Examine individual changes

'{{For|the Kim Wilde song|Cambodia (song)}} {{pp-move-indef}} {{Infobox Country |native_name = <big>ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា</big><br/>''Preăh Réachéa Anachâk Kâmpŭchea'' |conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Cambodia |common_name = Cambodia |image_flag = Flag of Cambodia.svg |image_coat = Royal Arms of Cambodia.svg |image_map = Location Cambodia ASEAN.svg |map_caption = {{map caption|location_color=green|region=[[ASEAN]]|region_color=dark grey|legend=Location Cambodia ASEAN.svg}} |national_motto = [[File:CambodiaMotto.svg|180px]]<br/><small>"Nation, Religion, King"</small> |national_anthem = ''[[Nokoreach]]''<br />''Royal Kingdom'' |official_languages = [[Khmer language|Khmer]] |usual_languages = [[Khmer language|Khmer]], [[French language|French]] |national flower = [[rumdul]] |demonym = [[Khmer people|Khmer]] or Cambodian |capital = [[Phnom Penh]] |latd=11 |latm=33 |latNS=N |longd=104 |longm=55 |longEW=E |largest_city = capital |government_type = [[Constitutional monarchy]],<br />[[parliamentary democracy|Parliamentary]] [[representative democracy]] |leader_title1 = [[King of Cambodia|King]] |leader_name1 = [[Norodom Sihamoni]] |leader_title2 = [[Prime Minister of Cambodia|Prime Minister]] |leader_name2 = [[Hun Sen]] |sovereignty_type = [[Formation]] |sovereignty_note = |established_event1 = [[Khmer empire]] |established_date1 = 802 |established_event2 = [[French colonial empire|French colonization]] |established_date2 = 1863 |established_event3 = Independence from [[France]] |established_date3 = November 9, 1953 |established_event4 = [[Modern Cambodia|Monarchy restored]] |established_date4 = May 1993 ||area_rank = 88th |area_magnitude = |area_km2 = 181,035 |area_sq_mi = 69,898 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]--> |percent_water = 2.5 |population_estimate = 14,241,640<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cb.html |title=The World Factbook; Cambodia |accessdate=March 7, 2009 |publisher=[[Central Intelligence Agency]] |date=March 5, 2009 |dateformat=mdy}}</ref> |population_estimate_year = 2008 |population_estimate_rank = 67th |population_census = 13,388,910 |population_census_year = 2008 |population_density_km2 = 74 |population_density_sq_mi = 192 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]--> |population_density_rank = 125th |GDP_PPP_year = 2008 |GDP_PPP = $28.239 billion<ref name=imf2>{{cite web|url=http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2006&ey=2009&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=522&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=54&pr.y=17 |title=Cambodia|publisher=International Monetary Fund|accessdate=2009-04-22}}</ref> |GDP_PPP_rank = |GDP_PPP_per_capita = $2,066 <ref name=imf2/> |GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = |GDP_nominal = $11.182 billion<ref name=imf2/> |GDP_nominal_year = 2008 |GDP_nominal_per_capita = $818<ref name=imf2/> |HDI_year = 2007 |HDI = {{increase}} 0.598 |HDI_rank = 131st |HDI_category = <span style="color:#fc0;">medium</span> |currency = [[Cambodian riel|Riel]] (៛)¹ <!--What's "?"...? Answer: it's not a "?" if you have Khmer Unicode Fonts installed; it's the currency symbol for the Khmer Riel--> |currency_code = KHR |time_zone = |utc_offset = +7 |time_zone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = +7 |drives_on = right |cctld = [[.kh]] |calling_code = 855 |footnote1 = Local currency, although [[United States dollar|US dollars]] are widely used. }}{{Contains Indic text}} The '''Kingdom of Cambodia''' ({{pron-en|kæmˈboʊdiə}}), formerly known as '''Kampuchea''' ({{IPA-en|kæmpuːˈtʃiːə|}}, ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា ''Preăh Réachéa Nachâk Kâmpŭchea'', derived from [[Sanskrit]] ''Kambujadesa''<ref>{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Angkor | work = | publisher = Wikipedia | date = | url = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor#Historical Overview#Seat of the Khmer Empire | doi = }}</ref>), is a country in [[South East Asia]] with a population of over 14 million people.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stat.go.jp/english/info/meetings/cambodia/pdf/pre_rep1.pdf|format=PDF|title=General Population Census of Cambodia 2008 - Provisional population totals|publisher=National Institute of Statistics, Ministry of Planning|date=September 3, 2008|accessdate=2009-06-22}}</ref> The kingdom's capital and largest city is [[Phnom Penh]]. Cambodia is the [[successor state]] of the once powerful [[Hinduism|Hindu]] and [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] [[Khmer Empire]], which ruled most of the [[Indochina|Indochinese Peninsula]] between the [[11th century|11th]] and [[14th century|14th]] centuries. A citizen of Cambodia is usually identified as "Cambodian" or "[[Khmer people|Khmer]]," though the latter strictly refers to [[Khmer people|ethnic Khmers]]. Most Cambodians are [[Theravada|Theravada Buddhists]] of Khmer extraction, but the country also has a substantial number of predominantly [[Muslim]] [[Cham people|Cham]], as well as ethnic [[Han Chinese|Chinese]], [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]] and small [[animism|animist]] hill tribes. The country borders [[Thailand]] to its west and northwest, [[Laos]] to its northeast and [[Vietnam]] to its east and southeast. In the south it faces the [[Gulf of Thailand]]. The geography of Cambodia is dominated by the [[Mekong River]] (colloquial [[Khmer language|Khmer]]: ''Tonle Thom'' or "the great river") and the [[Tonlé Sap]] ("the fresh water lake"), an important source of fish. [[Agriculture]] has long been the most important sector of the Cambodian economy, with around 59% of the population relying on agriculture for their livelihood (with [[rice]] the principal crop).<ref>http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTCAMBODIA/Resources/293755-1181597132695/kh_growth_report2009part1.pdf</ref> [[Garments]], [[tourism]], and construction are also important. In 2007, foreign visitors to [[Angkor Wat]] numbered more than 4 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view/20080530-139652/San-Miguel-eyes-projects-in-Laos-Cambodia-Myanmar|title=San Miguel eyes projects in Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar |accessdate=2009-03-03 |author=Elizabeth Sanchez-Lacson|date=May 30, 2008|publisher=[[Philippine Daily Inquirer]]}}</ref> In 2005, oil and natural gas deposits were found beneath Cambodia's territorial waters, and once commercial extraction begins in 2011, the oil revenues could profoundly affect Cambodia's economy.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cambodia hopes to start oil production in 2009|author=Ek Madra|date=January 19, 2007|publisher=Reuters|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/companyNewsAndPR/idUSBKK30404620070119|accessdate=2009-03-06}}</ref> Observers fear much of the revenue could end up in the hands of the political elites if not monitored correctly.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090205/sc_afp/cambodiaoilminingcorruption_20090205090130|title= Cambodia's oil and mineral wealth sold to corrupt elites: watchdog|accessdate=2009-03-03|publisher=[[Agence France-Presse|AFP]] through [[Yahoo! News]]|date=February 5, 2009|author=Claire Truscott}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13184945|title= Cambodia's oil resources: Blessing or curse? |accessdate=2009-03-03|publisher=Economist|date=February 26, 2009}}</ref> == History == {{Main|History of Cambodia}} [[File:Bayon Angkor Relief1.jpg|thumb|left|A [[Khmer Empire|Khmer]] army going to war against the [[Champa|Cham]], from a relief on the [[Bayon]]]] === Early history === The first evidence of an advanced civilization in present day Cambodia are artificial circular earthworks estimated to be from the [[1st millennium]] [[Before Christ|BC]].