Tropical monsoon climate. Monsoon season is from May to November. The most pleasant season is the dry season, from November/December to April. In the north, winters can be colder, while throughout most of the country temperatures remain fairly constant. There is often seasonal flooding in Phnom Penh and the rest of Cambodia in late July and early August; travel may be disrupted.
The riel is the currency of Cambodia. There have been two distinct riel, the first issued between 1953 and May 1975, and the second since April 1, 1980. In Cambodia, the U.S. dollar is also widely used. Between 1975 and 1980, the country had no monetary system. See History of Cambodia.
For earlier Cambodian currencies, see Cambodian tical and Cambodian franc.
Cambodia covers 181,040 square kilometers in the southwestern part of the Indochina peninsula. It lies completely within the tropics; its southernmost points are only slightly more than 10° above the equator. Roughly square in shape, the country is bounded on the north by Thailand and by Laos, on the east and southeast by Vietnam, and on the west by the Gulf of Thailand and by Thailand. Much of the country's area consists of rolling plains. Dominant features are the large, almost centrally located, Tonle Sap (Great Lake) and the Mekong River, which traverses the country from north to south.
The climate is monsoonal and has marked wet and dry seasons of relatively equal length. Both temperature and humidity generally are high throughout the year. Forest covers about two-thirds of the country, but it has been somewhat degraded in the more readily accessible areas by burning (a method called slash-and-burn agriculture), and by shifting agriculture.
In the area that is now Cambodia the first Cambodian state is founded in the first century: Fou-Nan. This is followed by Chen-La in the sixth century and the Khmer Empire since 800. In 1357 the Khmer Empire is defeated by Thailand and succeeded by the Kingdom of Cambodia, that comprises only the area that is now also Cambodia. After a decline Cambodia becomes a French protectorate in 1863. In 1887 Cambodia and the other colonies and protectorates in Indochina are united into Indochina. Cambodian nationalism starts in the twenties. In 1945 king Norodom Sihanouk proclaims independence, but France restores order in 1946. From that moment on a guerilla war against France starts. In 1949 Cambodia becomes a French associated state.
This is followed by independence in 1953 as the Kingdom of Cambodia. Cambodia becomes a parliamentary democracy. The king, Norodom Shihanouk, vacates the throne to become leader of the Sangkum Reastr Nijum (Popular Socialist Community, SANGKUM) and prime-minister. This party is the successor of the Parti Démocratique (Democratric Party, PD). He is not contineous prime minister and often other leaders of his party are prime minister.
Parts of the army under Lon Nol overthrow in 1970 the ruling democratic government and establish the Khmer Republic. In 1975 the Red Khmer captures the country and they establish in 1976 Democratic Cambodia, a bizarre regime of primitive agro-communism under leadership of prime minister Pol Pot and the chairman of the State Presidium Khieu Samphan, responsible for more than 2 million deaths. The Red Khmer is defeated after an invasion by Vietnam in 1978, that installs a pro-Vietnamese Communist regime under Hen Samrin and his Cambodian People's Revolutionary Party. The country is renamed into People's Republic of Cambodia in 1979 and State of Cambodia in 1989.
After a peace settlement in 1991, Cambodia becomes a constitutional monarchy. The ruling party is renamed Kanakpak Pracheachon Kampuchea (Cambodian People's Party, KPK). After the elections of 1993 the pro-Shihanouk United National Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful and Cooperative Cambodia (FUNCINCEP) becomes the largest party. Norodom Ranariddh becomes first prime minister in a coalition with the KPK in wich Hun Sen of the KPK becomes second prime minister. Norodom Shihanouk becomes king that year and the country is renamed Kingdom of Cambodia. In 1997 the KPK ousts Ranariddh and forms a government without the FUNCINCEP. After the elections of 1998 KPK forms a coalition with FUNCINCEP, but in fact Cambodia remains dominated by KPK: an authoritarian regime behind a facade of parliamentary rule. The KPK stays in government after the 2003 elections.
The State of Cambodia shares the Indochinese peninsula with Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. The predominant religion is Theravada Buddhism.
Memorial Day, June 19. Holiday in honor of the founding in 1951 of the revolutionary forces of Cambodia. Celebrated with parades in Phnom Penh.
Memorial Day, June 28. Holiday in honor of the founding in 1951 of the Revolutionary People's Party of Cambodia. Celebrated with parades in Phnom Penh.
Khmer Republic Constitution Day, May 12. Commemorates the constitution of 1972.
Independence Day, April 17. The Lon Nol dictatorship fell on this day in 1975. Also called Victory over American Imperialism Day.
National Day, January 7. Commemorates the fall of the Khmer Rouge in 1979.
Day of Hatred, May 20.
Chaul Chhnam, occurs in April. Cambodian New Year celebration equivalent to Thailand's Songkran. The celebration lasts for three days of water fights.
Visak Bauchea. Vesak Day. See Buddhism.
Public holidays National Day, Chaul Chhnam, Independence Day, Labor Day (May 1), Day of Hatred (May 20), Feast of the Ancestors (Sep 22).
The population of Cambodia makes the country makes it one of the smallest countries of Asia. In fact other than that of Laos and Singapore, the population of Cambodia's is lesser than that of all other South East Asian countries.
The population of Cambodia is very ethically homogenous. Almost ninety percent of the population of Cambodia of Khmer origins or belong to the Khmer ethnic group. The rest of the population is composed of people of Chinese, Vietnamese, Cham, Khmer Loeu, and Indian ethnic groups. A lot primitive tribe are also apart of the minority.
The dominant religious group is those who follow Theravada Buddhism. Though this religious group was persecuted and suppressed by the Khmer rouge, the religion has experienced a revival since then. About five percent of the population practice Islam and two percent of the population of Cambodia practice Christianity.
The median age of the population in Cambodia is 20.6 years, with more than 50% of the population younger than 25. It is said that this is probably a result of continuous civil war and its aftermath. The sex ration of males to females stands at 0.95 which is the most female biased sex ration in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
The primary linguistic group here is also the Khmer language speaking group. French is also commonly spoken here.
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