PHNOM PENH: Cambodia's population has been growing at a rate of about 40 to 50 per cent higher than the average global rate.
With the United Nations projecting that the world population will hit eight billion people this November, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said Cambodia's growth was mainly due to declining mortality rates and higher life expectancy.
As the world celebrates the 33th World Population Day today with the theme of "A World of eight billion people towards a resilient future to seize a chance to ensure rights for all", Hun Sen said that according to the UN, the Earth's population had risen at a rate of one per cent a year, while Cambodia had grown at 1.4 per cent each year from 2008 through 2019.
"The UN projected that the numbers of the global population will rise to eight billion in November this year, meaning the world has made incredible strides in reducing poverty and improving healthcare.
Maternity and infant mortality rates are declining and people are living longer and healthier lives," he said, according to a report in the Phnom Penh Post.
Citing the latest general census, the premier said Cambodia's population stood at 15.6 million in 2019.
This points to an annual growth rate of 1.4 per cent when compared to the 2008 census figure of 13.4 million. Earlier growth had been even higher, running at 1.5 per cent from 1998.
The increase in Cambodia's population over the last two decades has been attributed to better medical facilities and living conditions that promoted general health in the country.
The census showed a remarkable decrease in maternity mortality rate, from 410 persons per 100,000 births in 2008 to 170 in 2014 and just 141 in 2019.
The life expectancies of the Cambodian people had also risen steadily. In 1998, the figures were 54 years for men and 58 for women.
However, by 2008, the figures were 61 and 64 years and in 2019, the figures further rose to 74.3 years for men and 76.8 for women.
In addition to this, Cambodia has a unique population where 36 per cent of the population is in the reproductive ages of between 20 and 36 years old.
Hun Sen said these came from joint efforts by the government and its partner organisations to improve and develop the public health sector.
"When we consider a forum of 8 billion people, we have to remind the world that humanity is not separated when the number of members increases or decreases. Every individual must share their ingenuity, kindness, leadership, labour, creativity and hearts with every other member of the global family," he said.
Hun Sen said issues associated with such a high population would need to be dealt with through the timely introduction of carefully crafted policies and measures to mitigate negative impacts.
He added that Cambodia was still on track to become an upper-middle income country by 2030 and a high-income country by 2050.