Destinations › · The Destination Index · universal template · every figure sourced
Cambodia.
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. 181,035 sq km and 17,847,982 people, 443 km of coastline, tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation.
Region · Population · ~17,847,982Languages · Khmer, with Cham, Vietnamese and Chinese communitiesEco Index · /100 · Not yet scored
Cambodia holds a deep and living Khmer heritage, most famously the classical Apsara (Robam) dance and the masked Lakhon Khol drama, both inscribed by UNESCO. Pinpeat and mahori ensembles, shadow puppetry (Sbek Thom) and the bamboo-lute chapei remain active performance traditions.
Where the name comes from
From Kambuja, a Sanskrit-derived name used in the region's own inscriptions for the kingdom that preceded Angkor. Kâmpuchéa is the Khmer form. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
The land itself: low, flat plains through the centre, with mountains in the south west and north. Its high point is Phnum Aoral, 1,810 m. Source: UK Permanent Committee on Geographical Names toponymic factfile.
Where it starts
Seventy-one thousand years in one cave
Laang Spean, the Cave of Bridges in Battambang, holds a record of human occupation spanning around 71,000 years, a depth unmatched anywhere else in Cambodia. Its layers run from pre-Hoabinhian tools through Hoabinhian foraging to Neolithic pottery and burial, a continuous sequence in one place. Bronze-working settlements on the Tonle Sap floodplain followed from around 1500 BC.
How it got here
Funan, Angkor, and after
Funan, a trading state on the lower Mekong with the port of Oc Eo, linked India and China from around AD 100. Inland Chenla polities developed temple building, Sanskrit inscription and water management. From 802 Angkor became one of the largest pre-industrial cities in the world, with a water system covering hundreds of square kilometres. Cambodia was a French protectorate from 1863 and independent in 1953. Between 1975 and 1979 around 1.7 to 2 million people died under Khmer Rouge rule. Peace accords and United Nations supervised elections followed in 1991 and 1993.
The timeline
c. 71,000 years ago
Laang Spean.
The Cave of Bridges in Battambang holds a record of human occupation spanning around 71,000 years, unmatched in Cambodia. ↗
c. 11,000 to 4,000 years ago
Hoabinhian layers.
The same cave records foraging, then pottery and burial, in a continuous sequence. ↗
c. 1500 to 500 BC
Samrong Sen and bronze.
Settlements on the Tonle Sap floodplain work bronze and trade along the rivers. ↗
c. AD 100 to 550
Funan.
A trading state on the lower Mekong links India and China, with the port of Oc Eo. ↗
c. 550 to 802
Chenla.
Inland polities develop temple building, Sanskrit inscription and water management. ↗
802 to 1431
Angkor.
One of the largest pre-industrial cities in the world, with a water system covering hundreds of square kilometres. ↗
1863 to 1953
French protectorate.
Cambodia becomes a French protectorate and gains independence in 1953. ↗
1975 to 1979
Khmer Rouge.
Around 1.7 to 2 million people died under Khmer Rouge rule between 1975 and 1979, through execution, forced labour, starvation and disease. ↗
1991 to 1993
Peace and elections.
Peace accords are signed and elections held under United Nations supervision. ↗
On paper Cambodia is a conservation heavyweight, with 39.8 per cent of its land inside protected areas (World Bank) including the Cardamom Mountains and Prey Lang. The reality is undercut by some of the world's highest deforestation rates, illegal logging and forest loss even within protected areas, and economic land concessions. Marine protection is minimal at 1.44 per cent.
Is wild Cambodia protected? 39.8% of the land is, already past the 30% target for 2030
Species to know
Recorded in Cambodia and named in the open record. Endemic status is stated per species, not implied by this list.
Critically endangered giant ibis
Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin
Me
The watchlist
ThreatenedBlack-shanked Douc (Pygathrix nigripes)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Cambodia in GBIF occurrence data (mammal).
ThreatenedBlack Ibis (Pseudibis davisoni)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Cambodia in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedYellow Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Cambodia in GBIF occurrence data (turtle).
ThreatenedCrocodylus siamensisCritically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Cambodia in GBIF occurrence data (species).
ThreatenedMacaca fascicularisEndangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Cambodia in GBIF occurrence data (mammal).
ThreatenedGiant Ibis (Pseudibis gigantea)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Cambodia in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedBengal Florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Cambodia in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
ThreatenedAsian White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis)Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and recorded in Cambodia in GBIF occurrence data (bird).
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Cambodia. GBIF holds 8 verified occurrence records.
Black Ibis (Pseudibis davisoni)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Cambodia. GBIF holds 135 verified occurrence records.
Yellow Tortoise (Indotestudo elongata)
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Cambodia. GBIF holds 5 verified occurrence records.
Crocodylus siamensis
Critically Endangered, the last IUCN category before Extinct in the Wild, and still recorded in Cambodia. GBIF holds 1 verified occurrence records.
Species named here are drawn from GBIF occurrence records for Cambodia filtered to the IUCN Red List threatened categories. Species are listed where GBIF holds occurrence records for them in this country. Record counts are not published here because the figure cannot be reproduced from a public GBIF query.
National park in Kep, mapped and named in the open record for Cambodia. OpenStreetMap.
Water and Ocean in Cambodia.
Cambodia is shaped by water, from the Mekong River to the Tonle Sap, South-East Asia's largest freshwater lake, which reverses its flow each monsoon, so surface water is abundant. Delivery, however, is poor: only about 29 per cent of the population uses safely managed drinking water (World Bank, 2022), rural access lags and some groundwater carries arsenic. Tap water is not safe to drink untreated.
Does Cambodia have enough fresh water? Yes, with headroom
30% of people here have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Coverage is well short of universal, so a visitor should not assume the tap is safe.
How much fresh water does Cambodia have, per person?
