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Cambodia vs. Vietnam

Introduction

CambodiaVietnam
Background

Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863, and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a seven-year struggle, communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off 20 years of civil war.

The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a cease-fire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders were tried for crimes against humanity by a hybrid UN-Cambodian tribunal supported by international assistance. In 2018, the tribunal heard its final cases, but it remains in operation to hear appeals. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local (Commune Council) elections were held in Cambodia in 2012, with little of the violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2013 were disputed, with the opposition - the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) - boycotting the National Assembly. The political impasse was ended nearly a year later, with the CNRP agreeing to enter parliament in exchange for commitments by the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) to electoral and legislative reforms. The CNRP made further gains in local commune elections in June 2017, accelerating sitting Prime Minister Hun SEN's efforts to marginalize the CNRP before national elections in 2018. Hun Sen arrested CNRP President Kem SOKHA in September 2017. The Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP in November 2017 and banned its leaders from participating in politics for at least five years. The CNRP's seats in the National Assembly were redistributed to smaller, less influential opposition parties, while all of the CNRP's 5,007 seats in the commune councils throughout the country were reallocated to the CPP. With the CNRP banned, the CPP swept the 2018 national elections, winning all 125 National Assembly seats and effectively turning the country into a one-party state.

The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Vietnam declared independence after World War II, but France continued to rule until its 1954 defeat by communist forces under Ho Chi MINH. Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into the communist North and anti-communist South. US economic and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese forces overran the South reuniting the country under communist rule. Despite the return of peace, for over a decade the country experienced little economic growth because of conservative leadership policies, the persecution and mass exodus of individuals - many of them successful South Vietnamese merchants - and growing international isolation. However, since the enactment of Vietnam's "doi moi" (renovation) policy in 1986, Vietnamese authorities have committed to increased economic liberalization and enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The communist leaders maintain tight control on political expression but have demonstrated some modest steps toward better protection of human rights. The country continues to experience small-scale protests, the vast majority connected to either land-use issues, calls for increased political space, or the lack of equitable mechanisms for resolving disputes. The small-scale protests in the urban areas are often organized by human rights activists, but many occur in rural areas and involve various ethnic minorities such as the Montagnards of the Central Highlands, Hmong in the Northwest Highlands, and the Khmer Krom in the southern delta region.

Geography

CambodiaVietnam
LocationSoutheastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and LaosSoutheastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, as well as China, Laos, and Cambodia
Geographic coordinates13 00 N, 105 00 E16 10 N, 107 50 E
Map referencesSoutheast AsiaSoutheast Asia
Areatotal: 181,035 sq km

land: 176,515 sq km

water: 4,520 sq km
total: 331,210 sq km

land: 310,070 sq km

water: 21,140 sq km
Area - comparativeone and a half times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oklahomaabout three times the size of Tennessee; slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundariestotal: 2,530 km

border countries (3): Laos 555 km, Thailand 817 km, Vietnam 1158 km
total: 4,616 km

border countries (3): Cambodia 1158 km, China 1297 km, Laos 2161 km
Coastline443 km3,444 km (excludes islands)
Maritime claimsterritorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climatetropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variationtropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March)
Terrainmostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and northlow, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest
Elevation extremeshighest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m

mean elevation: 126 m
highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

mean elevation: 398 m
Natural resourcesoil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential, arable landantimony, phosphates, coal, manganese, rare earth elements, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, timber, hydropower, arable land
Land useagricultural land: 32.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 22.7% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 8.5% (2018 est.)

forest: 56.5% (2018 est.)

other: 11.4% (2018 est.)
agricultural land: 34.8% (2018 est.)

arable land: 20.6% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 12.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 2.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 45% (2018 est.)

other: 20.2% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land3,540 sq km (2012)46,000 sq km (2012)
Natural hazardsmonsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughtsoccasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta
Environment - current issuesillegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, most of the population does not have access to potable water; declining fish stocks because of illegal fishing and overfishing; coastal ecosystems choked by sediment washed loose from deforested areas inlandlogging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute to deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and overfishing threaten marine life populations; groundwater contamination limits potable water supply; air pollution; growing urban industrialization and population migration are rapidly degrading environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - notea land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap (Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake)note 1: extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km across at its narrowest point

note 2: Son Doong in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is the world's largest cave (greatest cross sectional area) and is the largest known cave passage in the world by volume; it currently measures a total of 38.5 million cu m (about 1.35 billion cu ft); it connects to Thung cave (but not yet officially); when recognized, it will add an additional 1.6 million cu m in volume; Son Doong is so massive that it contains its own jungle, underground river, and localized weather system; clouds form inside the cave and spew out from its exits and two dolines (openings (sinkhole skylights) created by collapsed ceilings that allow sunlight to stream in)

Total renewable water resources476.1 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)884.12 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Population distributionpopulation concentrated in the southeast, particularly in and around the capital of Phnom Penh; further distribution is linked closely to the Tonle Sap and Mekong Riversthough it has one of the highest population densities in the world, the population is not evenly dispersed; clustering is heaviest along the South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin, with the Mekong Delta (in the south) and the Red River Valley (in the north) having the largest concentrations of people

Demographics

CambodiaVietnam
Population17,304,363 (July 2021 est.)102,789,598 (July 2021 est.)
Age structure0-14 years: 30.18% (male 2,582,427/female 2,525,619)

15-24 years: 17.28% (male 1,452,784/female 1,472,769)

25-54 years: 41.51% (male 3,442,051/female 3,584,592)

55-64 years: 6.44% (male 476,561/female 612,706)

65 years and over: 4.59% (male 287,021/female 490,454) (2020 est.)
0-14 years: 22.61% (male 11,733,704/female 10,590,078)

15-24 years: 15.22% (male 7,825,859/female 7,202,716)

25-54 years: 45.7% (male 22,852,429/female 22,262,566)

55-64 years: 9.55% (male 4,412,111/female 5,016,880)

