Cambodian Facts and Figures

Interesting Cultural Facts

The Days
The Cambodian business day is based around the hot afternoons and history in agriculture. Most Cambodian people get up every morning at 5am for morning stretches and exercises and begin work at 7am. Everywhere from banks, to temples, to offices and tourist attractions have a two hour lunch break from approximately 11am to 1pm. Most people spend go home and spend these two hours sleeping and eating. The afternoon is spent at work from approximately 1pm to 5pm. Most Cambodian’s, particularly women, do not feel safe traveling after 8pm and prefer to be in bed by 9pm.

The Weather
There are two seasons in Cambodia, the wet and the dry. As the climate changes there is a lot of discussion about when exactly these seasons begin and end. But generally November to May is the dry season (more popular tourist season) and June to October is the wet season. During the wet season the rain is usually very regular and will rain heavily from 1pm-4pm every day. The whole country stops while it rains as people prefer not to travel for fear of flooding and poor visibility.

Number Crunch

Cambodia 2006 figures
Population
Approx 14million

Gross Domestic Product
Approx $27billion (Less then the Beijing Olympics)

Real Growth Rate
Approx 5.5%

Employment
Labor in agriculture 75%
Unemployed 2.5%
Below poverty line 40%

Aid Donations
Approx $500million

Religion
95% Buddhist

Age
Medium age approx 20 years
Only 3% over 65 years

SABORAS
Handicraft Wage
US $40 a month

Commissions per item
US $1

Item retail prices
$4 - $8

Handicraft Students
6

Funding met
40%

Further required funding
US $16,000

NUMBER CRUNCH

How will all this affect you?

Your rent

New tenancy agreements will be more expensive

Ongoing tenancy agreements are restricted under law regarding often they can increase and by how much

Your mortgage

National cash interest rates at 7.25%, the highest since December 1994

Victorian house prices remaining the same or increasing (depending on location)

A tough time to enter the property market

Job opportunities

Domestic consumer services roles may decrease e.g. hospitality, retails

Exportable skills may be under greater demand e.g. niche manufacturing, financial services

Unions and employees campaign for pay increases to meet increased cost of living

Traveling

Australian $0.90 (and over) = American $1.00

Great time to go overseas!

Cost of living

Petrol prices continue to rise, $1.50 to $3.00 a liter in the next 12 months

Basic goods will increase as transport and other costs increase

Stock Market

Funds move away from America and into emerging markets or the more ‘secure’ minerals oil and gold