| Cambodia | UK |
| Population (millions): | 14 | 60.8 |
| Poverty (% of population below national poverty line): | 36.1% | 17% |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years (34%),
15-64 years (62.4%),
65 years + (3.6%) | 0-14 years (17.2%),
15-64 years (67%),
65 years + (15.8%) |
| Life expectancy: | 61 years | 78.7 years |
| Population growth rate: | 1.7% | 0.28% |
| HIV/AIDS (% of adult population infected) : | 2.6% | 0.2% |
| Religions: | Theravada Buddhist (95%),
other (5%) | Christian (71.6%),
Muslim (2.7%),
Hindu (1%),
other (1.6%),
unspecified or none (23.1%) |
| Literacy: | 73.6% | 99% |
| Gross Domestic Product1 | $37.73 billion | $2.346 trillion |
| Gross National Income per capita2: | $350 | $33,630 |
| Labour force by occupation: | Agriculture (75%) | Agriculture (1%),
Industry (25.6%),
Services (73.4%) |
| Unemployment rate: | 2.5% | 2.9% |
| Household income consumption3: | Lowest 10% (2.9%),
Highest 10% (33.8%) | Lowest 10% (2.1%),
Highest 10% (28.5%) |
Cambodia is classed as a Least Developed Country (LDC). Around a third of the population live in poverty, struggling to survive on less than $1 per day. Three decades of political turmoil and civil war have had a severe and lasting impact on peoples' lives.
One of the most devastating impacts of the brutal conflict in Cambodia is the vacuum it has left in terms of qualified local personnel, as most highly skilled or educated people were either killed or driven out of the country.
It is estimated that between 75% and 80% of Cambodia's teachers and higher education students fled or died during the Khmer Rouge period (Klintworth, 1989).
Another legacy of the armed conflict is the relatively large proportion of female-headed households (17%) and a high incidence of landmine-related disabilities. Cambodia has one of the highest number of amputees in the world with one amputee per 384 people. Land mines still hamper access to agricultural lands and create vulnerability for people living in rural areas.
A high percentage of the population (85%) live in rural areas and are dependant on agriculture for their livelihoods. They are hampered by low agricultural productivity, limited natural resources, insufficient skills and technology, and a lack of alternative sources of income.
Frequent natural disasters such as extreme droughts and floods cause regular food shortages. The correlation between poverty and remoteness from urban localities is strong.
Notes
1: GDP is the value of goods and services that a country's citizens produce. GNP is one measure of the economic condition of a country.
2: GNI is a country’s gross national income. GNI divided by total population gives GNI per capita.This indicator represents the well being of the population. However, it is anaverage that does not take into account inequalities of income within a country.
3: The percentage of total national household income held by the bottom 10% of households compared to the top 10% of households.
