Cambodia
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Cambodia is the successor state of the once powerful Khmer Empire, which ruled most of the Indochinese Peninsula between the 11th and 14th centuries.
The country shares a border with Thailand to its west, with Laos to its north and with Vietnam to its east. In the south it faces the Gulf of Thailand. The geography of Cambodia is dominated by the Mekong river (colloquial Khmer: Tonle Thom, i.e. "the great river") and the Tonle Sap (i.e. "the fresh water river"), an important source of fish.
Naming
In the Khmer language, Cambodia is known by three names.
The formal name is Prâteh Kampuchea (Khmer: Mul script 
; regular script 
), literally "the Country of Cambodia". Prâteh is a formal word meaning "country". Cambodia is the traditional transliteration of the Khmer name of the country in English, while Kampuchea is another transliteration, more faithful to the Khmer pronunciation of the word.
The name Cambodia is derived from that of the ancient Khmer kingdom of Kambuja (Kambujadesa). Kambuja or Kamboja is the ancient Sanskrit name of an early north Indian tribe, the Kambojas, named after the founder of that tribe, Kambu Svayambhuva, apparently a variant of Cambyses. See Etymology of Kamboja.
The informal and colloquial name of Cambodia, the one most used by Khmer people, is Srok Khmae (regular script 
) - literally, "the Khmer Land " (the name Khmae is spelled with a final "r" in the Khmer alphabet, but this "r" is not pronounced in standard Khmer; final "r" disappeared from most dialects of Khmer pronunciation in the 19th century). Srok is a Mon-Khmer word and considered more colloquial than prâteh, but both words roughly mean the same thing. Srok Khmae is used in almost every circumstance of life, whereas Prâteh Kampuchea is used on more formal occasions, such as in news programs or political speeches.
The official name of the country is Preahreachanachâk Kampuchea (Mul script 
; regular script 
), "Kingdom of Cambodia". The etymology of Preahreachanachâk is: Preah- ("sacred"); -reach- ("king, royal, realm", from Sanskrit); -ana- (from Pali āṇā, "authority, command, power", itself from Sanskrit ājñā, same meaning) -châk (from Sanskrit cakra, meaning "wheel", a symbol of power and rule).
Since independence was achieved in 1953, the official name of Cambodia has changed several times, following the troubled history of the country. In English and French, the following names have been used since 1953.
- Kingdom of Cambodia/Royaume du Cambodge under the rule of the monarchy from 1953 through 1970;
- Khmer Republic/République khmère (a calque of French Republic) under the Lon Nol led government from 1970 to 1975;
- Democratic Kampuchea/Kampuchea démocratique under the rule of the communist Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979;
- People's Republic of Kampuchea/République populaire du Kampuchea (a calque of People's Republic of China) under the rule of the Vietnamese-sponsored government from 1979 to 1989;
- State of Cambodia/État du Cambodge (a neutral name, before deciding whether to return to monarchy or not) under the rule of the United Nations transitional authority from 1989 to 1993;
- Kingdom of Cambodia/Royaume du Cambodge (return to the pre-1970's name) used after the restoration of the monarchy in 1993.
History
The first advanced civilizations in present day Cambodia appeared in the 1st millennium AD. During the AD 300s, 400s, and 500s, the Indianized states of Funan and Chenla took hold in what is now present-day Cambodia and southwestern Vietnam. These states had close relations with China and India. After these states collapsed, the Khmer civilization began to flourish in this area from the 9th century to the 13th century.
From the 9th century to the 15th century, Cambodia was the center of the Khmer Empire, the capital of which was Angkor. Angkor Wat, the empire's main religious site, is a symbolic reminder of Cambodia's time as a major power, and is now the country's top tourist attraction.
During the colonial period, Cambodia was a protectorate of France from 1863 to 1953. Cambodia became part of France's territory known as Indochina. Cambodia was under Japanese occupation from 1941 to 1945 during World War II. During the 1950s and 1960s it was under the rule of King Norodom Sihanouk, and maintained a fragile neutrality during the Vietnam War.
| This article is part of the History of Cambodia series |
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| Early history of Cambodia |
| Migration of Kambojas |
| Funan (1CE - 630CE) |
| Chenla (630CE - 802CE) |
| Khmer Empire (802CE - 1432CE) |
| Cambodia (1432 - 1864) |
| Dark ages of Cambodia (1432 - 1887) |
| Colonial Cambodia |
| Cambodia under Sihanouk (1954-1970) |
| Cambodian Civil War (1967-1975) |
| Democratic Kampuchea (1975-1979) |
| History of Cambodia (1979-present) |
Estimates vary as to how many people were killed by the Khmer Rouge regime. Depending on whether or not one includes deaths from starvation and subsequent deaths in refugee camps, estimates range anywhere from 1.7 million David Chandler, Voices From S21: Terror and History in Pol Pot's Secret Prison. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1999 to 3 million Cambodians. Craig Etcheson, Documentation Center of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia http://www.mekong.net/cambodia/toll.htm Many were in some way deemed to be "enemies of the state", whether they were linked to the previous regime, civil servants, people of education or of religion, critics of the Khmer Rouge or Marxism, or simply offered resistance to the brutal treatment of the cadres. Hundreds of thousands more fled across the border with neighbouring Thailand.