65 years and over: 6.91% (male 2,702,963/female 4,121,969) (2020 est.)
Median agetotal: 26.4 years

male: 25.6 years

female: 27.2 years (2020 est.)
total: 31.9 years

male: 30.8 years

female: 33 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate1.34% (2021 est.)1% (2021 est.)
Birth rate20.84 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)16.04 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate7.15 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate-0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)-0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sex ratioat birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.78 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female

total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.11 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Infant mortality ratetotal: 45.62 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 52.46 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 38.47 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
total: 15.09 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 15.42 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 14.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birthtotal population: 66.27 years

male: 63.7 years

female: 68.95 years (2021 est.)
total population: 75.25 years

male: 72.67 years

female: 78.12 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate2.36 children born/woman (2021 est.)2.06 children born/woman (2021 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate0.5% (2020 est.)0.3% (2020 est.)
Nationalitynoun: Cambodian(s)

adjective: Cambodian
noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural)

adjective: Vietnamese
Ethnic groupsKhmer 97.6%, Cham 1.2%, Chinese 0.1%, Vietnamese 0.1%, other 0.9% (2013 est.)Kinh (Viet) 85.3%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.9%, Muong 1.5%, Khmer 1.4%, Mong 1.4%, Nung 1.1%, other 5.5% (2019 est.)

note: 54 ethnic groups are recognized by the Vietnamese Government
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS75,000 (2020 est.)250,000 (2020 est.)
ReligionsBuddhist (official) 97.9%, Muslim 1.1%, Christian 0.5%, other 0.6% (2013 est.)Catholic 6.1%, Buddhist 5.8%, Protestant 1%, other 0.8%, none 86.3% (2009 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths1,200 (2020 est.)3,800 (2020 est.)
LanguagesKhmer (official) 95.8%, minority languages 2.9%, Chinese .6%, Vietnamese .5%, other .2% (2019 est.)

major-language sample(s):
????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????. (Khmer)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer, mountain area languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

major-language sample(s):
D? ki?n th? gi?i, là ngu?n thông tin co b?n không th? thi?u. (Vietnamese)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Literacydefinition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 80.5%

male: 86.5%

female: 75% (2015)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 95%

male: 96.5%

female: 93.6% (2018)
Major infectious diseasesdegree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria
degree of risk: very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese encephalitis
Education expenditures2.2% of GDP (2018)4.2% of GDP (2018)
Urbanizationurban population: 24.7% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 3.06% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
urban population: 38.1% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Drinking water sourceimproved: urban: 98.4% of population

rural: 77.8% of population

total: 80.3% of population

unimproved: urban: 1.6% of population

rural: 22.2% of population

total: 19.7% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 98.6% of population

rural: 92.6% of population

total: 94.7% of population

unimproved: urban: 1.4% of population

rural: 7.4% of population

total: 5.3% of population (2017 est.)
Sanitation facility accessimproved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 55.5% of population

total: 65.7% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 44.5% of population

total: 34.3% of population (2017 est.)
improved: urban: 96.9% of population

rural: 82.1% of population

total: 87.3% of population

unimproved: urban: 3.1% of population

rural: 17.9% of population

total: 12.7% of population (2017 est.)
Major cities - population2.144 million PHNOM PENH (capital) (2021)8.838 million Ho Chi Minh City, 4.875 million HANOI (capital), 1.703 million Can Tho, 1.341 million Hai Phong, 1.157 million Da Nang, 1.046 million Bien Hoa (2021)
Maternal mortality rate160 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)43 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight24.1% (2014)13.4% (2017)
Health expenditures6% (2018)5.9% (2018)
Physicians density0.19 physicians/1,000 population (2014)0.83 physicians/1,000 population (2016)
Hospital bed density1.9 beds/1,000 population (2016)2.6 beds/1,000 population (2014)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate3.9% (2016)2.1% (2016)
Demographic profile

Cambodia is a predominantly rural country with among the most ethnically and religiously homogenous populations in Southeast Asia: more than 95% of its inhabitants are Khmer and more than 95% are Buddhist.  The population's size and age structure shrank and then rebounded during the 20th century as a result of conflict and mass death.  During the Khmer Rouge regime between 1975 and 1979 as many as 1.5 to 2 million people are estimated to have been killed or died as a result of starvation, disease, or overwork - a loss of about 25% of the population.  At the same time, emigration was high, and the fertility rate sharply declined.  In the 1980s, after the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge, fertility nearly doubled and reached pre-Khmer Rouge levels of close to 7 children per woman, reflecting in part higher infant survival rates.  The baby boom was followed by a sustained fertility decline starting in the early 1990s, eventually decreasing from 3.8 in 2000 to 2.9 in 2010, although the rate varied by income, education, and rural versus urban location.  Despite continuing fertility reduction, Cambodia still has a youthful population that is likely to maintain population growth through population momentum. Improvements have also been made in mortality, life expectancy, and contraceptive prevalence, although reducing malnutrition among children remains stalled.  Differences in health indicators are pronounced between urban and rural areas, which experience greater poverty.

Cambodia is predominantly a country of migration, driven by the search for work, education, or marriage.  Internal migration is more prevalent than international migration, with rural to urban migration being the most common, followed by rural to rural migration.  Urban migration focuses on the pursuit of unskilled or semi-skilled jobs in Phnom Penh, with men working mainly in the construction industry and women working in garment factories.  Most Cambodians who migrate abroad do so illegally using brokers because it is cheaper and faster than through formal channels, but doing so puts them at risk of being trafficked for forced labor or sexual exploitation.  Young Cambodian men and women migrate short distances across the Thai border using temporary passes to work in agriculture, while others migrate long distances primarily into Thailand and Malaysia for work in agriculture, fishing, construction, manufacturing, and domestic service.  Cambodia was a refugee sending country in the 1970s and 1980s as a result of the brutality of the Khmer Rouge regime, its ousting by the Vietnamese invasion, and the resultant civil war.  Tens of thousands of Cambodians fled to Thailand; more than 100,000 were resettled in the US in the 1980s.  Cambodia signed a multi-million dollar agreement with Australia in 2014 to voluntarily resettle refugees seeking shelter in Australia.  However, the deal has proven to be a failure because of poor conditions and a lack of support services for the few refugees willing to accept the offer.

