2001 to 2004, the economy grew
at an average rate of 6.4%, driven largely by an expansion in the
garment sector and tourism. With the January 2005 expiration of a
WTO Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, Cambodia-based textile
producers were forced to compete directly with lower-priced
producing countries such as China and India. Better-than-expected
garment sector performance led to about 6% growth per year in
2005-06. Faced with the possibility that its vibrant garment
industry, with more than 200,000 jobs, could be in serious danger,
the Cambodian government has committed itself to a policy of
continued support for high labor standards in an attempt to maintain
favor with buyers. The tourism industry continues to grow rapidly,
with foreign visitors surpassing 1 million for per year beginning in
2005. In 2005, exploitable oil and natural gas deposits were found
beneath Cambodia's territorial waters, representing a new revenue
stream for the government once commercial extraction begins in the
coming years. Mining also is attracting significant investor
interest, particularly in the northeastern parts of the country. The
long-term development of the economy remains a daunting challenge.
The Cambodian government is working with bilateral and multilateral
donors, including the World Bank and IMF, to address the country's
many pressing needs. The major economic challenge for Cambodia over
the next decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which
the private sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's
demographic imbalance. More than 50% of the population is less than
21 years old. The population lacks education and productive skills,
particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from
an almost total lack of basic infrastructure.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$36.78 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$5.122 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.8% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,600 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 35%
industry: 30%
services: 35% (2004)

Labor force:
7 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 75%
industry: NA%
services: NA% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
2.5% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.9%
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