Siem Reap is well known for Angkor Wat, which symbolizes Cambodia’s cultural identity. The current population of Siem Reap is 776,978 of which 86% are rural. In 2007, some 51.8% of people live under the poverty line. Primary net enrolment rates are 95.4% and primary completion rates 30.4%.

Agriculture accounts for 73% of economic activities, livestock 3.6%, forestry 0.5% and fisheries 0.6%. The harvested area of rice is 185,544 with an average yield of 1.4 tons per ha; maize on 1,629 ha with an average yield of 1.9 tons; sesame on 526 ha with an average yield of 0.4 tons; mung bean on 5,440 ha with an average yield of 0.5 tons; peanuts on 17 ha with an average yield of 1 ton; and cassava on 314 ha with an average yield of 5.5 tons. Fruits harvested include coconuts, banana, mango, cashew, jackfruit and oranges. Small-scale fish catch amounts to 11,000 tons and commercial fish catch to 9,800 tons.

The services sector account for 6.8% of economic activities and the secondary sector 15.4%. The tourism sector is growin very fast and generates income opportunities for local Cambodians. Siem Reap is connected to neighboring countries by direct flights to Korea, Japan, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and Taiwan.