When Vietnam was reunified in 1975, the country had a youthful age structure and a high fertility rate.  The population growth rate slowed dramatically during the next 25 years, as fertility declined and infant mortality and life expectancy improved.  The country's adoption of a one-or-two-child policy in 1988 led to increased rates of contraception and abortion.  The total fertility rate dropped rapidly from nearly 5 in 1979 to 2.1 or replacement level in 1990, and at 1.8 is below replacement level today.  Fertility is higher in the more rural central highlands and northern uplands, which are inhabited primarily by poorer ethnic minorities, and is lower among the majority Kinh, ethnic Chinese, and a few other ethnic groups, particularly in urban centers.  With more than two-thirds of the population of working age (15-64), Vietnam has the potential to reap a demographic dividend for approximately three decades (between 2010 and 2040).  However, its ability to do so will depend on improving the quality of education and training for its workforce and creating jobs.  The Vietnamese Government is also considering changes to the country's population policy because if the country's fertility rate remains below replacement level, it could lead to a worker shortage in the future.

Vietnam has experienced both internal migration and net emigration, both for humanitarian and economic reasons, for the last several decades.  Internal migration - rural-rural and rural-urban, temporary and permanent - continues to be a means of coping with Vietnam's extreme weather and flooding.  Although Vietnam's population is still mainly rural, increasing numbers of young men and women have been drawn to the country's urban centers where they are more likely to find steady jobs and higher pay in the growing industrial and service sectors.

The aftermath of the Vietnam War in 1975 resulted in an outpouring of approximately 1.6 million Vietnamese refugees over the next two decades.  Between 1975 and 1997, programs such as the Orderly Departure Program and the Comprehensive Plan of Action resettled hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese refugees abroad, including the United States (880,000), China (260,000, mainly ethnic Chinese Hoa), Canada (160,000), Australia (155,000), and European countries (150,000). 

In the 1980s, some Vietnamese students and workers began to migrate to allied communist countries, including the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and East Germany.  The vast majority returned home following the fall of communism in Eastern Europe in the early 1990s.  Since that time, Vietnamese labor migrants instead started to pursue opportunities in Asia and the Middle East.  They often perform low-skilled jobs under harsh conditions for low pay and are vulnerable to forced labor, including debt bondage to the private brokers who arrange the work contracts.  Despite Vietnam's current labor surplus, the country has in recent years attracted some foreign workers, mainly from China and other Asian countries.

Contraceptive prevalence rate56.3% (2014)76.5% (2018/19)
Dependency ratiostotal dependency ratio: 55.7

youth dependency ratio: 48.2

elderly dependency ratio: 7.6

potential support ratio: 13.2 (2020 est.)
total dependency ratio: 45.1

youth dependency ratio: 33.6

elderly dependency ratio: 11.4

potential support ratio: 8.8 (2020 est.)

Government

CambodiaVietnam
Country nameconventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia

conventional short form: Cambodia

local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic transliteration)

local short form: Kampuchea

former: Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea, People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia

etymology: the English name Cambodia is an anglicization of the French Cambodge, which is the French transliteration of the native name Kampuchea
conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam

conventional short form: Vietnam

local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam

local short form: Viet Nam

abbreviation: SRV

etymology: "Viet nam" translates as "Viet south," where "Viet" is an ethnic self identification dating to a second century B.C. kingdom and "nam" refers to its location in relation to other Viet kingdoms
Government typeparliamentary constitutional monarchycommunist state
Capitalname: Phnom Penh

geographic coordinates: 11 33 N, 104 55 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: Phnom Penh translates as "Penh's Hill" in Khmer; the city takes its name from the present Wat Phnom (Hill Temple), the tallest religious structure in the city, whose establishment, according to legend, was inspired in the 14th century by a pious nun, Daun PENH
name: Hanoi (Ha Noi)

geographic coordinates: 21 02 N, 105 51 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the city has had many names in its history going back to A.D. 1010 when it first became the capital of imperial Vietnam; in 1831, it received its current name of Ha Noi, meaning "between the rivers," which refers to its geographic location
Administrative divisions

24 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 1 municipality (krong, singular and plural)

provinces: Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom, Kampot, Kandal, Kep, Koh Kong, Kratie, Mondolkiri, Oddar Meanchey, Pailin, Preah Sihanouk, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Pursat, Ratanakiri, Siem Reap, Stung Treng, Svay Rieng, Takeo, Tbong Khmum

municipalities: Phnom Penh (Phnum Penh)

58 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thanh pho, singular and plural)

provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Ha Nam, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong, Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai

municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Ha Noi (Hanoi), Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

Independence9 November 1953 (from France)2 September 1945 (from France)
National holidayIndependence Day, 9 November (1953)Independence Day (National Day), 2 September (1945)
Constitutionhistory: previous 1947; latest promulgated 21 September 1993

amendments: proposed by the monarch, by the prime minister, or by the president of the National Assembly if supported by one fourth of the Assembly membership; passage requires two-thirds majority of the Assembly membership; constitutional articles on the multiparty democratic form of government and the monarchy cannot be amended; amended 1999, 2008, 2014, 2018
history: several previous; latest adopted 28 November 2013, effective 1 January 2014

amendments: proposed by the president, by the National Assembly's Standing Committee, or by at least two thirds of the National Assembly membership; a decision to draft an amendment requires approval by at least a two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership, followed by the formation of a constitutional drafting committee to write a draft and collect citizens' opinions; passage requires at least two-thirds majority of the Assembly membership; the Assembly can opt to conduct a referendum
Legal systemcivil law system (influenced by the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia) customary law, Communist legal theory, and common lawcivil law system; note - the civil code of 2005 reflects a European-style civil law
Suffrage18 years of age; universal18 years of age; universal
Executive branchchief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004)

head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985); Permanent Deputy Prime Minister MEN SAM AN (since 25 September 2008); Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992), TEA BANH, Gen., HOR NAMHONG, (since 16 July 2004), BIN CHHIN (since 5 September 2007), YIM CHHAI LY (since 24 September 2008), KE KIMYAN (since 12 March 2009), AUN PORNMONIROTH (since 24 September 2012), Prak SOKONN, CHEA SOPHARA (since 5 April 2016)

cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch

elections/appointments: monarch chosen by the 9-member Royal Council of the Throne from among all eligible males of royal descent; following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or majority coalition named prime minister by the Chairman of the National Assembly and appointed by the monarch
chief of state: President Nguyen Xuan PHUC (since 26 July 2021)

head of government: Prime Minister  Pham Minh CHINH (since 26 July 2021); Deputy Prime Ministers Truong Hoa BINH (since 9 April 2016), Le Minh KHAI (since 8 April 2021), Vu Duc DAM (since 13 November 2013), Le Van THANH (since 8 April 2021), Pham Binh MINH (since 13 November 2013

cabinet: Cabinet proposed by prime minister confirmed by the National Assembly and appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by National Assembly from among its members for a single 5-year term; election last held on 26 July 2021 (next to be held in spring 2026); prime minister recommended by the president and confirmed by National Assembly; deputy prime ministers confirmed by the National Assembly and appointed by the president

election results: Pham Minh CHINH (CPV) reelected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 99.8%; Nguyen Xuan PHUC (CPV) reelected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 100%
Legislative branchdescription: bicameral Parliament of Cambodia consists of:
Senate (62 seats; 58 indirectly elected by parliamentarians and commune councils, 2 indirectly elected by the National Assembly, and 2 appointed by the monarch; members serve 6-year terms)
National Assembly (125 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections:
Senate - last held on 25 February 2018 (next to be held in 2024); National Assembly - last held on 29 July 2018 (next to be held in 2023)

election results:  
Senate - percent of vote by party - CPP 96%, FUNCINPEC 2.4%, KNUP 1.6%; seats by party - CPP 58; composition - men 53, women 9, percent of women 14.5%
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP 76.9%, FUNCINPEC 5.9%, LDP 4.9%, Khmer Will Party 3.4%, other 8.9%; seats by party - CPP 125; composition - men 100, women 25, percent of women 20%; note - total Parliament of Cambodia percent of women 18.2%
description: unicameral National Assembly or Quoc Hoi  (500 seats - number following 2016 election - 494; number of current serving members - 484; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections: last held on 22 May 2016 (next to be held in May 2021)

election results: percent of vote by party -CPV 95.8%, non-party members 4.2%; seats by party - CPV 474, non-party CPV-approved 20, self-nominated 2; note - 494 candidates elected, 2 CPV candidates-elect were disqualified; composition - men 364, women 122, percent of women 26.6%
Judicial branchhighest courts: Supreme Council (organized into 5- and 9-judge panels and includes a court chief and deputy chief); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members); note - in 1997, the Cambodian Government requested UN assistance in establishing trials to prosecute former Khmer Rouge senior leaders for crimes against humanity committed during the 1975-1979 Khmer Rouge regime; the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia (also called the Khmer Rouge Tribunal) was established in 2006 and began hearings for the first case in 2009; court proceedings remain ongoing in 2019

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Council judge candidates recommended by the Supreme Council of Magistracy, a 17-member body chaired by the monarch and includes other high-level judicial officers; judges of both courts appointed by the monarch; Supreme Court judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council judges appointed for 9-year terms with one-third of the court renewed every 3 years

subordinate courts: Appellate Court; provincial and municipal courts; Military Court
highest courts: Supreme People's Court (consists of the chief justice and 13 judges)

judge selection and term of office: chief justice elected by the National Assembly upon the recommendation of the president for a 5-year, renewable term; deputy chief justice appointed by the president from among the judges for a 5-year term; judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly for 5-year terms

subordinate courts: High Courts (administrative, civil, criminal, economic, labor, family, juvenile); provincial courts; district courts; Military Court; note - the National Assembly Standing Committee can establish special tribunals upon the recommendation of the chief justice
Political parties and leadersCambodia National Rescue Party or CNRP [KHEM SOKHA] (dissolved by the Cambodian Supreme Court in November 2017; formed from a 2012 merger of the Sam Rangsi Party or SRP and the former Human Rights Party or HRP [KHEM SOKHA, also spelled KEM SOKHA])
Cambodian Nationality Party or CNP [SENG SOKHENG]
Cambodian People's Party or CPP [HUN SEN]
Khmer Economic Development Party or KEDP [HUON REACH CHAMROEUN]
Khmer National Unity Party or KNUP [NHEK BUN CHHAY]
Khmer Will Party [KONG MONIKA]
League for Democracy Party or LDP [KHEM Veasna]
National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM RANARIDDH]
Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nguyen Phu TRONG]

note: other parties proscribed
International organization participationADB, ARF, ASEAN, CICA, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MINUSMA, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTOADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the USchief of mission: Ambassador CHUM SOUNRY (since 17 September 2018)

chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742

FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381

email address and website:
camemb.usa@mfaic.gov

https://www.embassyofcambodiadc.org/
chief of mission: Ambassador Ha Kim NGOC (since 17 September 2018)

chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737

FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917

email address and website:
vanphong@vietnamembassy.us

http://vietnamembassy-usa.org/

consulate(s) general: Houston, San Francisco

consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the USchief of mission: Ambassador W. Patrick MURPHY (since 23 October 2019)

embassy: #1, Street 96, Sangkat Wat Phnom, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh

mailing address: 4540 Phnom Penh Place, Washington DC  20521-4540

telephone: [855] (23) 728-000

FAX: [855] (23) 728-700

email address and website:
ACSPhnomPenh@state.gov

https://kh.usembassy.gov/
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Christopher KLEIN (since 16 April 2021)

embassy: 7 Lang Ha Street, Hanoi

mailing address: 4550 Hanoi Place, Washington, DC 20521-4550

telephone: [84] (24) 3850-5000

FAX: [84] (24) 3850-5010

email address and website:
ACShanoi@state.gov

https://vn.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City
Flag descriptionthree 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; red and blue are traditional Cambodian colors

note: only national flag to prominently incorporate an actual identifiable building into its design (a few other national flags - those of Afghanistan, San Marino, Portugal, and Spain - show small generic buildings as part of their coats of arms on the flag)
red field with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center; red symbolizes revolution and blood, the five-pointed star represents the five elements of the populace - peasants, workers, intellectuals, traders, and soldiers - that unite to build socialism
National anthemname: "Nokoreach" (Royal Kingdom)

lyrics/music: CHUON NAT/F. PERRUCHOT and J. JEKYLL

note: adopted 1941, restored 1993; the anthem, based on a Cambodian folk tune, was restored after the defeat of the Communist regime
name: "Tien quan ca" (The Song of the Marching Troops)

lyrics/music: Nguyen Van CAO

note: adopted as the national anthem of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945; it became the national anthem of the unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1976; although it consists of two verses, only the first is used as the official anthem
International law organization participationaccepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdictionhas not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
National symbol(s)Angkor Wat temple, kouprey (wild ox); national colors: red, blueyellow, five-pointed star on red field; lotus blossom; national colors: red, yellow
Citizenshipcitizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cambodia