<ref>[[Gerd Albrecht]]: '' Circular Earthwork Krek 52/62: Recent Research of the Prehistory of Cambodia[http://muse.jhu.edu/demo/asian_perspectives/v039/39.1albrecht.pdf PDF link]</ref> During the [[third century|3rd]], [[fourth century|4th]], and [[fifth century|5th]] centuries, the Indianised states of [[Funan]] and [[Chenla]] coalesced in what is now present-day Cambodia and southwestern Vietnam. These states are assumed by most scholars to have been Khmer.<ref name="CS">Country-Studies.com. [http://www.country-studies.com/cambodia/early-indianized-kingdom-of-funan.html ''Country Studies Handbook'';] information taken from US Dept of the Army. Retrieved July 25, 2006.</ref> For more than 2,000 years, Cambodia absorbed influences from [[China]] and [[India]], passing them on to other [[Southeast Asia]]n civilisations that are now Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos.<ref name="BRIT">Britannica.com. [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-52477 History of Cambodia.]. Retrieved July 25, 2006.</ref> The Khmer Empire flourished in the area from the [[ninth century|9th]] to the [[thirteenth century|13th century]].<ref>[http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/seasia/ppenh/khmer01.html Khmer Empire Map]</ref> Around the 13th century, [[Theravada Buddhism]] was introduced to the area through monks from [[Sri Lanka]].<ref>[http://asia.msu.edu/seasia/Cambodia/religion.html Windows on Asia]</ref> From then on Theravada Buddhism grew and eventually became the most popular religion. The Khmer Empire declined yet remained powerful in the region until the [[15th century]]. The empire's centre of power was [[Angkor]], where a series of capitals was constructed during the empire's zenith. Angkor could have supported a population of up to one million people.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/metropolis-angkor-the-worlds-first-megacity-461623.html Metropolis: Angkor, the world's first mega-city], The Independent, August 15, 2007</ref> Angkor, the world's largest pre-industrial civilization, and [[Angkor Wat]], the most famous and best-preserved religious temple at the site, are reminders of Cambodia's past as a major regional power. [[File:VietnamChampa1.gif|thumb|left|150px|Southeast Asia circa 1100&nbsp;AD. [[Khmer Empire]] lands in gray]] After a long series of wars with neighbouring kingdoms, Angkor was sacked by the [[Thai people|Thai]] and abandoned in 1432 because of ecological failure and infrastructure breakdown.<ref name="Chan">[[David P. Chandler|Chandler, David P.]] "The Land and the People of Cambodia". 1991. HarperCollins. New York, NY. p 77</ref><ref>[http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20040613-0915-fallenangkor.html Scientists dig and fly over Angkor in search of answers to golden city's fall], The Associated Press, June 13, 2004</ref> After Angkor was abandoned, the buildings were swallowed up by jungle creating a myth of a hidden lost civilization. The court moved the capital to [[Lovek]] where the kingdom sought to regain its glory through maritime trade. The attempt was short-lived, however, as continued wars with the Thai and [[Vietnam]]ese resulted in the loss of more territory and Lovek was conquered in 1594. During the next three centuries, the Khmer kingdom alternated as a vassal state of the Thai and Vietnamese kings, with short-lived periods of relative independence between.{{Fact|date=January 2009}} GREEN DRAGONS ROCK!!! SO DO BLUE ONES!! GREEN DRAGONS SHOOT GREEN FIRE, BLUE DRAGONS SHOOT BLUE FIRE. YO TWAINA!! OH YEAH, AND 1 GREEN DRAGON PLUS ONE BLUE DRAGON EQUALS ONE TEAL DRAGON!!! GOOD JOB EVERYONE!! GO SHWAGSTOCK!!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!! GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDDDDRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YO mama said to clean yo room obey her!!! yo mama so fat n' old she sunk the titanic, so don't mess around wit her!! wassup! FAT PEOPLE R FRIENDLY, SO R THIN PEOPLE. GOOD DAY!!!!!!!!!!! YOU R BEING CONTROLLED BY YO MAMA, SO LISTEN WELL TO HER, SHE CAN KICK YO PIMPLY, HAIRY, HUGE, FATTY BOOTY SO DON'T MESS WIT MAMA! \ THERE'S A MORAL TO ALL THIS, DON'T MESS AROUND WIT MAMA! === Modernity and French Indochina === In 1863, [[Norodom of Cambodia|King Norodom]], who had been installed by Thailand,<ref name="CHANDLER">{{cite book | last = Chandler | first = D.P. | author-link = David P. Chandler | title = A history of Cambodia (2nd ed.) | publisher = Westview Press | year = 1993 | location = Boulder, CO }}</ref> sought the protection of France from the Thai and Vietnamese, after tensions grew between them. In 1867, the Thai king signed a treaty with France, renouncing [[suzerainty]] over Cambodia in exchange for the control of [[Battambang]] and [[Siem Reap]] provinces which officially became part of [[Thailand]]. The provinces were ceded back to Cambodia by a border treaty between France and Thailand in 1906. Cambodia continued as a [[protectorate]] of France from 1863 to 1953, administered as part of the [[colony]] of [[French Indochina]], though occupied by the [[Empire of Japan|Japanese empire]] from 1941 to 1945{{Fact|date=January 2009}}. With the installment of King [[Norodom Sihanouk]],Cambodia gained independence from France on November 9, 1953. It became a constitutional monarchy under King [[Norodom Sihanouk]]. When [[French Indochina]] was given independence, Cambodia lost official control over the [[Mekong Delta]] as it was awarded to [[Vietnam]]. === Independence and Cold War === [[File:Independence Monument, Phnom Penh.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Independence Monument, Phnom Penh]], a memorial of true independence of [[Colonial Cambodia|french colonial]] gave to [[Cambodia]].]]In 1955, Sihanouk abdicated in favour of his father in order to be elected [[Prime Minister]]. Upon his father's death in 1960, Sihanouk again became head of state, taking the title of Prince. As the [[Vietnam War]] progressed, Sihanouk adopted an official policy of [[Neutral country|neutrality]] in the [[Cold War]]. However, Cambodians began to take sides, and he was [[Cambodian coup of 1970|ousted in 1970]] by a military [[coup d'etat|coup]] led by Prime Minister General [[Lon Nol]] and Prince Sisowath [[Sirik Matak]] with the back-up support of the [[United States]], while on a trip abroad. Settling in the next alternative country, [[Beijing]], [[China]], Sihanouk was forced to realigned himself with the [[Chinese communist]]. Soon the [[Khmer Rouge]] rebels would use him for gaining territory in the regions. The King urged his followers to help in overthrowing the pro-United States government of Lon Nol, hastening the onset of [[Cambodian Civil War|civil war]].<ref name="SIHNK">{{cite book | last = Sihanouk | first = Norodom | authorlink = Norodom Sihanouk | title = My War with the CIA, The Memoirs of Prince Norodom Sihanouk as related to Wilfred Burchett | publisher = Pantheon Books | year = 1973}}</ref> Between 1969 and 1973, U.S. forces bombed and [[Cambodian Campaign|briefly invaded Cambodia]] in an effort to disrupt the [[Viet Cong]] and Khmer Rouge.<ref name="SIDESHOW">{{cite book |last = Shawcross |first = William |authorlink = William Shawcross |title = Sideshow: Kissinger, Nixon and the destruction of Cambodia |publisher = Touchstone |year = 1987 |location = United States}}</ref> Some two million Cambodians were made [[refugee]]s by the war and fled to Phnom Penh. Estimates of the number of Cambodians killed during the bombing campaigns vary widely, as do views of the effects of the bombing. The US Seventh Air Force ruthlessly argued that the bombing prevented the fall of Phnom Penh in 1973 by killing 16,000 of 25,500 Khmer Rouge fighters besieging the city.