Cambodia Facts and Figures

Country Name
The Kingdom of Cambodia
Neighbouring Countries
Vietnam, Thailand and Laos
Time Zone
GMT+7
Government
Constitutional Monarchy
Land Area
181,035 sq km
Population
13,363,421 (July 2004 est.)
Capital City
Phnom Penh
People
Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, Other 4%
Religion
Theravada Buddhism (95%), Cham Muslim, Roman Catholic, Animism
Languages
Khmer, English, French
Currency
Cambodian Riel (US$1=4000 Riel), US Dollar
Country Code
855

Capital

Cambodia's capital city is Phnom Penh, with estimated population of approx 1.3 million and an annual rate of growth of 3.5%. Cambodia's urban population (10%-15% of the total) is principally located in two centers Phnom Penh and Kampong Cham.

Climate

Cambodia has four seasons:

  1. Nov-Feb, cool/dry
  2. Mar-May, hot/dry
  3. Jun-Aug, hot/wet
  4. Sep-Oct, cool/wet

Cambodia's climate is dominated by tropical monsoons, monsoonal with a pronounced wet and dry season. The wet season accounts for 80% of the annual rainfall. Typhoons (tropical cyclones), which often devastate coastal Vietnam, rarely cause damage in Cambodia. Temperatures range from a minimum of 25C in January to 29C in April. Temperatures higher than 32C are common and, just prior to the rainy season, may rise to more than 38C. The temperature rarely falls below 10C. Humidity ranges from 65-70% in January and February to 85-90% in August and September. The total annual rainfall average is between 100 and 150 centimeters, and the heaviest amounts fall in the southeast. The relative humidity is high at night throughout the year; usually it exceeds 90%. During the daytime in the dry season, humidity averages about 50% or slightly lower but it may remain about 60% in the rainy period.

Population

13,363,421 (July 2004 est.) 42% of the population is under 14 years due to the baby boom alter in 1979. An estimated 85-90% of the population lives in rural areas. The proportion of women in the adult population is high, 60% are females, and growing at an estimated rate of between 2.5% - 3.0% per annum. By Southeast Asian standards, this rate of population increase is high, and contrasts sharply with the rate for Asia as a whole. The national average population density is 59.1 persons per km2.

Economy

Cambodia's economy is dominated by the agricultural sector which contributes 50% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and employs three-quarter of the labor force. Services account for 35 % of the GPD, and industry 15 %. (2000 est.). Tourism is becoming one of the most important economic activities in Cambodia with more than 800.000 visitors in the year 2002.

About Cambodia