Country Profile: Cambodia

Cambodia, located in Southeastern Asia, shares borders with Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos and has a population of approximately 17 million people. The country has a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, with significant political influence held by the Cambodian People's Party (CPP). Despite being one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia, Cambodia remains one of the region's poorest nations, grappling with issues such as governance, corruption, and a heavy reliance on agriculture and manufacturing.

Geography

Cambodia is characterized by a tropical climate with a mix of low flat plains and mountainous regions. The Mekong River and Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake, dominate its geography, influencing population distribution primarily in the southeastern part of the country.

Total land area: 181,035 sq km
Land boundaries: 2,530 km (Laos 555 km; Thailand 817 km; Vietnam 1,158 km)
Major lakes: Tonle Sap (2,700-16,000 sq km)
Highest point: Phnum Aoral, standing at 1,810 m
Coastline: 443 km along the Gulf of Thailand

People and Society

Cambodia has a diverse society where 95.4% of the population identifies as Khmer. The majority practice Buddhism, with 97.1% of the population adhering to the faith. Despite a young population with a median age of 27.9 years, the country faces challenges such as high levels of youth dependency and limited access to quality healthcare and education.

Population (2024 est.): 17,063,669
Ethnic composition: Khmer 95.4%, Chinese 1.5%, Cham 2.4%
Urbanization rate: 25.6% of total population (2023)
Official language: Khmer, spoken by 95.8% of the population
Literacy rate: 71.9%

Economy

Cambodia's economy is rapidly growing, driven by tourism and garment exports. The industrial sector is significant, accounting for nearly 41.8% of the GDP, while agriculture remains vital at 16.6%. Despite this growth, Cambodia grapples with substantial public debt and infrastructure challenges.

Real GDP (PPP, 2024 est.): $123.676 billion
GDP growth rate (2024 est.): 6%
Unemployment rate (2024 est.): 0.3%
Exports (2024 est.): $31.712 billion (mainly garments and food)
Public debt (2023 est.): 50.3% of GDP

Government

Cambodia operates as a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with a multi-party system, although elections have faced criticism for fairness. The King serves as head of state, while the Prime Minister is the head of government. The CPP has maintained political control through tactics that limit civil liberties.

Government type: Parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Current Prime Minister: HUN MANET (since August 2023)
Political parties: Candlight Party, Cambodian People's Party (CPP)
Legislature: Bicameral Parliament (National Assembly and Senate)
Suffrage: Universal suffrage at age 18

Military and Security

The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) encompass the Army, Navy, and Air Force, with a focus on national and internal security. Cambodia's military expenditures have remained stable, but the country has faced challenges regarding equipment modernization and external military relations.

Estimated armed forces personnel: 200,000 (2025 est.)
Military expenditures (2024 est.): 1.5% of GDP
Military service age: 18 years
International deployments: 340 troops in Central African Republic and 180 in Lebanon (2024)
Military equipment: Primarily older equipment from China and Russia

Energy

Cambodia's electricity access has improved significantly, with over 92% of the population having access as of 2022. The energy sector is diversifying with significant investments in renewable sources, primarily hydroelectricity and solar power.

Total electricity consumption: 16.998 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access to electricity: 92.3% of the population (2022 est.)
Main energy sources: Fossil fuels (55.5%), hydroelectricity (38.6%), solar (5.8%)
Coal production: 27,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 18.779 million metric tonnes (2023 est.)

Environment

Cambodia faces significant environmental challenges, including deforestation, habitat loss, and pollution. It is party to several international environmental agreements but continues to struggle with issues such as water access and biodiversity loss.

Environmental issues: Habitat loss, illegal logging, pollution
Forest cover: 43.9% of total land area (2022 est.)
Water resources: 476.1 billion cubic meters of renewable water resources (2020 est.)
Urban population: 25.6% of total population (2023)
Waste generated annually: 1.089 million tons (2014 est.)

Transportation

Cambodia's transportation infrastructure includes a network of roads, railways, and air travel, with ongoing improvements and expansions in ports and roads to support economic growth.

Total railways: 642 km (2014)
Airports: 12 airports (2025)
Merchant marine: 195 vessels (2023)
Ports: 2 operational ports (Kampong Saom and Phsar Ream)
Heliports: 1 (2025)

Communications

Cambodia has seen significant growth in mobile and internet communications, with a large percentage of the population owning mobile phones. The media landscape is diverse, with both state-controlled and independent outlets.

Mobile cellular subscriptions: 19.5 million (2022)
Internet usage: 61% of the population (2023)
Total fixed-line subscriptions: 38,000 (2022)
Broadband subscriptions: 510,000 (2022)
Broadcast media: 27 TV stations and 84 radio stations

Key Metrics

Metric	Value	Note
Total Population	17,063,669 (2024 est.)
Area	181,035 sq km
Real GDP (PPP)	$123.676 billion (2024 est.)
Unemployment Rate	0.3% (2024 est.)
Birth Rate	18.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Life Expectancy	71.4 years (2024 est.)
Electricity Access	92.3% (2022 est.)
Forest Cover	43.9% (2022 est.)	Percentage of total land area
Total Energy Consumption per Capita	15.664 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures	1.5% of GDP (2024 est.)