Languages spoken in Cambodia
Asia · Capital: Phnom Penh · Population 17.1 million
The official language of Cambodia is Khmer. An estimated 89% of the population speaks it as a first or additional language, or roughly 15.2 million people. Khmer belongs to the Austroasiatic language family. Khmer is not recorded in any of Cambodia's three neighbours.
What languages are spoken in Cambodia?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| KhmerAustroasiatic | 89% | Official | 15.2 million |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Cambodia?
The official language of Cambodia is Khmer. Khmer is spoken by an estimated 89% of the population, or roughly 15.2 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Khmer in Cambodia?
An estimated 89% of Cambodia's 17.1 million people speak Khmer, which works out at roughly 15.2 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Cambodia
- Capital
- Phnom Penh
- Population
- 17.1 million
- Continent
- Asia
- Area
- 181,035 km²
- Currency
- KHR and USD
- Languages recorded
- 1
- Land borders
- 3
- ISO codes
- KH / KHM / 116
Which countries border Cambodia?
Cambodia shares a land border with three countries: Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. None of them records Khmer, the most widely spoken language in Cambodia, so the land borders here are also language borders.
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.