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years
citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Vietnam

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Economy

CambodiaVietnam
Economy - overview

Cambodia has experienced strong economic growth over the last decade; GDP grew at an average annual rate of over 8% between 2000 and 2010 and about 7% since 2011. The tourism, garment, construction and real estate, and agriculture sectors accounted for the bulk of growth. Around 700,000 people, the majority of whom are women, are employed in the garment and footwear sector. An additional 500,000 Cambodians are employed in the tourism sector, and a further 200,000 people in construction. Tourism has continued to grow rapidly with foreign arrivals exceeding 2 million per year in 2007 and reaching 5.6 million visitors in 2017. Mining also is attracting some investor interest and the government has touted opportunities for mining bauxite, gold, iron and gems.

 

Still, Cambodia remains one of the poorest countries in Asia, and long-term economic development remains a daunting challenge, inhibited by corruption, limited human resources, high income inequality, and poor job prospects. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the percentage of the population living in poverty decreased to 13.5% in 2016. More than 50% of the population is less than 25 years old. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the impoverished countryside, which also lacks basic infrastructure.

 

The World Bank in 2016 formally reclassified Cambodia as a lower middle-income country as a result of continued rapid economic growth over the past several years. Cambodia's graduation from a low-income country will reduce its eligibility for foreign assistance and will challenge the government to seek new sources of financing. The Cambodian Government has been working with bilateral and multilateral donors, including the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and IMF, to address the country's many pressing needs; more than 20% of the government budget will come from donor assistance in 2018. A major economic challenge for Cambodia over the next decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which the private sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's demographic imbalance.

 

Textile exports, which accounted for 68% of total exports in 2017, have driven much of Cambodia's growth over the past several years. The textile sector relies on exports to the United States and European Union, and Cambodia's dependence on its comparative advantage in textile production is a key vulnerability for the economy, especially because Cambodia has continued to run a current account deficit above 9% of GDP since 2014.

Vietnam is a densely populated developing country that has been transitioning since 1986 from the rigidities of a centrally planned, highly agrarian economy to a more industrial and market based economy, and it has raised incomes substantially. Vietnam exceeded its 2017 GDP growth target of 6.7% with growth of 6.8%, primarily due to unexpected increases in domestic demand, and strong manufacturing exports.

Vietnam has a young population, stable political system, commitment to sustainable growth, relatively low inflation, stable currency, strong FDI inflows, and strong manufacturing sector. In addition, the country is committed to continuing its global economic integration. Vietnam joined the WTO in January 2007 and concluded several free trade agreements in 2015-16, including the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (which the EU has not yet ratified), the Korean Free Trade Agreement, and the Eurasian Economic Union Free Trade Agreement. In 2017, Vietnam successfully chaired the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Conference with its key priorities including inclusive growth, innovation, strengthening small and medium enterprises, food security, and climate change. Seeking to diversify its opportunities, Vietnam also signed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Transpacific Partnership in 2018 and continued to pursue the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

To continue its trajectory of strong economic growth, the government acknowledges the need to spark a `second wave' of reforms, including reforming state-owned-enterprises, reducing red tape, increasing business sector transparency, reducing the level of non-performing loans in the banking sector, and increasing financial sector transparency. Vietnam's public debt to GDP ratio is nearing the government mandated ceiling of 65%.

In 2016, Vietnam cancelled its civilian nuclear energy development program, citing public concerns about safety and the high cost of the program; it faces growing pressure on energy infrastructure. Overall, the country's infrastructure fails to meet the needs of an expanding middle class. Vietnam has demonstrated a commitment to sustainable growth over the last several years, but despite the recent speed-up in economic growth the government remains cautious about the risk of external shocks.

GDP (purchasing power parity)$72.356 billion (2019 est.)

$67.588 billion (2018 est.)

$62.89 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
$775.669 billion (2019 est.)

$724.806 billion (2018 est.)

$676.909 billion (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
GDP - real growth rate6.9% (2017 est.)

7% (2016 est.)

7% (2015 est.)
6.8% (2017 est.)

7.16% (2017 est.)

6.2% (2016 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)$4,389 (2019 est.)

$4,159 (2018 est.)

$3,928 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars
$8,041 (2019 est.)

$7,586 (2018 est.)

$7,156 (2017 est.)

note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP - composition by sectoragriculture: 25.3% (2017 est.)

industry: 32.8% (2017 est.)

services: 41.9% (2017 est.)
agriculture: 15.3% (2017 est.)

industry: 33.3% (2017 est.)

services: 51.3% (2017 est.)
Population below poverty line16.5% (2016 est.)6.7% (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage sharelowest 10%: 2%

highest 10%: 28% (2013 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.7%

highest 10%: 26.8% (2014)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)2.9% (2017 est.)

3% (2016 est.)
2.7% (2019 est.)

3.5% (2018 est.)

3.5% (2017 est.)
Labor force8.913 million (2017 est.)54.659 million (2019 est.)
Labor force - by occupationagriculture: 48.7%

industry: 19.9%

services: 31.5% (2013 est.)
agriculture: 40.3%

industry: 25.7%

services: 34% (2017)
Unemployment rate0.3% (2017 est.)

0.2% (2016 est.)

note: high underemployment, according to official statistics
3.11% (2018 est.)