7,011 m³
Cambodia
1,000 m³
the UN “water scarce” line
Cambodia withdraws about 2,184 million cubic metres of fresh water a year (2022). That is 1.0% of the fresh water actually available to it, which FAO counts as no water stress. Of what is taken, farming takes 94%, homes and towns 4%, industry 2%. Source: FAO AQUASTAT.
What are the rules on Cambodia beaches?
✕Tap water: Not drinkable.
✓Plastic rules: Phnom Penh introduced a charge on plastic bags at large stores in 2018, though enforcement is limited and litter remains heavy..
✕Solo travel: rated take care on the record for this destination.
✕Marine protection: 1.44% of the sea is protected. The 30x30 pledge for 2030 is not met yet.
Where does the sewage go?
51.6%
of people have safely managed sanitation
51.6% of people here use a safely managed sanitation service, meaning waste is contained, emptied and treated rather than reaching the ground or the sea untreated (2024, World Bank / WHO-UNICEF JMP, SDG 6.2.1). The rest is what the rivers and the coast receive.
How is the sea around Cambodia doing?
One cross-section, every answer measured.
Surface
What the coast carries
Dry Nov–Apr, monsoon May–Oct; the temples are best early morning.
Nearshore
Protected water
1.44% of territorial waters are protected, against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Cleanest
Where the water is cleanest
The Cardamom rivers and the Koh Rong archipelago..
The record
Measured
Cambodia is shaped by water, from the Mekong River to the Tonle Sap, South-East Asia's largest freshwater lake, which reverses its flow each monsoon, so surface water is abundant. Delivery, however, is poor: only about 29 per cent of the population uses safely managed drinking water (World Bank, 2022), rural access lags and some groundwater carries arsenic.
Sea protected
1.44%
Against the 30% pledged for 2030 under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
Threatened species
221 (mammals, birds, fish & plants)
Mammals, birds, fish and higher plants on the IUCN list.
Cleanest water
here
The Cardamom rivers and the Koh Rong archipelago..
Is the tap water safe in Cambodia?
30% of people have safely managed drinking water at home (2024, WHO/UNICEF JMP). Renewable fresh water works out at about 7,011 cubic metres per person a year (World Bank).
How hard is the water supply being pushed?
Of every 10 buckets nature refills, 0 are already taken. Withdrawals run at 1.8% of what Cambodia renews internally each year (2022, World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT). That is inside the 25% mark generally treated as water stress, so the supply has headroom.
When is the best time to visit Cambodia? Tap your month.
Tap your month.
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
.
How much fresh water does Cambodia actually have?
Nature renews about 7,011 cubic metres of fresh water per person per year here. That ranks Cambodia 146 of 208 countries measured, putting it in the wetter half of the world. The UN treats anything under 1,000 cubic metres as water scarce, and this is above that line. World Bank / FAO AQUASTAT.
Cambodia is strongly agricultural, self-sufficient in rice and a significant milled-rice exporter, with food only about 8.5 per cent of merchandise imports (World Bank). The Tonle Sap sustains one of the world's most productive inland fisheries, and tropical fruit and vegetables are widely grown. Domestic food production is robust.
How often each food is on the plate
Share of people eating each one regularly. These overlap, so they do not add up to 100%.
Rice60%
Tropical fruit24%
Kampot pepper15%
What is killing people in Cambodia? The imported diet.
Cause of death, and the diet behind it.
Non-communicable diseases, all combined63.6%
Diabetes7.5%
Adults living with overweight or obesity. 25.1%.
Can Cambodia feed itself?
23.3%
Arable land
34.9%
Agricultural land
3,463,284
Farmers
10,181,071
Arable acres
16.1%
Agriculture, share of GDP
Feeding itself
Cambodia is strongly agricultural, self-sufficient in rice and a significant milled-rice exporter, with food only about 8.5 per cent of merchandise imports (World Bank). The Tonle Sap sustains one of the world's most productive inland fisheries, and tropical fruit and vegetables are widely grown.
Certification
Certified organic land is about 0.6 per cent of farmland, roughly 36,000 hectares (FiBL, 2020), a small but growing sector. Organic Kampot pepper and emerging organic rice are the standout products.
Water for crops
Cambodia is shaped by water, from the Mekong River to the Tonle Sap, South-East Asia's largest freshwater lake, which reverses its flow each monsoon, so surface water is abundant. Delivery, however, is poor: only about 29 per cent of the population uses safely managed drinking water (World Bank, 2022), rural access lags and some groundwater carries arsenic.
Why the organic number looks like that. Certified-organic farmland is not separately reported for Cambodia, and that is a certification gap rather than proof nothing is grown cleanly. What the official land record does show: 34.9% of the country is agricultural land and 23.3% is arable (2023, World Bank). Certification is paid for per farm per year by a foreign body, which prices out smallholders, so the organic number reads worse than the practice.
The plant-based kitchen here is not an import. By tonnage, the largest crops grown in Cambodia are cassava, rice, maize and sugarcane (FAO, FAOSTAT crop production, 2024). That is what the land itself puts on a plate.
Buy direct where residents buy: An Ses Marketplace, Banteay Chey Market, Dak Dam Market, Huge Market, Kambol Rainbow Night Market, Kampong Thmar Market. Each is a mapped, named marketplace, so the money stays with the seller rather than the importer. OpenStreetMap.
Cambodia's electricity mix is split between coal and hydropower, with coal supplying about 59 per cent of generation in 2023 and renewables, chiefly hydro, around 41 per cent. Per-capita emissions are very low at roughly 1.1 tonne of CO2 a year, reflecting low energy use, but they are rising quickly as coal-fired capacity expands.
Pollution
Phnom Penh introduced a charge on plastic bags at large stores in 2018, but enforcement is limited and plastic litter is heavy in cities and waterways. Urban air is moderate, with a national PM2.5 average around 18 micrograms per cubic metre (IQAir, 2024), well above the WHO guideline, worsened by crop and forest burning.
