Country Name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
Conventional short form: Cambodia
Local long form: Preahreacheanachakr Kampuchea (phonetic pronunciation)
Local short form: Kampuchea
Former: Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea, People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia
Administrative Divisions
23 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 1 municipality (krong, singular and plural) provinces: Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom, Kampot, Kandal, Kep, Koh Kong, Kratie, Mondolkiri, Oddar Meanchey, Pailin, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Pursat, Ratanakiri, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Stung Treng, Svay Rieng, Takeo municipalities: Phnom Penh (Phnum Penh)
Independence
9 November 1953 (from France)
National Holiday
Independence Day, 9 November (1953)
Constitution
Previous 1947; latest promulgated 21 September 1993; amended 1999, 2008 (2008)
Legal System
civil law system (influenced by the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia) customary law, Communist legal theory, and common law
International Law Organization Participation
Accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive Branch
Chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004)
Head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985) [co-prime minister from 1993 to 1997; Permanent Deputy Prime Minister MEN SAM AN (since 25 September 2008); Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992); SOK AN, TEA BANH, HOR NAMHONG, NHEK BUNCHHAY (since 16 July 2004); BIN CHHIN (since 5 September 2007); KEAT CHHON, YIM CHHAI LY (since 24 September 2008); KE KIMYAN (since 12 March 2009)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch
Elections: the king chosen by a Royal Throne Council from among all eligible males of royal descent; following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or majority coalition named prime minister by the Chairman of the National Assembly and appointed by the king
Legislative Branch
Bicameral, consists of the Senate (61 seats; 2 members appointed by the monarch, 2 elected by the National Assembly, and 57 elected by parliamentarians and commune councils; members serve five-year terms) and the National Assembly (123 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 4 February 2012 (next to be held in February 2018); National Assembly - last held on 28 July 2013 (next to be held in July 2018) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - CPP 77.8%, CNRP (SRP) 22.2%; seats by party - CPP 46, CNRP (SRP) 11; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP 48.8%, NRP 44.5%, FUNCINPEC 3.9%, others 2.8%; seats by party - CPP 68, CNRP 55
Judicial Branch
Highest court(s): Supreme Court (organized into 5- and 9-judge panels and includes a court chief and deputy chief); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members)
Note - in 1997, the Cambodian Government requested UN assistance in establishing trials to prosecute: undefined
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judge candidates recommended by the Supreme Council of Magistracy, a 9-member body chaired by the monarch and includes other high-level judicial officers; judges of both courts appointed by the monarch; Supreme Court judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed for 9-year terms with one-third of the court renewed every 3 years
Subordinate courts: municipal and provincial courts; appellate courts; military court
Political Parties and Leaders
Cambodian People's Party or CPP [CHEA SIMCambodian National Rescue Party or CNRP [SAM RANGSI also spelled SAM RAINSY National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [KEV PUT REAKSMEI Nationalist Party or NP former Norodom Ranariddh Party or NRP [SAO RANY note: the CNRP is a merger between the former Human Rights Party or HRP [KHEM SOKHA, also spelled KEM SOKHA and the Sam Rangsi Party or SRP
Political Pressure Groups and Leaders
Cambodian Freedom Fighters or CFFPartnership for Transparency Fund or PTF (anti-corruption organization) Students Movement for Democracy The Committee for Free and Fair Elections or Comfrel other: human rights organizations; vendors
Flag Description
Three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined in black in the center of the red band; red and blue are traditional Cambodian colors note: only national flag to incorporate an actual building in its design
National Symbols
Angkor Wat temple; kouprey (wild ox)
National Anthem
Lyrics:
Note: adopted 1941, restored 1993; the anthem, based on a Cambodian folk tune, was restored after the defeat of the Communist regime
