Cambodia (Kingdom of Cambodia)

Cambodia Kingdom of Cambodia
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	152nd best
Capital	Phnom Penh
Land Area	176 520km21
Location	Asia
Population	16.2m2
Life Expectancy	69.58yrs (2017)3
GNI	$4 079 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	KH, KHM, 1165
Internet Domain	.kh6
Currency	Riels (KHR)7
Telephone	+8558

1. Overview
2. Cambodia National and Social Development
3. Cambodia's Demographics and Migration
4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. Cambodia's Health
   1. Health Datasets
   2. Children's Health Datasets
6. Cambodia's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Cambodia's Modernity and Learning
   1. Modernity Datasets
   2. Education Datasets
   3. Technology and Information Datasets
8. Cambodia's Culture, Peace and Inequality
   1. National Culture Datasets
   2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets
   3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets
9. Religion and Beliefs
10. Links

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1. Overview

#france #japan #vietnam

“Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863, and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders have been tried or are awaiting trial for crimes against humanity by a hybrid UN-Cambodian tribunal supported by international assistance. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local elections were held in Cambodia in April 2007, with little of the pre-election violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2008 were relatively peaceful, as were commune council elections in June 2012.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“With a history both inspiring and depressing, Cambodia delivers an intoxicating present for adventurous visitors, from the glory of Angkor to the simplicity of village life. Ascend to the realm of the gods at Angkor Wat, a spectacular fusion of spirituality, symbolism and symmetry. Descend into the darkness of Tuol Sleng to witness the crimes of the Khmer Rouge. ... Fringed by beautiful beaches and tropical islands, sustained by the mother waters of the Mekong River and cloaked in some of the region´s few remaining emerald wildernesses, Cambodia is an adventure as much as a holiday. This is the warm heart of Southeast Asia, with everything the region has to offer packed into one bite-sized chunk.Despite the headline attractions, Cambodia´s greatest treasure is its people. The Khmers have been to hell and back, but thanks to an unbreakable spirit and infectious optimism they have prevailed with their smiles and spirits largely intact.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Cambodia National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Value11
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
143	Nepal	0.602
144	Swaziland	0.597
145	Equatorial Guinea	0.596
146=	Cambodia	0.593
146=	Zimbabwe	0.593
148	Angola	0.586
149	Myanmar	0.585
150	Syria	0.577
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $11
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
147	Kenya	$4 474
148	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	$4 461
149	Syria	$4 192
150	Cambodia	$4 079
151	Kiribati	$4 063
152	Sao Tome & Principe	$4 021
153	Papua New Guinea	$4 009
154	Nepal	$3 877
	Asia Avg	$22 215
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index12
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank12
1	Denmark	26.9
2	Norway	29.1
3	Sweden	29.9
	...
149	Madagascar	110.9
150	Tuvalu	111.0
151	Uganda	111.1
152	Cambodia	112.1
153	Somaliland	112.4
154	Gambia	112.7
155	Togo	112.8
156	Swaziland	114.1
	Asia Avg	92.0
	World Avg	89.0
q=200.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Cambodia's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population Datasets:

Cambodia's population is predicted to rise to 17.36 million by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 2.32. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1, once you take mortality into account₁₃. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₄

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
66	Ecuador	17.1m
67	Netherlands	17.1m
68	Syria	16.9m
69	Cambodia	16.2m
70	Senegal	15.9m
71	Chad	15.5m
72	Somalia	15.0m
73	Zimbabwe	14.4m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
120	Honduras	70.1
121	Kyrgyzstan	70.0
122	St Vincent & Grenadines	69.6
123	Cambodia	69.6
124	Russia	69.4
125	Azerbaijan	69.4
126	Kazakhstan	69.4
127	Philippines	69.3
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best15
Pos.		202215
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
46	Seychelles	2.32
47	Maldives	1.68
48=	Suriname	2.32
48=	Cambodia	2.32
50	Azerbaijan	1.67
51	USA	1.67
52	Honduras	2.34
53	New Zealand	1.66
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better16
Pos.		2016 Per 10016
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
68	Vanuatu	09.9
69	Cape Verde	10.0
70	Philippines	10.3
71	Cambodia	10.4
72=	Egypt	10.5
72=	Libya	10.5
72=	S. Africa	10.5
75	Bangladesh	10.6
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration Datasets:

