Cambodia and FIDR
Cambodia is the country where FIDR opened its first office abroad in 1996 to engage in the operations of social development.
Historically, Cambodia prospered in Khmer Dynasty with a vast realm approximately 1,000 years ago. The kingdom established many magnificent buildings including famous Angkor Wat and delicate irrigation system. However today, the country is one of the least developed countries in the Asian nations; there are still serious impacts remaining from civil war which lasted 20 years from 1970.
Among of all, Pol Pot government did serious damages to the country through reign of terror in pursuing communization of the nation for 3 years and 8 months between 1975 and 1979. Denying scientific technologies and monetary economy, Pol Pot regime tried to develop the country based on agriculture through forced labor. Massacre took place on academics, teachers and doctors and also on people in commerce and industry. Citizens in other categories were also suffered from severe poverty and diseases. During this period, the country lost the lives of about 1,700,000 people, about 20% of population of the country.
Civil war ended in 1991. The country has seen gradual political stability, but a loss of educated and trained people who could be valuable still remains as hindrance for the development of the country.
In this context, FIDR has been supporting Cambodia focusing on medical, nutrition and education to support children’s lives and growth.
Basic Data
Country Name |
Kingdom of Cambodia |
Capital |
Phnom Penh |
Area |
181,035ku |
Population |
Approx 16,250,000(*1) |
Ethnicity |
Khmer (90%), Vietnamese(5%), Chinese(1%), others(4%) |
Official Language |
Khmer |
Religion |
Theravada Buddhism(90%), Islam(4%), others(6%) |
GNI per Capita |
$4,070(*2) |
Main Industry |
Agriculture, Sewing and Tourism |
Ranking in Human Development Index |
146th(among 189 countries)(*3) |
(*1)UNICEF The State of The Worlds Children 2019
(*2)The World Bank World Development Indicators 2018
(*3)UNDP Human Development Index 2019