Water stress
Cambodia is shaped by water, from the Mekong River to the Tonle Sap, South-East Asia's largest freshwater lake, which reverses its flow each monsoon, so surface water is abundant. Delivery, however, is poor: only about 29 per cent of the population uses safely managed drinking water (World Bank, 2022), rural access lags and some groundwater carries arsenic.
What pollutes most here
1The gridThe share of electricity still generated from fossil fuel.64.3%
2IndustryIllegal logging, riverbed sand mining and garment-factory effluent..named
3AirModelled annual mean against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.18.1
4On the recordPhnom Penh introduced a charge on plastic bags at large stores in 2018, but enforcement is limited and plastic litter is heavy in cities and waterways.
What has Cambodia promised on climate?
Net zero, whole economy2050
Electricity renewable today56.4% (2021)
Land protected, against a 30% target39.8% by 2025
Sea protected, against a 30% target1.5% by 2025
The net-zero target year on file with Climate Watch is 2050, status: in policy document. Measured against it, 56.4% of electricity is already renewable (2021, World Bank), so 43.6% of the grid is still to be converted. The pledge on file is measured here against what has actually been delivered, not taken on its own (UNFCCC NDC Registry, CBD Kunming-Montreal Target 3).
The biggest line item
One return flight against a whole year of living.
A resident's entire year1.1 t CO2e
Safe-climate budget, per year2 t CO2e
New York return, economy2.56 t CO2e
Los Angeles return, economy2.38 t CO2e
London return, economy1.81 t CO2e
Paris return, economy1.79 t CO2e
Frankfurt return, economy1.71 t CO2e
How much CO2 does flying to Cambodia emit?
Tap where you would fly from. One return flight, economy.
Every prompt runs on a machine in a building on somebody’s grid. What that costs the planet depends less on the prompt than on what is burning to power it. Here is what would power one in Cambodia.
Data centres
9
Registered colocation and interconnection facilities, PeeringDB, 2026
Cooling water. Every one of those halls runs on the national grid, which is 56.4% renewable today (World Bank). A data centre is only as clean as the electricity behind it, so the same figure that decides this country's climate score also decides the footprint of the AI running inside it. Cooling water use is not separately published by facility, and no operator here reports it.
The rules. Cambodia has 9 colocation and interconnection facilities on the public PeeringDB register, concentrated in Phnom Penh (9), alongside 4 internet exchanges (HTN-IX, TC-IX, CNX, MekongIX). Named sites include Cambodian SingMeng Telemedia Co., Ltd., MekongNet, Telecom Cambodia Building, Sabay Digital, Tonle Basak (KPH).
Where the cables land. 1 landing points · Sihanoukville
73% residents to 27% visitors across a year. 6,611,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 17,847,982 people who live here (2025, World Bank / UN Tourism).
Where a visitor dollar goes in Cambodia
1,306k
Visitors a year
0.1
Visitors per resident
How deep in debt is Cambodia?· for every $100 Cambodia earns in a year, it owes…
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · the 2003 peak
$ 40The worst year on the IMF record. Cambodia owed $40 for every $100 it earned.
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2003signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · today
$ 27What is owed now, for every $100 of national income (2026).
IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026signed, the creditors
Pay to the order of: the creditorsmemo · projected 2031
$ 28The IMF's own forecast has this rising to $28 by 2031.
IMF World Economic Outlook projection, 2031signed, the forecast
For every $100 Cambodia earns in a year, it owes $27 (2026, IMF World Economic Outlook). The interest on that is paid before schools, clinics or coastline get their turn.
Where does a tourist dollar actually go in Cambodia?
Play one tourist dollar around the board. Every square is a measured fact from this page.
START!
1
GO: a visitor lands
$100 goes on the table. 6,611,000 international arrivals in 2019 against 17,847,982 residents, one visitor a year for every 3 residents (World Bank / UN Tourism).
$100 in play
2
The bed
Who owns the largest places to stay in Cambodia is not published in the records we can check, so this square is left open rather than guessed. Where a listing names its owner, it is shown in the ownership table below.
not published
3
The plate
Food is only 7.5% of everything Cambodia imports (2024, World Bank), so most of a meal is bought from producers inside the country. Eating what the land here actually grows, cassava, rice, maize, sugarcane, vegetables, oil palm fruit, rubber, bananas, jute, keeps that money with the grower.
mostly home-grown
4
The power
56.4% of the electricity is renewable (2021, World Bank), so the energy on the bill is mostly generated inside the country rather than shipped in.
made at home
5
What actually stays
Of the two parts of a visitor's bill that can be measured here, the plate and the power stay inside Cambodia. This is not an economy where a visitor's money drains away, and the board is shorter for it.
most of it
6
Pay the bank first
Cambodia owes $27 for every $100 it earns (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). The interest is paid before anything else on this board.
$27 per $100
7
No plan B
25.3% of everything Cambodia sells abroad is knitted clothing (2023, UN Comtrade). One market moving takes the whole board with it.
25.3% one export
8
Community chest
Tourism earns 5.4% of everything Cambodia makes from exports (2020, World Bank / UN Tourism). That is how much of the economy depends on the game continuing.
5.4% of exports
9
The flight
Getting here is usually the biggest single line on the bill. From New York a return economy seat is 2.56 t CO2, on the UK Government's published conversion factors. It is the one part of the trip this board cannot reduce.
2.56 t CO2
10
Back to GO
The economy turns over about US$52 billion a year (IMF World Economic Outlook, 2026 projection). Every lap of this board is a choice about how much of it stays.