2.2% (2017 est.)
Distribution of family income - Gini index37.9 (2008 est.)

41.9 (2004 est.)
35.7 (2018 est.)

37.6 (2008)
Budgetrevenues: 3.947 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 4.354 billion (2017 est.)
revenues: 54.59 billion (2017 est.)

expenditures: 69.37 billion (2017 est.)
Industriestourism, garments, construction, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textilesfood processing, garments, shoes, machine-building; mining, coal, steel; cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, mobile phones
Industrial production growth rate10.6% (2017 est.)8% (2017 est.)
Agriculture - productscassava, rice, maize, vegetables, sugar cane, soybeans, rubber, oil palm fruit, bananas, porkrice, vegetables, sugar cane, cassava, maize, pork, fruit, bananas, coffee, coconuts
Exports$11.42 billion (2017 est.)

$10.07 billion (2016 est.)
$248.953 billion (2019 est.)

$233.294 billion (2018 est.)

$204.169 billion (2017 est.)
Exports - commoditiesclothing, precious metal scraps, trunks/cases, gold, leather footwear (2019)broadcasting equipment, telephones, integrated circuits, footwear, furniture (2019)
Exports - partnersUnited States 21%, Singapore 8%, Thailand 8%, Germany 7%, Japan 6%, China 5%, Canada 5%, United Kingdom 5% (2019)United States 23%, China 14%, Japan 8%, South Korea 7% (2019)
Imports$14.37 billion (2017 est.)

$12.65 billion (2016 est.)
$266.066 billion (2019 est.)

$245.563 billion (2018 est.)

$217.684 billion (2017 est.)
Imports - commoditiesrefined petroleum, clothing, gold, cars, flavored water (2019)integrated circuits, telephones, refined petroleum, textiles, semiconductors (2019)
Imports - partnersChina 27%, Thailand 25%, Vietnam 15%, Singapore 8% (2019)China 35%, South Korea 18%, Japan 6% (2019)
Debt - external$11.87 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$10.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$96.58 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$84.34 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange ratesriels (KHR) per US dollar -

4,055 (2017 est.)

4,058.7 (2016 est.)

4,058.7 (2015 est.)

4,067.8 (2014 est.)

4,037.5 (2013 est.)
dong (VND) per US dollar -

23,129 (2020 est.)

23,171.5 (2019 est.)

23,312.5 (2018 est.)

21,909 (2014 est.)

21,189 (2013 est.)
Fiscal yearcalendar yearcalendar year
Public debt30.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

29.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
58.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

59.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: official data; data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold$12.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$9.122 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$49.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$36.91 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Current Account Balance-$1.871 billion (2017 est.)

-$1.731 billion (2016 est.)
$12.478 billion (2019 est.)

$5.769 billion (2018 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)$22.09 billion (2017 est.)$259.957 billion (2019 est.)
Credit ratingsMoody's rating: B2 (2007)

Standard & Poors rating: N/A (2014)
Fitch rating: BB (2018)

Moody's rating: Ba3 (2018)

Standard & Poors rating: BB (2019)
Ease of Doing Business Index scoresOverall score: 53.8 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 52.4 (2020)

Trading score: 67.3 (2020)

Enforcement score: 31.7 (2020)
Overall score: 69.8 (2020)

Starting a Business score: 85.1 (2020)

Trading score: 70.8 (2020)

Enforcement score: 62.1 (2020)
Taxes and other revenues17.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)24.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)-1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)-6.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24total: 1.1%

male: 1%

female: 1.2% (2016 est.)
total: 7.6%

male: 6.6%

female: 8.9% (2020 est.)
GDP - composition, by end usehousehold consumption: 76% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 5.4% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 21.8% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 1.2% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 68.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -73% (2017 est.)
household consumption: 66.9% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 6.5% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 24.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: 2.8% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 100% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -101% (2017 est.)
Gross national saving27.2% of GDP (2019 est.)

25.4% of GDP (2018 est.)

23.2% of GDP (2017 est.)
23.1% of GDP (2019 est.)

23.4% of GDP (2018 est.)

22.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

Energy

CambodiaVietnam
Electricity - production5.21 billion kWh (2016 est.)158.2 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - consumption5.857 billion kWh (2016 est.)143.2 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Electricity - exports0 kWh (2016 est.)713 million kWh (2017 est.)
Electricity - imports1.583 billion kWh (2016 est.)2.733 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Oil - production0 bbl/day (2018 est.)242,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Oil - imports0 bbl/day (2015 est.)0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Oil - exports0 bbl/day (2015 est.)324,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Oil - proved reserves0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)4.4 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)699.4 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
Natural gas - production0 cu m (2017 est.)8.098 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - consumption0 cu m (2017 est.)8.098 billion cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - exports0 cu m (2017 est.)0 cu m (2017 est.)
Natural gas - imports0 cu m (2017 est.)0 cu m (2017 est.)
Electricity - installed generating capacity1.697 million kW (2016 est.)40.77 million kW (2016 est.)
Electricity - from fossil fuels35% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)56% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants63% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)43% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from nuclear fuels0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Electricity - from other renewable sources2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)1% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production0 bbl/day (2015 est.)153,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - consumption45,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)438,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Refined petroleum products - exports0 bbl/day (2015 est.)25,620 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Refined petroleum products - imports43,030 bbl/day (2015 est.)282,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Electricity accesselectrification - total population: 75% (2019)

electrification - urban areas: 100% (2019)

electrification - rural areas: 67% (2019)
electrification - total population: 100% (2019)

Telecommunications

CambodiaVietnam
Telephones - main lines in usetotal subscriptions: 56,445

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 3,658,005

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3.63 (2019 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellulartotal subscriptions: 21,418,681

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 127.24 (2019 est.)
total subscriptions: 136,230,406

