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CAMBODIA
The Kingdom of Cambodia is a country in
Southeast Asia. It is bordered in the south by the Gulf of Thailand, in the
west by Thailand, Laos in the north, and Vietnam in the east. The national
language is Khmer, a member of Mon-Khmer subfamily of Austroasiatic language
group.
History
The first known advanced civilizations in Cambodia appear in first
millennium AD, and from the 9th to 13th century, the Khmer civilization
flourished here.
After centuries of territorial and population losses to neighboring Siam and
Vietnam, Cambodia was made French protectorate in 1863, and became part of
French Indochina. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, the
Cambodians declared independence in 1953.
During the War in Indochina (1946-1975), the Richard Nixon administration of
the United States conducted massive bombing campaigns against Cambodia. Some
estimate civilian casualties as high as 600,000. In 1970, General Lon Nol
seized power and declared the Khmer Republic. The government was opposed by
the nationalist and communist Khmer Rouge, which had gathered strength
because of popular resentment against the U.S. bombing campaigns. The Khmer
Rouge captured Phnom Penh in 1975 and renamed the country Kampuchea.
Approximately 1.7 million people died during their three year social
revolution.
A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge from power and into pockets
along the western border with Thailand. A further 13 years of sporadic
fighting took place before UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore
some semblance of normality. A coalition government, formed after national
elections in 1998, brought renewed political stability and the surrender of
remaining Khmer Rouge forces. None of the Khmer Rouge leaders have been
tried and convicted of crimes committed during the three years in which they
held power.
Politics
Up until October 7, 2004, the country was reigned over by Norodom Sihanouk
who was reinstated as king again in September 1993. Cambodia is a
constitutional monarchy - the role of the King is not to rule but to reign.
The current ruling party is the CPP (Cambodian People's Party), the head of
government is Hun Sen. Cambodia is a member of the United Nations and ASEAN.
The country has regained some political stability in recent years, since the
Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s.
On October 7, 2004, King Sihanouk's son Prince Norodom Ranariddh announced
to the National Assembly that his father had abdicated. Senate President
Chea Sim took over as interim head of state while a nine-member throne
council met to choose a successor from among candidates with sufficiently
royal blood. On October 14 the throne council appointed Prince Norodom
Sihamoni, another of Sihanouk's 14 children, to be the new King.
Provinces
Cambodia is divided into 20 provinces (kaeyte, singular and plural) and 3
municipalities* (krong, singular and plural):
Banteay Mean Cheay
Battambang
Kampong Cham
Kampong Chhnang
Kampong Spoe
Kampong Thum
Kampot
Kandal
Kaoh Kong
Keb *
Krachen
Mondol Kiri
Otdar Mean Cheay
Phnom Penh*
Pouthisat
Preah Seihanu* (Sihanoukville)
Preah Vihear
Prey Veng
Rotanah Kiri
Siem Reab
Stoeng Treng
Svay Rieng
Takev
Geography
Cambodia is about 181,040 square kilometers, sharing a 800-kilometer border
with Thailand on north and west, a 541-kilometer border with Laos on
northeast, and a 1,228- kilometer border with Vietnam on east and southeast.
It has 443 kilometers of coastline along the Gulf of Thailand.
The most salient topographical feature is the lacustrine plain formed by the
inundations of Tonle Sap (Great Lake), measuring about 2,590 square
kilometers during the dry season to about 24,605 square kilometers during
the rainy season. This densely populated plain, which is devoted to wet rice
cultivation, constitutes the heartland of Cambodia. Most (about 75 percent)
of the country lies at elevations of less than 100 meters above sea level,
except for the Cardamon Mountains (highest elevation 1,771 meters), their
north-south extension to the east, Elephant Range (elevation range 500-1,000
meters) and the steep escarpment of Dangrek Mountains (average elevation 500
meters) along northern border with Thailand.
Temperatures range from 10°C to 38°C. Cambodia experiences tropical
monsoons: southwest monsoon blowing inland in northeasterly direction brings
moisture-laden winds from Gulf of Thailand/Indian Ocean from May to October
with period of heaviest precipitation September-October; northeast monsoon
blowing in southwesterly direction toward coast ushers in the dry season,
November to March, with period of least rainfall January-February.
Economy
Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997-1998 due to the regional
economic crisis, civil violence, and political infighting. Foreign
investment and tourism fell off. In 1999, the first full year of peace in 30
years, progress was made on economic reforms and growth resumed at 5.0%.
Despite severe flooding, GDP grew at 5.0% in 2000, 6.3% in 2001, and 5.2% in
2002. Tourism was Cambodia's fastest growing industry, with arrivals up 34%
in 2000 and up another 40% in 2001 before the September 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks in the US. Even given these stout growth estimates, the long-term
development of the economy after decades of war remains a daunting
challenge. The population lacks education and productive skills,
particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost
total lack of basic infrastructure. Fear of renewed political instability
and corruption within the government discourage foreign investment and delay
foreign aid. The government is addressing these issues with assistance from
bilateral and multilateral donors.
Demographics
Cambodia is ethnically homogeneous, as more than 90% of its population is of
Khmer origin and speaks the Khmer language, the country's official language.
National minorities comprise about 3 percent of total population. The Cham,
of Islamic faith, are the most significant minority group. Other scattered
tribal minorities live in the upland and forested areas. There are also some
minor Vietnamese and Chinese populations.
Theravada Buddhism, suppressed by Khmer Rouge, but now revived, is the main
religion and other minor religions like Christianity are being gradually
introduced into the country.
French is spoken by many Cambodians as a second-language and is often the
language of instruction in various schools and universities. It is also
frequently used in government. However, in recent decades, many younger
Cambodians, as well as members of the business-classes, have favored
learning English and it is gradually becoming the more widely-known
second-language in the country.
Culture
Architecture of Cambodia
Cuisine of Cambodia
Music of Cambodia
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