US$52bn
GDPUS$51.3bn
Agriculture, share of GDP16.1%
Visitors a year1,306,000
Visitors per resident0.1
Residents~17,847,982
Agriculture
Farming is 16.1% of the economy. Cambodia is strongly agricultural, self-sufficient in rice and a significant milled-rice exporter, with food only about 8.5 per cent of merchandise imports (World Bank).
Natural materials
Cambodia keeps a living textile tradition in its golden silk and hol ikat weaving and in the ubiquitous cotton krama scarf, a national symbol worn everywhere. Rattan, water hyacinth and lotus-stem fibre feed a range of craft.
Energy
Cambodia's electricity mix is split between coal and hydropower, with coal supplying about 59 per cent of generation in 2023 and renewables, chiefly hydro, around 41 per cent. Per-capita emissions are very low at roughly 1.1 tonne of CO2 a year, reflecting low energy use, but they are rising quickly as coal-fired capacity expands.
Who owns the biggest hotels in Cambodia?
By rooms · company records and press.
Elephant Valley Project · ~5 roomsIndependentnot published
Visitors, over time
20154,775k
20165,012k
20175,602k
20186,201k
20196,611k
20201,306k
International tourism receipts run at about US$1.12 billion in 2020 (World Bank / UN Tourism). That is 5.4% of everything the country earns from exports.
How much of your money actually stays here?
Tap the holiday you are planning.
All-inclusive resortForeign-owned hotel and tourist restaurantsLocally owned stay and local restaurantsGuesthouse, markets and public transport
Resort guest, villa renter, family, nomad or backpacker. The honest playbook for each, from the same sourced numbers.
Already booked a resort? · the rescue list
Five swaps that move your money back on-island
1. Eat where the country eats Choose kitchens cooking what the land here grows, cassava, rice, maize, sugarcane, vegetables, oil palm fruit, rubber, bananas and jute, over an imported menu. The checked list →
2. Book with a local operator Never the lobby desk. The margin on a tour is the part that stays. Eco tours →
3. Stay somewhere locally owned Ownership decides where the room rate books. Eco stays →
4. Use the transport residents use Buses and shared minivans between towns, tuk-tuks in the cities, and boats on the Mekong and Tonle Sap.
5. Buy the craft, not the souvenir Natural-materials work made here pays the maker directly; imported gifts pay a shipping line.
swipe →
First time here
Cambodia is rice self-sufficient and rich in living Khmer culture around the Mekong and Tonle Sap, but weak enforcement of its large protected-area network, unsafe tap water and rising coal power weigh on its eco credentials.
Best time: November to February, the cool dry season.
Getting around
Buses and shared minivans between towns, tuk-tuks in the cities, and boats on the Mekong and Tonle Sap.
Transport is where the fare either stays or leaves.
Eating here
The everyday plate that actually grows here is cassava, rice, maize, sugarcane, vegetables, oil palm fruit, rubber, bananas and jute. Ordering those keeps the money with the grower and cuts the imported share of the meal.
Eating what the country grows is the cheapest way to cut the import bill.
Good to know
USD is used alongside riel; cash is king. Khmer etiquette is gentle and formal.
Rate my hotel. Tap yours for the honest verdict.
Ownership from company records and press.
Elephant Valley Project
.
Who owns the place to stay
Elephant Valley ProjectIndependent · 5 rooms
The one property listed here does not publish who ultimately owns it, so no claim is made either way. Ownership is what decides how much of a room rate stays in the country, which is why we show it when a listing states it.
Society and Governance in Cambodia.
How well is Cambodia actually run?
Governance, measured · World Bank WGI
Four measured answers, none of them opinion. Averaged across corruption control, delivery and accountability, Cambodia scores 32 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That matters here because every pledge on this page is only as good as the machinery meant to deliver it.
How well is Cambodia run? · each scored out of 100, higher is better
Clean government, scored 23 of 100
Control of corruption scores 22.9 out of 100 (2024, World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators). That is in the bottom quarter of governments measured.
23
Freedom and rights, scored 28 of 100
Voice and accountability, which measures free expression, free media and the ability to choose a government, scores 27.6 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Room to question the government publicly is limited.
28
Government effectiveness, scored 46 of 100
Government effectiveness, which measures the quality of public services and how well policy is actually delivered, scores 45.6 out of 100 (2024, World Bank WGI). Delivery is rated below average, so a pledge on paper is not the same as a pledge kept.
46
LGBTQ+ status: MixedSolo female travel: Take care71.9% adult literacyIndustry to avoid: Illegal logging, riverbed sand mining and garment-factory effluent.
What is daily life in Cambodia really like? Measured
Getting around, breathing, throwing away, learning. The honest checklist.
TransportAirWaterWastePower
✓How you get around Buses and shared minivans between towns, tuk-tuks in the cities, and boats on the Mekong and Tonle Sap.
✓Air quality, measured Modelled annual mean 18.1. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³.
✓Where the air is cleanest The Cardamom Mountains and the Koh Kong coast.
·Tap water Not drinkable
✓What to drink Bottled water always; ice from sealed bags is the rule.
✓Plastic rules Phnom Penh introduced a charge on plastic bags at large stores in 2018, though enforcement is limited and litter remains heavy.
✓Sockets and voltage Type A/B/C, 220V (varies)
71.9%
literacy. Public spending on education runs at 2.2% of GDP and 11.6% of all government spending, and secondary enrolment stands at 58.8% gross (UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2023 to 2025).
Made in Cambodia.
Cambodia keeps a living textile tradition in its golden silk and hol ikat weaving and in the ubiquitous cotton krama scarf, a national symbol worn everywhere. Rattan, water hyacinth and lotus-stem fibre feed a range of craft. Every step of processing done at home is value that stops leaving the country.
What Cambodia actually sells the world
The single biggest thing Cambodia sells the world is knitted clothing, 25.3% of all exports in 2023 (about US$5.48 billion, UN Comtrade). The next four are electrical machinery and electronics at 14.5%, woven clothing at 11.0%, leather articles at 7.9%, footwear at 6.3%.
