CambodiaKrysta and Devyn

Capital : Phnom Pehn

Major City :Temple of Angkor

Continent : Asia

People and Culture

Ninety percent of Cambodia's population is ethnically Cambodian. Other ethnic groups include Chinese, Vietnamese, hill tribes, Cham, and Lao. Theravada Buddhism is the religion of 95% of the population; Islam, animism, and Christianity also are practiced. Khmer is the official language and is spoken by more than 95% of the population. Some French is still spoken in urban areas, and English is increasingly popular as a second language.

Government• Type: Multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy. • Independence: November 9, 1953. • Constitution: September 24, 1993; amended March 6, 1999 and March 2, 2006.

Branches: Executive--King Sihamoni (head of state since October 29, 2004), prime minister (Hun Sen since January 14, 1985), ten deputy prime ministers, 16 senior ministers, 26 ministers, 206 secretaries of state, and 205 undersecretaries of state. Legislative--National Assembly, consisting of 123 elected members; Senate, consisting of 61 members. Judicial--Supreme Court and lower courts. Administrative subdivisions: 23 provinces and 1 capital municipality. Political parties and leaders: Ruling parties--A coalition government of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), led by Samdech Chea Sim; and the National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC), led by Keo Puth Reasmey. Norodom Ranariddh Party representatives will serve out their term in parliament but announced in June 2009 their renaming as the Nationalist Party, which plans to join in a coalition with FUNCINPEC prior to 2012 commune elections. Opposition parties--The Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), led by Sam Rainsy; Human Rights Party, led by Kem Sokha.

Government Type

multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy

Cambodia Imports

• Cambodia Imports: CommoditiesPetroleum ProductsCigarettesGoldConstruction materialsMachineryMotor vehiclesPharmaceutical products

• Cambodia Imports: Partners Thailand: 27.1%Vietnam: 19.2%China: 14.7%Hong Kong: 8.2%Singapore: 7%Taiwan: 5.6%

Exports• Cambodia Exports: Commodities

ClothingTimberRubberRiceFishTobaccoFootwear

• Cambodia Exports: PartnersThe US: 54.5%Germany: 7.7%Canada: 5.9%The UK: 5.5%Vietnam: 4.5% (2008)

Distribution of wealth within the country

• Agriculture > productsrice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca

• Aid as % of GDP 12.5% [24th of 129] • Debt > External $3,890,000,000.00

[102nd of 136] • Distribution of family income > Gini

index 41.7 [9th of 43] • Economic freedom 2.5 [38th of 156]

Economy OverviewFrom 2001 to 2004, the economy grew at an average rate of 6.4%, driven largely by an expansion in the garment sector and tourism. The US and Cambodia signed a Bilateral Textile Agreement, which gave Cambodia a guaranteed quota of US textile imports and established a bonus for improving working conditions and enforcing Cambodian labor laws and international labor standards in the industry. With the January 2005 expiration of a WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, Cambodia-based textile producers were forced to compete directly with lower-priced producing countries such as China and India. Better-than-expected garment sector performance led to more than 9% growth in 2007. Its vibrant garment industry employs more than 350,000 people and contributes more than 70% of Cambodia's exports. The Cambodian government has committed itself to a policy supporting high labor standards in an attempt to maintain buyer interest. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lack of basic transportation.

Issues of discrimination• In Cambodia there has been a strong anti-Vietnames• Gender equality remains a major issue in most of areas of

socio economic life despite government commitment to female empowerment. Today women face discrimination in all aspects of life .Girls still face discrimination at levels of the education system. Poor quality health care, lack of access to health care services, reproductive healthy problem, that threat of HIV/AIDS all contribute to the poor health status of women. The government has also adopted legislation that ensures women right are promoted and protected. The Cambodia government has committed to enabling "The full and equal enjoyment of all human right and fundamental freedoms by women and girls is a priority Government has had a great effort to disseminate the equal right laws in accessing to the same benefits in order to gradually eliminate discrimination based on sex.

International Debt in Cambodia• Cambodia's balance-of-payments position showed a deficit every

year during the period 1954–74. Payments transactions with other countries virtually ceased under the Pol Pot regime, when China conducted Kampuchea's external financial dealings. From 1979, Kampuchea continued to run a substantial trade deficit, much of which had been financed by grant aid and credits extended by the former USSR and Vietnam. To reduce the current account deficit Cambodia needs to reform its military and civil service. The current account deficit, which stood at 11.5% of GDP in 1999, was mainly financed by official development assistance grants and loans, and foreign direct investment. The country's official reserves at the end of 1999 were able to cover the equivalent of 3.5 months of imports.

• In 2000, the country's foreign debt stood at approximately $1.3 billion, the majority of which it owed to Russia; as of that date, it had yet to reach agreement with the Russian Federation on repayment of the debt.

Foreign Aid in Cambodia

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSmp3WNDEKI

Works Cited

• http://www.economywatch.com/world_economy/cambodia/export-import.html

• http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1080.html#entry_requirements

• http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2732.htm