Short facts about the economy in 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 4%. 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%. Tourism is Cambodia's fastest growing industry, with arrivals up 34% in 2000. 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 - $16.1 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:

purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture:  43% industry:  20% services:  37% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line:

36% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%:  2.9% highest 10%:  33.8% (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.6% (2000 est.)

Labor force:

6 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture 80% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:

2.8% (1999 est.)

Budget:

revenues:  $363 million expenditures:  $532 million, including capital expenditures of $225 million (2000 est.)

Industries:

garments, tourism, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

147 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel:  59.18% hydro:  40.82% nuclear:  0% other:  0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption:

136.7 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products:

rice, rubber, corn, vegetables

Exports:

$942 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:

timber, garments, rubber, rice, fish

Exports - partners:

Vietnam 18%, Thailand 15%, US 10%, Singapore 8%, China 5% (1997)

Imports:

$1.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:

cigarettes, gold, construction materials, petroleum products, machinery, motor vehicles

Imports - partners:

Thailand 16%, Vietnam 9%, Japan 7%, Hong Kong 5%, China 5% (1997)

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 - 3,909.0 (January 2001), 3,840.8 (2000), 3,807.8 (1999), 3,744.4 (1998), 2,946.3 (1997), 2,624.1 (1996)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Source: World Factbook