Land mines in Cambodia Cambodia is a country in located South East Asia that has a major problem with landmines , especially in rural areas . This is the legacy of three decades of war which has taken a severe toll on the Cambodians ; it has some 40 , 000 amputees , which is one of the highest rates in the world . The Cambodian Mine Action Centre ( CMAC ) estimates that there may be as many as four to six million mines and other pieces of unexploded ordnance in Cambodia . The landmines in Cambodia were placed by different factions ( the Khmer Rouge , the Heng Samrin and Hun Sen regimes ) that clashed during the Civil War in Cambodia in the 1970s . They were placed in the whole territory of the country . A common problem that Cambodian faced with the anti - personnel mine s is that in many cases even the people who placed the mines didn ' t remember them a couple of years later . Casualty Rates . Casualty statistics from the Cambodian Mine Victim Information Service ( CMVIS ) shows that Cambodia has one of the highest casualty rates in the world . The number of casualties from 2000 to 2005 was about 850 per year , declining to about 450 in 2006 . The figure dropped to about 350 in 2007 and about 270 in 2008 . It is noted that one - third of the casualties are children , and almost all of those are boys , with studies showing that men and boys tend to be more willing than women to play with or examine explosives . Finding the location of the mines with no witness or map record is a very difficult task that needs very specific tools , and demands a lot of time , and trained staff , and therefore also a lot of investment . Currently , most of the remaining mines are still frequently found in the fields . Nowadays the process of identifying the areas with mines and clearing them is carried in the North West of the country , where most of the remaining mines are found . Social consequences . The social consequences of the landmines in Cambodia are extremely serious . A high percentage of the population has been struck down by this mines and this affects entire families . " ICRC statistics claim that only 25 % of mine victims arrive at hospital within 6 hours of being injured with 15 % having to travel for more than 3 days before they reach a hospital . " The state of vulnerability that these incidents cause in the population is very high . For a family with a very low income , to have a member lose a limb and no access to good health care , and no governmental aid makes the dangers of land mines a much heavier burden on the Cambodian community . " Landmines , just by their sheer number alone in a particular area , can influence the population ' s behaviour . This in turn may result in an overall deterioration of public health and other aspects of social wellbeing . Farmers with mines , or even only " perceive " the presence of landmines on their land will not be able to cultivate the land . This will lead to food scarcity and eventually even malnutrition . " " In Cambodia , 87 % of surviving landmine victims are males over 15 years old , with a mean age of 28 years . In Afghanistan , 73 % are males between ages 16 to 50 , and 20 % of the victims are male children . " The stresses that this issue puts on the society and community are very high . Such high numbers of victims of working age represent a considerable burden on families ' capacity for raising income and educating their children . The social consequences of land mines at the high rate that Cambodia experiences poses a considerable social and economic problem . It also shows the vulnerability of the health system and the lack of a support strategy . Socio - Economic Effects . The National Level One Survey in Cambodia conducted in 2002 found that 20 % ( 2776 out of 13908 ) of all villages in Cambodia are still contaminated by minefields and / or cluster bomb areas with reported adverse socio - economic impacts on the community . These adverse impacts included restrictions on access to agricultural land , pasture land , forests , and water resources , with 102 , 778 , 105 , 707 , 172 , 878 and 84 , 588 families being affected respectively . A 2004 Cambodia Socio Economic Survey ( CSES ) noted that households headed by someone with one or more reported disabilities have significantly less wealth than other households . Furthermore , it has been estimated that households headed by a person disabled by war or landmines live in poverty at levels almost three times higher than if the disability was due to other causes . Current Efforts . The Cambodian Mine Action Authority ( CMAA ) was established in late 2000 . The CMAA regulates and coordinates all mine action activities , and establishes policies and procedures . Currently , there are four ( main ) demining organizations working in Cambodia - The Cambodian Mine Action Center ( CMAC ) , the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces ( RCAF ) , The HALO Trust , and the Mines Advisory Group ( MAG ) . CMAA estimates that the combined cost for demining operations , including technical assistance and in kind contributions for Cambodia are approximately $ 30 million per year . Experts also estimate that Cambodia will need another 10 to 20 years to clear the mines if the current level of funding is maintained .