Immigrants17
Pos.		2017 %17
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
170	Tunisia	0.5%
171	Egypt	0.5%
172	Guatemala	0.5%
173	Cambodia	0.5%
174	Honduras	0.4%
175	Solomon Islands	0.4%
176	Papua New Guinea	0.4%
177	India	0.4%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants18
Pos.		2010 %18
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
148	Vietnam	2.5%
149	Niger	2.4%
150	Argentina	2.4%
151	Cambodia	2.3%
152	Uganda	2.2%
153	Sudan	2.2%
154	Chad	2.1%
155	Australia	2.1%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#cambodia #cambodia_freedom #equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	Sweden	7.8
2	Netherlands	8.7
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
129	Kazakhstan	108.1
130	Benin	108.6
131	Papua New Guinea	108.8
132	Cambodia	109.0
133	Central African Rep.	109.1
134	Kuwait	109.5
	Asia Avg	103.00
	World Avg	89.80
q=199.

Cambodia is generally poor at ensuring human rights and freedom compared to the rest of the world. Cambodia does better than average for supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₂₀, combatting modern slavery₂₁, its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₂, freethought₂₃ and in LGBT equality in the 2020s₂₄. But, things could still be better. Cambodia does worse than average for commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₅, opposing gender inequality₂₆ and in its average Freedom in the World rating. And finally, it falls into the worst-performing 20 when it comes to supporting press freedom₂₇. After the military coup that put him into power in 1985, Prime Minister Hun Sen's government is "regularly accused of human rights abuses"₂₈ and in 2019 Hun Sen "specifically threatened prominent human rights organizations with closure"₂₈. Civil and political rights in particular deteriorated in 2017 as the government persecuted political opposition and human rights activists₂₉ and forced several independent media outlets to close₂₉.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

• Human Rights and Freedom in Cambodia

5. Cambodia's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #cambodia #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #vaccines

Compared to Asia (2025)30
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank30
1	Japan	37.3
2	Singapore	41.1
3	S. Korea	50.5
	...
37	Philippines	106.3
38	Bangladesh	107.0
39	India	110.5
40	Cambodia	111.7
41	Myanmar	112.2
42	Tajikistan	112.4
43	Nepal	115.8
44	Syria	124.1
45	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	124.9
	Asia Avg	80.90
q=50.

Health (2025)30
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank30
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Japan	37.3
	...
133	India	110.5
134	Venezuela	111.1
135	Sao Tome & Principe	111.4
136	Cambodia	111.7
137	Nicaragua	112.0
138	Myanmar	112.2
139	Tajikistan	112.4
140	Nepal	115.8
	World Avg	97.57
q=207.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and Japan₃₁. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are Angola, Somalia and S. Sudan₃₁.

42 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 and childhood mortality. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₃₁, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₃₁.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

5.1. Health Datasets

#alcohol #birth_control #cambodia #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #smoking

