric (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Climate

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

Coastline

443 km

Constitution

history: previous 1947; latest promulgated 21 September 1993

amendment process: proposed by the monarch, by the prime minister, or by the president of the National Assembly if supported by one fourth of the Assembly membership; passage requires two-thirds majority of the Assembly membership; constitutional articles on the multiparty democratic form of government and the monarchy cannot be amended

Exchange rates

riels (KHR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
4,110.653 (2023 est.)
4,102.038 (2022 est.)
4,098.723 (2021 est.)
4,092.783 (2020 est.)
4,061.149 (2019 est.)

Executive branch

chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister HUN MANET (since 22 August 2023)

cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch

elections/appointments: monarch chosen by the 9-member Royal Council of the Throne from among all eligible males of royal descent; following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or majority coalition named prime minister by the Chairman of the National Assembly and appointed by the monarch

note: MANET succeeded his father, HUN SEN, who had been prime minister since 1985

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; red and blue are traditional Cambodian colors

note: only national flag to prominently incorporate an actual identifiable building into its design (a few other national flags - those of Afghanistan, San Marino, Portugal, and Spain - show small generic buildings as part of their coats of arms on the flag)

Illicit drugs

a significant transshipment country for Burma-sourced methamphetamine and heroin and a location for large-scale ketamine production; transnational criminal organizations (TCO’s) use Cambodia as both a transit and destination for illicit drugs; precursor chemicals from mainly China used at domestic clandestine laboratories operated by TCOs for the manufacturing of methamphetamine, ketamine, and other synthetic drugs

(2021)

Independence

9 November 1953 (from France)

Industries

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Council (organized into 5- and 9-judge panels and includes a court chief and deputy chief); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Council judge candidates recommended by the Supreme Council of Magistracy, a 17-member body chaired by the monarch and includes other high-level judicial officers; judges of both courts appointed by the monarch; Supreme Court judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council judges appointed for 9-year terms with one third of the court renewed every 3 years

subordinate courts: Appellate Court; provincial and municipal courts; Military Court

Land boundaries

total: 2,530 km

border countries (3): Laos 555 km; Thailand 817 km; Vietnam 1158 km

Land use

agricultural land: 34.6% (2022 est.)

arable land: 23.3% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 2.8% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 8.5% (2022 est.)

forest: 43.9% (2022 est.)

other: 21.4% (2022 est.)

Legal system

civil law system (influenced by the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia) customary law, Communist legal theory, and common law

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament

legislative structure: bicameral

note: the EU, UN, and US condemned the July 2023 National Assembly election as neither free nor fair

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 83.9%

male: 88.4%

female: 79.8% (2021)

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm

International organization participation

ADB, ARF, ASEAN, CICA, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

National holiday

Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Nationality

noun: Cambodian(s)

adjective: Cambodian

Natural resources

oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential, arable land

Geography - note

a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap (Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake)

Economic overview

one of the fastest growing economies; tourism and clothing exports; substantial manufacturing and construction sectors; COVID-19 declines and the suspension of EU market preferential access; massive reductions in poverty, but rural areas remain disproportionately poor

Political parties

Candlelight Party or CP
Cambodian People's Party or CPP
Khmer Will Party or KWP

note 1: 18 parties registered to run in the 2023 parliamentary election

note 2: the Cambodian Government disqualified the Candlelight Party, the main opposition party, from the July 2023 election

Railways

total: 642 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 642 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

note: under restoration

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: Cambodia’s mobile-dominated telecoms sector spent much of 2020 battling two major challenges: the global pandemic, and the government’s retraction of trial licenses for the rollout of 5G; citing concerns about waste and inefficiency occurring if each operator built a separate 5G infrastructure in order to maximize their own network’s coverage (and, presumably, to capture greater market share), the regulator withdrew the licenses that the operators had been using for their 5G trials; this was despite all of the operators having already announced a successful completion of their trials; more than a year later, the market is still waiting on the government to release its 5G policy and roadmap, along with the allocation of spectrum and approvals to permit commercial operation; there is little expectation of any further progress happening before the start of 2022; the mobile network operators have maintained their focus and investment strategies on upgrading and expanding their existing LTE networks around the country, and to 5G-enable their base stations; when the 5G market eventually arrives, the underlying infrastructure will at least be ready to support a rapid adoption of the higher-value applications and services; the mobile market fell back slightly during 2020 and 2021 (in terms of total subscriber numbers) as the Covid-19 crisis wore on, but it remains in relatively good health as mobile users increased their data usage over the period; the mobile broadband market experienced a small but very rare contraction in 2020, although rates were already very high in this area; there is likely to be a quick rebound to previous levels once economic conditions stabilize, followed by a modest rates of growth over the next five years; the number of fixed telephony lines in service continues to fall sharply as customers migrate to mobile platforms for both voice and data; the lack of any widespread fixed-line infrastructure has had a flow-on effect in the fixed-line broadband market, a sector that also remains largely under-developed (2021)

domestic: fixed-line connections stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular usage, aided by competition among service providers, is about 120 per 100 persons (2021)

international: country code - 855; landing points for MCT and AAE-1 via submarine cables providing communication to Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) (2019)

Terrain

mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Government type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia

conventional short form: Cambodia

local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic transliteration)

local short form: Kampuchea

former: Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea, People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia

etymology: the name is derived from Kambu, a legendary ancestor of the Cambodian people

Location

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

Map references

Southeast Asia

Irrigated land

3,540 sq km (2012)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Socheat OUM (since 20 September 2024)

chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742

FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381

email address and website:
camemb.usa@mfaic.gov.kh

https://www.embassyofcambodiadc.org/

Internet users

percent of population: 57% (2022 est.)

