Squatting in Cambodia

In the capital Phnom Penh, where in 2003 an estimated 25 per cent of the population was squatting, there are informal settlements and occupied buildings.

[2]: 5, 18, 21 After the Khmer Rouge was ousted in 1979, many people returned to Phnom Penh and began living in their old houses or squatted informal settlements if their homes were already occupied.

[1]: 473 In 1989, the new State of Cambodia launched a sweeping land reform program, recognising 4.9 million claims for title between 1989 and 1993.

[5] The United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) oversaw reforms and also caused land prices to soar by inserting $2.8 billion into the local economy.

[8][9] In March 2024, Cambodia responded by denying the allegations, claiming that it had only been moving out squatters and not longtime village residents.