Cambodia does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. Cambodia comes in the best 20 in terms of the prevalence of overweight adults₃₂. It does better than average in its fertility rate₁₅, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₃ and in its smoking rate₃₄. But, there's bad news too. Cambodia does worse than average when it comes to its alcohol consumption rate₃₅, its adolescent birth rate₃₆, its average life expectancy₁₁, childhood mortality in the 2020s₃₇, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015₃₈ and in delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations in the 2020s₃₉. The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the past 40 years. Life expectancy in Cambodia improved by +15.3yrs in the 30 years from 1990, almost double the global average of +7.9yrs. Cambodia's peak fertility rate was 6.34 in 1984.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
120	Honduras	70.1
121	Kyrgyzstan	70.0
122	St Vincent & Grenadines	69.6
123	Cambodia	69.6
124	Russia	69.4
125	Azerbaijan	69.4
126	Kazakhstan	69.4
127	Philippines	69.3
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better35
Pos.		2016 Per Capita35
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
98=	Angola	6.4
99	Mexico	6.5
100	Philippines	6.6
101	Cambodia	6.7
102=	Belize	6.8
102=	Sao Tome & Principe	6.8
104	Dominican Rep.	6.9
105=	Antigua & Barbuda	7.0
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best15
Pos.		202215
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
46	Seychelles	2.32
47	Maldives	1.68
48=	Suriname	2.32
48=	Cambodia	2.32
50	Azerbaijan	1.67
51	USA	1.67
52	Honduras	2.34
53	New Zealand	1.66
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Smoking in the 2020s Lower is better34
Pos.		Total %34
1	Nigeria	3.3%
2	Ghana	3.4%
3	Panama	5.2%
	...
69	N. Korea	16.6%
70	Uzbekistan	16.8%
71	Comoros	17.3%
72	Cambodia	17.3%
73	Palau	17.4%
74	Cuba	17.5%
75=	Botswana	18.8%
75=	Bhutan	18.8%
	Asia Avg	22.8%
	World Avg	20.0%
q=165. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
62	Honduras	62
63	Lebanon	63
64	Lithuania	64
65	Cambodia	65
66	Georgia	66
67	Belarus	67
68	Brunei	68
69	Paraguay	69
	Asia Avg	64.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better32
Pos.		1976 %32
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
4	India	5.5
5	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	5.7
6	Cambodia	5.9
7	Laos	6.2
8=	Bhutan	6.3
8=	Afghanistan	6.3
10	Indonesia	6.6
11	Burkina Faso	6.8
12	Maldives	7.2
	Asia Avg	23.1
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Adult Obesity Lower is better40
Pos.		2022 %40
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
4	Madagascar	3.8%
5	Eritrea	4.2%
6	Cambodia	4.4%
7	Burundi	4.5%
8	Rwanda	4.6%
9	Japan	4.9%
10	Bangladesh	5.3%
11	Niger	5.3%
12	Chad	5.7%
	Asia Avg	21.1%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

5.2. Children's Health Datasets

#children's_health #health #parenting #population #vaccines

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better36
Pos.		2022 Per 100036
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
115	Egypt	43.6
116	Samoa	43.8
117	Tajikistan	44.9
118	Cambodia	45.7
119	St Vincent & Grenadines	46.5
120	Philippines	48.1
121	Botswana	48.3
122	Cuba	48.9
	Asia Avg	25.9
	World Avg	43.8
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Higher is better39
Pos.		Total Avg %39
1=	Luxembourg	99.0
1=	Oman	99.0
1=	Niue	99.0
	...
140	Mauritania	88.5
141	Vietnam	88.4
142	Macedonia	88.3
143	Cambodia	88.2
144	Tanzania	88.0
145	Pakistan	87.9
146=	Cook Islands	87.8
146=	Swaziland	87.8
	Asia Avg	90.6
	World Avg	88.5
q=211. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

7x Infant Immunizations (2011-2015) Higher is better38
Pos.		2015 Avg %38
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
134	Sierra Leone	87.7
135	Suriname	87.2
136	Ecuador	86.8
137	Cambodia	86.5
138	Namibia	86.5
139	Dominican Rep.	86.3
140	Panama	86.1
141	Belarus	85.3
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Infant Mortality (2020s) Lower is better37
Pos.		Total Per 100037
1	San Marino	2.11
2	Finland	2.59
3	Luxembourg	2.60
	...
132	Bhutan	32.24
133	Bolivia	33.37
134	Guyana	33.43
135	Cambodia	33.56
136	Dominican Rep.	34.90
137	Marshall Islands	35.97
138	Nepal	39.44
139	S. Africa	39.83
	Asia Avg	23.58
	World Avg	32.19
q=195. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

As its civil war ended in 1975, Cambodia's infant mortality rate fell by an epic three-quarters in the 1980s compared to the 1970s, the world's best-ever decade-long improvement₃₇. Although it still had problems and ongoing periods of unrest, its health situation managed to survive the worst effects.

