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To learn more about the differences between the American and Cambodian Governments, we researched the topic and interviewed experts in our area. We created videos of our interviews to share this information with you. We even called the American Embassy in Cambodia after we returned from the trip...however, we were only able to talk to the Ambassador's admisistrative assistant who informed us he was out of the country.

By looking at the information below and by considering what the experts shared with us in our interviews, one can clearly infer that the country of Cambodia is very poor. The government in Cambodia is obviously very different to that of the United States. Prime Minister Hun Sen has been in office since 1985 while American President's are elected every 4 years! While we were in Cambodia, many Cambodians reported to us that they yearn for fair trials and the freedoms Americans enjoy. Lok Viblo stressed this same sentiment in his interview with us. He said that Cambodians yearn for freedoms such as the freedom of speech and press. This is very much tied to fair elections and judicial reform.

Check out the facts and the video below to better understand the differences and similarities between American and Cambodian governments.

Comparisions as noted in the
CIA Factbook

Government
Type

Capital:Washington, DC (capital)

President: George W. Bush

Independence Day: 4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

National Holiday: Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution Drafted: 17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Suffrage: 18 years-old

Legal System:  Federal Court system based on English Law.  All states have different variations to a small degree based on crime.

Federal System:  
3 branches based on checks and balances.

Major Political Parties:
DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party) and GOP (Grand Old Party or Republican).

Capital: Phnom Penh

Prime Minister: Hun Sen (since 1985)

Independence Day: 9 November 1953 (from France)

National Holiday: Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Promulgated Constitution: 21, September 1993(when violence from the Khmer Rouge ended).

Suffrage: 18 years-old

Legal System:  Mostly based on French codes with UNTAC and Royal Decrees, also some communist based influence.

Federal System:
3 branches with Executive branch having the most power.

Major Political Parties:
CPP (Cambodian Peoples Party) and FUNCINPEC.

GDP: $12.98 trillion (2006 est.)

Labor Force: 151.4 million (includes unemployed) (2006)

Budget: revenues: $2.409 trillion
expenditures: $2.66 trillion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

GDP: $36.78 billion (2006 est.)

Labor Force: 7 million (2003 est.)

Budget: revenues: $731 million
expenditures: $931.8 million; including capital expenditures of $291 million (2006 est.)

Check out the Cambodia Parties:

• http://www.thecpp.org/