<ref>Shawcross, ''Sideshow'' p. 298.</ref> However, journalist [[William Shawcross]] and Cambodia specialists [[Milton Osborne]], [[David P. Chandler]] and [[Ben Kiernan]] argued that the bombing drove peasants to join the Khmer Rouge.<ref>e.g. Chandler, David P. ''Pacific Affairs'', vol. 56, no. 2, Summer 1983, p. 295.</ref> Cambodia specialist Craig Etcheson argued that the Khmer Rouge "would have won anyway", even without US intervention driving recruitment although the US secretly played a major role behind the leading cause of the [[Khmer Rouge]].<ref>Etcheson, Craig, ''The Rise and Demise of Democratic Kampuchea'', Westview Press, 1984, p. 97</ref> As the war ended, a draft US AID report observed that the country faced famine in 1975, with 75% of its draft animals destroyed, and that rice planting for the next harvest would have to be done "by the hard labour of seriously malnourished people". The report predicted that <blockquote>''"Without large-scale external food and equipment assistance there will be widespread starvation between now and next February&nbsp;... Slave labour and starvation rations for half the nation's people (probably heaviest among those who supported the republic) will be a cruel necessity for this year, and general deprivation and suffering will stretch over the next two or three years before Cambodia can get back to rice self-sufficiency"''.<ref>Shawcross, ''Sideshow'' pp. 374-375.</ref></blockquote> [[File:Choeung Ek genocidal center.JPG|thumb|150px|left|Stupa which houses the skulls of those killed at [[Choeung Ek]]]] The [[Khmer Rouge]] reached Phnom Penh and took power in 1975. The regime, led by [[Pol Pot]], changed the official name of the country to [[Democratic Kampuchea]], and was heavily influenced and backed by [[People's Republic of China|China]]. They immediately evacuated the cities and sent the entire population on forced marches to rural work projects. They attempted to rebuild the country's agriculture on the model of the [[11th century]], discarded Western medicine, and destroyed temples, libraries, and anything considered Western. Over a million Cambodians, out of a total population of 8 million, died from executions, overwork, starvation and disease.<ref name="kaplan"/> Estimates as to how many people were killed by the Khmer Rouge regime range from approximately one to three million.<ref>Shawcross, William, ''The Quality of Mercy: Cambodia, Holocaust and Modern Conscience'', Touchstone, 1985, pp. 115-116.</ref><ref>Vickery, Michael, Correspondence, ''Bulletin of Concerned Asian Scholars'', vol. 20, no. 1, January-March 1988, p. 73.</ref> This era gave rise to the term [[Killing Fields]], and the prison [[Tuol Sleng]] became notorious for its history of mass killing. Hundreds of thousands fled across the border into neighbouring [[Thailand]]. The regime disproportionately targeted [[Ethnic groups in Cambodia|ethnic minority]] groups. The [[Cham people|Cham]] Muslims suffered serious purges with as much as half of their population exterminated.<ref>[http://www.genocidewatch.org/aboutgenocide/stantoncambodianlaw.htm The Cambodian Genocide and International Law], By Dr. Gregory H. Stanton, Presented February 22, 1992 at Yale Law School</ref> In the late 1960s, an estimated 425,000 ethnic [[Overseas Chinese|Chinese]] lived in Cambodia, but by 1984, as a result of Khmer Rouge genocide and emigration, only about 61,400 Chinese remained in the country.<ref>[http://www.country-studies.com/cambodia/the-chinese.html Cambodia the Chinese]. Country Studies.</ref> The professions, such as doctors, lawyers, and teachers, were also targeted. According to [[Robert D. Kaplan]], "eyeglasses were as deadly as the [[Yellow badge|yellow star]]" as they were seen as a sign of intellectualism.<ref name="kaplan">Kaplan, Robert D., ''The Ends of the Earth'', Vintage, 1996, p. 406.</ref> [[File:Cam-Viet Friendship Mon.jpg|thumb|right|130px|[[Cambodia]]-[[Vietnam]] friendship in [[Phnom Penh]].]]In November 1978, [[Vietnam]] [[Cambodian–Vietnamese War|invaded Cambodia]] to stop Khmer Rouge incursions across the border and the genocide in Cambodia.<ref name="CGG">CambodianGenocide.org.[http://www.cambodiangenocide.org/genocide.htm ''A Brief History of the Cambodian Genocide''.]. Retrieved July 25, 2006.</ref> Violent occupation and [[Cambodian–Vietnamese War|warfare]] between the Vietnamese and Khmer Rouge holdouts continued throughout the 1980s. [[Modern Cambodia#Peace efforts and the free elections|Peace efforts]] began in [[Paris]] in 1989, culminating two years later in October 1991 in a comprehensive peace settlement. The [[United Nations]] was given a mandate to enforce a ceasefire, and deal with refugees and disarmament.<ref name="USDOS3">US Department of State. [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2732.htm Country Profile of Cambodia.]. Retrieved July 26, 2006.</ref> === Reconstruction and Constitutional Monarchy === In recent years, reconstruction efforts have progressed and some political stability under the form of a Constitutional Monarchy, multipartide, and democratic ([[1993]]). However, Cambodia's natural resources, particularly its valuable [[timber]], are still being exploited by interests from Thailand, Vietnam, [[Malaysia]], [[Singapore]] and [[Australia]], while Khmer Rouge were still active in some areas, often supporting illegal timber operations until 1999. At that time, travel by land and river was still precarious.<ref>Kaplan, p. 415</ref> The stability established following the conflict was shaken in [[1997]] by a [[coup d'état]],<ref name="97COUP">UN OHCHR Cambodia {{PDFlink|[http://cambodia.ohchr.org/Documents/Statements%20and%20Speeches/English/40.pdf]|10.3&nbsp;KB}}</ref> but has otherwise remained in place. Cambodia has been aided by a number of more developed nations like [[Japan]], France, [[Germany]], [[Canada]], [[Australia]], the [[United States]] and [[Great Britain]]. Cambodia is moving past its war torn history and focusing on national reconstruction. In recent years, the country has seen double digit economic growth, and seeks foreign business investment to modernize the nation and eliminate poverty. Especially since Thailand is in political chaos, Cambodia is a regional alternative for business investments. == Politics and government == {{Main|Politics of Cambodia}} [[File:Norodom king of Cambodia.jpg|thumb|150px|upright|King [[Norodom Sihamoni]]]] The politics of Cambodia formally take place, according to the nation's [[constitution]] of 1993, in the framework of a [[constitutional monarchy]] operated as a [[parliamentary democracy|parliamentary]] [[representative democracy]]. The [[Prime Minister of Cambodia]] is the [[head of government]], and of a pluriform [[multi-party system]], while the [[King of Cambodia|king]] is the [[head of state]]. The Prime Minister is appointed by the King, on the advice and with the approval of the [[National Assembly of Cambodia|National Assembly]]; the Prime Minister and his or her ministerial appointees exercise [[executive power]] in government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the executive and the two chambers of parliament, the [[National Assembly of Cambodia]] and the [[Senate of Cambodia|Senate]]. On October 14, 2004, King [[Norodom Sihamoni]] was selected by a special nine-member throne 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 king's half brother and current chief advisor), both members of the throne council. He was crowned in Phnom Penh on October 29, 2004. In 2006, [[Transparency International]]'s rating of corrupt countries rated Cambodia as 151st of 163 countries of their Corruption Perceptions Index.