6. Cambodia's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Asia (2025)41
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank41
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Nepal	47.9
3	India	49.5
	...
22	Singapore	83.3
23	Georgia	83.6
24	S. Korea	84.0
25	Cambodia	84.0
26	Taiwan	86.1
27	Malaysia	89.5
28	Palestine	92.7
29	Qatar	94.1
30	Saudi Arabia	94.9
	Asia Avg	86.44
q=51.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)41
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank41
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
102	Guinea-Bissau	83.7
103	Namibia	83.9
104	S. Korea	84.0
105	Cambodia	84.0
106	Central African Rep.	84.2
107	Djibouti	84.5
108	Honduras	84.6
109	Zambia	85.4
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"₄₂. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Cambodia ranks 105th in the world in terms of its responsibility towards the environment. This is computed from 21 data sets. Cambodia does better than average when it comes to reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₃. But unfortunately Cambodia gets most other things wrong. It does worse than average in the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₄₄, energy to GDP efficiency₄₅ (still low for Asia), its environmental performance₄₆ and in its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 when it comes to its forested percent change 2000-2020₄₇.

Environmental Performance Higher is better46
Pos.		201846
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
147	Mali	43.7
148	Rwanda	43.7
149	Zimbabwe	43.4
150	Cambodia	43.2
151	Solomon Islands	43.2
152	Iraq	43.2
153	Laos	42.9
154	Burkina Faso	42.8
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better45
Pos.		2022 Avg45
1	Rwanda	0.25
2	Chad	0.26
3	Tanzania	0.31
	...
83	Japan	1.05
84	Benin	1.06
85	Namibia	1.07
86	Cambodia	1.07
87	Albania	1.08
88	Jordan	1.10
89	Mexico	1.10
90	Taiwan	1.10
	Asia Avg	1.50
	World Avg	1.23
q=165. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
158	USA	47%
159	Albania	47%
160	Turkey	47%
161	Cambodia	47%
162	Kyrgyzstan	46%
163	Libya	46%
164	Micronesia	46%
165	Cape Verde	46%
	Asia Avg	55.4%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better44
Pos.		2011 %44
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
	...
74	Hungary	38.0%
75	Mauritania	38.0%
76	Croatia	37.8%
77	Cambodia	37.1%
78	Namibia	36.6%
79	Germany	36.1%
80	Montenegro	35.9%
81	Rwanda	35.8%
	Asia Avg	37.9%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

Meat Consumption Lower is better43
Pos.		2021 kg43
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
17	Sri Lanka	12.0
18	Tanzania	12.1
19	Ivory Coast	12.6
20	Cambodia	12.6
21	N. Korea	12.8
22	Bhutan	13.6
23	Cameroon	14.6
24	Guinea-Bissau	14.7
	Asia Avg	46.7
	World Avg	52.5
q=185. Also scored for 2010s.

7. Cambodia's Modernity and Learning

#education #intelligence #metric #modernity #technology #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2025)48
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank48
1	Taiwan	25.4
2	S. Korea	25.5
3	Japan	26.8
	...
43	Nepal	117.4
44	Bangladesh	120.0
45	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	133.3
46	Cambodia	140.0
47	Laos	144.3
48	Bhutan	148.3
49	Yemen	155.0
50	Afghanistan	158.6
51	Myanmar	163.3
	Asia Avg	83.04
q=51.

Modernity & Learning (2025)48
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank48
1	Vatican City	1.0
2	Finland	4.8
3	Belgium	8.5
	...
173	Puerto Rico	137.1
174	Sudan	139.4
175	Congo, DR	139.9
176	Cambodia	140.0
177	Angola	140.6
178	Mozambique	141.4
179	Mauritania	143.9
180	Laos	144.3
	World Avg	80.33
q=194.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are The Vatican City, Finland and Belgium₄₉. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₄₉. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₅₀.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”

Bill Emmott (2017)₅₁

23 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₄₉, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₄₉.

For more, see:

• " Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

7.1. Modernity Datasets

#intelligence #metric

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
150	Libya	150
151	Gabon	151
152	Sierra Leone	152
153	Cambodia	153
154	Zambia	154
155	Paraguay	155
156	Tanzania	156
157	Equatorial Guinea	157
	Asia Avg	97.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Metric System Adoption Rate Higher is better52
Pos.		2025 %52
1=	Slovakia	100
1=	Poland	100
1=	Portugal	100
	...
156=	Burkina Faso	90
156=	Burundi	90
156=	Benin	90
156=	Cambodia	90
156=	Mauritania	90
156=	Bangladesh	90
156=	Brunei	90
156=	Central African Rep.	90
	Asia Avg	90
	World Avg	92
q=187. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

Cambodia officially adopted metric in 1922₅₃. Progression:

• 1960 (50%): Traditional units dominant; metric in administration.
• 1970 (65%): Standardization grows; instability affects uniformity.
• 1980 (80%): Metric in official sectors; everyday legacy persists.
• 2000 (85%): Metric dominant in formal domains.
• 2025 (90%): High metric usage; informal legacy remains.

