Curated by Vinod Kumar Jain & Amit Jain · All Frontier Global · free, no login · reviewed 2026-07-05
The temples of Angkor and the mighty Mekong
Official figures, each with its source and the date it was read — the key-facts panel above is rounded and undated.
Population 17,847,982 (2025) — Same series gives 17,638,801 for 2024. Cambodia's National Institute of Statistics (fetched separately) states a lower 17,280,543 for 2024 — the gap reflects differing WB-modelled vs national-registration methodologies; not reconciled here.
GNI per capita US$2,750 (Atlas method, 2025), up from US$2,550 in 2024; World Bank income classification: lower middle income, IDA lending category
Real GDP growth 5.3% in 2025 — Figure as displayed in NIS's headline economic-statistics summary on its homepage.
Unemployment rate 3.6% in 2025
Cambodian riel trading at 4,047 KHR per US dollar, NBC official reference rate — NBC's homepage also references its Economic & Monetary Statistics Bulletin No.388 (June 2026) as the underlying publication.
Sourced notes — every figure above, with where it was read and when.
Trade agreements (12): As an ASEAN member, Cambodia benefits from ASEAN's FTA network including RCEP; India's trade with Cambodia flows through the India–ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, giving preferential access on a range of products.
Passport strength: visa-free/VOA to ~62 destinations. Cambodian passport provides access to approximately 62 visa-free destinations.
India × Cambodia hub ↗ All countries factsheet
Indian passport holders can apply for an e-visa online before arrival or get a visa on arrival at major airports; tourist visas typically allow a stay of up to 30 days.
e-Visa: yes · Visa on arrival: Varies by nationality
Tuk-tuks and remorques are the main way to get around Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, while buses connect major towns; Grab is widely used for booking rides in cities.
Car vs taxi: Tuk-tuks and hired drivers are the practical choice for tourists, especially around Angkor Archaeological Park; self-driving is uncommon due to traffic norms and licensing requirements.
Money: Cambodian riel (KHR) is the official currency, but US dollars are used interchangeably for most transactions, including at markets and for tourist services.
SIM & data: Smart, Cellcard, or Metfone SIMs are easy to buy at Phnom Penh or Siem Reap airports; affordable data packages are ideal for visiting Angkor Wat and other sites.
Tipping: Not traditionally required, but rounding up or leaving small riel or dollar notes for restaurant staff, tuk-tuk drivers, and guides in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh is appreciated.
Etiquette: Dress modestly when visiting temples like Angkor Wat (covering shoulders and knees), remove shoes before entering, and avoid touching people's heads, which is considered disrespectful.
Food: Try amok (a coconut milk curry, often with fish, steamed in banana leaf) and num banh chok (rice noodles with fish-based curry), Cambodian staples widely available in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
Say hello: Khmer — “Suosdey” · thanks “Aw kohn” · how much? “Bpon-maan?”
Cambodia is generally safe for tourists in main areas, though petty theft and scams occur around major attractions; exercise caution with unmarked landmine areas in remote rural regions.
For nomads: Growing nomad presence in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap with coworking spaces, budget accommodations, and welcoming atmosphere for remote workers.
Education: Very affordable options for all educational levels.
Healthcare: Basic care cheap; quality care in Phnom Penh limited.
Real GDP growth 5.3% in 2025
Unemployment rate 3.6% in 2025
Currency: Cambodian riel at 4,047 KHR/USD, NBC official reference rate as of 24 August 2026
Neighbour comparison: DEFERRED — the 12-fetch budget was spent establishing Cambodia's own u1/u2/u3/u4 sources before a Thailand (NSO/Bank of Thailand) or Vietnam (GSO) statistics fetch could be attempted; no neighbour CPI figure was retrieved this session.
Not covered here: No official rent/meal/transit series fetched
Sourced notes — every figure above, with where it was read and when.
