Cambodia profile

Demography and Health

Cambodia had a total population of 17,638,801 in 2024, placing it among the mid-sized populations in the region. The country’s birth rate sits at 20.8 births per 1,000 people (2023), suggesting a relatively young population profile, while the crude death rate stands at 6.39 per 1,000 people (2023). Life expectancy at birth is 70.7 years (2023), reflecting improvements in health outcomes but also signaling ongoing challenges relative to higher‑income peers. The mortality rate for children under five remains a concern, at 22.9 per 1,000 live births (2023). The unemployment rate is reported at 0.396% of the labor force in 2021, indicative of a large informal economy and potential data undercounting of unemployment. Net migration in 2024 is negative (−32,960), implying more departures than arrivals and potential impacts on the labor force and age structure. Health financing shows current health expenditure at 4.71% of GDP in 2022, with domestic government health expenditure per capita, PPP, at 83 international dollars in 2022, indicating limited public financing for health relative to peers. Internet access is increasingly widespread, with 60.7% of the population using the Internet in 2023, opening avenues for health information access, telemedicine, and digital health services. Prevalence of undernourishment stood at 4.6% in 2022, reflecting progress in food security but highlighting continuing vulnerabilities for portions of the population. Overall, Cambodia exhibits a young demographic profile with improving life expectancy and health outcomes, yet health and nutrition indicators reveal persistent gaps that public policy will need to address alongside expanding digital health capabilities.

Economy

Cambodia’s economy shows a mix of modest per‑capita income with strong reliance on trade and foreign investment. GDP per capita is 2,628 current US$, while GDP per capita at PPP is 7,970 international US$ (2024), signaling a considerable gap between market and purchasing‑power‑parity income and suggesting lower living standards when measured by market exchange but better relative affordability in PPP terms. The country is highly open to trade: exports of goods and services equal 71.4% of GDP (2024), and imports account for 72.1% of GDP (2024), underscoring a deeply integrated economy dependent on external inputs and global demand. Foreign direct investment, net inflows, amount to 9.48% of GDP (2024), indicating strong investor interest and potential for productivity gains, contingent on the quality of investment and governance. The current account balance stands at a modest 0.479% of GDP (2024), pointing to a relatively balanced external position at a macro level. Inflation is contained at 2.13% (2023), supporting price stability for households and firms. The economy also records significant high‑technology exports totaling about 2.35 billion USD (2023), which signals niche advanced‑technology capabilities alongside traditional sectors. Renewable energy consumption represents 52.4% of total final energy consumption (2021), suggesting a meaningful contribution of renewables to the energy mix, albeit within a broader set of energy sources. Public spending on health and nutrition is modest, while digital adoption—reflected in internet usage—continues to grow, signaling opportunities for productivity and inclusive growth. Taken together, Cambodia’s economy is characterized by a strong external orientation, growing technology output, and ongoing needs to translate trade openness and investment into broad‑based development and job creation.

Trade and Investment

Cambodia’s trade and investment profile emphasizes openness and external linkages. Exports of goods and services are 71.4% of GDP (2024) while imports are 72.1% of GDP (2024), highlighting Cambodia’s reliance on global supply chains for both investment goods and consumer products. Foreign direct investment net inflows are substantial at 9.48% of GDP in 2024, reflecting robust external financing and potential knowledge transfer, though the ultimate developmental impact depends on sectors chosen and governance quality. The current account balance is a modest 0.479% of GDP (2024), suggesting relatively stable external positions but with sensitivity to external shocks. The Logistics Performance Index for quality of trade and transport‑related infrastructure stands at 2.1 (2022), indicating medium efficiency with clear opportunities to improve roads, ports, and related services to lower trade costs. High‑technology exports reach about 2.35 billion USD in 2023, signaling emerging capabilities in knowledge‑intensive sectors even as traditional manufacturing remains a core growth engine. Overall, Cambodia’s trade and investment landscape points to a rapidly integrating economy with strong export momentum and growing but still uneven domestic capacity; strengthening governance, infrastructure, and value‑added industries will be key to sustaining inclusive growth and competitiveness in global markets.

Governance and Institutions

Cambodia’s governance landscape features a mix of limited stability and notable challenges in core institutions. Political Stability and Absence of Violence/Terrorism registers 0.0445 in 2023, indicating a relatively fragile security and political environment by broader comparisons, though not necessarily volatile in all settings. Regulatory Quality is negative at −0.685, and the Rule of Law is further negative at −0.819, signaling weaknesses in policy formulation, enforcement, and the predictability of the legal framework. Control of Corruption scores −1.3, with Government Effectiveness at −0.306, reflecting ongoing difficulties in curbing corruption, delivering public services efficiently, and maintaining governance credibility. These indicators collectively suggest structural impediments to a robust business environment and effective public policy; reforms focused on strengthening rule of law, regulatory quality, anti‑corruption efforts, and government effectiveness would help improve investment climate and service delivery, supporting more inclusive and sustained growth. Despite these challenges, Cambodia has demonstrated resilience and continued policy focus on development goals, which could be reinforced by targeted reforms and strengthened institutions.

Infrastructure and Technology

Cambodia’s infrastructure and technology trajectory combines rising digital adoption with persistent logistical and infrastructural constraints. Internet penetration is 60.7% of the population in 2023, indicating broad but incomplete digital access that can enable e‑commerce, online services, and digital governance, while leaving significant gaps in rural areas. The Logistics Performance Index for trade and transport infrastructure stands at 2.1 (2022), pointing to moderate quality of transport networks and logistics services and signaling substantial scope for improvement in roads, ports, and customs processes to reduce trade costs. High‑technology exports reach 2.348 billion USD (2023), illustrating developing strengths in advanced manufacturing or tech‑related activities alongside traditional sectors. Renewable energy consumption accounts for 52.4% of total final energy consumption (2021), suggesting a meaningful role for renewables in the energy mix and potential for further decarbonization. Overall, Cambodia is gradually building a digital economy, expanding logistics capabilities, and investing in energy diversification, but the pace and quality of infrastructure will be critical to sustaining private‑sector growth and regional integration.

Environment and Sustainability

Cambodia’s environmental and sustainability indicators show a balancing act between growth and climate and resource pressures. The level of water stress, expressed as freshwater withdrawal relative to available resources, is 1.04 in 2021, with a relatively high rank of 164, indicating some vulnerability to water resource constraints, particularly under climate variability and rising demand. Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita are 2.8 t CO2e, reflecting a lower per‑capita footprint relative to industrialized economies but still contributing to global emissions as the economy grows. Life expectancy at birth is 70.7 years (2023), consistent with the broader development and health indicators. The prevalence of undernourishment is 4.6% (2022), signaling progress in food security yet still highlighting population segments at risk from food insecurity. Taken together, Cambodia’s environmental profile shows meaningful renewable energy use and climate resilience challenges tied to water resources and growing energy demand, underscoring the importance of sustainable growth policies that protect water supplies, manage emissions, and improve resilience against climate impacts while expanding access to nutrition and health services.