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 135.32 (2019 est.)
Internet country code.kh.vn
Internet userstotal: 6,579,808

percent of population: 40% (July 2018 est.)
total: 68,267,875

percent of population: 70.35% (July 2018 est.)
Telecommunication systemsgeneral assessment: Cambodia's telecom infrastructure struggles with poor infrastructure and power outages; improvement through competition and foreign investment; fixed-line and fixed/mobile broadband penetration is still low compared to other Asian nations; government and operators preparing for 5G services through Huawei's infrastructure that will drive mobile broadband through faster speeds; online Internet content subject to government restrictions (2021) (2020)

domestic: fixed-line connections stand at about 1 per 100 persons and declining; mobile-cellular usage, aided by competition among service providers, has increased to about 130 per 100 persons (2019)

international: country code - 855; landing points for MCT and AAE-1 via submarine cables providing communication to Asia, the Middle East, Europe and Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
general assessment:

though communist, government plans to partially privatize the state's holdings in telecom companies; competition is thriving in the telecom market place and driving e-commerce; mobile dominates over fixed-line; FttH market is growing; government is the driving force for growth with aims of commercializing 5G services with test licenses; Ho Chi Minh City to become the first smart city in Vietnam with cloud computing infrastructure, big data, data centers, and security-monitoring centers (2020)

(2020)

domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or microwave radio relay networks; main lines have been increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly; fixed-line 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular 141 per 100 (2019)

international: country code - 84; landing points for the SeaMeWe-3, APG, SJC2, AAE-1, AAG and the TGN-IA submarine cable system providing connectivity to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) (2020)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Broadband - fixed subscriptionstotal: 184,379

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.1 (2019 est.)
total: 14,802,380

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14.7 (2019 est.)
Broadcast mediamixture of state-owned, joint public-private, and privately owned broadcast media; 27 TV broadcast stations with most operating on multiple channels, including 1 state-operated station broadcasting from multiple locations, 11 stations either jointly operated or privately owned with some broadcasting from several locations; multi-channel cable and satellite systems are available (2019); 84 radio broadcast stations - 1 state-owned broadcaster with multiple stations and a large mixture of public and private broadcasters; one international broadcaster is available (2019) as well as one Chinese joint venture television station with the Ministry of Interior; several television and radio operators broadcast online only (often via Facebook) (2019)government controls all broadcast media exercising oversight through the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC); government-controlled national TV provider, Vietnam Television (VTV), operates a network of several channels with regional broadcasting centers; programming is relayed nationwide via a network of provincial and municipal TV stations; law limits access to satellite TV but many households are able to access foreign programming via home satellite equipment; government-controlled Voice of Vietnam, the national radio broadcaster, broadcasts on several channels and is repeated on AM, FM, and shortwave stations throughout Vietnam (2018)

Transportation

CambodiaVietnam
Railwaystotal: 642 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 642 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)

note: under restoration
total: 2,600 km (2014)

standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge; 253 km mixed gauge (2014)

narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
Roadwaystotal: 47,263 km (2013)

paved: 12,239 km (2013)

unpaved: 35,024 km (2013)
total: 195,468 km (2013)

paved: 148,338 km (2013)

unpaved: 47,130 km (2013)
Waterways3,700 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2012)47,130 km (30,831 km weight under 50 tons) (2011)
Ports and terminalsmajor seaport(s): Sihanoukville (Kampong Saom)

river port(s): Phnom Penh (Mekong)
major seaport(s): Cam Pha Port, Da Nang, Haiphong, Phu My, Quy Nhon

container port(s) (TEUs): Saigon (7,220,377), Cai Mep (3,742,384), Haiphong (5,133,150) (2019)

river port(s): Ho Chi Minh (Mekong)
Merchant marinetotal: 257

by type: container ship 2, general cargo 170, oil tanker 19, other 66 (2020)
total: 1,909

by type: bulk carrier 102, container ship 40, general cargo 1,196, oil tanker 121, other 450 (2020)
Airportstotal: 16 (2013)total: 45 (2013)
Airports - with paved runwaystotal: 6 (2019)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1
total: 38 (2013)

over 3,047 m: 10 (2013)

2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 9 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runwaystotal: 10 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2013)

under 914 m: 1 (2013)
total: 7 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2013)

under 914 m: 3 (2013)
Heliports1 (2013)1 (2013)
National air transport systemnumber of registered air carriers: 6 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 25

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,411,059 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 680,000 mt-km (2018)
number of registered air carriers: 5 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 224

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 47,049,671 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 481.37 million mt-km (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefixXUVN

Military

CambodiaVietnam
Military branchesRoyal Cambodian Armed Forces: High Command Headquarters, Royal Cambodian Army, Royal Khmer Navy, Royal Cambodian Air Force, Royal Gendarmerie; the National Committee for Maritime Security (performs Coast Guard functions and has representation from military and civilian agencies) (2020)People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; aka Vietnam People's Army, VPA): Ground Forces, Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Force and Air Defense, Border Defense Force, and Vietnam Coast Guard; Vietnam People's Public Security; Vietnam Civil Defense Force (2020)
Military service age and obligation18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2019)18-27 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (females eligible for conscription, but in practice only males are drafted); conscription typically takes place twice annually and service obligation is 2 years (Army, Air Defense) and 3 years (Navy and Air Force) (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP2.3% of GDP (2019 est.)

2.2% of GDP (2018)

2.1% of GDP (2017)

2% of GDP (2016)

1.8% of GDP (2015)
2.36% of GDP (2018 est.)

2.3% of GDP (2017)

2.5% of GDP (2016)

2.4% of GDP (2015)

2.3% of GDP (2014)
Military and security service personnel strengthsinformation varies; approximately 100,000 total active troops including about 3,000 Navy and 1,000 Air Force; est. 10,000 Gendarmerie (2020)information is limited and estimates of the size of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) vary; approximately 470,000 active duty troops (400,000 ground; 40,000 naval; 30,000 air); est. 40,000 Border Defense Force and Coast Guard (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitionsthe Royal Cambodian Armed Forces are armed largely with older Chinese and Russian-origin equipment; it has received limited amounts of more modern (mostly second-hand) equipment since 2010 with China as the principal provider (2020)the PAVN is armed largely with weapons and equipment from Russia and the former Soviet Union; Russia remains the main supplier of newer PAVN military equipment, although in recent years Vietnam has begun diversifying its procurement with purchases from other countries including Belarus, India, Israel, South Korea, and Ukraine (2020)