In 1978 Vietnam invaded Cambodia to stop Khmer Rouge incursions across the border and the ethnic cleansing of Vietnamese in Cambodia. After the brutality of the 1970s and 1980s, and the destruction of the cultural, economic, social and political life of Cambodia, it is only in recent years that reconstruction efforts have begun and some political stability has finally returned to Cambodia.
Politics
- More information on politics and government of Cambodia can be found at the Politics and government of Cambodia series.
Politics of Cambodia formally takes place, according to the nation's constitution (enacted in 1993), in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister of Cambodia is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament, the National Assembly of Cambodia and the Senate
On October 14, 2004, King Norodom Sihamoni was selected by a special nine-member council, part of a selection process that was quickly put in place after the surprise abdication of King Norodom Sihanouk a week before. Sihamoni's selection was endorsed by Prime Minister Hun Sen and National Assembly Speaker Prince Norodom Ranariddh (the new king's brother), both members of the throne council. He was crowned in Phnom Penh on October 29. The monarchy is symbolic and has no official political power; similar to Japan's. Norodom Sihamoni trained as a dancer and is unmarried.
Corruption is rampant in the Cambodian political arena, with international aid from the U.S. and other countries being illegally transferred into private accounts. [[Citing sources citation needed]] Corruption has also added to the wide income disparity within the population.[link]
Administrative Divisions
Cambodia is divided into 20 provinces (khett, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities (krong, singular and plural). Cambodia is further subdivided into districts (srok), communions (khum), great districts (khett), and also islands (koh).
- Municipalities (Krong):
- *Phnom Penh
- *Sihanoukville (Kampong Som)
- *Pailin
- *Kep
- Province (Khett):
- *Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom, Kampot, Kandal, Koh Kong, Kratié, Mondulkiri, Oddar Meancheay, Pursat, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Ratanakiri, Siem Reap, Stung Treng, Svay Rieng and Takéo
- Islands (Koh):
- *Koh Kong
- *Koh Polaway
- *Koh Rong
- *Koh Rong Samlon
- *Koh Sess
- *Koh Tang
- *Koh Thass
- *Koh Tral
- *Koh Traolach
- *Koh Treas
Geography
Cambodia has an area of about 181,040 square kilometers (69,900 sq. mi), sharing an 800 kilometer (500 mi) border with Thailand on the north and west, a 541 kilometer (336 mi) border with Laos on the northeast, and a 1,228 kilometer (763 mi) border with Vietnam on the east and southeast. It has 443 kilometers (275 mi) of coastline along the Gulf of Thailand.
The most distinctive geographical feature is the lacustrine plain formed by the inundations of the Tonle Sap (Great Lake), measuring about 2,590 square kilometers (1,000 sq. mi) during the dry season and expanding to about 24,605 square kilometers (9,500 sq. mi) during the rainy season. This densely populated plain, which is devoted to wet rice cultivation, is the heartland of Cambodia. Most (about 75%) of the country lies at elevations of less than 100 meters (330 ft) above sea level, the exceptions being the Cardamom Mountains (highest elevation 1,813 m / 5,948 ft) and their southeast extension the Dâmrei Mountains ("Elephant Mountains") (elevation range 500-1,000 m or 1,640–3,280 ft), as well the steep escarpment of the Dângrêk Mountains (average elevation 500 m / 1,640 ft) along the border with Thailand's Isan region. The highest elevation of Cambodia is Phnom Aoral, near Pursat in the center of the country, at 1,813 meters (5,948 feet) above sea-level.
Temperatures range from 10°C to 38°C (50°F–100°F) and Cambodia experiences tropical monsoons. Southwest monsoons blow inland bringing moisture-laden winds from the Gulf of Thailand and Indian Ocean from May to October, and the country experiences the heaviest precipitation from September to October. The northeast monsoon ushers in the dry season, which lasts from November to March, with the driest period from January to February.
