Siem Reap

The Geography of Siem Reap

Siem Reap is located in Northwest Cambodia. It borders Oddar Meanchey to the North, Preah Vihear and Kapong Thom to the East, the Tonle Sap lake to the South and Banteay Meanchey to the West. The area of the province is 10299 square kilometers (MAFF www.maff.gov.kh). The topography of the province is variable from the Tonle Sap floodplains along the Southern border through a belt of lowland paddy fields to lowland/ upland mosaic upland forested areas to the north. Siem Reap is classified as a rural province. The World Heritage Site of Angkor Wat is located in this province.

(Download full size map: SRP_Map_Admin.pdf)

Demography of Siem Reap

In 2004 the estimated population was 841 thousand persons and was 51% female. The population of children aged under 5 years was 117 thousand which was 14% of the total province population (NIS 2004). The Dependency Ratio (numbers of persons <15 years and 65 or over years per 100 adults aged 15-64 years) was 81.
The total number of households in 2004 was 153 thousand, giving an average household size of 5.5 persons (MAFF 2004). The people of Siem Reap live in 12 districts composed of 99 communes and 915 villages (CDB 2004).
The population density of the province is 82 persons/km2 compared to an average population density for Cambodia of 75 persons/km2.

Malnutrition

Mortality among Children
Malnutrition is a common contributing cause of death among children. Table 1.1 below shows estimates for the year 2000 of the rates and numbers of children who died prematurely in Siem Reap.
These mortality rates are medium. The estimate is that over 14,000 children aged under 5 years died prematurely in Siem Reap in the five years to 2000. Over 1,700 infants aged under 1 year had died in the preceding one year to the year 2000.

Mortality Indicator	Rate Percent	Rate Prov.Rank	Number of Children Affected	Number Prov.Rank
Infant Population (aged < 1 year)	-	-	22,857	5
Infant Mortality (aged < 1 year)	7.8%	16.5%	1,781	7
Child Population (Aged 0-<5 years)	-	-	119,029	5
Under 5 year Mortality (aged 0-5 years)	10.5%	10.5	14,831	5

Protein-Energy Malnutrition among Children
Table 1.2 below shows estimates for the years 2000 and 2005 of the rates and numbers of children aged under five years suffering from protein-energy malnutrition in Siem Reap. Three indicators are used: Stunting (height for age) Underweight (weight for age) and Wasting (weight for height). The international WFP child nutrition standards categories for the rates are also included.
In 2005 Stunting rates were extremely high (the same as in year 2000) and over 63,000 children were Stunted (an increase from year 2000). Underweight rates were extremely high (the same as in year 2000) and over 56,000 children were Underweight (a small decrease from year 2000). Wasting rates were medium (a large decrease from year 2000) and over 7,500 children were Wasted (a large decrease from year 2000).

Malnutrition Indicator	Rate Percent 2000	WFP Rate Category 2000	Number of Children Affected 2000	Rate Percent 2005	WFP Rate Category 2005	Number of Children Affected 2005
Population Children Aged Under 5 years	100%	-	119,029	100%	-	119,973
Stunted (moderate & severe <-2SD)	50.7%	Extremely High	60,348	53.3%	Extremely High	63,946
Underweight (moderate & severe <-2SD)	49.9%	Extremely High	59,395	47.5%	Extremely High	56,987
Wasted (moderate & severe <-2SD)	10.6%	High	12,617	6.3%	Medium	7,558

As shown in the table above the changes in number of children aged under 5 years affected by malnutrition is almost exclusively due to  changes malnutrition rates.  The population  of children in 2005 has barely increased at all since the year 2000.

Rank Comparison of Malnutrition in Siem Reap with all 24 provinces in 2005
Table 1.3 ranks the 2005 child under 5 year malnutrition outcomes described above in comparison to all other provinces in Cambodia.Comparing food security outcomes in this province to all other provinces of Cambodia:- The prevalence of Under 5 year mortality was relatively just below average. The prevalence of malnutrition among the child population was relatively average to very high varying by indicator. The actual numbers of children affected by malnutrition (considering differences in the child population of each province) was average to very high varying by indicator.

Malnutrition Indicator	Rank of This Province Compared to all 24 Provinces:     1= the worst 24= the best
Population of Children Aged Under 5 years	5
Number of Children Stunted	2
Number of Children Underweight	2
Number of Children Wasted	6
Rate of Stunting	2
Rate of Underweight	6
Rate of Wasting	14

Table 1.3 How Malnutrition in Siem Reap Ranks Compared to all 24 Provinces of Cambodia in 2005

Percentage of the population below the consumption Poverty Line by Commune in Siem Reap in 1997
Map SRP.03.01 shows the WFP estimate of the percentage of the population below the consumption Poverty Line in the year 1997. These estimates were made by WFP using small area estimation techniques based on the CSES 1997. This remains the most recent source of poverty data at the commune level. Note that some communes were not covered in the CSES 1997 due to insecurity.

(Download full size map: SRP_Map_0301.pdf)