Money, Education, and Lifespan are All on the Rise Here

Cambodia, a Southeast Asian country, saw its Human Development Index (HDI) grow remarkably over nearly three decades, with income, life expectancy, and education improving.

“Human development places people at the core of economic thinking and acknowledges that development is more than economic growth or a mere income measure,” states United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Cambodia’s Resident Representative Alissar Chaker. “As Cambodia gears up to implement the Pentagonal Strategy, it stands to gain from a more integrated development approach that puts people first.”

Between 1990 and 2021, the income per capita increased fourfold, life expectancy rose by more than 14 years, and schooling went from 2.4 to 5.1 years on average. Consequently, according to the 2024 Regional Human Development Report for Asia and the Pacific, “Cambodia’s HDI is 56.9%, placing the country in the medium human development category.” Human development is essential for socioeconomic progress, as evidenced by the trajectory of developed countries.