Internet country code

.kh

GDP (official exchange rate)

$42.336 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Trafficking in persons

tier rating: Tier 3 — Cambodia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Cambodia remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/cambodia/

Credit ratings

Moody's rating: B2 (2007)

Standard & Poors rating: N/A (2014)

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Total renewable water resources

476.1 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 25.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 3.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Broadcast media

mixture of state-owned, joint public-private, and privately owned broadcast media; 27 TV broadcast stations with most operating on multiple channels, including 1 state-operated station broadcasting from multiple locations, 11 stations either jointly operated or privately owned with some broadcasting from several locations; multi-channel cable and satellite systems are available (2019); 84 radio broadcast stations - 1 state-owned broadcaster with multiple stations and a large mixture of public and private broadcasters; one international broadcaster is available (2019) as well as one Chinese joint venture television station with the Ministry of Interior; several television and radio operators broadcast online only (often via Facebook) (2019)

Drinking water source

improved:

urban: 99.3% of population

rural: 80.6% of population

total: 85.1% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0.7% of population

rural: 19.4% of population

total: 14.9% of population (2020 est.)

National anthem

name: "Nokoreach" (Royal Kingdom)

lyrics/music: CHUON NAT/F. PERRUCHOT and J. JEKYLL

note: adopted 1941, restored 1993; the anthem, based on a Cambodian folk tune, was restored after the defeat of the Communist regime

This is an audio of the National Anthem for Cambodia. The national anthem is generally a patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.

Major urban areas - population

2.281 million PHNOM PENH (capital) (2023)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Physician density

0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Hospital bed density

1.9 beds/1,000 population (2016)

National symbol(s)

Angkor Wat temple, kouprey (wild ox); national colors: red, blue

Mother's mean age at first birth

23.3 years (2021-22 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Contraceptive prevalence rate

56.3% (2014)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 60.3% (2023 est.)

government consumption: 6.1% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 32.7% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.6% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services: 66.9% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services: -67.3% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 52.1 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 44 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 8.1 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 12.4 (2024 est.)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cambodia

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Population distribution

population concentrated in the southeast, particularly in and around the capital of Phnom Penh; further distribution is linked closely to the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 92.3% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas: 99%

electrification - rural areas: 88%

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Sanitation facility access

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: 69.3% of population

total: 76.8% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population

rural: 30.7% of population

total: 23.2% of population (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Khmer 95.4%, Cham 2.4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 0.7% (2019-20 est.)

Religions

Buddhist (official) 97.1%, Muslim 2%, Christian 0.3%, other 0.5% (2019 est.)

Languages

Khmer (official) 95.8%, minority languages 2.9%, Chinese 0.6%, Vietnamese 0.5%, other 0.2% (2019 est.)

major-language sample(s):
សៀវភៅហេតុការណនៅលើពិភពលោក។ ទីតាំងពត៏មានមូលដានគ្រឹះយាងសំខាន់។. (Khmer)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Khmer audio sample

Imports - partners

China 39%, Thailand 20%, Vietnam 12%, Singapore 6%, Indonesia 3% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons: 75,000 (2022)

Elevation

highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m

mean elevation: 126 m

Current health expenditure

7.5% of GDP (2021)

Military - note

the RCAF’s primary responsibilities are border, coastal, and internal security; since 2016, the RCAF has regularly conducted a small annual training exercise known as “Golden Dragon” with the military of China, its closest security partner

the RCAF was re-established in 1993 under the first coalition government from the merger of the Cambodian Government’s military forces (Cambodian People’s Armed Forces) and the two non-communist resistance forces (Sihanoukist National Army, aka National Army for Khmer Independence, and the Khmer People's National Liberation Armed Forces); thousands of communist Khmer Rouge fighters began surrendering by 1994 under a government amnesty program and the last of the Khmer Rouge forces (National Army of Democratic Kampuchea) were demobilized or absorbed into the RCAF in 1999

Cambodia continues to be one of the most densely landmine-contaminated countries in the world; by the early 1990s, various aid organizations estimated there were 8-10 million landmines scattered throughout the country, with a particularly heavy concentration on a 1,000-km (620-mile) strip along the northwest Thai-Cambodia border known as the "K5 belt"; the mines were laid during Cambodia’s decades-long war by the Cambodian army, the Vietnamese, the Khmer Rouge, the non-communist fighters, and US forces; part of Cambodia's defense policy is demining the territory with the intent of having the entire country cleared of unexploded ordnances by 2035; over 1 million landmines and over 3 million explosives were discovered and removed from 1992 to 2018; in 2018, the Cambodian government and Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), a government agency, launched the National Mine Action Strategy for 2018-2025 (2024)