Economy
Despite recent progress, the Cambodian economy continues to suffer from the effects of decades of civil war, internal strife and rampant corruption. The per capita income is rapidly increasing, but is low compared with other countries in the region. Most rural households depend on agriculture and its related sub-sectors. Rice, fish, timber, garments and rubber are Cambodia's major exports, and the United States, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Malaysia are its major export partners.
The recovery of Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997-1998 due to the regional economic crisis, civil violence, and political infighting. Foreign investment and tourism also fell off drastically. Since then however, growth has been steady. 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 increasing from 219,000 in 1997 to 1,055,000 in 2004. During 2003 and 2004 the growth rate remained steady at 5.0%, while in 2004 inflation was at 1.7% and exports at $1.6 billion US dollars. As of 2004 GDP per Capita was $1900 USD, which ranked it 175th (out of 232) countries [link].
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. More than 90% of its population is of Khmer origin and speaks the Khmer language, the country's official language. The remainder include Chinese, Vietnamese, Cham and Khmer Loeu.
The Khmer language is a member of the Mon-Khmer subfamily of the Austroasiatic language group. Once the lingua franca of Southeast Asia, French is still spoken by some, mostly older Cambodians as a second-language and remains the language of instruction in various schools and universities that are oftentimes funded by the government of France. Cambodian French, a remnant of the country's colonial past, is a dialect found in Cambodia and is 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 more widely-known.
Theravada Buddhism, suppressed by Khmer Rouge but now revived, is the main religion, but Islam(5%) and Christianity(2%) are also present in the country[link].
Culture
Khmer culture, as developed and spread by the Khmer empire, has distinctive styles of dance, architecture and sculpture which have strongly influenced neighbouring Laos and Thailand. Notable recent artistic figures include the singers Sinn Sisamouth, who introduced new musical styles to the country, and later Meng Keo Pichenda.
Bonn Om Teuk (Festival of Boat Racing), the annual boat rowing contest, is the biggest Cambodian holiday. The festival is held at the end of the rainy season when the Mekong river begins to sink back to its normal levels. Approximately 10% of Cambodia's population attends this event each year. Popular games include cockfighting, soccer, and kicking a sey, which is similar to a hacky sack.
Rice, as in other South East Asian countries, is the staple grain, while fish from the Mekong and Tonle Sap also form an important part of the diet. The Cambodian per capita supply of fish and fish products for food and trade in 2000 was 20 kilograms of fish per year or 2 ounces per day per person. [link]. Some of the fish can be made into prahok (a Khmer delicacy) for longer storage. Overall, the cuisine of Cambodia is similar to that of its Southeast Asian neighbours. The cuisine is relatively unknown to the world compared to that of its neighbors Thailand and Vietnam, but has been described not as spicy as Thai cuisine and similar to other Southeast Asia cuisines.
Sports
Sports in Cambodia are not as big as in western countries due to the economic conditions. Football (soccer) is one of the more popular sports. The Cambodia national football team were once a powerful force. In 1972, they were able to place fourth in the Asian Cup 1972. Since the genocide, development has slowed down. Volleyball, Bodybuilding, Field Hockey and baseball are sports that are rising in popularity. Traditional boat racing has also maintained popularity. Rugby in Cambodia is gaining popularity. Martial Arts is also practiced in Cambodia, the most popular being the national sport Pradal Serey; similar to neighbouring Muay Thai. Other styles such as Karate, Kung Fu and Taekwondo are catching on in popularity.
Transportation
The civil war severely damaged the transportation system, despite the provision of Soviet technical assistance and equipment. Cambodia has two rail lines, totalling about 612 kilometers (380 mi) of single, one meter gauge track. The lines run from the capital to Sihanoukville on the southern coast, and from Phnom Penh to Sisophon (although trains often run only as far as Battambang).Currently only one passenger train per week operates, between Phnom Penh and Battambang.
The nation's extensive inland waterways were important historically in domestic trade. The Mekong and the Tonle Sap River, their numerous tributaries, and the Tonle Sap provided avenues of considerable length, including 3,700 kilometers (2,300 mi) navigable all year by craft drawing 0.6 meters (2 ft) and another 282 kilometers (175 mi) navigable to craft drawing 1.8 meters (6 ft). Cambodia has two major ports, Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, and five minor ones. Phnom Penh, located at the junction of the Basak, the Mekong, and the Tonle Sap rivers, is the only river port capable of receiving 8,000 ton ships during the wet season and 5,000 ton ships during the dry season.
The country possesses six commercial airports: Pochentong International Airport near Phnom Penh is the largest, while the others are at Siem Reap, Battambang, Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri, and Stung Treng.
The locals normally use automobiles, motorbikes and buses. Cycle rickshaws ("cyclos") are an additional option often used by visitors.