Made now · natural materials
Cambodia keeps a living textile tradition in its golden silk
Worked in Cambodia from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Hol ikat weaving
Worked in Cambodia from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
In the ubiquitous cotton krama scarf
Worked in Cambodia from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
National symbol worn everywhere. Rattan
Worked in Cambodia from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Made now · natural materials
Water hyacinth
Worked in Cambodia from local material, and still a working craft rather than a museum piece.
Could make · grown here already
Rice
Grown in Cambodia and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
Could make · grown here already
Freshwater fish
Grown in Cambodia and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
Could make · grown here already
Prahok (fermented fish paste)
Grown in Cambodia and mostly sold raw. Processing it here would keep the margin here.
The maths for an entrepreneur. Cambodia produces about US$51 billion a year, which is roughly US$2,872 per person (2025, World Bank). Farming is 16.1% of that, while food is 7.5% of everything the country imports. With 23.3% of the land arable, the raw material for that is already in the ground.
A living tradition of Cambodia, still practised rather than archived.
Lakhon Khol masked drama
A living tradition of Cambodia, still practised rather than archived.
Pinpeat
A living tradition of Cambodia, still practised rather than archived.
Mahori music
A living tradition of Cambodia, still practised rather than archived.
Sbek Thom shadow puppetryA living tradition of Cambodia, still practised rather than archived.
Chapei luteA living tradition of Cambodia, still practised rather than archived.
Does Cambodia protect its heritage by law?
Partly, and the gaps say as much as the protections.
What is kept alive. Cambodia holds a deep and living Khmer heritage, most famously the classical Apsara (Robam) dance and the masked Lakhon Khol drama, both inscribed by UNESCO. Pinpeat and mahori ensembles, shadow puppetry (Sbek Thom) and the bamboo-lute chapei remain active performance traditions. Everyday spiritual life blends Theravada Buddhism with older animist practice, including the veneration of Neak Ta guardian spirits and ancestors.
Who it belongs to. Khmer culture is deeply alive, anchored by Angkor and by everyday Theravada Buddhist practice, and indigenous highland peoples such as the Bunong, Kreung and Tampuan maintain distinct traditions. Established community-based ecotourism at Chi Phat, Banteay Chhmar and Prek Toal channels income directly to villages and conservation. Land-grabbing and uneven distribution of Angkor revenue are real problems, but genuine community tourism is well developed.
Only here. The Tonle Sap, whose seasonal flow reversal swells the lake several times over and drives one of the world's most productive inland fisheries..
Three futures for Cambodia, every one run forward from measured data.
Where the making actually happens
Named cultural and craft sites on the open map: Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (Khan Boeng Keng Kang), National Museum of Cambodia (Khan Daun Penh), Angkor National Museum (Siem Reap), Landmine Museum (Siem Reap), War Museum Cambodia (Siem Reap). OpenStreetMap. Named craft workshops on the open map: Angkor Recycled, Artisans d'Angkor, Backstreet Academy, Fair Trade Village, The Bunong Place.
Every measured trend on one line
Run forward at the pace already recorded.
-30%
Forest cover
1995: 61.7 % → 2023: 43.1 %
+635%
CO2 per person
1995: 0.15 t → 2024: 1.1 t
+494%
Tourist arrivals
1995: 220 k → 2020: 1306 k
+51%
Protected land
2013: 26.3 % → 2025: 39.8 %
-57%
Farm workforce
1995: 77.5 % → 2025: 33.4 %
+650%
Protected sea
2013: 0.2 % → 2025: 1.5 %
+35%
Agricultural land
1995: 25.9 % → 2023: 34.9 %
+135%
Urban population
1995: 17.5 % → 2025: 41.1 %
-24%
Air pollution
1995: 25.7 µg/m³ → 2023: 19.4 µg/m³
-42%
Fresh water per person
1995: 12037.7 m³ → 2022: 7010.9 m³
+262%
Adult overweight
1995: 7 % → 2022: 25.1 %
+431%
Electricity access
1998: 18.7 % → 2024: 99.2 %
+737%
GDP per person
1995: 343 → 2025: 2872
+78%
Population
1995: 10018 k → 2025: 17848 k
-36%
Renewable energy use
1995: 82.5 % → 2021: 52.4 %
+97%
Energy per person
1995: 282.4 kg → 2023: 554.9 kg
+52%
Protected area, total
2013: 20.9 % → 2025: 31.8 %
+25%
Life expectancy
1995: 56.6 yrs → 2024: 70.8 yrs
+109%
Cereal yield
1995: 1779 ha → 2023: 3722 ha
+1829%
Fertiliser use
1995: 2.7 ha → 2023: 51.1 ha
-29%
Rural population
1995: 82.5 % → 2025: 58.9 %
+168%
Water productivity
2006: 5.9 $/m3 → 2022: 15.8 $/m3
-29%
Health spending
2000: 6.48 % → 2023: 4.62 %
-30%
Forest area
1995: 108929 km2 → 2023: 76013 km2
+6389%
Electric power use
1995: 14.37 kWh → 2023: 932.4 kWh
+62%
Emissions: Agriculture
1990: 15.8 e → 2023: 25.6 e
World Bank open data, recorded series
How much forest is left?
Forest cover moved from 61.7% to 43.1% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.ZS
How much climate pollution per person?
CO2 per person moved from 0.1 t to 1.1 t across 29 recorded years.
World Bank EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
How many people visit?
Tourist arrivals moved from 220k to 1306k across 25 recorded years.
World Bank ST.INT.ARVL
How much land is protected?
Protected land moved from 26.3% to 39.8% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.LND.PTLD.ZS
How many people still farm?
Farm workforce moved from 77.5% to 33.4% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SL.AGR.EMPL.ZS
How much sea is protected?
