MRTS Consulting is a specialized market research and consulting company based in Cambodia. We have experience conducted a number of research projects in Cambodia since 2006 covering across the country both urban and rural areas. We would like to provide some necessary information that are normally needed by researchers when come to market research in Cambodia. For more information, please feel free to contact us.
Administrative divisions
The autonomous municipality (reach thani) and provinces (khaet) of Cambodia are first-level administrative divisions. Cambodia is divided into 25 provinces including the autonomous municipality.
Municipalities and districts are the second-level administrative divisions of Cambodia. The provinces are subdivided into 159 districts and 26 municipalities. The districts and municipalities in turn are further divided into communes (khum) and quarters (sangkat).
| Number | Province | Capital | Area (km2) | Population |
| 1 | Banteay Meanchey | Serei Saophoan and Poipet | 6,679 | 678,033 |
| 2 | Battambang | Battambang | 11,702 | 1,036,523 |
| 3 | Kampong Cham | Kampong Cham | 4,549 | 1,010,098 |
| 4 | Kampong Chhnang | Kampong Chhnang | 5,521 | 472,616 |
| 5 | Kampong Speu | Chbar Mon | 7,017 | 718,008 |
| 6 | Kampong Thom | Stung Saen | 13,814 | 908,398 |
| 7 | Kampot | Kampot | 4,873 | 585,110 |
| 8 | Kandal | Ta Khmau | 3,568 | 1,265,805 |
| 9 | Kep | Kep | 336 | 80,208 |
| 10 | Koh Kong | Khemarak Phoumin | 11,160 | 139,722 |
| 11 | Kratié | Kratié | 11,094 | 318,523 |
| 12 | Mondulkiri | Senmonorom | 14,288 | 60,811 |
| 13 | Oddar Meanchey | Samraong | 6,158 | 185,443 |
| 14 | Pailin | Pailin | 803 | 70,482 |
| 15 | Phnom Penh | Doun Penh | 758 | 2,234,566 |
| 16 | Preah Sihanouk | Preah Sihanouk | 2,537 | 199,902 |
| 17 | Preah Vihear | Tbaeng Meanchey | 13,788 | 170,852 |
| 18 | Pursat | Pursat | 12,692 | 397,107 |
| 19 | Prey Veng | Prey Veng | 4,883 | 947,357 |
| 20 | Ratanakiri | Banlung | 10,782 | 567,459 |
| 21 | Siem Reap | Siem Reap | 10,229 | 1,000,309 |
| 22 | Stung Treng | Stung Treng | 11,092 | 111,734 |
| 23 | Svay Rieng | Svay Riengand Bavet | 2,966 | 498,785 |
| 24 | Takéo | Doun Kaev | 3,563 | 843,931 |
| 25 | Tboung Khmom | Suong | 4,928 | 754,000 |
Economy
In 2017 Cambodia’s per capita income is $4,022 in PPP and $1,309 in nominal per capita. Cambodia graduated from the status of a Least Developed Country to a Lower Middle Income country in the same year 2016. Most rural households depend on agriculture and its related sub-sectors. Rice, fish, timber, garments and rubber are Cambodia’s major exports.
Based on the Economist, IMF: Annual average GDP growth for the period 2001–2010 was 7.7% making it one of the world’s top ten countries with the highest annual average GDP growth. Tourism was Cambodia’s fastest growing industry, with arrivals increasing from 219,000 in 1997 to over 2 million in 2007. In 2004, inflation was at 1.7% and exports at $1.6 billion US$.
Demographics
| Population in Cambodia | |
| Year | Million |
| 1950 | 4.4 |
| 2000 | 12.1 |
| 2016 | 15.8 |
As of 2016, Cambodia has an estimated population of 15,762,370 people. Cambodia’s birth rate is 25.4 per 1,000. Its population growth rate is 1.7%.
Fifty percent of the Cambodian population is younger than 22 years old. At a 1.04 female to male ratio, Cambodia has the most female-biased sex ratio in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Among the Cambodian population aged over 65, the female to male ratio is 1.6:1.
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.
Population Centres
Largest cities or towns in Cambodia
(2008 Cambodian census)
| Rank | Name | Province | Pop. |
| 1 | Phnom Penh | Phnom Penh | 2,234,566 |
| 2 | Ta Khmau | Kandal | 195,895 |
| 3 | Serei Saophoan | Banteay Meanchey | 181,396 |
| 4 | Battambang | Battambang | 180,853 |
| 5 | Siem Reap | Siem Reap | 174,265 |
| 6 | Kampong Cham | Kampong Cham | 118,242 |
| 7 | Sihanoukville | Preah Sihanouk | 89,447 |
| 8 | Chbar Mon | Kampong Speu | 54,505 |
| 9 | Kampot | Kampot | 48,274 |
| 10 | Kampong Chhnang | Kampong Chhnang | 43,130 |
| 11 | Khemarak Phoumin | Koh Kong | 36,053 |
| 12 | Kraches | Kraches | 35,964 |
| 13 | Prey Veng | Prey Veng | 33,079 |
| 14 | Stueng Saen | Kampong Thom | 31,871 |
| 15 | Pursat | Pursat | 25,650 |
| 16 | Samrong | Oddar Meanchey | 18,694 |
| 17 | Svay Rieng | Svay Rieng | 17,029 |
| 18 | Stung Treng | Stung Treng | 17,022 |
| 19 | Pailin | Pailin | 15,674 |
| 20 | Doun Kaev | Takéo | 14,456 |
Education
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports is responsible for establishing national policies and guidelines for education in Cambodia. The Cambodian education system is heavily decentralised, with three levels of government, central, provincial and district – responsible for its management. The constitution of Cambodia promulgates free compulsory education for nine years, guaranteeing the universal right to basic quality education.
The 2008 Cambodian census estimated that 77.6% of the population was literate (85.1% of men and 70.9% of women). Male youth age (15–24 years) have a literacy rate of 89% compared to 86% for females.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodia
If you need help to conduct market research in Cambodia, contact us: vuthy@mrtsconsulting.com