Foreign relations
Cambodia has diplomatic relations with most countries and is a member of most major international organizations, including the United Nations and its specialized agencies such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Cambodia is an Asian Development Bank (ADB) member, a member of ASEAN, and joined the WTO on 13 October 2004. In 2005 Cambodia attended the inaugural East Asia Summit.
The country has several border disputes with its neighbours, including disagreements over some offshore islands and sections of the boundary with Vietnam, and undefined maritime boundaries and border areas with Thailand.
In January 2003, there were riots in Phnom Penh prompted by rumored comments about Angkor Wat by a Thai actress wrongly attributed by Reaksmei Angkor, a Cambodian newspaper, and later quoted by Prime Minister Hun Sen[link]: the Thai government sent military aircraft to evacuate Thai nationals and closed its border with Cambodia, while Thais demonstrated outside the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok. The border was re-opened on March 21, after the Cambodian government paid $6 million USD in compensation for the destruction of the Thai embassy and agreed to compensate individual Thai businesses for their losses.
Tourism
The tourism industry is the country's second-greatest source of hard currency after the textile industry [link]. More than 60% of visitor arrivals are to Angkor, and most of the remainder to Phnom Penh [link]. Other tourist hotspots include Sihanoukville in the southeast which has several popular beaches, and the nearby area around Kampot including the Bokor Hill Station.
Angkor Wat (Angkor means "city" and Wat "temple") is the best preserved example of Khmer architecture from the Angkorian era, although hundreds of other temples have been discovered in and around the region. Out of bounds to tourists during the civil war, the temples gained particular worldwide attention after Ta Prohm and others were featured in the 2001 movie . The Bayon, also at Angkor, is located at the center of Angkor Thom. It originally had 49 towers, although only 37 remain, each bearing four smiling faces.
Many tourists also visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, the infamous prison of the Khmer Rouge, and Choeung Ek, one of the main Killing Fields; both display photographs, skulls and bones of victims of the autogenocide. Cambodia is also a major destination for sex tourism, and there is particular concern over child sex and forced prostitution [link].
See also
References
- [Business in Asia] report on airports. Accessed 13 November 2005.
- [Cambodian Culture website] Accessed December 11 2004
- [Cambodian Economy Information] Accessed January 19 2005.
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica's Camboida Country Page]
- CIA World Factbook U.S. Department of State website.
- [IFES] Summary of 2003 legislative election results. Accessed January 27 2005.
- Kerlogue, Fiona. Arts of Southeast Asia. Thames and Hudson 2004. ISBN 050020381.
- [Ministry of Tourism] statistics on tourism. Accessed January 27 2005.
- [NGO Forum on Cambodia] report on 2003 legislative elections. Accessed January 27 2005.
- [Radio Broadcasting in Cambodia] Accessed January 23 2005.
External links
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Official
- [King of Cambodia, Norodom Sihamoni] Official Website of King Norodom Sihamoni
- [King of Cambodia, Norodom Sihanouk] Official Website of former King Norodom Sihanouk
- [Cambodia.gov.kh] Official Royal Government of Cambodia Website (English Version) ([Cambodia.gov.kh])
- [Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation] Apply Cambodia tourist visa online
Overviews
Directories
- [Cambodia Cultural Profile] History and listings of arts and media contacts compiled by the UK's Visiting Arts and Cambodia's Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts.
- [Khmer.ws] Khmer website directory.
- [Yellow Pages Cambodia] Cambodian business directory. Also residential phone number search (white pages) and Cambodia related maps.
Organizations
- [LICADHO] - Cambodian League for the Promotion and Defense of Human Rights
Tourism
- Travel guide on Cambodia.
Notes
- A figure of three million deaths between 1975 and 1979 was given by the Vietnamese-sponsored Phnom Penh regime, the PRK. Father Ponchaud suggested 2.3 million; the Yale [Cambodian autogenocide Project] estimates 1.7 million; Amnesty International estimated 1.4 million ; and the United States Department of State, 1.2 million. Khieu Samphan and Pol Pot, who could be expected to give underestimations, cited figures of 1 million and 800,000, respectively
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| Geographical and geopolitical: | | ||
| International organisations: United Nations | | ADB | Non-Aligned Movement | Group of 77 | ||
| Countries in Southeast Asia |
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| Brunei | Cambodia | East Timor | Indonesia | Laos | Malaysia | Myanmar | Philippines | Singapore | Thailand | Vietnam |
: Hong Kong (PRC) | Jammu/Kashmir (India/Pakistan/PRC) | Macau (PRC) | Nagorno-Karabakh (Azerbaijan) | Nakhichevan (Azerbaijan) | Palestinian territories (Israel/Palestinian Authority) | Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (Cyprus)
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