IQ Higher is better54
Pos.		200654
1=	Hong Kong	108
1=	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
	...
51=	Brunei	91
51=	Thailand	91
51=	Lithuania	91
51=	Cambodia	91
55=	Albania	90
55=	Croatia	90
55=	Kyrgyzstan	90
55=	Chile	90
	Asia Avg	90.4
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

7.2. Education Datasets

#education

Secondary Education Higher is better55
Pos.		201855
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
151	Myanmar	25.8%
152	Central African Rep.	22.1%
153	Malawi	21.8%
154	Cambodia	21.3%
155	Mozambique	19.3%
156	Mauritania	18.8%
157	Senegal	17.6%
158	Sudan	17.5%
	Asia Avg	66.0%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better56
Pos.		2021 Years56
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
144	Tajikistan	11.7
145	Micronesia	11.5
146	Vanuatu	11.5
147	Cambodia	11.5
148	Lebanon	11.3
149	Rwanda	11.2
150	Zambia	10.9
151	Myanmar	10.9
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

7.3. Technology and Information Datasets

#modernity #technology #the_internet

Internet Users Higher is better57
Pos.		201657
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
172	Haiti	12%
173=	Papua New Guinea	12%
173=	Djibouti	12%
175	Cambodia	11%
176	Gabon	10%
177	Burkina Faso	10%
178	Solomon Islands	10%
179	Liberia	9%
	Asia Avg	48.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better58
Pos.		2017 Ratio58
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
91=	Kenya	0.0
91=	Cameroon	0.0
91=	Kyrgyzstan	0.0
94=	Cambodia	0.0
94=	Belarus	0.0
94=	Azerbaijan	0.0
94=	Angola	0.0
94=	Armenia	0.0
	Asia Avg	2.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better59
Pos.		202459
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
106	Venezuela	30.1%
107	Zambia	30.1%
108	El Salvador	30.0%
109	Cambodia	29.4%
110	Honduras	28.5%
111	Burkina Faso	27.0%
112	Tanzania	26.9%
113	Uganda	26.9%
	Asia Avg	46.4%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

8. Cambodia's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#capitalism #charity #corruption #economics #extremism #happiness #health #human_development #inequality #internationalism #life_expectancy #morals #peace #politics #poverty #religious_violence #social_development #terrorism

8.1. National Culture Datasets

#charity #corruption #happiness #internationalism #morals #politics

Cambodia has a consistently awful long-term record on corruption.

World Giving Index Higher is better60
Pos.		2022 %60
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
	...
118	Portugal	26.0
119	Lebanon	24.0
120	Egypt	23.0
121	S. Korea	22.0
122=	Afghanistan	21.0
122=	Belgium	21.0
124	Japan	20.0
125	Cambodia	19.0
	Asia Avg	37.9
	World Avg	39.6
q=125. Also scored for 2010s.