<ref>[http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2006 2006/cpi/surveys_indices/policy_research<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The 2007 edition of the same list placed Cambodia at 162nd out of 179 countries.<ref>[http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2007 2007/cpi/surveys_indices/policy_research<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> According to this same list, Cambodia is the 3rd most corrupt nation in the South-East Asia area, behind [[Laos]], at 168th, and [[Myanmar]], at joint 179th. The BBC reports that corruption is rampant in the Cambodian political arena<ref name="BBC3">BBC Asia-Pacific News (September 19, 2005).[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4183606.stm ''Corruption dents Cambodia democracy''.]. Retrieved July 24, 2006.</ref> with international aid from the U.S. and other countries being illegally transferred into private accounts.<ref>''World Bank threatens to suspend millions of dollars in aid for Cambodia'' AP Worldstream 01-16-2005. [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-104398430.html]. Retrieved December 29, 2008.</ref> Corruption has also added to the wide income disparity within the population.<ref name="BBCBUIS">BBC News (May 29, 2006). [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/5027168.stm 'Corruption' curbs Cambodia cash.]. Retrieved July 24, 2006.</ref> Issues in contemporary Cambodia include [[human trafficking]], [[deforestation]] and forced evictions. == Armed forces == {{Main|Royal Cambodian Armed Forces}} The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces consists of the [[Royal Cambodian Army]], the [[Royal Cambodian Navy]], and the [[Royal Cambodian Air Force]]. The [[Norodom Sihamoni|king]] is the Supreme Commander of the [[Royal Cambodian Armed Forces]] (RCAF) and the country's [[Hun Sen|prime minister]] effectively holds the position of [[commander-in-chief]]. The introduction of a revised command structure early in 2000 was a key prelude to the reorganisation of the RCAF. This saw the ministry of national defence form three subordinate general departments responsible for logistics and finance, materials and technical services, and defence services. The High Command Headquarters (HCHQ) was left unchanged, but the general staff was dismantled and the former will assume responsibility over three autonomous infantry divisions. A joint staff was also formed, responsible for inter-service co-ordination and staff management within HCHQ. The minister of National Defence is General [[Tea Banh]]. Banh has served as defence minister since 1979. The Secretaries of State for Defence are Chay Saing Yun and Por Bun Sreu. In Janury 2009, General Ke Kim Yan was removed from his post as Commander-in-Chief of the RCAF and was replaced by his deputy, Gen. Pol Saroeun, the new Commander-in-Chief of the RCAF, who is a long time loyalist of Prime Minister Hun Sen. There were rumours that Prime Minister Hun Sen had plans to remove Ke Kim Yan from commander of RCAF because of an internal dispute in the [[Cambodian People's Party|CPP]]. Days later after the news broke out that Yan was being removed, members of the CPP Party said it was a regular reshuffle of the Kingdom's military leadership and that there are no internal problems within the CPP party. It is expected that Ke Kim Yan will be promoted to Deputy Prime Minister by Hun Sen and will be in charge of anti-drugs trafficking. The [[Commander|Army Commander]] is General [[Meas Sophea]] and the [[Army Chief of Staff]] is Chea Saran. [[File:Koh thonsay beach.jpg|thumb|180px|Cambodian island of [[Koh Tonsay]] (Rabbit Island)]] == Geography == {{Main|Geography of Cambodia}} [[File:Kampong Speu.jpg|thumb|180px|left|Monsoon season in [[Kampong Speu Province]]]] Cambodia has an area of 181,035 square kilometers (69,898&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi) and lies entirely within the tropics. It borders Thailand to the north and west, Laos to the northeast, and [[Vietnam]] to the east and southeast. It has a 443-kilometer (275&nbsp;mi) 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&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi) during the dry season and expanding to about 24,605 square kilometers (9,500&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi) during the rainy season. This densely populated plain, which is devoted to wet rice cultivation, is the heartland of Cambodia. Much of this area has been designated as a biosphere reserve. Most (about 75%) of the country lies at elevations of less than 100 metres (330&nbsp;ft) above sea level, the exceptions being the [[Cardamom Mountains]] (highest elevation 1,813&nbsp;m&nbsp;/&nbsp;5,948&nbsp;ft) and their southeast extension the [[Dâmrei Mountains]] ("Elephant Mountains") (elevation range 500–1,000&nbsp;m or 1,640–3,280&nbsp;ft), as well the steep escarpment of the [[Dângrêk Mountains]] (average elevation 500&nbsp;m&nbsp;/&nbsp;1,640&nbsp;ft) along the border with Thailand's [[Isan]] region. The highest elevation of Cambodia is [[Phnom Aoral]], near [[Pursat]] in the centre of the country, at 1,813 metres (5,948 ft). === Climate === {{climate chart|Phnom Penh |21|31|7 |22|32|10 |23|34|40 |24|35|77 |24|34|134 |24|33|155 |24|32|171 |26|32|160 |25|31|224 |24|30|257 |23|30|127 |22|30|45 |float=right |source=[http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT002520 BBC Weather] }} [[File:Cambodia monsoon July 2007.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Rainfall in [[Phnom Penh]], [[2007]].]] Cambodia's climate, like that of the rest of [[Southeast Asia]] is dominated by [[Monsoons]], which are known as tropical wet and dry because of the distinctly marked seasonal differences. Cambodia's temperatures range from 21° to 35°C (69° to 95°F) and experiences tropical [[monsoon]]s. Southwest [[monsoon]]s blow inland bringing moisture-laden winds from the [[Gulf of Thailand]] and [[Indian Ocean]] from May to October. The northeast monsoon ushers in the dry season, which lasts from November to March. The country experiences the heaviest [[precipitation]] from September to October with the driest period occurring from January to February. Cambodia has two distinct seasons. The rainy season, which runs from [[May]] to [[October]], can see temperatures drop to 22 °C and is generally accompanied with high humidity. The dry season lasts from November to April when temperatures can rise up to 40 °C around April. The best months to visit Cambodia are November to January when temperatures and humidity are lower. Disasterous flooding, due to extremely heavy rainfall, ocurred in 2001 and again in 2002. <!