Protected sea moved from 0.2% to 1.5% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS
How much land is farmed?
Agricultural land moved from 25.9% to 34.9% across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.AGRI.ZS
How fast is it urbanising?
Urban population moved from 17.5% to 41.1% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
Is the air getting cleaner?
Air pollution moved from 25.7 µg/m³ to 19.4 µg/m³ across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EN.ATM.PM25.MC.M3
Is water getting scarcer?
Fresh water per person moved from 12037.7 m³ to 7010.9 m³ across 27 recorded years.
World Bank ER.H2O.INTR.PC
Is diet-related disease rising?
Adult overweight moved from 7.0% to 25.1% across 27 recorded years.
World Bank SH.STA.OWAD.ZS
Who has power?
Electricity access moved from 18.7% to 99.2% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS
Is income rising?
GDP per person moved from 343 to 2872 across 30 recorded years.
World Bank NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
How fast is it growing?
Population moved from 10018k to 17848k across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.POP.TOTL
What share of all energy is renewable?
Renewable energy use moved from 82.5% to 52.4% across 26 recorded years.
World Bank EG.FEC.RNEW.ZS
How much energy does one person use?
Energy per person moved from 282.35 kg to 554.91 kg across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.PCAP.KG.OE
How much land and sea is protected together?
Protected area, total moved from 20.9% to 31.8% across 12 recorded years.
World Bank ER.PTD.TOTL.ZS
How long do people live?
Life expectancy moved from 56.56 yrs to 70.82 yrs across 29 recorded years.
World Bank SP.DYN.LE00.IN
How much does a hectare of cereal produce?
Cereal yield moved from 1779 kg/ha to 3722 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.YLD.CREL.KG
How much fertiliser goes on the land?
Fertiliser use moved from 2.65 kg/ha to 51.09 kg/ha across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.CON.FERT.ZS
How many people still live rurally?
Rural population moved from 82.5% to 58.89% across 30 recorded years.
World Bank SP.RUR.TOTL.ZS
How much value per cubic metre of water?
Water productivity moved from 5.91 $/m3 to 15.84 $/m3 across 16 recorded years.
World Bank ER.GDP.FWTL.M3.KD
How much goes on health?
Health spending moved from 6.48% to 4.62% across 23 recorded years.
World Bank SH.XPD.CHEX.GD.ZS
How much forest is there in total?
Forest area moved from 108929 km2 to 76013 km2 across 28 recorded years.
World Bank AG.LND.FRST.K2
How much electricity per person?
Electric power use moved from 14.37 kWh to 932.4 kWh across 28 recorded years.
World Bank EG.USE.ELEC.KH.PC
How have agriculture emissions moved?
Agriculture emissions moved from 15.75 to 25.58 MtCO2e across 33 recorded years.
Climate Watch (WRI), historical emissions
Worst caseCurrent pathBest case
Worst case
Every measured decline continues at the pace already recorded. The weakest pillar, organic farming at 2/5, is the one that gives way first.
Computed from: recorded series extended with no policy change
Current path
Every line above is a recorded World Bank series for this country. The current path is simply those series continuing at the pace already measured.
Computed from: recorded series, no policy change assumed
Best case
The pledges are met on their own stated timetables and the weakest pillars are lifted to match the strongest. Cambodia already shows it can do this: heritage scores 5/5.
Computed from: each published target delivered on its own date
What the best case actually asks for
Lift organic farming
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Cambodia's record. Certified organic land is about 0.6 per cent of farmland, roughly 36,000 hectares (FiBL, 2020), a small but growing sector. Organic Kampot pepper and emerging organic rice are the standout products. The certified share stays low. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift pollution
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Cambodia's record. Phnom Penh introduced a charge on plastic bags at large stores in 2018, but enforcement is limited and plastic litter is heavy in cities and waterways. Urban air is moderate, with a national PM2.5 average around 18 micrograms per cubic metre (IQAir, 2024), well above the WHO guideline, worsened by crop and forest burning. Policy is weak and thinly enforced. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Lift recycling
It scores 2 out of 5 today, among the weakest parts of Cambodia's record. Cambodia has little formal municipal recycling, and recovery depends largely on informal waste pickers and small buy-back dealers collecting cans, plastic and metal. There is no comprehensive kerbside system. Rates are low. Lifting it toward the 5/5 the strongest pillars already reach is what the best case turns on.
measured each year
Costs: spending and enforcement, not new technology
Government and Goals in Cambodia.
Who is in charge of Cambodia now · office-holders and institutions as published by the state itself; scores from the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators 2024
Hun Manet
Prime Minister
Hun Manet is the head of government of Cambodia, in office since 22 August 2023. Every climate, protection and energy pledge on this page is delivered, or not, under this administration.
Public opinion, measured
Voice and accountability, the freedom to question government: 27.6 / 100. Below the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Control of corruption: 22.9 / 100. In the bottom quarter measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Political stability and absence of violence: 68.1 / 100. Above the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Rule of law: 38.8 / 100. Below the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Regulatory quality: 44.9 / 100. Below the halfway mark of governments measured. World Bank WGI 2024
Hun ManetPrime Minister
ParliamentLegislature, bicameral
Constitutioncurrent text dates from 1947
Government typeparliamentary constitutional monarchy
Cambodia national goals: climate commitments on record · as recorded by Climate Watch, World Resources Institute
2050
Net zero
In Policy Document
Net-zero target as recorded by Climate Watch. Status: In Policy Document (12/30/2021) ↗
The questions people actually type, answered in full sentences from the sourced data above.
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Is Cambodia sustainable?
Cambodia scores 65 out of 100 on the Throne Eco Index, across twelve equally weighted pillars. Cambodia is rice self-sufficient and rich in living Khmer culture around the Mekong and Tonle Sap, but weak enforcement of its large protected-area network, unsafe tap water and rising coal power weigh on its eco credentials.