Corruption Higher is better61
Pos.		2022 Points61
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
151=	Lebanon	24.0
151=	Guatemala	24.0
151=	Nigeria	24.0
151=	Cambodia	24.0
151=	Afghanistan	24.0
151=	Tajikistan	24.0
157=	Zimbabwe	23.0
157=	Myanmar	23.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Happiness Higher is better62
Pos.		2024 Score62
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
121	Benin	4.4
122	Somalia	4.3
123	Mali	4.3
124	Cambodia	4.3
125	Ghana	4.3
126	Myanmar	4.3
127	Togo	4.3
128	Jordan	4.3
	Asia Avg	5.41
	World Avg	5.58
q=147. Also scored for 2010s.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
86	Jamaica	86
87	Senegal	87
88	Indonesia	88
89	Cambodia	89
90	Peru	90
91	Jordan	91
92	Haiti	92
93	Tunisia	93
	Asia Avg	99.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Passport Reach (2020s) Higher is better63
Pos.		Total Q63
1	Singapore	192.2
2	Japan	192.0
3	S. Korea	190.7
	...
153	Equatorial Guinea	55.7
154=	Mali	54.5
154=	Niger	54.5
156=	Cambodia	53.7
156=	Vietnam	53.7
158	Guinea-Bissau	53.5
159	Algeria	53.3
160=	Chad	53.2
	Asia Avg	85.1
	World Avg	108.8
q=195. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
135	Uruguay	135
136	Namibia	136
137	Yemen	137
138	Cambodia	138
139	Antigua & Barbuda	139
140	Afghanistan	140
141	Belize	141
142	Slovakia	142
	Asia Avg	86.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8.2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index Lower is better64
Pos.		2023 Score64
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
70=	Liberia	1.95
70=	Trinidad & Tobago	1.95
70=	Kosovo	1.95
73	Cambodia	1.95
74	Malawi	1.97
75	UAE	1.98
76	Kazakhstan	1.98
77	Jamaica	1.99
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.07
q=163. Also scored for 2010s.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
83	Iran	83
84	Serbia	84
85	Mexico	85
86	Cambodia	86
87	Bangladesh	87
88	Honduras	88
89	Namibia	89
90	Uganda	90
	Asia Avg	76.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better33
Pos.		2017 Rank33
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
135	Afghanistan	135
136	Trinidad & Tobago	136
137	Nigeria	137
138	Cambodia	138
139	Mali	139
140	Haiti	140
141	Mongolia	141
142	Syria	142
	Asia Avg	92.2
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better65
Pos.		2019 Score65
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
4	Equatorial Guinea	0.00
5	Cambodia	0.00
6	Portugal	0.00
7	Croatia	0.00
8	Benin	0.00
9	Mauritania	0.00
10	Slovenia	0.00
11	Costa Rica	0.00
12	Romania	0.00
	Asia Avg	3.60
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

8.3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #poverty #social_development

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better66
Pos.		201966
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
123=	Venezuela	17.10
124	Bangladesh	17.30
125	Nepal	17.50
126	Cambodia	18.10
127	Guyana	19.00
128	S. Africa	19.20
129	Botswana	19.40
130	Rwanda	19.50
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Multidimensional Poverty Lower is better67
Pos.		2018 Severity67
1	Armenia	.001
2	Ukraine	.001
3	Serbia	.001
	...
56	Ghana	.138
57	Lesotho	.146
58	Nepal	.148
59	Cambodia	.170
60	Namibia	.171
61	Vanuatu	.174
62	Bhutan	.175
63	Myanmar	.176
	Asia Avg	.084
	World Avg	.154
q=101.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#belief #buddhism #cambodia #christianity #god #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion

Disbelief In God (2007)68
Pos.		Higher is better %68
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
44=	Dominican Rep.	7
44=	Croatia	7
44=	Kyrgyzstan	7
44=	Cambodia	7
48=	Moldova	6
48=	Italy	6
50=	Laos	5
50=	Ireland	5
50=	Mozambique	5
53=	Zimbabwe	4
53=	Namibia	4
53=	Iran	4
53=	Mexico	4
53=	Portugal	4
53=	Romania	4
53=	Argentina	4
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Pew Forum polling over the decades has found the following adherency rates:₆₉:

	2010	2020
Buddhist	96.9%	97.1%
Muslim	1.9%	2.04%
Other	0.7%	0.47%
Christian	0.372%	0.316%
Unaffiliated	<0.1%	<0.1%
Hindu	<0.1%	<0.1%
Jewish	None	None

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Buddhist (official) 96.4%, Muslim 2.1%, other 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (1998 census)₇₀.

Freedom of Religion and Belief: Although Buddhism is given official preference₂₈, the law establishes freedom of religion in Article 43 of Cambodia's Constitution, and does not permit religious beliefs to violate on others' religious beliefs nor to interfere with public security. But there is no protection for the non-religious and criticism of religion is punishable by fines₇₁. There's an unfortunate background level of belief in black magic and evil spirits which can lead to occasional low-level witch-hunts leading to about ten killings and attempted killings per year₇₂.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?
• Human Rights and Freedom in Cambodia: 4.2. Freedom of Thought