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series--> == Administrative divisions == {{Main|Administrative divisions of Cambodia}} Provinces (khaet) and municipalities (krong) are Cambodia's first-level administrative divisions. Rural areas are divided among Cambodia's twenty provinces, and urban areas are divided among Cambodia's four municipalities. === City and province sizes === [[File:Monivong Boulevard.jpg|thumb|275px|Monivong Boulevard in Phnom Penh]] [[File:Cambodian fishing boat.jpg|thumb|A fishing boat in Koh Rung Samleom Island]] [[File:Mosque Phnom Penh.jpg|thumb|A view of the top of a mosque in Phnom Penh]] {| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! rowspan ="2" |No. ! rowspan ="2" |City or province !colspan ="2"| Area |- | <center>km²</center> | <center>[[Square mile|sq&nbsp;mi]]</center> |- | 1 | City of [[Phnom Penh]] | {{convert|290|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 2 | [[Kandal Province]] | {{convert|3568|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 3 | [[Takeo Province]] | {{convert|3563|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 4 | [[Kampong Cham Province]] | {{convert|9799|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- city of Sourng | 5 | [[Kampong Thom Province]] | {{convert|13814|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 6 | [[Siem Reap Province]] | {{convert|10299|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- city of Angkor | 7 | [[Preah Vihear Province]] | {{convert|13788|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 8 | [[Oddar Meancheay Province]] | {{convert|6158|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 9 | [[Banteay Meanchey Province]] | {{convert|6679|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 10 | [[Battambang Province]] | {{convert|11072|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 11 | City of [[Pailin]] | {{convert|803|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 12 | [[Pursat Province]] | {{convert|12692|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 13 | [[Kampong Chhnang Province]] | {{convert|5521|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 14 | [[Kampong Speu Province]] | {{convert|7017|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 15 | [[Koh Kong Province]] | {{convert|11160|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 16 | City of [[Sihanoukville]] | {{convert|868|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 17 | [[Kampot Province]] | {{convert|4873.2|km2|sqmi|1|disp=table}} |- | 18 | City of [[Kep]] | {{convert|335.8|km2|sqmi|1|disp=table}} |- | 19 | [[Prey Veng Province]] | {{convert|4883|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 20 | [[Svay Rieng Province]] | {{convert|2966|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 21 | [[Kratie Province]] | {{convert|11094|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 22 | [[Stung Treng Province]] | {{convert|11092|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 23 | [[Ratanakiri Province]] | {{convert|10782|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 24 | [[Mondulkiri Province]] | {{convert|14288|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- | 25 | [[Tonlé Sap]] | {{convert|3000|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |- !colspan="2" rowspan="1"| TOTAL AREA | {{convert|181035|km2|sqmi|0|disp=table}} |} On 22nd December, 2008, King Norodom Sihamoni signed a Royal Decree that changed the municipalities of Kep, Pailin and Sihanoukville into provinces, as well as adjusting several provincial borders. == Foreign relations == [[File:Vladimir Putin with Khieu Thavika.jpg|thumb|250px|Cambodia's ambassador to [[Russia]] Khieu Thavika presents his letter of credentials to former President [[Vladimir Putin]]. ]] {{Main|Foreign relations of Cambodia}} Cambodia is a member of the United Nations, the [[World Bank]] and the [[International Monetary Fund]]. It is an [[Asian Development Bank]] (ADB) member, a member of [[ASEAN]], and joined the [[WTO]] on October 13, 2004. In 2005 Cambodia attended the inaugural [[East Asia Summit]]. Cambodia has established [[diplomatic relations]] with numerous countries; the government reports twenty embassies in the country<ref> Royal Government of Cambodia.[http://www.cambodia.gov.kh/unisql1/egov/english/country.foreign_embassy.html Foreign Embassies].</ref> including many of its Asian neighbours and those of important players during the Paris peace negotiations, including the US, Australia, Canada, China, the European Union (EU), Japan, and Russia.<ref>Catharin E. Dalpino and David G. Timberman. "[http://www.asiasociety.org/publications/cambodia_policy.html Cambodia's Political Future: Issues for U.S. Policy]," ''Asia Society,'' March 26, 1998.</ref> As a result of its international relations, various [[charitable organizations]] have assisted with both [[social]] and [[civil]] [[infrastructure]] needs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ewbmfb.weebly.com/|title=Modular Floating Bridge (2009)|dateaccessed=2009-06-06|publisher=Jerry Shum et al}}</ref> While the violent ruptures of the 1970s and 80s have passed, several [[border dispute]]s between Cambodia and its neighbours persist. There are disagreements over some offshore islands and sections of the boundary with Vietnam, and undefined maritime boundaries and border areas with Thailand. [[File:Phraviharngopura.jpg|thumb|left|270px|Preah Vihear temple is one of the main factors of the current [[2008 Cambodian-Thai stand-off|Cambodia-Thai dispute]]]] In January 2003, there were anti-Thai [[2003 Phnom Penh riots|riots in Phnom Penh]] prompted by rumoured comments about Angkor Wat allegedly made by a Thai actress and printed in ''Reaksmei Angkor'', a Cambodian newspaper, and later quoted by Prime Minister [[Hun Sen]].<ref name="USDOS2">Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs of the US Department of State.[http://www.state.gov/p/eap/rls/rpt/20565.htm ''Report to the Congress on the Anti-Thai Riots in Cambodia on January 29, 2003''.]</ref> The Thai government sent military aircraft to evacuate Thai nationals and closed its border with Cambodia to Thais and Cambodians (at no time was the border ever closed to foreigners or Western tourists) 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. The "comments" that had sparked the riots turned out to have never been made. More problems came between Cambodia and Thailand in mid 2008 when Cambodia wanted to list [[Preah Vihear Temple|Prasat Preah Vihear]] as a UNESCO World heritage site, which later resulted in a [[2008 Cambodian-Thai stand-off|stand-off]] in which both countries deployed their soldiers near the border and around the disputed territory between the two countries. Conflict restarted in April 2009, where 2 Thai soldiers died as a result of a recent clash.<ref name="Strait">Cambodia, Thai troops on alert.[http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/SE%2BAsia/Story/STIStory_358184.html ''Straits Times''.]</ref> == Wildlife of Cambodia == [[File:Thrippunithura-Elephant4 crop.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[Indian Elephant]] is the main type of Asian elephant found in Cambodia]] {{Main|Wildlife of Cambodia}} {{See also|Deforestation in Cambodia}} Cambodia has a wide variety of plants and animals. There are 212 [[mammal]] species, 536 [[bird]] species, 240 [[reptile]] species, 850 freshwater [[fish]] species (Tonle Sap Lake area), and 435 marine fish species. Much of this biodiversity is contained around the Tonle Sap Lake and the surrounding biosphere.<ref>Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve: perspective 2000, Mekong River Commission (MRC), Mar 1 2003. Retrieved from TSBR website, 29/12/2008 [http://www.tsbr-ed.org/english/online_catalogue/textual_detail.asp?ref=141]</ref> The [[Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve]] is a unique ecological phenomenon surrounding the Tonle Sap. It encompasses the lake and nine provinces: [[Kampong Thom Province|Kampong Thom]], [[Siem Reap Province|Siem Reap]], [[Battambang Province|Battambang]], [[Pursat Province|Pursat]], [[Kampong Chhnang Province|Kampong Chhnang]], [[Banteay Meanchey Province|Banteay Meanchey]], [[Krong Pailin]], [[Otdar Meanchey Province|Otdar Meanchey]] and [[Preah Vihear Province|Preah Vihear]]. In 1997, it was successfully nominated as a [[UNESCO]] [[Biosphere Reserve]].