The People of Cambodia

THE PEOPLE

• Khmer is the official language.

• The population is 14.7 million; 45% of the population is under the age of 15.

• 80% of Cambodians live in rural areas. Half of the rural households are headed by women.

• 45% of the children are so malnourished, that their growth is either moderately or severely stunted.

• So many children have to repeat grades, that it takes an average of 10 years to complete primary school (less than half of all students make it that far.)

• The literacy rate for boys is 85 per cent; the rate for women is 64 per cent.

• Life expectancy is 59 years for men and 63 years for women.

• Infant mortality rates and death rates of children under five are the highest in Southeast Asia; maternal mortality rates are also high.

THE ECONOMY

• Cambodia ranks 139th out of 187 countries on the United Nations 2011 human development index.

• Clothing manufacturing and tourism are driving the economy, which has expanded by an average of  8% a year between 2001 and 2010.

THE GOVERNMENT

• Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy with an elected government.

Angkor Wat Sunrise (J Frasse at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)