About Cambodia

Cambodia is the country, which is located in southeastern Asia and border with Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. It is about 1.81 million square kilometers, 16 million people (2017), 90 % of whom are Buddhist and speak Khmer language. It is governed by a constitutional monarchy. The climate is the temperate monsoon climate, and Cambodia has the dry season from November to May, and the rainy season from June to October. 80% of the population live in villages, and 60% of the population are farmers and earn living cost with agriculture.

Statistical Information

1. Domestic industry

     Tourism and related service                                               42.3 %

     Agriculture                                                                          25.0 %

   Mining and manufacturing                                                  32.7 %

(Cambodian governmental materials, 2017)

2. The rate of economic growth                                                 7.0 % (2017)

3. GDP per capita                                                                    $ 22,3 billion (2017)

4. GDP per person                                                                    $1,390 (2017)

5. The ratio of people who live under $ 2                         8.28 million (55.0 %)

6. The average expectancy                                                         63 years old

7. The infant mortality rate                                                        26.0 % (2016)

8. The under 5years old children mortality rate                        31.0 % (2016)

9. The literacy rate of adult                                                       71.0% (2016)

10. The ratio of people who can use safe and clean water      75.0 %

(The STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN, UNICEF, 2016) 

Issues and Problems in Cambodia

Although the rapid economic growth has continued, Cambodia is yet one of the least developed countries. According to a research by the UNDP, the result shows that 45.9% of the population, about 6.7 million people, suffer from poverty. The domestic economic situations are not strong yet because most of them are low level of incomes and the workforce is insufficient.

On the other hand, inequities among people have been larger and larger in the country. People in poverty have stayed in tense economic situations while a mere part of people, most of whom live in Phnom Penh, have become richer. Therefore, 90% of people in poverty live in remote villages.

• Increasing Gaps between the Rich and the Poor (the increasing number of people living in slam areas)

The population in Phnom Penh is approximate 1.5 million, 20 to 30% of whom live in slam areas in the city. The number of people in slam areas, who came from other areas to Phnom Penh to find job opportunities, have been increasing by 20,000 a year.

• Children Workers

The ratio of working children in Cambodia is 37%, and the number of workers who are under 12 years old is over 0.75 million. (The STATE OF THE WORLD’S CHILDREN, UNICEF, 2013)

• Environmental Deterioration; Deforestation

The ratio of the forest area to land has decreased from 80% to 60%. After 2005, 0.12 million square meter of forest has been vanishing every year; it corresponds to the 20% of land of Phnom Penh City.