<ref>Complete list of biosphere reserves in pdf, Publication Date: 03-11-2008, retrieved from UNESCO website, 29/12/2008 [http://www.unesco.org/mab/doc/brs/BRlist2008.pdf]</ref> Other key habitats include the dry forest of [[Mondolkiri]] and [[Ratanakiri]] provinces and the [[Cardamom Mountains]] ecosystem, including Bokor National Park, Botum Sakor National Park, and the Phnom Aural and Phnom Samkos wildlife sanctuaries. The country has one of the highest [[deforestation]] rates in the world. Since 1970, Cambodia's primary rainforest cover fell dramatically from over 70 percent in 1970 to just 3.1 percent in 2007. In total, Cambodia lost {{convert|25000|km2|sqmi|-2}} of forest between 1990 and 2005—{{convert|3340|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}} of which was primary forest. As of 2007, less than {{convert|3220|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}} of primary forest remain with the result that the future [[sustainability]] of the forest reserves of Cambodia is under severe threat, with illegal loggers looking to generate revenue.<ref>[http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/20049/story.htm Planet Ark : Logging threatens Cambodian tragedy - UN<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> == Economy == [[File:Cambodia's first skyscraper.jpg|thumb|200px|upright|The OCIC Tower, under construction in Phnom Penh, will be the tallest building in Cambodia when it is completed in 2009]] {{Main|Economy of Cambodia}} Final economic indicators for 2007 are not yet available. 2006 GDP was $7.265 billion (''per capita'' GDP $513), with annual growth of 10.8%. Estimates for 2007 are for a GDP of $8.251 billion (''per capita'' $571) and annual growth of 8.5%). Inflation for 2006 was 2.6%, and the current estimate for final 2007 inflation is 6.2%.<ref>[http://www.eicambodia.org/ Economic Institute of Cambodia.]</ref> [[File:Cambodiaricefarming.jpg|thumb|275px|left|Rice cropping plays an important role in the economy]] [[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. The [[International Rice Research Institute]] (IRRI) reintroduced more than 750 traditional rice varieties to Cambodia from its rice seed bank in the [[Philippines]].<ref> Jahn 2006,[http://www.irri.org/publications/today/pdfs/6-2/RiceToday%206-2.pdf 2007]</ref> These varieties had been collected in the 1960s. In 1987, the Australian government funded IRRI to assist Cambodia to improve its rice production. By 2000, Cambodia was once again self-sufficient in rice.<ref>Puckridge 2004, Fredenburg and Hill 1978</ref> However, few Cambodian farmers grow other crops leaving them vulnerable to crop failure. In recent years, various international aid organisations have begun crop diversification programs to encourage farmers to grow other crops. The recovery of Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997–98, due to the [[Asian financial crisis|regional economic crisis]], civil violence, and political infighting. [[Foreign Direct Investment|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 [[economic growth|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 [[United States Dollar|USD]]. As of 2005, [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] per capita in PPP terms was $2,200, which ranked 178th (out of 233) countries.<ref name="CIARANK">CIA Factbook. [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2004rank.html GDP per Capita rankings]. Retrieved July 24, 2006.</ref> [[File:Angkor wat.jpg|thumb|280px|Prasat [[Angkor Wat]], the biggest tourist draw of Cambodia]] The older population often lacks education, particularly in the countryside, which suffers from a lack of basic [[infrastructure]]. Fear of renewed political instability and corruption within the government discourage foreign investment and delay foreign aid, although there has been significant assistance from bilateral and multilateral donors. Donors pledged $504 million to the country in 2004,<ref name="CIACB">[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cb.html CIA FactBook.]. Retrieved September 9, 2006.</ref> while the Asian Development Bank alone has provided $850 million in loans, grants, and technical assistance.<ref name=ADB>[http://www.adb.org/Documents/Fact_Sheets/CAM.asp A Fact Sheet: Cambodia and ADB], Asian Development Bank. Retrieved September 9, 2006.</ref> The tourism industry is the country's second-greatest source of [[hard currency]] after the textile industry.<ref name="USDOS3"/> Between January and December 2007, visitor arrivals were 2.0 million, an increase of 18.5% over the same period in 2006. Most visitors (51%) arrived through [[Siem Reap]] with the remainder (49%) through Phnom Penh and other destinations.<ref name="CAGOV">Ministry of Tourism.[http://www.mot.gov.kh/statistic.php]. Retrieved December 29, 2008.</ref> Other tourist destinations include [[Sihanoukville]] in the south east which has several popular beaches, and the area around [[Kampot (city)|Kampot]] and [[Kep]] including the [[Bokor Hill Station]]. == Demographics == {{Main|Demographics of Cambodia|Ethnic groups in Cambodia}} [[File:Cham Muslims Cambodian.JPG|thumb|275px|left|[[Cham]] Muslims of Cambodia]] More than 90% of its population is of [[Khmer people|Khmer]] origin and speaks the [[Khmer language]], the country's official language. The remainder include [[Chinese Cambodian|Chinese]], Vietnamese, [[Cham people|Cham]] and [[Khmer Loeu]]. The Khmer language is a member of the [[Mon-Khmer]] subfamily of the [[Austroasiatic language]] group. French, once the language of government in [[Indochina]], is still spoken by some older Cambodians. French is also the language of instruction in some schools and universities that are funded by the government of France. [[Cambodian French]], a remnant of the country's colonial past, is a dialect found in Cambodia and is sometimes used in government. However, in recent decades, many younger Cambodians and those in the business-class have favoured learning English. In the major cities and tourist centers, English is widely spoken and taught at a large number of schools due to the overwhelming number of tourists from English-speaking countries. Even in the most rural outposts, however, most young people speak at least some English, as it is often taught by monks at the local pagodas where many children are educated. [[File:Battambangwomen.jpg|thumb|275px|Local women at a market in [[Battambang]]]] {{bar box |title=Cambodia religiosity |titlebar=#ddd |left1=religion |right1=percent |float=right |bars= {{bar percent|Buddhism|yellow|95}} {{bar percent|Islam|green|3}} {{bar percent|Christianity|blue|2}} }} The dominant religion, a form of [[Theravada Buddhism]] (95%), was suppressed by the Khmer Rouge but has since experienced a revival. [[Islam]] (3%) and [[Christianity]] (2%) are also practiced.<ref name="USDOS">Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour of the US Department of State. [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51507.htm ''International Religious Freedom Report 2005''.]. Retrieved July 24, 2006.</ref> Civil war and its aftermath have had a marked effect on the Cambodian population. The median age is 20.6 years, with more than 50% of the population younger than 25. At 0.95 males/female, Cambodia has the most female-biased sex ratio in the Greater Mekong Subregion.<ref>CIA World Factbook [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2018.html]</ref> In the Cambodian population over 65, the female to male ratio is 1.6:1.<ref name="CIACB"/> [[UNICEF]] has designated Cambodia the third most [[landmine]]d country in the world,<ref name="UNICEF">UNICEF. [http://www.unicef.org/sowc96/9ldmines.htm "The Legacy of Landmines"]. Retrieved July 25, 2006.</ref> attributing over 60,000 civilian deaths and thousands more maimed or injured since 1970 to the unexploded land mines left behind in rural areas.