Transnational Issues

CambodiaVietnam
Disputes - international

Cambodia is concerned about Laos' extensive upstream dam construction; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of boundary; in 2011 Thailand and Cambodia resorted to arms in the dispute over the location of the boundary on the precipice surmounted by Preah Vihear Temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by an International Court of Justice decision in 1962 and part of a UN World Heritage site; Cambodia accuses Vietnam of a wide variety of illicit cross-border activities; progress on a joint development area with Vietnam is hampered by an unresolved dispute over sovereignty of offshore islands

southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of Asian swine fever; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese squatters and armed encroachments along border; Cambodia accuses Vietnam of a wide variety of illicit cross-border activities; progress on a joint development area with Cambodia is hampered by an unresolved dispute over sovereignty of offshore islands; an estimated 300,000 Vietnamese refugees reside in China; establishment of a maritime boundary with Cambodia is hampered by unresolved dispute over the sovereignty of offshore islands; the decade-long demarcation of the China-Vietnam land boundary was completed in 2009; China occupies the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; Brunei claims a maritime boundary extending beyond as far as a median with Vietnam, thus asserting an implicit claim to Lousia Reef; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" eased tensions but differences between the parties negotiating the Code of Conduct continue; Vietnam continues to expand construction of facilities in the Spratly Islands; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; Economic Exclusion Zone negotiations with Indonesia are ongoing, and the two countries in Fall 2011 agreed to work together to reduce illegal fishing along their maritime boundary; in May 2018, Russia's RosneftVietnam unit started drilling at a block southeast of Vietnam which is within the area outlined by China's nine-dash line and Beijing issued a warning

Illicit drugsnarcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in the government, military, and police; limited methamphetamine production; vulnerable to money laundering due to its cash-based economy and porous bordersminor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin; government continues to face domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine addiction problems despite longstanding crackdowns; enforces the death penalty for drug trafficking
Refugees and internally displaced personsstateless persons: 57,444 (2020)stateless persons: 32,890 (2020); note - Vietnam's stateless ethnic Chinese Cambodian population dates to the 1970s when thousands of Cambodians fled to Vietnam to escape the Khmer Rouge and were no longer recognized as Cambodian citizens; Vietnamese women who gave up their citizenship to marry foreign men have found themselves stateless after divorcing and returning home to Vietnam; the government addressed this problem in 2009, and Vietnamese women are beginning to reclaim their citizenship
Trafficking in personscurrent situation: human traffickers exploit Cambodian men, women, and children in forced labor and sex trafficking in Cambodia and abroad, and foreign nationals are trafficked in Cambodia; Cambodian adults and children migrate to other countries in the region or increasingly to the Middle East where traffickers force them to work in agriculture, fishing, construction, manufacturing, and domestic servitude; significant numbers of Cambodian men and boys are subject to forced labor on Thai ships in international waters and may experience physical abuse, nonpayment or underpayment of wages, and confinement at sea for years; brick kiln owners exploit thousands of Cambodians, including children, through debt-based coercion; children from poor families are vulnerable to forced labor, often with the complicity of their parents, in domestic servitude, forced begging, or street vending in Thailand and Vietnam; Cambodian and ethnic Vietnamese women and girls from rural areas move to cities and tourist areas where they are sex trafficked

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Cambodia does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; authorities continued to prosecute and convict traffickers and utilized new victim identification and data collection technologies; the government enacted a five-year national action plan to combat human trafficking; however, corruption continued to impede law enforcement efforts, criminal proceedings, and services to victims; some corrupt officials may have profited directly from sex and labor trafficking or accepted bribes to dismiss charges or reduce sentences; insufficient judicial monitoring systems enabled suspected traffickers to flee before trial; authorities failed to issue formal guidance allowing the use of undercover techniques in anti-trafficking investigations (2020)
current situation: human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Vietnam, and traffickers exploit Vietnamese abroad; Vietnamese men and women who migrate abroad for work may be subject to exploitation and illegally high fees from recruiters trapping them in debt bondage; traffickers subject victims to forced labor in construction, fishing, agriculture, mining, maritime industries, logging, and manufacturing, primarily in Taiwan, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Laos, Japan, and to a lesser extent, some parts of Europe and the UK; traffickers mislead Vietnamese women and children with fraudulent employment opportunities and sex traffick them to brothels on the borders of China, Cambodia, Laos, and elsewhere in Asia; traffickers use the Internet, gaming sites, and particularly social media to lure victims; domestic traffickers are sometimes  family members or small-scale networks exploiting Vietnamese men, women, and children - including street children and children with disabilities - in forced labor as street beggars or in brick kilns and mines; child sex tourists from elsewhere in Asia and other countries exploit children; prisoners reportedly are forced to work in agriculture, manufacturing, and hazardous industries, such as cashew processing

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Vietnam does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; efforts include providing trafficking victims the right to legal representation in judicial proceedings, increasing the amount of shelter time for victims by one month, providing financial support, continuing large-scale awareness campaigns in vulnerable communities and to workers going overseas, and training law enforcement; however, fewer victims were identified or assisted and procedures remained slow and ineffective; provincial officials unfamiliar with anti-trafficking law impede anti-trafficking efforts; labor recruitment firms extorted illegal high fees from workers looking for overseas employment putting them at risk for forced labor; no investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of officials complicit in trafficking offenses were made (2020)

Environment

CambodiaVietnam
Air pollutantsparticulate matter emissions: 23.98 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 9.92 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 14.88 megatons (2020 est.)
particulate matter emissions: 29.66 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 192.67 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 110.4 megatons (2020 est.)
Total water withdrawalmunicipal: 98 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 33 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 2.053 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
municipal: 1.206 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial: 3.074 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

agricultural: 77.75 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Revenue from forest resourcesforest revenues: 0.84% of GDP (2018 est.)forest revenues: 1.49% of GDP (2018 est.)
Revenue from coalcoal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)coal revenues: 0.35% of GDP (2018 est.)
Waste and recyclingmunicipal solid waste generated annually: 1.089 million tons (2014 est.)municipal solid waste generated annually: 9,570,300 tons (2011 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 2,201,169 tons (2014 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 23% (2014 est.)

Source: CIA Factbook