Cambodia population pyramid 2026
18,051,219 people in 2026 (projected). Cambodia’s pyramid still carries the Khmer Rouge years: a deep notch at ages 50–54 and far fewer older men than women, half a century later.
- 2026 population
- 18.1Mrank 73 of 237
- Median age
- 26.4 yearsoldest rank 161
- Fertility rate
- 2.49births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Transitional6.6% age 65+
Cambodia population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Cambodia age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 29.2% of the population, while 6.6% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 64.2% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Cambodia’s age structure as transitional; the guide to population pyramid types explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 55.8: about 56 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (45.5 children and 10.3 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Cambodia’s population pyramid
The scar of 1975–79
The UN series records deaths outnumbering births in Cambodia in 1975, the year the Khmer Rouge took power and long before population ageing could explain it. Under their rule, until early 1979, executions, forced labour, famine and disease killed a large share of the population, and births fell sharply. The pyramid shows both effects. In 2000 the 20–24 band, born during those years, was about a third smaller than the 15–19 band below it. In 2026 the same generation is in its late forties and early fifties: the 50–54 band is about 18% smaller than its neighbours and little more than half the size of the 40–44 band.
Adult men were especially likely to die in the conflict and the regime that followed, so the missing men are still visible. In 2000 there were only about three men for every four women at ages 40–44. Today the imbalance has moved up the pyramid: at 70–74, the generation that was in its early twenties in 1975, there are about 62 men per 100 women, a gap that reflects those losses as well as higher male mortality in later life. The guide to sex ratios by age explains how such deficits persist for a lifetime.
Recovery births and their echo
After 1979 births surged, and the cohorts born in the 1980s are now the broad 35–44 section of the pyramid. Fertility then fell quickly, from about 5.6 children per woman in 1990 to 3.8 in 2000 and about 2.6 in 2023. The notch at ages 25–29 (born about 1997–2001) coincides with that decline and with the small 1975–79 generation reaching parenthood, an echo of the original deficit. Children under 15 still form the widest bands, which places Cambodia’s current outline close to Paraguay and Kyrgyzstan.
Migration also shapes the working ages. Net emigration between 2000 and 2023 totalled about 1.25 million, much of it labour migration to Thailand, and the medium scenario assumes a further outflow of about 700,000 by 2050.
A long slow ageing
Life expectancy has risen from under 40 in 1970 to about 71 in 2023, and the median age, about 17 in 2000, is now above 26. The UN projects growth to about 21.9 million in 2050 and a peak of about 23.4 million around 2078. As the large post-1979 cohorts reach their sixties in the 2040s, the share aged 65 and over is projected to almost double to about 12%.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
Comparing each five-year band with its neighbours picks out the cohorts that break a smooth slope. These irregularities usually record past surges or deficits in births, or migration concentrated at particular ages; the pattern alone does not identify which. The guide to baby booms and echo cohorts explains how to date and interpret them.
| Age band in 2026 | Born about | Feature | Versus neighbouring bands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50–54 | 1972–1976 | Notch (smaller cohort) | −18% |
Births outnumber deaths in 2026 (deaths were higher in 1975); the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2088. People aged 65 and older are projected to outnumber children under 15 by 2080.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Cambodia is projected to record 352,442 births (about 965 births a day) and 118,566 deaths, a natural increase of 233,876. Net migration adds −34,323 people, ranking #179 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 8,775,693 births, 2,358,978 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −1,248,274. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −711,439 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 73.7 years39.6 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 68.4 years38.1 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 15.3 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 17.6per 1,000 births · 167 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 21.0per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 27.8 yearssex ratio at birth 105.3
Women in Cambodia are projected to live 5.3 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 167 to 17.6 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #69 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 27.8 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Cambodia
The median age of 26.4 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 2.49 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 71.1 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,051,219 | #73 | Largest first |
| Median age | 26.4 years | #161 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 2.49 | #79 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +1.1% | #90 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 71.1 years | #169 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 6.6% | #153 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Cambodia
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5–9 | 1,809,388 | 10.0% | 924.6K / 884.8K |
| 2 | 0–4 | 1,763,008 | 9.8% | 901.9K / 861.1K |
| 3 | 10–14 | 1,700,953 | 9.4% | 866.1K / 834.8K |
| 4 | 15–19 | 1,652,654 | 9.2% | 841.9K / 810.8K |
| 5 | 20–24 | 1,472,361 | 8.2% | 741.8K / 730.5K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Cambodia has 8,853,262 males and 9,197,958 females. That is 96.3 males per 100 females, ranking #165 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.0% of the population and females for 51.0%. There are 344,696 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 65.2 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 105.3 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Cambodia has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 4,375,257 in 1950 to 18,051,219 in 2026, a change of 313%. Over the same span, median age moved from 17.5 to 26.4 years.