Places Angkor Wat (Ancient temple) · Bayon (Ancient temple) · Ta Prohm (Ancient temple)
Places Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda (Royal residence) · Tuol Sleng (S-21) (Memorial) · National Museum of Cambodia (Museum)
Places Bamboo Train (Norry) (Heritage transport) · Phnom Sampeau (Sacred site) · Colonial Old Town (Historic district)
Places Kep Beach and Crab Market (Market) · Kep National Park (National Park) · Rabbit Island (Koh Tunsay) (Island)
Places Saracen Bay (Beach) · Bioluminescent Plankton Night Swim (Experience) · Coral Reef Snorkeling (Activity)
Places Elephant Sanctuary Experience (Experience) · Mondulkiri Hill Station (Viewpoint) · Buon Lung Waterfall (Natural Wonder)
City notes from Amit's own travels — the interactive travelogue holds the full record
better-factories-eba-cycles
Cambodian Better Factories Cambodia (BFC · ILO + IFC International Finance Corporation framework · garment-cluster compliance framework since 2001) + EU EBA Everything-But-Arms duty-free framework (partial-suspension August 2020 due to human-rights concerns · ~20% of EU-bound exports affected · ~$1B+ annual impact) + LDC 2027 graduation framework + ASEAN founding-member 1999 + AIFTA + RCEP framework.
India implication: Indian-textile cluster cooperation + Indian-corporate Phnom Penh presence + AIFTA framework + ASEAN-India CSP 2022 + LDC framework adjacency.
Outlook: Cambodia Better Factories + EBA + LDC framework cycles persist 2026-27; bilateral cooperation gradual.
Cambodia ASEAN member (joined 1999 · last to join · alongside Laos 1997 · Myanmar 1997 · Vietnam 1995 · Brunei 1984 founding) + ASEAN Economic Community + ASEAN-India CSP 2022 + AIFTA in-force 2010 + RCEP member 2022 + LDC graduation 2027 framework + Better Factories Cambodia ILO framework + EU EBA partial-suspension framework cycles.
India: India accesses ASEAN-650M-population market via Cambodia-anchor + AIFTA + ASEAN-India CSP 2022 + RCEP framework + Indo-Pacific framework + Indian-textile cluster cooperation + LDC framework adjacency.
India’s role: Indian-textile cluster cooperation + Indian-corporate Phnom Penh presence + Indian-IT-BPM cluster + AIFTA framework + ASEAN-India CSP 2022 + Indo-Pacific framework.
Cambodian textile + garment cluster (~$10B+ annual garment-export · ~75% of total exports · primarily EU + US-bound · ~700K+ employees · Better Factories Cambodia ILO framework) + ASEAN member 1999 + AIFTA preferential framework + LDC framework + RCEP member 2022.
Indian passport holders can apply for an e-visa online before arrival or get a visa on arrival at major airports; tourist visas typically allow a stay of up to 30 days.
Cambodia uses the Cambodian riel (KHR). Capital: Phnom Penh.
As an ASEAN member, Cambodia benefits from ASEAN's FTA network including RCEP; India's trade with Cambodia flows through the India–ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, giving preferential access on a range of products.
Cambodia is generally safe for tourists in main areas, though petty theft and scams occur around major attractions; exercise caution with unmarked landmine areas in remote rural regions.
The World Bank's 2025 estimate puts Cambodia's population at 17,847,982, up from 17,638,801 in 2024. Cambodia's own National Institute of Statistics states a lower 17,280,543 for 2024, a gap that reflects differing estimation methods between the two sources rather than a single agreed count.
The World Bank classifies Cambodia as lower middle income, with GNI per capita of US$2,750 (Atlas method, 2025), up from US$2,550 in 2024. It remains in the World Bank's IDA (International Development Association) concessional-lending category.
Cambodia's National Institute of Statistics reports real GDP growth of 5.3% in 2025 alongside a low unemployment rate of 3.6% the same year — a combination consistent with continued mid-single-digit expansion.
The National Bank of Cambodia's official reference rate was 4,047 KHR per US dollar as of 24 August 2026, published as part of its Economic & Monetary Statistics Bulletin series (No.388, June 2026).
The World Bank places Cambodia in its East Asia & Pacific region, with Phnom Penh as the capital, lower middle income status, and IDA (concessional) lending eligibility — the standard classification bundle used across its country-profile data.
Sourced notes — every figure above, with where it was read and when.
Developed by Amit Jain at allfrontierglobal.com
Neighbouring profiles in the same UN M49 region.
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