Demographic features of the population of Cambodia include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Population size and structure
Between 1874 and 1921, the total population of Cambodia increased from about 946,000 to 2.4 million. By 1950, it had increased to between 3,710,107 and 4,073,967, and in 1962 it had reached 5.7 million. From the 1960s until 1975, the population of Cambodia increased by about 2.2% yearly, the lowest increase in Southeast Asia.
By 1975 when the Khmer Rouge took power, the population was estimated at 7.3 million. Of this total an estimated one to two million reportedly died between 1975 and 1978. In 1981, the PRK gave the official population figure as nearly 6.7 million, although approximately 6.3 million to 6.4 million is probably more accurate.
The average annual rate of population growth from 1978 to 1985 was 2.3% (see table 2, Appendix A). A post-Khmer Rouge baby boom pushed the population above 10 million, although growth has slowed in recent years.
In 1959, about 45% of the population was under 15 years of age. By 1962, this had increased slightly to 46%. In 1962, an estimated 52% of the population was between 15 and 64 years of age, while 2% were older than 65. The percentage of males and females in the three groups was almost the same. According to Inter-Censal Survey TFR of Cambodia was 2.5 in 2024.
Age distribution
YearTotal population (thousands)Population percentage aged 0–14 aged 15–64 aged 65+ 1950 4 346 1955 4 840 1960 5 433 1965 6 141 1970 6 938 1975 7 308 1980 6 306 1985 7 920 1990 9 532 1995 11 169 2000 12 447 2005 13 358 2010 14 138 2015 15 521 2020 16 719
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 7 320 112 7 642 479 14 962 591 100 0–4 806 531 777 854 1 584 385 10.59 5–9 721 480 693 339 1 414 819 9.46 10–14 768 899 735 963 1 504 862 10.06 15–19 878 612 830 980 1 709 592 11.43 20–24 848 931 800 737 1 649 668 11.03 25–29 678 825 712 044 1 390 869 9.30 30–34 613 674 637 973 1 251 647 8.37 35–39 338 735 363 397 702 132 4.69 40–44 411 072 441 415 852 487 5.70 45–49 344 372 395 214 739 586 4.94 50–54 295 645 352 214 648 347 4.33 55–59 190 528 288 806 479 334 3.20 60–64 153 721 218 867 372 588 2.49 65–69 105 605 147 502 253 107 1.69 70–74 76 017 108 069 184 086 1.23 75–79 47 601 72 558 120 159 0.80 80+ 39 864 65 059 104 923 0.70Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 2 296 910 2 207 156 4 504 066 30.10 15–64 4 754 115 5 042 135 9 796 250 65.47 65+ 269 087 393 188 662 275 4.43
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 8 093 453 8 498 636 16 592 089 100 0–4 791 593 755 468 1 547 061 9.32 5–9 792 080 756 481 1 548 561 9.33 10–14 843 604 804 317 1 647 921 9.93 15–19 799 876 773 934 1 573 810 9.49 20–24 647 446 666 588 1 314 034 7.92 25–29 684 545 720 947 1 405 492 8.47 30–34 682 783 713 536 1 396 319 8.42 35–39 684 224 703 803 1 388 027 8.37 40–44 483 437 500 719 984 156 5.93 45–49 369 988 393 527 763 515 4.60 50–54 360 130 409 250 769 380 4.64 55–59 319 093 370 486 689 579 4.16 60–64 232 929 310 156 543 085 3.27 65–69 157 661 240 966 398 627 2.40 70–74 112 069 169 150 281 219 1.69 75–79 71 156 105 568 176 724 1.07 80+ 60 839 103 740 164 579 0.99Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 2 427 277 2 316 266 4 743 543 28.59 15–64 5 264 451 5 562 946 10 827 397 65.26 65+ 401 725 619 424 1 021 149 6.15
Urbanization
Urban population: 39.4% of total population (2019) Rate of urbanization: 7.8% annual rate of change (2008—2019)
Vital statistics
UN estimates
Period Population Live births Deaths Natural change CBR1 CDR1 NC1 TFR1 IMR1 Life expectancy (years)19504,380,000209,000107,000102,00047.724.423.36.63172.538.9419514,485,000213,000108,000105,00047.524.123.46.62170.939.2519524,593,000218,000110,000109,00047.523.923.66.63168.939.5119534,702,000224,000112,000112,00047.623.723.96.66167.539.7419544,814,000230,000112,000117,00047.723.324.46.69165.140.2219554,931,000236,000114,000122,00047.823.124.76.73163.440.4519565,052,000241,000115,000126,00047.822.824.96.75160.840.7719575,176,000247,000116,000130,00047.622.525.16.75158.241.1919585,298,000245,000117,000128,00046.222.024.26.57155.641.5219595,419,000244,000117,000127,00045.021.623.36.42152.541.7919605,542,000242,000116,000126,00043.721.022.76.25149.542.3619615,665,000242,000116,000127,00042.820.422.36.12147.042.7919625,789,000242,000115,000127,00041.919.922.06.00144.343.3219635,914,000242,000114,000128,00040.919.321.65.85141.743.9019646,041,000248,000114,000134,00041.018.922.15.86139.244.4019656,171,000252,000115,000137,00040.818.522.25.82136.944.7919666,299,000255,000114,000141,00040.518.122.45.77134.645.3619676,426,000258,000115,000143,00040.117.922.25.71132.345.5119686,553,000261,000116,000145,00039.817.722.15.65130.145.7919696,680,000263,000116,000147,00039.417.422.05.56128.046.2419706,709,000277,000154,000123,00040.722.618.15.72126.339.1319716,696,000276,000150,000125,00040.922.318.65.87124.739.5119726,766,000283,000148,000136,00041.721.720.05.99121.940.2219736,852,000269,000150,000119,00039.221.817.45.56125.040.0219746,913,000240,000150,00090,00034.621.613.04.80126.939.8019756,728,000210,000578,000−368,00031.285.7 −54.64.10265.412.0019766,307,000175,000548,000 −373,00027.686.6 −58.93.41173.112.0119776,040,000 140,000192,000 −52,00023.131.7 −8.72.72134.228.9119785,961,000171,000136,00035,00028.422.65.83.34131.236.9819796,052,000227,000114,000113,00037.919.118.84.56117.942.2819806,199,000301,000104,000198,00048.016.531.55.77115.847.5719816,364,000311,000106,000205,00049.116.732.46.04112.848.1819826,620,000333,000109,000224,00050.316.533.96.19109.448.7419836,882,000350,000111,000239,00051.016.134.86.30106.149.4919847,134,000367,000113,000254,00051.315.735.66.34102.750.2419857,376,000374,000113,000261,00050.615.335.46.3199.651.0419867,661,000380,000114,000266,00049.714.934.86.2396.751.5119877,976,000387,000109,000278,00048.713.735.06.1094.153.4519888,270,000393,000109,000284,00047.513.234.35.9491.254.2819898,571,000390,000109,000281,00045.612.732.95.7288.654.8019908,911,000398,000109,000289,00044.812.232.55.6486.255.4319919,259,000404,000111,000294,00043.812.031.85.5786.455.7919929,718,000406,000113,000294,00042.411.830.65.4586.456.02199310,244,000414,000117,000297,00040.811.529.35.2787.056.08199410,636,000411,000121,000290,00038.611.427.35.0588.356.04199510,920,000395,000121,000274,00036.210.925.14.8288.656.31199611,183,000377,000121,000256,00033.710.422.94.8789.056.35199711,432,000362,000120,000242,00031.79.921.24.3988.556.74199811,669,000343,000118,000225,00030.49.520.84.1387.257.03199911,899,000341,000116,000225,00029.19.120.03.9384.457.69200012,119,000334,000112,000222,00028.58.719.83.7979.958.63200112,338,000332,000107,000225,00028.18.319.83.6973.259.97200212,562,000332,000102,000230,00027.57.919.63.5766.461.23200312,788,000331,00098,000233,00026.97.619.33.4360.462.52200413,016,000332,00095,000237,00026.37.319.03.3155.363.55200513,247,000334,00093,000241,00026.17.019.13.2451.064.29200613,478,000336,00092,000244,00026.16.819.33.1747.465.06200713,715,000342,00091,000251,00026.26.619.63.1344.365.73200813,944,000341,00090,000252,00025.96.519.43.0541.366.47200914,156,000342,00087,000255,00025.66.419.22.9738.467.44201014,364,000340,00088,000252,00025.06.318.82.8635.767.71201114,574,000341,00087,000254,00024.66.118.52.7833.468.42201214,787,000345,00087,000258,00024.66.118.52.7531.068.92201315,000,000346,00087,000259,00024.66.018.52.7429.369.30201415,211,000347,00088,000259,00024.46.018.42.5927.869.74201515,418,000345,00090,000255,00024.26.018.22.7326.469.87201615,625,000342,00090,000252,00024.06.017.92.7225.370.22201715,831,000338,00092,000247,00023.76.117.62.7224.270.52201816,025,000334,00094,000240,00023.46.117.22.7223.370.56201915,552,211(C)329,00097,000233,00023.06.216.82.7222.470.69202016,397,000326,000102,000223,00022.46.316.12.7021.670.42202116,589,000321,000114,000207,00021.96.815.12.6620.869.582022 21.36.315.02.622023 20.86.414.42.582024 20.36.513.92.552025 19.96.513.42.51 1 CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births
Fertility The total fertility rate in Cambodia was 3.0 children per woman in 2010. The fertility rate was 4.0 children in 2000. Women in urban areas have 2.2 children on average, compared with 3.3 children per woman in rural areas. Fertility is highest in Mondol Kiri and Rattanak Kiri Provinces, where women have an average of 4.5 children, and lowest in Phnom Penh where women have an average of 2.0 children.