<ref name="PBSORG">PBS.org (July 25, 2003). [http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week647/cover.html ''Cambodia Land Mines''.]. Retrieved July 24, 2006.</ref> The majority of the victims are children herding animals or playing in the fields.<ref name="UNICEF"/> Adults that survive landmines often require amputation of one or more limbs and have to resort to begging for survival.<ref name="PBSORG"/> In 2006, the number of landmine casualties in Cambodia took a sharp decrease of more than 50% compared to 2005, with the number of landmine victims down from 800 in 2005 to less than 400 in 2006. The reduced casualty rate continued in 2007, with 208 casualties (38 killed and 170 injured).<ref>[http://www.icbl.org/lm/2007/cambodia.html Cambodia, Landmine Monitor Report 2007<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> === Health === {{Main|Health in Cambodia}} Cambodia's [[infant mortality rate]] has decreased from 115 in 1993 to 89.4 per 1000 live births in 1998. In the same period, the under-five mortality rate decreased from 181 to 115 per 1000 live births.<ref name="cambodiawho">{{cite web|url=http://www.who.int/countryfocus/cooperation_strategy/ccs_khm_en.pdf|title=WHO country cooperation strategy|format=PDF|publisher=World Health Organization|date=April 2001|accessdate=2009-06-22}}</ref> In the province with worst health indicators, [[Health in Ratanakiri Province|Ratanakiri]], 22.9% of children die before the age of five.<ref>[http://www.methodfinder.com/wfpatlas/index.php?page=03&lang=e "National Child Mortality and Malnutrition (Food Insecurity Outcome) Maps"]. [[United Nations]] [[World Food Programme]]. Retrieved [[2008-05-04]].</ref> == Culture and society == {{Main|Culture of Cambodia|Sport in Cambodia}} [[File:Kampongbuddhart.jpg|thumb|right|Buddhist art at Phnom Santuk, [[Kompong Thom]].]] Various factors contribute to Cambodian culture including [[Theravada Buddhism]], [[French culture|French Colonialism]], [[Hinduism]], [[Angkor|Angkor era culture]], and [[Globalization|modern globalization]]. The [[Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, Cambodia|Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts]] is responsible for promoting and developing Cambodian culture. Cambodian culture not only includes the culture of the lowland ethnic majority, the Khmer, but of also some 20 culturally distinct hill tribes colloquially known as the [[Khmer Loeu]], a term coined by [[Norodom Sihanouk]] to generate unity between the highlanders and lowlanders. Rural Cambodians wear a [[krama]] scarf which is a unique aspect of [[Cambodian clothing]]. Khmer culture, as developed and spread by the [[Khmer empire]], has distinctive styles of dance, architecture and sculpture, which have been exchanged with neighbouring [[Laos]] and [[Thailand]] through the history. [[Angkor Wat]] (''Angkor'' means "city" and ''Wat'' "temple") is the best preserved example of Khmer architecture from the Angkorian era and hundreds of other temples have been discovered in and around the region. Traditionally, the Khmer people have a unique method of recording information on Tra leaf. Tra leaf books record information on legends of the Khmer people, the Ramayana, the origin of Buddhism and other prayer book series. They are greatly taken care of and wrap in cloth as to protect from moisture and the jungle climate. <ref>[http://english.vietnamnet.vn/travel/2008/09/805123/ VietNam Net, ''http://english.vietnamnet.vn/travel/2008/09/805123/''; accessed January 31, 2009]</ref> [[Bonn Om Teuk]] (Festival of Boat Racing), the annual boat rowing contest, is the most attended Cambodian national festival. Held at the end of the rainy season when the Mekong river begins to sink back to its normal levels allowing the Tonle Sap River to reverse flow, approximately 10% of Cambodia's population attends this event each year to play games, give thanks to the moon, watch fireworks, and attend the boat race in a carnival-type atmosphere.<ref name="KMGOV">[http://www.cambodia.gov.kh/unisql1/egov/english/news.view.html?doc_oid=@140%7C1%7C1 Government of Cambodia Webpage, ''Bonn Om Touk, the Water and Moon Festivals''; accessed July 24, 2006]</ref> Popular games include [[cockfight]]ing, [[soccer]], and kicking a ''sey,'' which is similar to a [[footbag]]. Based on [[Theravada Buddhism]], the [[Cambodian New Year]] is a major holiday that takes place in [[April]]. Recent artistic figures include singers [[Sinn Sisamouth]] and [[Ros Sereysothea]] (and later [[Meng Keo Pichenda]]), who introduced new musical styles to the country. [[File:Katieu.jpg|thumb|left|Phnom Penh Style Noodle Soup (Ka Tieu Phnom Penh)]] Rice, as in other [[Southeast Asia]]n 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 [[kilogram]]s of fish per year or 2&nbsp;[[avoirdupois|ounces]] per day per person.<ref name="EARTH">{{PDFlink|[http://earthtrends.wri.org/pdf_library/country_profiles/Coa_cou_116.pdf Earthtrends.org Cambodia Country Profile]}}</ref> Some of the fish can be made into [[prahok]] for longer storage. The [[cuisine of Cambodia]] contains tropical fruits, soups and noodles. Key ingredients in Cambodian cuisine are [[kaffir lime]], [[lemon grass]], [[garlic]], [[fish sauce]], [[soy sauce]], [[curry]], [[tamarind]], [[ginger]], [[oyster sauce]], [[coconut milk]] and [[black pepper]]. An example of French influence on Cambodian cuisine, is Cambodian red curry with toasted [[baguette]] bread. The toasted baguette pieces are dipped in the curry and eaten. Cambodian red curry is also eaten with [[rice]] and [[rice vermicelli]] noodles. Probably the most popular dine out dish, ka tieu, is a ''pork broth'' [[rice noodle]] [[noodle soup|soup]] with fried [[garlic]], [[scallions]], [[green onions]] that may also contain various toppings such as [[beef balls]], [[shrimp]], pork liver or [[lettuce]]. The cuisine is relatively unknown to the world compared to that of its neighbours Thailand and Vietnam. [[Association Football|Football]] is one of the more popular sports, although professional organized sports are not as prevalent in Cambodia as in western countries due to the economic conditions. Football was brought to Cambodia by the French and became popular with the locals.<ref>[http://www.aseanfootball.org/affiliates_02.asp ''AFF- The official site of the ASEAN Football Federation'']. Retrieved February 20, 2009.</ref> The [[Cambodia national football team]] managed fourth in the [[Asian Cup 1972|1972 Asian Cup]] but development has slowed since the civil war. Western sports such as volleyball, bodybuilding, field hockey, [[rugby union]], golf, and baseball are gaining popularity. Native sports include [[Dragon boat|traditional boat racing]], buffalo racing, [[Pradal Serey]] , [[Khmer traditional wrestling]] and [[Bokator]]. Cambodia first participated in the [[Olympics]] during the [[Cambodia at the 1956 Summer Olympics|1956 Summer Olympic Games]] sending [[Equestrian at the Summer Olympics|Equestrian]] riders. Cambodia also hosted the [[GANEFO]] Games, the alternative to the Olympics, in the 1960's. == Transport == {{Main|Transport in Cambodia}} [[File:Siem reap airport.JPG|thumb|300px|left|[[Angkor International Airport|Siem Reap International Airport]]]] The civil war and [[neglect]] severely damaged Cambodia's transport system, but with assistance and equipment from other countries Cambodia has been upgrading the main highways to international standards and most are vastly improved from [[2006]]. Most main roads are now paved. Cambodia has two rail lines, totalling about 612 kilometers (380&nbsp;mi) of single, one&nbsp;meter&nbsp;gauge track.