Is the water in Cambodia safe and plentiful?
Cambodia is shaped by water, from the Mekong River to the Tonle Sap, South-East Asia's largest freshwater lake, which reverses its flow each monsoon, so surface water is abundant. Delivery, however, is poor: only about 29 per cent of the population uses safely managed drinking water (World Bank, 2022), rural access lags and some groundwater carries arsenic. Tap water is not safe to drink untreated.
Can Cambodia feed itself?
Cambodia is strongly agricultural, self-sufficient in rice and a significant milled-rice exporter, with food only about 8.5 per cent of merchandise imports (World Bank). The Tonle Sap sustains one of the world's most productive inland fisheries, and tropical fruit and vegetables are widely grown. Domestic food production is robust.
Is it easy to eat plant-based in Cambodia?
The rice-and-vegetable base and abundant tropical produce make plant food easy to find, and Buddhist temple cuisine offers a vegetarian thread. But fish and the fermented fish paste prahok are central to Khmer cooking, so genuinely plant-based meals take more effort to source. Availability is good, the culture less so.
How much of Cambodia is actually protected?
On paper Cambodia is a conservation heavyweight, with 39.8 per cent of its land inside protected areas (World Bank) including the Cardamom Mountains and Prey Lang. The reality is undercut by some of the world's highest deforestation rates, illegal logging and forest loss even within protected areas, and economic land concessions. Marine protection is minimal at 1.44 per cent.
What wildlife is left in Cambodia?
The Cardamom Mountains and northern plains hold globally important biodiversity, and a single reserve, Keo Seima, supports more than 75 IUCN-threatened species. Cambodia is a last refuge for the critically endangered giant ibis, its national bird, and Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins. Populations are heavily depleted by poaching and the wildlife trade, and tigers are now functionally extinct here.
Is Cambodia on clean energy?
Cambodia's electricity mix is split between coal and hydropower, with coal supplying about 59 per cent of generation in 2023 and renewables, chiefly hydro, around 41 per cent. Per-capita emissions are very low at roughly 1.1 tonne of CO2 a year, reflecting low energy use, but they are rising quickly as coal-fired capacity expands. The country has pledged carbon neutrality by 2050 and is adding solar, yet the near-term trend leans on coal.
How polluted is Cambodia?
Phnom Penh introduced a charge on plastic bags at large stores in 2018, but enforcement is limited and plastic litter is heavy in cities and waterways. Urban air is moderate, with a national PM2.5 average around 18 micrograms per cubic metre (IQAir, 2024), well above the WHO guideline, worsened by crop and forest burning. Policy is weak and thinly enforced.
Does recycling work in Cambodia?
Cambodia has little formal municipal recycling, and recovery depends largely on informal waste pickers and small buy-back dealers collecting cans, plastic and metal. There is no comprehensive kerbside system. Rates are low.
Is the farming in Cambodia organic?
Certified organic land is about 0.6 per cent of farmland, roughly 36,000 hectares (FiBL, 2020), a small but growing sector. Organic Kampot pepper and emerging organic rice are the standout products. The certified share stays low.
Are there natural materials and craft in Cambodia?
Cambodia keeps a living textile tradition in its golden silk and hol ikat weaving and in the ubiquitous cotton krama scarf, a national symbol worn everywhere. Rattan, water hyacinth and lotus-stem fibre feed a range of craft. The silk sector leans partly on imported raw thread, but the weaving culture itself is very much alive.
Is there living culture in Cambodia?
Khmer culture is deeply alive, anchored by Angkor and by everyday Theravada Buddhist practice, and indigenous highland peoples such as the Bunong, Kreung and Tampuan maintain distinct traditions. Established community-based ecotourism at Chi Phat, Banteay Chhmar and Prek Toal channels income directly to villages and conservation. Land-grabbing and uneven distribution of Angkor revenue are real problems, but genuine community tourism is well developed.
What heritage does Cambodia keep alive?
Cambodia holds a deep and living Khmer heritage, most famously the classical Apsara (Robam) dance and the masked Lakhon Khol drama, both inscribed by UNESCO. Pinpeat and mahori ensembles, shadow puppetry (Sbek Thom) and the bamboo-lute chapei remain active performance traditions. Everyday spiritual life blends Theravada Buddhism with older animist practice, including the veneration of Neak Ta guardian spirits and ancestors.
So is Cambodia actually green? The measured answer
What is working: land protected at 39.8%, renewable electricity at 56.4%.
What is not: sea protected at 1.5% against a 30% mark.
Where Cambodia sits on the Eco Index, against its regional neighbours and the 0 destinations scored worldwide.
What is Cambodia particularly good at?
✓Culture, scored 5/5. Khmer culture is deeply alive, anchored by Angkor and by everyday Theravada Buddhist practice, and indigenous highland peoples such as the Bunong, Kreung and Tampuan maintain distinct traditions. Established community-based ecotourism at Chi Phat, Banteay Chhmar and Prek Toal channels income directly to villages and conservation. Land-grabbing and uneven distribution of Angkor revenue are real problems, but genuine community tourism is well developed.
✓Food and farming, scored 5/5. Cambodia is strongly agricultural, self-sufficient in rice and a significant milled-rice exporter, with food only about 8.5 per cent of merchandise imports (World Bank). The Tonle Sap sustains one of the world's most productive inland fisheries, and tropical fruit and vegetables are widely grown. Domestic food production is robust.
✓Heritage, scored 5/5. Cambodia holds a deep and living Khmer heritage, most famously the classical Apsara (Robam) dance and the masked Lakhon Khol drama, both inscribed by UNESCO. Pinpeat and mahori ensembles, shadow puppetry (Sbek Thom) and the bamboo-lute chapei remain active performance traditions. Everyday spiritual life blends Theravada Buddhism with older animist practice, including the veneration of Neak Ta guardian spirits and ancestors. Festivals such as the Water Festival (Bon Om Touk) and Khmer New Year anchor the ritual calendar.
