in September 1993
Capital: Phnom Penh
Administrative divisions: 21 provinces (khett, singular and plural); Banteay Mean Cheay, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Kracheh, Mondol Kiri, Phnum Penh, Pouthisat, Preah Seihanu (Sihanoukville), Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev note: a new province of Otdar Mean Cheay may have been created from parts of Banteay Mean Cheay and Siem Reab
Independence: 9 November 1949 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 9 November 1949
Constitution: promulgated 21 September 1993
Legal system: currently being defined
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King Norodom SIHANOUK (reinstated 24 September 1993)
is a constitutional monarch
head of government: power shared between First Prime Minister Prince
Norodom RANARIDDH (since NA 1993) and Second Prime Minister HUN SEN
(since NA 1993) who were appointed by the king
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the king
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly: members elected for five-year terms; elections last held 23 May 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120 total) FUNCINPEC 58, CPP 51, Buddhist Liberal Democratic Party 10, Molinaka 1 note: the May 1993 elections were for the Constituent Assembly which became the National Assembly after the new constitution was promulgated in September 1993
Judicial branch: Supreme Court provided for by the constitution has not yet been established and the future judicial system is yet to be defined by law
Political parties and leaders: National United Front for an
Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia
(FUNCINPEC), Prince NORODOM RANARIDDH; Cambodian Pracheachon Party
or Cambodian People's Party (CPP), CHEA SIM; Buddhist Liberal
Democratic Party, SON SANN faction; Buddhist Liberal Democratic
Party, IENG MOULY faction; Democratic Kampuchea (DK, also known as
the Khmer Rouge), KHIEU SAMPHAN; Molinaka, PROM NEAKAREACH
International organization participation: ACCT, AsDB, CP, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(applicant)
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador VAR HUOTH
chancery: 4500 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726–7742
FAX: [1] (202) 726–8381
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Kenneth M. QUINN embassy: 27 EO Street 240, Phnom Penh mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546 telephone: [855] (23) 426436, 426438 FAX: [855] (23) 426437
Flag: three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined in black in the center of the red band
Economy———
Economic overview: The Cambodian economy - virtually destroyed by decades of war - is slowly recovering. Government leaders are moving toward restoring fiscal and monetary discipline and have established good working relations with international financial institutions. Growth, starting from a low base, has been strong in 1991–95. Despite such positive developments, the reconstruction effort faces many tough challenges because of the persistence of internal political divisions and the related lack of confidence of foreign investors. Rural Cambodia, where 90% of about 9.5 million Khmer live, remains mired in poverty. The almost total lack of basic infrastructure in the countryside will hinder development and will contribute to a growing imbalance in growth between urban and rural areas over the near term. Moreover, the government's lack of experience in administering economic and technical assistance programs and rampant corruption among officials will slow the growth of critical public sector investment. The decline of inflation from the 1992 rate of more than 50% is one of the bright spots.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $7 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 6.7% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $660 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 52% industry: 13.5% services: 34.5% (1993)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (1995 est.)
Labor force: 2.5 million to 3 million by occupation: agriculture 80% (1988 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $210 million
expenditures: $346 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1994 est.)
Industries: rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber,
cement, gem mining
Industrial production growth rate: 7.9% (1993 est.)
Electricity: capacity: 40,000 kW production: 160 million kWh consumption per capita: 14 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: rice, rubber, corn, vegetables
Illicit drugs: key transshipment country for Golden Triangle heroin en route to West; possibly becoming money-laundering center; high-level narcotics-related corruption in government, military, and police; possible small-scale opium, heroin, and amphetamine production; large producer of cannabis
Exports: $240.7 million (1995 est.) commodities: timber, rubber, soybeans, sesame partners: Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia
Imports: $630.5 million (1995 est.) commodities: cigarettes, construction materials, petroleum products, machinery, motor vehicles partners: Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia
External debt: $383 million to OECD members (1993)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA note: IMF pledged $120 million in aid for 1995–98
Currency: 1 new riel (CR) = 100 sen
Exchange rates: riels (CR) per US$1 - 2,585 (December 1994), 2,470 (December 1993), 2,800 (September 1992), 500 (December 1991), 560 (1990)
Fiscal