The under-15 share changed from 42.5% to 29.2%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 2.7% to 6.6%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Cambodia’s population is projected to grow by about 21%, reaching 21,931,455 in 2050. The median age changes from 26.4 to 32.2 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 5.0 percentage points to 11.6%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 22.7%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 23,387,213 in 2078. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4,375,257 | 17.5 | 6.53 | 38.9 | 203,959 | 106,298 | +1,856 | +2.3% |
| 1960 | 5,449,966 | 17.1 | 6.31 | 42.1 | 239,161 | 114,925 | −5,339 | +2.2% |
| 1970 | 6,639,182 | 16.5 | 6.07 | 38.6 | 278,911 | 156,079 | −193,008 | -1.1% |
| 1980 | 5,199,872 | 16.7 | 5.77 | 47.5 | 245,426 | 86,269 | −133,508 | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 7,374,752 | 17.2 | 5.64 | 55.2 | 341,965 | 92,189 | +58,455 | +4.2% |
| 2000 | 12,462,336 | 17.0 | 3.79 | 59.5 | 354,758 | 108,419 | −50,957 | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 14,500,726 | 21.3 | 2.86 | 67.3 | 363,038 | 90,768 | −49,781 | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 16,725,474 | 25.1 | 2.70 | 70.1 | 374,795 | 106,051 | 0 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 17,423,880 | 25.8 | 2.58 | 70.7 | 361,586 | 111,340 | −31,837 | +1.3% |
| 2024* | 17,638,801 | 26.0 | 2.55 | 70.8 | 358,220 | 113,839 | −32,960 | +1.2% |
| 2026* | 18,051,219 | 26.4 | 2.49 | 71.1 | 352,442 | 118,566 | −34,323 | +1.1% |
| 2030* | 18,827,388 | 27.1 | 2.38 | 71.8 | 345,224 | 128,904 | −30,625 | +1.0% |
| 2040* | 20,540,682 | 29.6 | 2.17 | 73.2 | 341,923 | 156,876 | −29,536 | +0.8% |
| 2050* | 21,931,455 | 32.2 | 2.03 | 74.5 | 327,811 | 183,318 | −29,019 | +0.5% |
| 2060* | 22,852,986 | 35.0 | 1.95 | 75.9 | 305,587 | 210,964 | −26,175 | +0.3% |
| 2070* | 23,296,121 | 37.1 | 1.89 | 77.2 | 290,887 | 240,329 | −28,305 | +0.1% |
| 2080* | 23,379,539 | 39.0 | 1.85 | 78.5 | 272,181 | 253,041 | −25,069 | -0.0% |
| 2090* | 23,198,283 | 41.0 | 1.82 | 79.8 | 253,024 | 261,025 | −23,893 | -0.1% |
| 2100* | 22,738,858 | 42.7 | 1.80 | 81.1 | 236,756 | 274,481 | −22,872 | -0.3% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 901,883 | 861,125 | 1,763,008 | 9.8% |
| 5–9 | 924,625 | 884,763 | 1,809,388 | 10.0% |
| 10–14 | 866,140 | 834,813 | 1,700,953 | 9.4% |
| 15–19 | 841,856 | 810,798 | 1,652,654 | 9.2% |
| 20–24 | 741,848 | 730,513 | 1,472,361 | 8.2% |
| 25–29 | 638,639 | 662,885 | 1,301,524 | 7.2% |
| 30–34 | 673,106 | 703,494 | 1,376,600 | 7.6% |
| 35–39 | 682,095 | 704,587 | 1,386,682 | 7.7% |
| 40–44 | 633,822 | 657,696 | 1,291,518 | 7.2% |
| 45–49 | 500,599 | 517,449 | 1,018,048 | 5.6% |
| 50–54 | 344,973 | 373,306 | 718,279 | 4.0% |
| 55–59 | 344,197 | 389,152 | 733,349 | 4.1% |
| 60–64 | 289,178 | 345,841 | 635,019 | 3.5% |
| 65–69 | 207,607 | 283,785 | 491,392 | 2.7% |
| 70–74 | 129,198 | 209,053 | 338,251 | 1.9% |
| 75–79 | 78,419 | 128,819 | 207,238 | 1.1% |
| 80–84 | 37,339 | 64,463 | 101,802 | 0.6% |
| 85–89 | 14,033 | 26,860 | 40,893 | 0.2% |
| 90–94 | 3,340 | 7,534 | 10,874 | 0.1% |
| 95–99 | 347 | 964 | 1,311 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 15 | 59 | 74 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Cambodia’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Paraguay97% overlap · median age 27.3
- Kyrgyzstan97% overlap · median age 25.5
- Fiji97% overlap · median age 28.3
- Egypt97% overlap · median age 24.7
- Nicaragua96% overlap · median age 26.3
- Bolivia96% overlap · median age 25.5
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Cambodia.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Cambodia Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/cambodia/
MLA
“Cambodia Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/cambodia/.
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World Population Pyramid. “Cambodia Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/cambodia/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Cambodia in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Cambodia's population in 2026 is projected at 18,051,219.
What is the median age in Cambodia?
The projected median age in Cambodia in 2026 is 26.4 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Cambodia?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 2.49 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Cambodia's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 21%, from 18.1M to 21.9M.
What share of Cambodia is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 6.6% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 11.6%.
How many babies are born in Cambodia each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 352,442 births and 118,566 deaths in 2026, about 965 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 233,876.
What is life expectancy in Cambodia for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 73.7 years for women and 68.4 years for men, a gap of 5.3 years in favour of women.
Does Cambodia have more immigrants or emigrants?
Cambodia is projected to lose about 34,323 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −1,248,274.
What is the sex ratio in Cambodia?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 96.3 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.