Economy - overview The Cambodian economy - virtually destroyed by decades of war - is slowlyrecovering. Government leaders are moving toward restoring fiscal and monetarydiscipline and have established good working relations with internationalfinancial institutions. Growth, starting from a low base, has been strongin 1991-96. Despite such positive developments, the reconstruction effortfaces many tough challenges because of the persistence of internal politicaldivisions 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 almosttotal lack of basic infrastructure in the countryside will hinder developmentand will contribute to a growing imbalance in growth between urban and ruralareas over the near term. Moreover, the government's lack of experience inadministering economic and technical assistance programs and rampant corruptionamong 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 thebright spots.

GDP purchasing power parity - $7.7 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 7.4% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $710 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector
agriculture : 51%
industry: 14%
services: 35%

Inflation rate - consumer price index 5% (1996 est.)

Labor force 2.5 million to 3 million
by occupation : agriculture 80% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate NA%

Budget
revenues: $261 million
expenditures: $496 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate 7.9% (1993 est.)

Electricity - capacity 100,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - production 180 million kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita 17 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products rice, rubber, corn, vegetables

Exports
total value: $464 million (1996 est.)
commodities: timber, rubber, soybeans, sesame
partners : Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia

Imports
total value: $1.4 billion (1996 est.)
commodities: cigarettes, construction materials, petroleum products, machinery, motorvehicles
partners : Singapore, Vietnam, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia

Debt - external $1.9 billion (1994)

Economic aid
recipient : ODA, $NA
note: international donors pledged a total of $1.8 billion in 1995 and 1996

Currency 1 new riel (CR) = 100 sen

Exchange rates riels (CR) per US$1 - 2,723.0 (January 1997), 2,624.1 (1996), 2,450.8(1995), 2,545.3 (1994), 2,689.0 (1993), 1,266.6 (1992)

Fiscal year calendar year

NOTE: The information regarding Cambodia on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Cambodia Economy 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Cambodia Economy 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.