Cambodia
Asia Β· Capital: Phnom Penh
How it is run: Cambodia is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Cambodia is home to 17.8 million people in South-Eastern Asia, where people speak Khmer.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
17.8 million people
That is 0.2% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
181,035 kmΒ²
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
ποΈ How crowded
About 99 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
25th most people in Asia
25th largest by land in Asia.
π£οΈ Official languages
Khmer
π° Money
Cambodian riel (α), United States dollar ($)
More than one currency is used here.
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
70.8 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$2,872
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
41.1% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
29.5% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+855
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.kh
π§ People here are called
Cambodian
π·οΈ Name at home
KΓ’mpΕchΓ©a
Also written: Kingdom of Cambodia.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Asia and the Pacific Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Cambodia touches 3 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Camboya
French
Cambodge
Arabic
ΩΩ Ψ¨ΩΨ―ΩΨ§
Chinese
ζ¬εε―¨
Japanese
γ«γ³γγΈγ’
Russian
ΠΠ°ΠΌΠ±ΠΎΠ΄ΠΆΠ°
Portuguese
Camboja
German
Kambodscha
Put it in perspective π
- India β the most populated country in Asia β has about 82.0Γ as many people as Cambodia.
- Cambodia covers roughly 1,724 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Cambodia lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 8,924 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Because of where Cambodia sits, the school day there starts many hours before or after yours does.
π·οΈ Official name
Kingdom of Cambodia
ποΈ Capital
Phnom Penh
π Region
Asia Β· South-Eastern Asia
π€ Country code
KH
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Cambodia π
Angkor Wat
The largest religious monument on Earth, built in the 1100s. It appears on Cambodia's flag.
See it in Street Viewπ§ Where on the map
13.0Β° N, 105.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+7 β when it is noon in London it is about 19:00 in Phnom Penh.
- Cambodia shares its part of the world with Thailand. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- Cambodia lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Cambodia sits in South-Eastern Asia, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
- Cambodia is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- Because of where Cambodia sits, the school day there starts many hours before or after yours does.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Cambodia has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Cambodia can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Cambodia spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Cambodia?
Phnom Penh
Which money do people spend in Cambodia?
Cambodian riel (α), United States dollar ($)
How many countries share a land border with Cambodia?
3 β Laos, Thailand, Vietnam.
Roughly how many people live in Cambodia?
17.8 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.