If you lived in Cambodia instead of French Polynesia, you would:

Health

be 90.0% less likely to be obese

In French Polynesia, 49.1% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Cambodia, that number is 4.9% of people as of 2024.

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live 13.4 years less

In French Polynesia, the average life expectancy is 84 years (82 years for men, 87 years for women) as of 2024. In Cambodia, that number is 71 years (68 years for men, 73 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

be 97.8% less likely to be unemployed

In French Polynesia, 11.7% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Cambodia, that number is 0.3% as of 2025.

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make 87.2% less money

French Polynesia has a GDP per capita of $22,440 as of 2024, while in Cambodia, the GDP per capita is $2,872 as of 2025.

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Life

have 90.0% more children

In French Polynesia, there are approximately 10.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Cambodia, there are 20.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 3.7 times more likely to die during infancy

In French Polynesia, approximately 4.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Cambodia, on the other hand, 16.4 children do as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 17.2% less likely to have access to drinking water

In French Polynesia, approximately 100% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In Cambodia, 83% of people do as of 2024.

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Geography

see 82.5% less coastline

French Polynesia has a total of 2,525 km of coastline. In Cambodia, that number is 443 km.

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Safety

be 6.0 times more likely to be murdered

French Polynesia has a homicide rate of 0.3 per 100,000 people as of 2009. In Cambodia, that number is 1.8 per 100,000 as of 2011.

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Infrastructure

find 88.3% less home broadband

French Polynesia has 35.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2023. Cambodia has 4.2 as of 2024.

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Environment

emit 68.2% less CO2

French Polynesia emits 3.5 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Cambodia emits 1.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2023–2025), The World Factbook (2022), World Health Organization (2024), United Nations SDG Indicators (2009–2011). How we calculate this

Cambodia: At a glance

Cambodia is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 176,515 sq km. Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863, and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In April 1975, after a five-year struggle, communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy under a coalition government. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the first coalition government, but a second round of national elections in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and renewed political stability. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1999. Some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders have been tried or are awaiting trial for crimes against humanity by a hybrid UN-Cambodian tribunal supported by international assistance. Elections in July 2003 were relatively peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending political parties before a coalition government was formed. In October 2004, King Norodom SIHANOUK abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom SIHAMONI, was selected to succeed him. Local elections were held in Cambodia in April 2007, with little of the pre-election violence that preceded prior elections. National elections in July 2008 were relatively peaceful, as were commune council elections in June 2012.
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