Demographic and Health Surveys Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
Year Total Urban Rural CBR TFR CBR TFR CBR TFR 1995–1998 29.0 4.11 25.0 3.31 29.0 4.25 2000 27.7 4.0 (3.1) 23.9 3.1 (2.5) 28.3 4.2 (3.2) 2005 25.6 3.4 (2.8) 23.8 2.8 (2.3) 25.9 3.5 (2.9) 2010 24.2 3.0 (2.6) 21.0 2.2 (2.0) 25.0 3.3 (2.8) 2014 22.0 2.7 (2.4) 20.2 2.1 (1.9) 22.4 2.9 (2.6) 2021–22 20.2 2.7 (2.4) 20.5 2.4 (2.2) 20.1 3.0 (2.7)
Total fertility rate and other related statistics by province, as of 2014:
Province Total fertility rate Percentage of women age 15-49 currently pregnant Completed fertility rate (Average number of children born per woman in her lifetime)Banteay Meanchey 2.8 5.2 4.0Kampong Cham 3.3 3.5 3.9Kampong Chhnang 2.4 5.4 4.2Kampong Speu 2.4 6.3 4.1Kampong Thom 2.9 5.8 4.4Kandal 2.5 5.7 3.9Kratié 3.6 7.3 4.5Phnom Penh 2.0 4.6 2.8Prey Veng 3.0 4.9 3.5Pursat 3.1 5.9 4.0Siem Reap 2.7 5.2 3.9Svay Rieng 2.5 5.7 3.4Takéo 2.4 3.9 3.7Oddar Meanchey 3.0 8.5 4.6Battambang/Pailin 2.9 5.5 3.8Kampot/Kep 2.5 4.9 3.9Sihanoukville/Koh Kong 2.7 5.8 4.1Preah Vihear/Stung Treng 3.6 9.5 5.2Mondulkiri/Ratanakiri 3.3 6.9 4.8
Infant and childhood mortality Childhood mortality rates are decreasing in Cambodia. Currently, the infant mortality rate is 45 deaths per 1,000 live births for the five-year period before the survey compared with 66 deaths reported in the 2005 CDHS and 95 in the 2000 CDHS. Under-five mortality rates have also decreased from 124 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2000, 83 deaths in 2005 to 54 deaths per 1,000 in 2010.
Childhood mortality decreases markedly with mother's education and wealth. Infant mortality, for example, is twice as high among children whose mothers have no schooling compared to those with secondary or higher education (72 versus 31). The association with wealth is even stronger. There are 77 deaths per 1,000 live births among infants from the poorest households compared to only 23 deaths per 1,000 live births among infants from the richest households.
Mortality rates are much higher in rural than urban areas. Infant mortality, for example, is 64 deaths per 1,000 live births in rural areas compared to only 22 in urban areas. Mortality also differs by province. Infant mortality ranges from only 13 deaths per 1,000 live births in Phnom Penh to 78 deaths per 1,000 live births in Kampong Chhnang and Svay Rieng.
Life expectancy
In 1959, life expectancy at birth was 44.2 years for males and 43.3 years for females. By 1970, life expectancy had increased by about 2.5 years since 1945. The greater longevity for females apparently reflected improved health practices during maternity and childbirth.
PeriodLife expectancy inYearsPeriodLife expectancy inYears1950–195540.31985–199052.01955–196041.11990–199554.31960–196541.41995–200056.41965–197042.02000–200560.81970–197537.82005–201065.11975–198014.52010–201567.61980–198552.0 Source: UN World Population Prospects
Ethnic groups
The largest of the ethnic groups in Cambodia are the Khmer, who comprise 95.8% of the total population in 2019 and primarily inhabit the lowland Mekong sub region and the central plains.