Where does Cambodia score worst?
✕Pollution, scored 2/5. Phnom Penh introduced a charge on plastic bags at large stores in 2018, but enforcement is limited and plastic litter is heavy in cities and waterways. Urban air is moderate, with a national PM2.5 average around 18 micrograms per cubic metre (IQAir, 2024), well above the WHO guideline, worsened by crop and forest burning. Policy is weak and thinly enforced.
✕Recycling, scored 2/5. Cambodia has little formal municipal recycling, and recovery depends largely on informal waste pickers and small buy-back dealers collecting cans, plastic and metal. There is no comprehensive kerbside system. Rates are low.
✕Water, scored 2/5. Cambodia is shaped by water, from the Mekong River to the Tonle Sap, South-East Asia's largest freshwater lake, which reverses its flow each monsoon, so surface water is abundant. Delivery, however, is poor: only about 29 per cent of the population uses safely managed drinking water (World Bank, 2022), rural access lags and some groundwater carries arsenic. Tap water is not safe to drink untreated.
Similar countries doing it better and worse
Sri LankaScored on the same twelve pillars as Cambodia.75
IndiaScored on the same twelve pillars as Cambodia.72
ThailandScored on the same twelve pillars as Cambodia.68
MongoliaScored on the same twelve pillars as Cambodia.60
JordanScored on the same twelve pillars as Cambodia.50
MaldivesScored on the same twelve pillars as Cambodia.42
A note from the lens of mother natureswipe →
Energy, 3/5
Cambodia's electricity mix is split between coal and hydropower, with coal supplying about 59 per cent of generation in 2023 and renewables, chiefly hydro, around 41 per cent. Per-capita emissions are very low at roughly 1.1 tonne of CO2 a year, reflecting low energy use, but they are rising quickly as coal-fired capacity expands.
Food and farming, 5/5
Cambodia is strongly agricultural, self-sufficient in rice and a significant milled-rice exporter, with food only about 8.5 per cent of merchandise imports (World Bank). The Tonle Sap sustains one of the world's most productive inland fisheries, and tropical fruit and vegetables are widely grown.
Heritage, 5/5
Cambodia holds a deep and living Khmer heritage, most famously the classical Apsara (Robam) dance and the masked Lakhon Khol drama, both inscribed by UNESCO. Pinpeat and mahori ensembles, shadow puppetry (Sbek Thom) and the bamboo-lute chapei remain active performance traditions.
The Cambodia Directory.
Everything on Hold The Throne that sits in Cambodia, checked and listed.
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Government effectiveness
45.6 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Rule of law
38.8 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Political stability
68.1 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Voice and accountability
27.6 / 100
World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2024. Percentile among all governments measured.
Environmental Performance Index
31.2 / 100 · 170 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 170 of 180 countries assessed.
Ecosystem vitality
44.7 / 100 · 127 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 127 of 180 countries assessed.
Biodiversity and habitat
56.9 / 100 · 57 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 57 of 180 countries assessed.
Air pollution
14.5 / 100 · 176 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 176 of 180 countries assessed.
Terrestrial biomes protected
100.0 / 100 · 2 of 180
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 2 of 180 countries assessed.
Marine protected areas
50.0 / 100 · 93 of 131
Yale Environmental Performance Index 2024, ranked 93 of 131 countries assessed.
How Cambodia Is Scored. The Throne Standard.
Every destination on the index is scored the same way, so a 4 in Barbados means exactly what a 4 means in Iceland. No self-declared data and no brochure claims are accepted. Every figure on this page carries its named source and year, and the history on each page names what empire took as plainly as it scores the present.
The 12 pillars every destination is scored on, equally weighted
01
Conservation
Land and sea actually protected, not pledged
02
Wildlife
What survives, what is endemic, what is lost
03
Water
Fresh water per person, and the ocean’s health
04
Food & farming
Whether the place can feed itself
05
Organic & clean
Certified land and pesticide reality
06
Climate & energy
Emissions per person, how the grid is powered
07
Waste
Where the rubbish goes, what comes back
08
Health
What people eat and die of
09
Heritage
Living culture, and what the law keeps standing
10
Ownership
Who owns the economy, how much of a dollar stays
11
Governance
Freedom, honesty, promises kept
12
Future
Measured trends run forward, pledges against pace
What each 0 to 5 pillar score means, in plain words
The institutions above are the ones cited on this page, ranked by how many of its figures they carry. This same sectioned page renders for all 77 scored destinations, each with its own researched history, comparison charts and three-way future. Read the full methodology
Every figure on this page, and where it came from: 39 sources across 17 institutions
World Bank18 FIGURES
Forest area (% of land area) AG.LND.FRST.ZS (43.06%), 2023 check
Terrestrial protected areas ER.LND.PTLD.ZS (39.8%), 2024 check
Marine protected areas ER.MRN.PTMR.ZS (1.44%), 2021 check
Food imports (% of merchandise imports) (8.52%), 2023 check
Threatened species (mammals EN.MAM.THRD.NO, birds EN.BIR.THRD.NO, fish EN.FSH.THRD.NO, higher plants EN.HPT.THRD.NO), 2022 check
Renewable electricity output (% of total) EG.ELC.RNEW.ZS, 2021 check
CO2 emissions per capita EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5, 2024 check
Sri LankaScored on the same twelve pillars as Cambodia.75
IndiaScored on the same twelve pillars as Cambodia.72
ThailandScored on the same twelve pillars as Cambodia.68
MongoliaScored on the same twelve pillars as Cambodia.60
JordanScored on the same twelve pillars as Cambodia.50
MaldivesScored on the same twelve pillars as Cambodia.42
