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 5%. 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%. In 2001, severe floods damaged an estimated 15% of the area devoted to rice. Tourism now is Cambodia's fastest growing industry, with arrivals up 34% in 2000 and up another 40% in 2001 before the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US. 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 - $18.7 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 5.3% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 50%
industry: 15%
services: 35% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line 36% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 33.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index 40.4 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.6% (2000 est.)

Labor force 6 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation agriculture 80% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate 2.8% (1999 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate NA%

Electricity - production 132 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 62.12%
hydro: 37.88%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 122.76 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products rice, rubber, corn, vegetables

Exports $1.05 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities timber, garments, rubber, rice, fish

Exports - partners US 46.4%, Vietnam 26.1%, Germany 5.6%, Singapore 5.0%, UK 3.9% (2000)

Imports $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials, machinery, motor vehicles

Imports - partners Singapore 22.5%, Thailand 19.8%, Hong Kong 15.6%, China 4.9%, Vietnam 4.9% (2000)

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 - 3,895.0 (January 2002), 3,918.5 (2001), 3,840.8 (2000), 3,807.8 (1999), 3,744.4 (1998), 2,946.3 (1997)

Fiscal year calendar year

NOTE: The information regarding Cambodia on this page is re-published from the 2002 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Cambodia Economy 2002 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Cambodia Economy 2002 should be addressed to the CIA.