Cambodia
in South-Eastern Asia
Asia

National active POI Bordering countries
Location Summary
Currency and Currency Code:
Riels - KHR
Spoken languages:
Central Khmer, French, English
Local electricity:
230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: A, C, G)
Mobile phone / cellular frequencies (MHz):
900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G
ISO 2-Letter code:
KH
Internet top level domain:
.kh
Country phone prefix:
+855
Local Time (capital):
Timezone:
UTC/GMT offset: hours
Current travel safety evaluation for Cambodia in South-Eastern Asia

Safety Score: 3,0 of 5.0 based on data from 9 authorites. Meaning we advice caution when travelling to Cambodia.

Travel warnings are updated daily. Source: Travel Warning Cambodia. Last Update: 2024-03-28 08:18:27

Explore Cambodia

Cambodia with its capital Phnom Penh is located in Asia (Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand). It covers some 181,036 square kilometers (one and a half times the size of Pennsylvania) with a population of 16,204,500. Central Khmer, French and English are the languages spoken by people in Cambodia (consider regional differences). Laos, Thailand and Vietnam are bordering countries.

Camboida is a Southeast Asian nation bordered by Vietnam to the east, Laos to the north, Thailand to the northwest, and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest. Laze on the beach in Sihanoukville. Enjoy the river and peace in Kampot. Visit the temples of Angkor near Siem Reap. Go On A Boat Party In Phnom Penh.

Popular Destinations in Cambodia

Administrative regions of Cambodia

About the country

The topography is mostly low, flat plains with mountains in southwest and north. The average density of population is about 90 per km². The climate in Cambodia can be described as tropicalrainy, monsoon season (May to November), dry season (December to April), little seasonal temperature variation. Potential natural disasters are flooding, monsoonal rains (June to November) and occasional droughts.

To reach someone Cambodia dial +855 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".kh". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: A, C, G). The sign for the locally used currency Riels is KHR.

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.

Flag of Cambodia

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 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 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 cease-fire, 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. The most recent local (Commune Council) elections were held in Cambodia in 2012, with little of the preelection violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2013 were disputed, with the opposition - the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) - boycotting the National Assembly. The political impasse was ended nearly a year later, with the CNRP agreeing to enter parliament in exchange for ruling party commitments to electoral and legislative reforms.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 91) 181,035sq km
Land (World Rank: 89) 176,515sq km
Water (World Rank: 69) 4,520sq km
Forest (World Rank: 135) 8.50%
Comparative one and a half times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oklahoma
Coastline
443
Landborder
2530
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 136) 1,810m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 130) 32.10%
Arable (World Rank: 48) 22.70%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 126) 0.90%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 135) 8.50%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 64) 3,540sq km
Map reference
Southeast Asia
Environment
Issues
  • - declining fish stocks because of illegal fishing and overfishing
  • - destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries)
  • - 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
  • - in rural areas
  • - most of the population does not have access to potable water
  • - soil erosion
Agreement party
  • - Biodiversity
  • - Climate Change
  • - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
  • - Desertification
  • - Endangered Species
  • - Hazardous Wastes
  • - Marine Life Conservation
  • - Ozone Layer Protection
  • - Ship Pollution
  • - Tropical Timber 94
  • - Wetlands
  • - Whaling
Agreement signed Law of the Sea
Hazzards
  • - flooding
  • - monsoonal rains (June to November)
  • - occasional droughts
Location
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos
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

People

Population
Total (World Rank: 68) 16,204,500
Deathrate (World Rank: 110) 0.75%
Birthrate (World Rank: 65) 2.30%
Growthrate (World Rank: 74) 1.52%
Migration rate (World Rank: 80) -0.03%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 77) 2.52%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 152) 24.60
Female (World Rank: 149) 26.00
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 69) 2,537,750
0 14 female (World Rank: 69) 2,487,630
15 24 male (World Rank: 67) 1,471,960
15 24 female (World Rank: 63) 1,503,980
25 54 male (World Rank: 63) 3,229,900
25 54 female (World Rank: 63) 3,361,480
55 64 male (World Rank: 81) 374,663
55 64 female (World Rank: 68) 547,971
65 x male (World Rank: 94) 258,584
65 x female (World Rank: 81) 430,564
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 35) 4.74%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 178) 65years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 177) 68years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 183) 62years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 152) 0.17
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 163) 0.70
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 167) 42.40%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 189) 3.90%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 174) 75.50%

Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 123) 4,236,000,000kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 120) 4,952,000,000kWh
Import (World Rank: 58) 1,526,000,000kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 170) 37.60%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 27) 60.30%
Source renew (World Rank: 115) 2.10%
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 113) 39,000bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 91) 37,930bbl / day
Natural gas
Consumption (World Rank: 128) 24
Carbon footprint
6500000

Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 166) 2% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 55) 2% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 117) 6% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 59) -1% of GDP
National symbol
kouprey
National colours
red
Adjective
Cambodian
Noun
Cambodian(s)
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 April 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 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 cease-fire, 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. The most recent local (Commune Council) elections were held in Cambodia in 2012, with little of the preelection violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2013 were disputed, with the opposition - the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) - boycotting the National Assembly. The political impasse was ended nearly a year later, with the CNRP agreeing to enter parliament in exchange for ruling party commitments to electoral and legislative reforms.
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

Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 105) 59,020,000,000USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 14) 7.00%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 177) 3,700USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 24) 26.70%
Source industry (World Rank: 69) 31.70%
Source service (World Rank: 199) 41.60%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 63) 7,777,000
In poverty (World Rank: 116) 17.70%
Products
Industries
  • - cement
  • - construction
  • - fishing
  • - garments
  • - gem mining
  • - rice milling
  • - rubber
  • - textiles
  • - tourism
  • - wood
  • - wood products
Agriculture
  • - cashews
  • - cassava
  • - corn
  • - manioc
  • - rice
  • - rubber
  • - silk
  • - tapioca
  • - vegetables
Exports
  • - clothing
  • - fish
  • - footwear
  • - rice
  • - rubber
  • - timber
  • - tobacco
Imports
  • - cigarettes
  • - construction materials
  • - gold
  • - machinery
  • - motor vehicles
  • - petroleum products
  • - pharmaceutical products

Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 122) 227,261
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 182) 1.50
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 68) 125.00
Assessment 0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 86) 4,080,370
Population (World Rank: 169) 25.60%

Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 138) 6.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 134) 10.00
Heliports (World Rank: 92) 1.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 108) 642
Road
Total length (World Rank: 80) 44,709
Paved length (World Rank: 109) 3,607
Unpaved length (World Rank: 39) 41,102
Water
Total length (World Rank: 29) 3,700