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Facts about Cambodia
The Kingdom of Cambodia is an independent country with a population of more than 7 million people. With a surface area of 181,035 sq. km and once a French colony, is the least known Indochinese country. Cambodia has a distinct geographical personality: it is a wide basin surrounded by highlands. In this basin the farmer has created a simple life - an original civilization and philosophy of mildness. After many years of war, people rediscovered the meaning of "PEACE" They started to rebuild and reconstruct in all fields. Cambodia is divided into 20 provinces and rich in resources, forests, rubber, gems, fish and has a big potential in tourism. |
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Facts about the country
Khmers have called their country Kampuchea (usually rendered Kambuja), since the l6th century. The name is derived from the word kambu-ja, meaning those born of Kambu (a figure of Indian mythology), which was first used to refer to the people of Cambodia in the 10th century. The Portuguese Cambodia and French Cambodge from which the English name Cambodia is derived, are adaptations of " Kampuja".
It was the Khmer Rouge who insisted that the outside world use the name Kampuchea . Changing the country's official English name back to Cambodia (which has been used by the US State Department all along) was intended as a symbolic move to distance the present government in Phnom Penh from the bitter connotations of the name Kampuchea , which westerners and overseas Khmer alike associate with the murderous Khmer Rouge regime. As a result of the United Nations sponsored and enforced election in May, 1993, the Kingdom of Cambodia is now safe to travel and tourism has once again become possible. Indeed, the country and Phnom Penh in partucular is undergoing something of a renaissance. Often overshadowed by the traumatic events of its recent past, Cambodia as home of the Khmer culture remains one of the most important and exotic countries in South East Asia. |
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Food
Cambodian food is closely related to the cuisines of neighbouring Thailand and Laos , and to a lesser extent, Vietnam , but there are some distinct local dishes. In the growing number of restaurants in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, you will find excellent Chinese and Vietnamese dishes but it is the local dishes which are often the best prepared and most interesting. Rice is the principal staple and and Battanbang Region is the country's rice bowl. Most Cambodian dishes are cooked in a wok known locally as a chnang khteak. |
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Currency
The unit is the RIELS. Riel demoninations are 100, 200 and 500. Exchange rates are subject to fluctuation. US$ are generally accepted thoughout the country. In Phnom Penh , some credit cards can be used and limited services and purchasing and cashing traveller cheques. |
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Geography
Bordering Laos in the north, Vietnam in the east, and Thailand to the west, Cambodia has the Gulf of Thailand on its 440km-long southern seaboard. More than 60% of its 181,035 square km is forested, with the north and southwest of the country consisting of tropical forest and highlands, while the central basin is fertile land dissected by the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers.
The capital city Phnom Penh sits at the intersection of these two rivers. The Mekong passes through the entire length of the country. From the northern border, it travels 500km south until it crosses the Vietnamese border in the south. |
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Climate
Cambodia 's monsoon climate gives it two distinct seasons - a dry season from November and April followed by six months of rainy season. Rainfall is highest between May and June, and September and October. Temperatures can approach 40 degrees Celsius in April, while the coldest month is January |
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Language
Cambodia 's official language is Khmer, and this is spoken by the majority of the population. However, Vietnamese and several Chinese dialects can also be heard. Unlike the languages of Thailand , Vietnam , Laos and China , Khmer is non-tonal, but has also picked up and adapted many words from Sanskrit and Pali. Khmer has also borrowed many terms from Chinese and European languages, particularly French.
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Religion
The state religion of Theravada Buddhism was first introduced to Cambodia during the days of the great Angkor kingdom and prospered. For centuries, monks were the only literate people residing in rural communities, and filled the important role of teachers. However, in 1975, the Khmer Rouge massacred the majority of monks and destroyed most of the temples and it was not until after the Vietnamese invas |
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Government
Coming to power in 1993, the new Kingdom of Cambodia is a Constitutional Monarchy, with the government headed by a democratically elected Prime Minister, elected for a five-year term, and a National Assembly composed of 122 representatives holding legislative power, also elected for a term of five years. King Norodom Sihanouk has been the Head of State and reigning monarch since 1993 with Hun Sen as Prime Minister since 1998. |
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Economy
With almost 90% of the people living in rural areas, it is hardly surprising that agriculture is the primary industry of Cambodia . The population of the capital fluctuates according to the time of year, declining during the monsoon, and increasing during the dry season. Rice, rubber, cassava, sweet potatoes, corn, soy beans and tobacco are the main products. The country manufactures cement, rubber, cigarettes, and garments. Though rubies are mined for export, it is tourism that is the top foreign exchange earner.
After four years of promising macroeconomic performance, Cambodia 's economy slowed in 1997-98, following the regional economic crisis, and foreign investment declined. Even given political and economic stability, the task of long-term economic development after decades of conflict remains huge. Outside the major cities, human resources are low and basic infrastructure problems are impeding progress. |
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Population and People
Cambodia 's population stands at 12 million, of which the Khmer make up 90%. Other groups include Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai and Burmese and various ethnic hill tribes, many of the latter living in the mountainous regions to the north and southwest. The Khmer account for 80 percent of agricultural workers, while the Vietnamese and Chinese dominate the business sector. |
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Telephone
Telephone and Fax are available. Country code: 855. Phnom Penh code: 23. Most big hotels have IDD lines, but calls are expensive. Public phones utilising prepaid phone cards are now common in Phnom Penh and Siem Riep, with the cards on sale at the post office, most hotels, and supermarkets.
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