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; estimated 150-200,000 Armed Forces personnel (2024)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the RCAF is armed largely with older Chinese and Russian-origin equipment; in recent years it has received limited amounts of more modern equipment from several suppliers, particularly China (2024)

note: in December 2021, the US Government halted arms-related trade with Cambodia, citing deepening Chinese military influence, corruption, and human rights abuses by the government and armed forces; the policy of denial applied to licenses or other approvals for exports and imports of defense articles and defense services destined for or originating in Cambodia, with exceptions (on a case-by-case basis) related to conventional weapons destruction and humanitarian demining activities

Military deployments

340 Central African Republic (MINUSCA); 180 Lebanon (UNIFIL) (2024)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 100 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 2.05 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.089 million tons (2014 est.)

Average household expenditures

on food: 40.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 1.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 17.8 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 9.92 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 14.88 megatons (2020 est.)

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 4 (all cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Angkor; Temple of Preah Vihear; Sambor Prei Kuk; Koh Ker: Archaeological Site of Ancient Lingapora or Chok Gargyar

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Tonle Sap - 2,700-16,000 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Mekong (shared with China [s], Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam [m]) - 4,350 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Coal

production: 27,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption: 4.39 million metric tons (2023 est.)

imports: 4.36 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 55.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 5.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity: 38.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 77,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.06 (2024 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

66.4% (2023 est.)

Remittances

6.57% of GDP (2023 est.)
6.54% of GDP (2022 est.)
6.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Ports

total ports: 2 (2024)

large: 0

medium: 1

small: 0

very small: 1

ports with oil terminals: 1

key ports: Kampong Saom, Phsar Ream

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name: National Assembly (Radhsphea Ney Preah Recheanachakr Kampuchea)

number of seats: 125 (all directly elected)

electoral system: proportional representation

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 7/23/2023

parties elected and seats per party: Cambodian People's Party (CPP) (120); Other (5)

percentage of women in chamber: 13.6%

expected date of next election: July 2028

note: the EU, UN, and US condemned the July 2023 National Assembly election as neither free nor fair

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name: Senate

number of seats: 62 (60 indirectly elected; 2 appointed)

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 6 years

most recent election date: 2/25/2024

percentage of women in chamber: 19.4%

expected date of next election: February 2030

Labor force

9.229 million (2023 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 0.8% (2023 est.)

male: 0.7% (2023 est.)

female: 0.9% (2023 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Net migration rate

-2.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 27.9 years (2024 est.)

male: 26.9 years

female: 28.9 years

Debt - external

$8.846 billion (2023 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

218 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$19.984 billion (2023 est.)
$17.801 billion (2022 est.)
$20.27 billion (2021 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Public debt

30.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.17 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

0.24% (2023 est.)
0.25% (2022 est.)
0.4% (2021 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population

total: 17,063,669 (2024 est.)

male: 8,277,588

female: 8,786,081

Carbon dioxide emissions

18.779 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 8.026 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 10.753 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Area

total : 181,035 sq km

land: 176,515 sq km

water: 4,520 sq km

Taxes and other revenues

11.99% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$116.576 billion (2023 est.)
$111.067 billion (2022 est.)
$105.674 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

Airports

12 (2025)

Infant mortality rate

total: 27.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 31.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 24.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 19.5 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 116 (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.13% (2023 est.)
5.34% (2022 est.)
2.92% (2021 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Current account balance

$552.346 million (2023 est.)
-$7.582 billion (2022 est.)
-$10.893 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Real GDP per capita

$6,700 (2023 est.)
$6,500 (2022 est.)
$6,200 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 510,000 (2022 est.) Slowly increase as focus is on mobile internet

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2022 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 21.1% (2020 est.)

male: 36.1% (2020 est.)

female: 6% (2020 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

3.9% (2016)

Energy consumption per capita

15.664 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Birth rate

18.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 3.673 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 16.998 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports: 5.096 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 1.882 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 195 (2023)

by type: container ship 2, general cargo 123, oil tanker 18, other 52

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

16.3% (2022)

Imports

$29.421 billion (2023 est.)
$34.759 billion (2022 est.)
$32.816 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports

$27.753 billion (2023 est.)
$25.497 billion (2022 est.)
$20.178 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Heliports

1 (2025)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 38,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 4.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 4.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 0.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.4 years (2024 est.)

male: 69.6 years

female: 73.3 years

Real GDP growth rate

4.96% (2023 est.)
5.1% (2022 est.)
3.03% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Industrial production growth rate

5.31% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 17.1% (2023 est.)

industry: 40.5% (2023 est.)

services: 36.2% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Revenue from forest resources

0.84% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Education expenditures

3.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Population growth rate

0.99% (2024 est.)

Sources: