Photo: Chris · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 03 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Cambodia: Work & Labour
Can people find work, and on what terms?
Cambodia is placed joint 26th of 182 countries on work & labour in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Employment-to-Population Ratio 82.17 (2025); Labour Income Share 46.23 (2025).
Share
Work & Labour
joint26th
of 182 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Cambodia on work & labour — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Employment-to-Population Ratio
International Labour Organization (ILO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
82.17
Employed share of the population aged 15+ (%)
Higher is better
Cambodia: 82.17. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 21.21 (São Tomé and Príncipe) to 86.9 (Qatar); the world median is 57.72.
- World median
- 57.72
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 82.17 Cambodia
- Land neighbours
- Laos 65.3 · Thailand 66.16 · Vietnam 71.67
Key 3 of 4
Unemployment Rate
International Labour Organization (ILO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
0.263
Unemployment (% of labour force)
Lower is better
Cambodia: 0.263. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 0.13 (Qatar) to 34.2 (Eswatini); the world median is 5.084.
- World median
- 5.084
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 0.263 Cambodia
- Land neighbours
- Laos 1.187 · Thailand 0.781 · Vietnam 1.523
Key 4 of 4
Vulnerable Employment
International Labour Organization (ILO)
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
52.32
Vulnerable employment (% of total employment)
Lower is better
Cambodia: 52.32. Across the 182 countries in this edition, values run from 0.456 (Qatar) to 90.22 (Chad); the world median is 28.67.
- World median
- 28.67
- Best in South-eastern Asia
- 4.478 Brunei
- Land neighbours
- Laos 76.38 · Thailand 47.98 · Vietnam 51.4
02Over time
Which way Cambodia is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Employment-to-Population Ratio
Employed share of the population aged 15+ (%) · higher is better
CambodiaWorld median
Cambodia rose from 79.83 in 2000 to 82.17 in 2025; the world median went from 55.86 to 57.72.
Every year’s figures
Year Cambodia World median 2025 82.175 57.720 2024 82.165 57.694 2023 82.137 58.158 2022 82.137 57.688 2021 79.195 56.066 2020 82.097 55.691 2019 82.324 57.871 2018 81.805 56.911 2017 81.294 56.738 2016 81.149 56.845 2015 79.290 56.788 2014 79.737 56.774 2013 79.867 56.229 2012 82.568 56.289 2011 84.946 56.297 2010 84.098 56.212 2009 81.541 56.255 2008 78.288 57.308 2007 80.205 56.933 2006 80.087 56.685 2005 79.969 56.129 2004 79.814 55.465 2003 79.688 55.630 2002 79.730 55.843 2001 79.800 56.018 2000 79.830 55.861 Labour Income Share
Labour income share of GDP (%) · higher is better
CambodiaWorld median
Cambodia rose from 43.37 in 2004 to 46.23 in 2025; the world median went from 46.01 to 46.23.
Every year’s figures
Year Cambodia World median 2025 46.225 46.230 2024 45.989 46.060 2023 46.179 45.900 2022 45.623 45.615 2021 44.945 45.433 2020 46.037 47.267 2019 46.277 46.277 2018 46.215 46.187 2017 46.402 46.467 2016 46.503 46.798 2015 46.311 46.876 2014 45.877 47.281 2013 47.415 46.887 2012 47.003 46.231 2011 46.499 45.679 2010 47.434 46.024 2009 46.997 47.071 2008 45.541 45.312 2007 44.384 45.246 2006 43.906 45.670 2005 43.136 46.265 2004 43.372 46.012 Unemployment Rate
Unemployment (% of labour force) · lower is better
CambodiaWorld median
Cambodia fell from 0.745 in 2000 to 0.263 in 2025; the world median went from 6.918 to 5.084.
Every year’s figures
Year Cambodia World median 2025 0.263 5.08 2024 0.254 5.15 2023 0.256 5.21 2022 0.245 5.34 2021 0.396 6.04 2020 0.172 6.38 2019 0.119 5.36 2018 0.129 5.35 2017 0.141 5.59 2016 0.716 5.90 2015 0.393 6.41 2014 0.692 6.58 2013 0.438 6.71 2012 0.505 6.79 2011 0.577 6.90 2010 0.771 7.04 2009 0.579 6.67 2008 0.825 5.79 2007 1.257 6.00 2006 1.160 6.50 2005 1.061 7.09 2004 1.004 6.80 2003 0.909 6.95 2002 0.862 6.91 2001 0.778 6.96 2000 0.745 6.92 Vulnerable Employment
Vulnerable employment (% of total employment) · lower is better
CambodiaWorld median
Cambodia fell from 61.77 in 2000 to 52.32 in 2025; the world median went from 35.67 to 28.67.
Every year’s figures
Year Cambodia World median 2025 52.3 28.67 2024 52.6 29.04 2023 52.9 29.33 2022 53.1 29.67 2021 53.3 30.01 2020 53.8 30.54 2019 53.6 29.98 2018 54.0 30.15 2017 54.4 29.93 2016 54.8 29.91 2015 55.2 30.26 2014 55.6 30.47 2013 55.9 31.14 2012 56.3 31.00 2011 56.6 31.41 2010 57.0 32.37 2009 57.4 32.59 2008 57.7 31.76 2007 58.0 33.47 2006 58.3 34.27 2005 58.7 34.66 2004 59.1 35.51 2003 59.5 35.90 2002 59.9 35.96 2001 60.2 35.27 2000 61.8 35.67
03In context
Cambodia beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 182 countries on work & labour, never a place within the region.
Cambodia and the countries it borders
Standing among all 182; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Employment-to-Population RatioEmployed share of the population aged 15+ (%) | Labour Income ShareLabour income share of GDP (%) | Unemployment RateUnemployment (% of labour force) | Vulnerable EmploymentVulnerable employment (% of total employment) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambodia | =26th | 82.17 | 46.23 | 0.263 | 52.32 |
 Vietnam | 35th | 71.67 | 47.32 | 1.523 | 51.4 |
 Thailand | =37th | 66.16 | 47.02 | 0.781 | 47.98 |
 Laos | 52nd | 65.3 | 48.7 | 1.187 | 76.38 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across South-eastern Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 182.
Placed either side on work & labour
The countries immediately above and below Cambodia in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Cambodia is ahead of the world, and behind
23 more statistics filed under work & labour, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median4
Statistics on which Cambodia does better than the middle country measured.
Youth Unemployment RateILO · 2025 · world median 12.830.71112.83No real change since 2015
Cambodia: 0.711 · world median 12.83 · Unemployment, ages 15-24 (% of youth labour force). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.457 to 76.77; lower is better.
Position 180th of 182 · derived, 1st = worst.
Labour Force Participation RateILO · 2025 · world median 61.6682.3961.66No real change since 2015
Cambodia: 82.39 · world median 61.66 · Population aged 15+ in the labour force (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.34 to 87.01; higher is better.
Position 6th of 182 · derived.
Female Labour Force Participation RateILO · 2025 · world median 53.3677.3553.36▲ Improved since 2015
Cambodia: 77.35 · world median 53.36 · Women aged 15+ in the labour force (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 4.663 to 82.91; higher is better.
Position 7th of 182 · derived.
Firms with a Female Top ManagerWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 19.1633.6519.16No earlier reading
Cambodia: 33.65 · world median 19.16 · Firms with a female top manager (%). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 1.429 to 62.9; higher is better.
Position 16th of 179 · derived.
Behind the world median12
Statistics on which Cambodia does worse than the middle country measured.
Employment Injury Protection CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 45.932.145.9No earlier reading
Cambodia: 32.1 · world median 45.9 · Labour force covered in the event of a work injury (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
Length of Paid Maternity LeaveWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 989098▼ Worsened since 2015
Cambodia: 90 · world median 98 · Paid maternity leave set in law (calendar days). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 410; higher is better.
Informal Employment RateILO · 2025 · world median 36.7676.1436.76No earlier reading
Cambodia: 76.14 · world median 36.76 · Informal employment (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.857 to 94.44; lower is better.
Position 25th of 97 · derived, 1st = worst.
Trade Union DensityILO · 2020 · world median 16.689.6316.68No earlier reading
Cambodia: 9.63 · world median 16.68 · Employees who are trade union members (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 0.2 to 91.42; higher is better.
Position 107th of 139 · derived.
Human Capital Wealth per CapitaWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 25,2307,42525,230▲ Improved since 2010
Cambodia: 7,425 · world median 25,230 · Human capital per person — present value of future earnings (real chained 2019 US$). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 700.38 to 735,422; higher is better.
Position 121st of 151 · derived.
Length of Paid Paternity LeaveWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 303▼ Worsened since 2015
Cambodia: 0 · world median 3 · Paid paternity leave set in law (calendar days). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 196; higher is better.
GDP per Person EmployedWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 47,38412,60047,384▲ Improved since 2015
Cambodia: 12,600 · world median 47,384 · GDP per person employed (constant 2021 international $). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2,456 to 262,554; higher is better.
Position 140th of 168 · derived.
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing Value Added per WorkerWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 6,7421,5536,742No real change since 2015
Cambodia: 1,553 · world median 6,742 · Agricultural value added per worker (constant 2015 US$). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 210.77 to 150,632; higher is better.
Position 127th of 151 · derived.
Firms Competing Against Informal FirmsWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 41.8162.7241.81No earlier reading
Cambodia: 62.72 · world median 41.81 · Firms competing against unregistered or informal firms (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 1.926 to 90.5; lower is better.
Position 28th of 181 · derived, 1st = worst.
Labour Productivity per Hour WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 22.165.2222.16▲ Improved since 2015
Cambodia: 5.22 · world median 22.16 · Output per hour worked (constant 2021 international $ at PPP). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.92 to 164.65; higher is better.
Position 157th of 182 · derived.
Firms Offering Formal TrainingWorld Bank Group · 2026 · world median 32.079.96832.07No earlier reading
Cambodia: 9.968 · world median 32.07 · Firms offering formal training to permanent full-time workers (%). World Bank Group, 2026 edition, data for 2026.
Published values in that edition run from 1.42 to 79.12; higher is better.
Compliance with Labour RightsILO · 2024 · world median 1.616.421.61▼ Worsened since 2015
Cambodia: 6.42 · world median 1.61 · Compliance with freedom of association and collective bargaining rights (0 = best, 10 = worst). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 10; lower is better.
Level with the median, or no median to compare1
Unemployment Benefit CoverageILO · 2024 · world median 000No earlier reading
Cambodia: 0 · world median 0 · Unemployed people receiving unemployment benefits (%). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 100; higher is better.
No better end6
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8946.1938.89Moved since 2015
Cambodia: 46.19 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.
Position 13th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Employment in IndustryILO · 2025 · world median 18.8828.8718.88Moved since 2015
Cambodia: 28.87 · world median 18.88 · Employment in industry (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 3.103 to 39.44.
Position 23rd of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Self-Employment RateILO · 2025 · world median 31.8455.5231.84No real change since 2015
Cambodia: 55.52 · world median 31.84 · Self-employed (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.832 to 91.56.
Position 50th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Employment in AgricultureILO · 2025 · world median 14.3833.414.38Moved since 2015
Cambodia: 33.4 · world median 14.38 · Employment in agriculture (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.095 to 85.34.
Position 51st of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Public Sector EmploymentWorld Bank Group · 2022 · world median 15.017.64615.01No earlier reading
Cambodia: 7.646 · world median 15.01 · Public sector employment (% of total employment). World Bank Group, 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 1.672 to 47.1.
Position 99th of 135 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Employment in ServicesILO · 2025 · world median 59.5137.7259.51No real change since 2015
Cambodia: 37.72 · world median 59.51 · Employment in services (% of total employment). International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.56 to 92.17.
Position 156th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
No current reading for Cambodia
Average Monthly Earnings of Employees (last 2023), Composite Rate of Labour Underutilisation (LU4) (last 2019), Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Share of Senior and Middle Management (last 2023), Gini Index of Monthly Earnings (last 2023), Labour Inspectors per 10,000 Employed Persons, Low Pay Rate (last 2023), Share of Temporary Employees (last 2019), Statutory Minimum Wage, Working Poverty Rate and Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training (last 2023). Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Work & Labour among Cambodia’s 15 topics
Work & Labour is Cambodia’s best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Work & Labourjoint 26th of 1824/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainabilityjoint 44th of 1864/4 keys
- Gender & Equality81st of 1834/4 keys
- Mobility & Tradejoint 91st of 1774/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing116th of 2004/4 keys
- Food & Agriculture113th of 1842/4 keys
- Energy104th of 1653/3 keys
- Digital & Technology131st of 1984/4 keys
- Risk & Resiliencejoint 129th of 1934/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital146th of 1963/3 keys
- Peace & Security135th of 1774/4 keys
- Economy & Innovationjoint 138th of 1764/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge160th of 1984/4 keys
- Governance & Institutions166th of 1944/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties175th of 1984/4 keys
No standing on Poverty & Inequality: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on work & labour
The three countries placed highest of 182, and the leaders Cambodia can most readily be measured against.
1
IcelandNorthern Europe
1st of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Hansueli Krapf · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
JapanEastern Asia
2nd of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: JurriaanH · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
South KoreaEastern Asia
3rd of 182 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Asia
Japan2nd4/4 keysHighest in South-eastern Asia
Singapore17th4/4 keysThis page
Cambodia=26th4/4 keys
Positions out of 182 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Cambodia and work & labour
On work & labour
Countries in Asia with the highest average salaries 2024
Thirteen Asian countries by gross average monthly wage, each carrying its WORLD rank rather than an Asian one — so the numbers skip, from 11th place to 45th.
On work & labour
Countries With The Highest Average Salaries in 2024
The ten highest-paying countries of 2024, their bars coloured by continent, and six more added for comparison — from Australia in 13th place to India in 85th.
On work & labour
Countries With The Lowest Average Salaries in 2024
The bottom ten of 196 countries, and six more added for comparison. Niger, Madagascar and Liberia are all published at US$47 a month and still carry three different ranks.
08Questions
Cambodia on work & labour: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Cambodia rank on work & labour?
Cambodia is placed joint 26th of 182 countries on Work & Labour in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (Employment-to-Population Ratio, Labour Income Share, Unemployment Rate and Vulnerable Employment). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Employment-to-Population Ratio figure for Cambodia?
82.17 in 2025 (employed share of the population aged 15+ (%)), according to International Labour Organization (ILO). The world median in the same edition was 57.72.
What is the latest Labour Income Share figure for Cambodia?
46.23 in 2025 (labour income share of GDP (%)), according to International Labour Organization (ILO). The world median in the same edition was 46.23.
How does Cambodia compare with Vietnam on work & labour?
Vietnam is placed 35th of 182, and Cambodia joint 26th. Employment-to-Population Ratio: Vietnam 71.67, Cambodia 82.17; Labour Income Share: Vietnam 47.32, Cambodia 46.23; Unemployment Rate: Vietnam 1.523, Cambodia 0.263; Vulnerable Employment: Vietnam 51.4, Cambodia 52.32.
How have Cambodia’s work & labour figures changed?
Employment-to-Population Ratio rose from 79.83 in 2000 to 82.17 in 2025; Labour Income Share rose from 43.37 in 2004 to 46.23 in 2025; Unemployment Rate fell from 0.745 in 2000 to 0.263 in 2025; Vulnerable Employment fell from 61.77 in 2000 to 52.32 in 2025.
Which work & labour statistics are missing for Cambodia?
No current reading is published for Cambodia on Average Monthly Earnings of Employees, Composite Rate of Labour Underutilisation (LU4), Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Share of Senior and Middle Management, Gini Index of Monthly Earnings, Labour Inspectors per 10,000 Employed Persons, Low Pay Rate, Share of Temporary Employees, Statutory Minimum Wage, Working Poverty Rate and Youth Not in Education, Employment or Training. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Wages in money terms are not a key here, because pay figures are hard to compare fairly across countries with very different prices. Labour productivity, working hours, youth unemployment and the balance between farming, industry and services are published on this page as context. The size and growth of the wider economy belong to Economy & Innovation.
How the Work & Labour standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The work & labour method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Employment-to-Population Ratio — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Labour Income Share — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Unemployment Rate — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
- Vulnerable Employment — International Labour Organization (ILO), CC BY 4.0
The other 23 statistics on this page come from 2 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Cambodia’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Cambodia (banner) — Chris, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Iceland — Hansueli Krapf, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Japan — JurriaanH, CC BY-SA 3.0
- South Korea — Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Cambodia: Work & Labour — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/cambodia/work