1.
[syn: Cambodia, Kingdom of Cambodia, Kampuchea]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Cambodia
n 1: a nation in southeastern Asia; was part of Indochina under
French rule until 1946 [syn: Cambodia, Kingdom of
Cambodia, Kampuchea]
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Cambodia
Introduction Cambodia
---------------------
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 13 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.
Geography Cambodia
------------------
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: contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200 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: timber, gemstones, some iron ore,
manganese, phosphates, hydropower
potential
Land use: arable land: 20.96%
permanent crops: 0.61%
other: 78.43% (1998 est.)
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, 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 party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: 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
Geography - note: a land of paddies and forests
dominated by the Mekong River and
Tonle Sap
People Cambodia
---------------
Population: 12,775,324
note: estimates for this country
explicitly 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 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 40.7% (male 2,646,883;
female 2,550,015)
15-64 years: 55.8% (male 3,373,692;
female 3,758,736)
65 years and over: 3.5% (male
182,149; female 263,849) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.24% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 32.93 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 10.51 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 57.1 years
female: 59.5 years (2002 est.)
male: 54.81 years
Total fertility rate: 4.66 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 4.04% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 220,000 (1999 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 14,000 (1999 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: 35%
male: 48%
female: 22% (1990 est.)
Government Cambodia
-------------------
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
Government type: multiparty democracy under a
constitutional monarchy established
in September 1993
Capital: Phnom Penh
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* (Sihanoukville),
Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah
Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay
Rieng, Takev
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 30 November 1998) and
Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG
(since NA) and TOL LAH (since NA)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarch is
chosen by a Royal Throne Council;
prime minister appointed by the
monarch after a vote of confidence
by the National Assembly
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)
elections: National Assembly - last
held 26 July 1998 (next to be held
NA July 2003); Senate - last held 2
March 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results: National Assembly
- percent of vote by party - CPP
41%, FUNCINPEC 32%, SRP 14%, other
13%; seats by party - CPP 64,
FUNCINPEC 43, SRP 15; Senate -
percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - CPP 31, FUNCINPEC
21, SRP 7, other 2
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: 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 NA
leaders:
International organization ACCT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP,
participation: ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU,
NAM, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador ROLAND
ENG
FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381
telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742
chancery: 4500 16th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20011
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Kent M.
US: WIEDEMANN
embassy: 16-18 Mongkol lem St. 228,
Phnom Penh
mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546
telephone: [855] (23) 216-436
FAX: [855] (23) 216-437
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
----------------
Economy - overview: Cambodia's economy slowed
dramatically in 1997-98 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%. GDP growth for 2000
had been projected to reach 5.5%,
but the worst flooding in 70 years
severely damaged agricultural crops,
and high oil prices hurt industrial
production, and growth for the year
is estimated at only 4%. In 2001,
severe floods damaged an estimated
15% of the area devoted to rice.
Tourism now is Cambodia's fastest
growing industry, with arrivals up
34% in 2000 and up another 40% in
2001 before the September 11
terrorist attacks in the US. 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. On the brighter side, the
government is addressing these
issues with assistance from
bilateral and multilateral donors.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $18.7
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,500
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50%
industry: 15%
services: 35% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 36% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 2.9%
percentage share: highest 10%: 33.8% (1997)
Distribution of family income - Gini 40.4 (1997)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 6 million (1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate: 2.8% (1999 est.)
Budget: revenues: $363 million
expenditures: $532 million,
including capital expenditures of
$225 million (2000 est.)
Industries: tourism, garments, rice milling,
fishing, wood and wood products,
rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 132 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.12%
hydro: 37.88%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 122.76 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: rice, rubber, corn, vegetables
Exports: $1.05 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities: timber, garments, rubber, rice, fish
Exports - partners: US 46.4%, Vietnam 26.1%, Germany
5.6%, Singapore 5.0%, UK 3.9% (2000)
Imports: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities: petroleum products, cigarettes,
gold, construction materials,
machinery, motor vehicles
Imports - partners: Singapore 22.5%, Thailand 19.8%,
Hong Kong 15.6%, China 4.9%, Vietnam
4.9% (2000)
Debt - external: $829 million (1999 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $548 million pledged in grants and
concessional loans for 2001 by
international donors
Currency: riel (KHR)
Currency code: KHR
Exchange rates: riels per US dollar - 3,895.0
(January 2002), 3,918.5 (2001),
3,840.8 (2000), 3,807.8 (1999),
3,744.4 (1998), 2,946.3 (1997)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Cambodia
-----------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 21,800 (mid-1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 80,000 (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: adequate
landline and/or cellular service in
Phnom Penh and other provincial
cities; rural areas have little
telephone service
domestic: NA
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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1999)
Radios: 1.34 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 5 (1999)
Televisions: 94,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .kh
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
Internet users: 6,000 (2001)
Transportation Cambodia
-----------------------
Railways: total: 603 km
narrow gauge: 603 km 1.000-m gauge
(2001 est.)
Highways: total: 35,769 km
paved: 4,165 km
unpaved: 31,604 km (1997)
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
Ports and harbors: Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville),
Kampot, Krong Kaoh Kong, Phnom Penh
Merchant marine: total: 404 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 1,889,404 GRT/2,740,232 DWT
ships by type: bulk 37, cargo 312,
chemical tanker 2, combination bulk
5, container 7, liquefied gas 1,
livestock carrier 2, multi-
functional large-load carrier 1,
passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker
15, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/
roll off 9, short-sea passenger 2
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Aruba 1, Belize 8,
British Virgin Islands 1, Bulgaria
3, China 21, Cyprus 15, Denmark 1,
Egypt 7, Estonia 1, Georgia 1,
Germany 1, Greece 12, Honduras 5,
Hong Kong 12, Iceland 1, Indonesia
2, Iran 1, Ireland 1, Italy 1, Japan
5, Jordan 1, Latvia 2, Lebanon 5,
Liberia 5, Lithuania 1, Malta 1,
Netherlands 1, Norway 2, Panama 7,
Romania 4, Russia 67, Saint Kitts
and Nevis 10, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 4, Singapore 15, South
Korea 24, Syria 13, Thailand 1,
Turkey 22, Ukraine 13, United Arab
Emirates 2, United Kingdom 1, United
States 5, Vietnam 2, Virgin Islands
(UK) 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 20 (2001)
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 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 15
under 914 m: 1 (2001)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 13
Heliports: 2 (2001)
Military Cambodia
-----------------
Military branches: Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF):
Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 2,990,790 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 1,673,713 (2002
service: est.)
Military manpower - reaching males: 162,643 (2002 est.)
military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $112 million (FY01 est.)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 3% (FY01 est.)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Cambodia
-----------------------------
Disputes - international: demarcation of boundaries with
Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam is
nearing completion; accuses Thailand
of moving or destroying boundary
markers and encroachment, of not
respecting its claims, and of
sealing off access to the Preah
Vihear temple ruin awarded to
Cambodia by the ICJ in 1962; accuses
Vietnam of territorial encroachments
and initiating armed border
incidents in seven provinces,
despite substantial demarcation
efforts to date; disputes several
offshore islands with Vietnam, which
prevents delimitation of a maritime
boundary
Illicit drugs: possible money laundering;
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