<ref name="CNTRYDTA">[http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-2187.html CountryData.com]</ref> 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. Besides the main interprovincial traffic artery connecting the capital [[Phnom Penh]] with [[Sihanoukville]], resurfacing a former dirt road with concrete / asphalt and implementation of 5 major river crossings by means of bridges have now permanently connected Phnom Penh with [[Koh Kong (city)|Koh Kong]] and hence there is now uninterrupted road access to neighboring Thailand and their vast road system. The nation's extensive inland waterways were important historically in international 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&nbsp;mi) navigable all year by craft drawing 0.6 meters (2&nbsp;ft) and another 282 kilometers (175&nbsp;mi) navigable to craft drawing 1.8 meters (6&nbsp;ft). [[File:Road 4 to Sihanouk.JPG|thumb|300px|right|National Highway 4]] <ref name="CNTRYDTA"/> Cambodia has two major ports, Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, and five minor ones. Phnom Penh, located at the junction of the [[Bassac River|Bassac]], 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. With increasing economic activity has come an increase in automobile and motorcycle use, though bicycles still predominate; as often in developing countries, an associated rise in traffic deaths and injuries is occurring.<ref>"Picking Up Speed: As Cambodia's Traffic Levels Increase, So Too Does the Road ''Death Toll''," ''The Cambodia Daily'', Saturday, March 9–10, 2002."</ref> [[Cycle rickshaw]]s are an additional option often used by visitors. The country has four commercial airports. [[Phnom Penh International Airport|Phnom Penh International Airport (Pochentong)]] in Phnom Penh is the second largest in Cambodia. [[Angkor International Airport|Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport]] is the largest and serves the most international flights in and out of Cambodia. The other airports are in [[Kampong Saom|Sihanoukville]] and [[Battambang Province|Battambang]]. == International rankings == {| class="wikitable" border="1" |- ! Organisation |- | [[Heritage Foundation]]'' | [[Index of Economic Freedom#Current ratings|Index of Economic Freedom]] | 100 out of 157 |- | [[Reporters Without Borders]] | [[Reporters Without Borders#Worldwide press freedom index|Worldwide Press Freedom Index]] | 126 out of 173 |- | [[Transparency International]] | [[Corruption Perceptions Index]] | 162 out of 179 |- | [[United Nations Development Programme]] | [[List of countries by Human Development Index|Human Development Index]] | 136 out of 177 |- | [[World Economic Forum]] | [[Global Competitiveness Report]] | 110 out of 131 |} == See also == {{portal|Cambodia|Flag of Cambodia.svg}} *[[Outline of Cambodia]] *[[Index of Cambodia-related articles]] {{Cambodia topics|state=uncollapsed}} == Notes == {{reflist|2}} == External links == {{sisterlinks|Cambodia}} ;Government * [http://report.globalintegrity.org/cambodia Global Integrity Report: Cambodia] has reporting on anti-corruption (or lack thereof) in Cambodia * [http://www.norodomsihanouk.info King of Cambodia, Norodom Sihanouk] Official Website of former King Norodom Sihanouk * [http://www.cambodia.gov.kh/unisql1/egov/english/home.frame.html Cambodia.gov.kh] Official Royal Government of Cambodia Website (English Version) * [http://www.mfaic.gov.kh Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation] * [http://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh Cambodia e-Visa, Applying Travel Visa Online] * [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/world-leaders-1/world-leaders-c/cambodia.html Chief of State and Cabinet Members] '''Civil Society''' * [http://www.cchrcambodia.org Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR)] ; General information * {{CIA World Factbook link|cb|Cambodia}} * [http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/for/cambodia.htm Cambodia] from ''UCB Libraries GovPubs'' * {{dmoz|Regional/Asia/Cambodia}} * {{wikiatlas|Cambodia}} * {{wikitravel}} ; Other * [http://clpmag.org/article.php?article=Cambodia-Fact-Sheet_5 Cambodia Country Factsheet] from The Common Language Project * [http://www.tsbr-ed.org The largest environmental website relating to the Tonle Sap Biosphere and Cambodia] * [http://www.cambodiatribunal.org/ Cambodia Tribunal Monitor] * [http://www.un.org.kh/undp/?url=/undp/cmdgs/cmdgs Cambodia Program] of the [[United Nations Development Programme]] <!--(font-size:95%)--> {{Template group |title = Geographic locale |list = {{Countries of Asia}} {{Countries and territories of Southeast Asia}} }} {{Template group |title = International membership and relationships |list = {{Cambodia ties}} {{Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)}} {{East Asia Summit (EAS)}} {{La Francophonie|state=collapsed}} {{Austronesian-speaking}} {{Monarchies|state=collapsed}} }} <!--Please do not move this category-defining article from its correct and standard position at the head of its own category.--> [[Category:Cambodia| ]] [[Category:Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states]] [[Category:Member states of La Francophonie]] [[Category:Kambojas]] [[Category:Constitutional monarchies]] [[Category:Least Developed Countries]] [[Category:States and territories established in 1953]] [[Category:States and territories established in 802]] {{Link FA|af}} {{Link FA|km}} <!--Interwikis--> [[af:Kambodja]] [[als:Kambodscha]] [[ar:كمبوديا]] [[an:Cambocha]] [[frp:Cambodg·e]] [[as:কম্বোডিয়া]] [[ast:Camboya]] [[az:Kamboca]] [[bn:কম্বোডিয়া]] [[zh-min-nan:Kampuchea]] [[be:Камбоджа]] [[be-x-old:Камбоджа]] [[bcl:Kambodya]] [[bo:ཅིའན་ཕུ་ཀྲེ]] [[bs:Kambodža]] [[br:Kambodja]] [[bg:Камбоджа]] [[ca:Cambodja]] [[cv:Камбоджа]] [[ceb:Cambodia]] [[cs:Kambodža]] [[cy:Cambodia]] [[da:Cambodja]] [[de:Kambodscha]] [[dv:ކެންބޯޑިއާ]] [[dsb:Kambodža]] [[dz:ཀམ་བོ་ཌི་ཡ་]] [[et:Kambodža]] [[el:Καμπότζη]] [[es:Camboya]] [[eo:Kamboĝo]] [[eu:Kanputxea]] [[fa:کامبوج]] [[hif:Cambodia]] [[fr:Cambodge]] [[fy:Kambodja]] [[ga:An Chambóid]] [[gv:Yn Chamboyd]] [[gd:Cambuidea]] [[gl:Camboxa - កម្ពុជា]] [[gan:柬埔寨]] [[hak:Kham-phú-soi]] [[ko:캄보디아]] [[ha:Kambodiya]] [[haw:Kamabodia]] [[hy:Կամբոջա]] [[hi:कम्बोडिया]] [[hsb:Kambodźa]] [[hr:Kambodža]] [[io:Kambodja]] [[ilo:Cambodia]] [[bpy:কম্বোডিয়া]] [[id:Kamboja]] [[ia:Cambodgia]] [[ie:Cambodja]] [[os:Камбоджæ]] [[is:Kambódía]] [[it:Cambogia]] [[he:קמבודיה]] [[jv:Kamboja]] [[kn:ಕಾಂಬೋಡಿಯ]] [[pam:Cambodia]] [[ka:კამბოჯა]] [[ks:कम्बोदिया]] [[kk:Кәмпучия]] [[kw:Kamboji]] [[sw:Kamboja]] [[kv:Камбоджа]] [[ht:Kanbòdj]] [[ku:Kembodja]] [[lo:ປະເທດກຳປູເຈຍ]] [[la:Cambosia]] [[lv:Kambodža]] [[lb:Kambodscha]] [[lt:Kambodža]] [[li:Cambodja]] [[ln:Kamboji]] [[lmo:Cambogia]] [[hu:Kambodzsa]] [[mk:Камбоџа]] [[ml:കംബോഡിയ]] [[mi:Cambodia]] [[mr:कंबोडिया]] [[ms:Kemboja]] [[mn:Камбож]] [[my:ကမ္ဘောဒီးယားနိုင်ငံ]] [[nah:Camboya]] [[na:Cambodja]] [[nl:Cambodja]] [[ja:カンボジア]] [[no:Kambodsja]] [[nn:Kambodsja]] [[nov:Kambodia]] [[oc:Cambòtja]] [[ps:کمبوډيا]] [[km:ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា]] [[pms:Cambògia]] [[nds:Kambodscha]] [[pl:Kambodża]] [[pt:Camboja]] [[crh:Kamboçiya]] [[ro:Cambodgia]] [[rm:Cambodscha]] [[qu:Kambuya]] [[ru:Камбоджа]] [[sah:Камбодьа]] [[se:Kampučea]] [[sq:Kamboxhia]] [[scn:Camboggia]] [[simple:Cambodia]] [[sk:Kambodža]] [[sl:Kambodža]] [[szl:Kambodża]] [[sr:Камбоџа]] [[sh:Kambodža]] [[su:Kamboja]] [[fi:Kambodža]] [[sv:Kambodja]] [[tl:Kambodya]] [[ta:கம்போடியா]] [[te:కంబోడియా]] [[th:ประเทศกัมพูชา]] [[tg:Камбоҷа]] [[tr:Kamboçya]] [[tk:Kamboja]] [[udm:Камбоджа]] [[uk:Камбоджа]] [[ur:کمبوڈیا]] [[ug:كامبوجا]] [[vi:Campuchia]] [[vo:Kambocän]] [[fiu-vro:Kambodža]] [[zh-classical:柬埔寨]] [[war:Cambodia]] [[wo:Kamboodi]] [[wuu:柬埔寨]] [[yo:Kàmbódìà]] [[zh-yue:柬埔寨]] [[diq:Kamboçya]] [[bat-smg:Kambuodža]] [[zh:柬埔寨]]'