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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$64.21 billion (2017 est.)
$60.09 billion (2016 est.)
$56.18 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 104
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$22.09 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
6.9% (2017 est.)
7% (2016 est.)
7% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 20
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,000 (2017 est.)
$3,800 (2016 est.)
$3,600 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 177
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
13.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
14.3% of GDP (2016 est.)
13.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 139
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 76% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 5.4% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 21.8% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 1.2% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 68.6% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -73% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 25.3% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 32.8% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 41.9% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, cassava (manioc, tapioca), silk

Industries:
tourism, garments, construction, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
10.6% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 11
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
8.913 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 56
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 48.7%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 19.9%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 31.5% (2013 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
0.3% (2017 est.)
0.2% (2016 est.)
note: high underemployment, according to official statistics
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 2
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
16.5% (2016 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 28% (2013 est.)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.9 (2008 est.)
41.9 (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 78
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: 3.947 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: 4.354 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
17.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 164
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-1.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 97
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
30.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
29.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 165
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.9% (2017 est.)
3% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 129
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
NA% (31 December 2012)
5.25% (31 December 2007)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 78
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.92% (31 December 2017 est.)
11.36% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 75
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$2.202 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.748 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 133
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$2.202 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.748 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 141
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$16.53 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$14.27 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 96
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
NA
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$1.871 billion (2017 est.)
-$1.731 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 162
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$11.42 billion (2017 est.)
$10.07 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 85
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - partners:
US 21.5%, UK 9%, Germany 8.6%, Japan 7.6%, China 6.9%, Canada 6.7%, Spain 4.7%, Belgium 4.5% (2017)

Exports - commodities:
clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear

Imports:
$14.37 billion (2017 est.)
$12.65 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 91
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials, machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products

Imports - partners:
China 34.1%, Singapore 12.8%, Thailand 12.4%, Vietnam 10.1% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$12.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$9.122 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 69
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$11.87 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$10.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 107
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$29.17 billion (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 71
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
riels (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.)