WHERE IS CAMBODIA?

Welcome: The Kingdom of Cambodia is home to one of the ancient wonders of the world, Angkor Wat, the largest religious building in the world. The land was called Kampuchea by Cambodians, where the Khmer Empire flourished and reigned over much of Southeast Asia, from the 9th to the 13th centuries. It was colonized by France in the 1860s, and granted independence in 1953. In 1970, a conflict began with neighboring Vietnam, during which time the Khmer Rouge came to play a major role. In 1975, the Khmer Rouge began a massive, radical, and brutal forced restructuring of the entire country, with the goal of making Cambodia a perfect agrarian communal society. This effort resulted in nearly 20 years of disastrous civil violence. Today the country is a constitutional monarchy, with elected government officials. Cambodians, ranging from officials to common people, are eager to establish Cambodia as a stable, safe environment in which to live, work, and travel.
This website will present information and pictures collected about the Kingdom of Cambodia, primarily from the Fulbright Study Tour in the summer of 1999. It is organized according to the State of Oregon Geography Standards.

Cambodia's Absolute Location:
Cambodia's capitol, Phnom Penh, lies at 11.5 degrees north, 105 degrees east. Cambodia, a country about the size of Missouri (69,898 square miles, or 181,036 square kilometers), is located in Southeast Asia, on the Indochinese peninsula. It is bordered on the North West by Thailand, on the Indochinese peninsula. It is southeast by Vietnam. To the southwest is the gulf of Thailand.

Cambodia is located only 11.5 degrees above the Equator, so it is a tropical country. The climate is warm and rainy with monsoon rains coming twice a year. From November to April, days are sunny and dry, but from May to October, it rains almost every day. On the coast, during these monsoon seasons, Cambodia receives up to 200 inches of rain a year. Inland, rainfall amounts to about 55 inches. Temperatures range from 80-100 degrees Fahrenheit. Cambodia is dominated by a mighty lake, the Tonle Sap, located roughly in its center. Once a year, due to the enormous amount of rain, the level of the Mekong River rises so much that the Tonle Sap River can no longer flow into it. The river reverses its direction and flows north into the lake, causing it to swell to triple its size. The Tonle Sap Lake then covers one-seventh of Cambodia! Fish abound, and silt created by the river's reversal, make soil quite fertile.

The central half of Cambodia is a flat rolling plain. Surrounding the plain is a savanna; bordering it are low mountains. The Dangrek Mountains are located on the northern border with Thailand. South of these lie the Cardamom Mountains; south of the Cardamoms along the coast are the Elephant Mountains. Sandy beaches dot the south coast. Highlands lie to the east along the Vietnamese border.

Natural vegetation grows lush and thick in Cambodia. Its eastern highlands are covered with thick tropical rainforest. Out of a plane it looks like a bumpy, woven green blanket completely covering the ground. Mahogany and teak trees form a canopy over shorter palms and vines. Seventy-five percent of Cambodia was once covered with rainforest; now, that amount has been reduced to forty percent due to excessive logging by foreign and local companies. Mangroves, trees which grow in salt water, join palm trees bordering much of the coast.

Movement in Cambodia:
In ancient times, Cambodia was influenced by Indian traders in both religion and art. Variations of the Indian Hindu Ramayana are part of Cambodian, Thai, and Javanese cultures. These influences can be seen in temple sculptures. Today, as a result of ancient marriages, most of the country is Buddhist.

In addition to the French language, which is spoken mainly by intellectuals who survived the Pol Pot regime, France has influenced the architecture of Cambodia. A visitor would see its extensive use in buildings in Phnom Penh, but decay set in during the four years of desertion. Restoration of these architectural treasures is an ongoing, long-term process in a country with very little means, but there is ample evidence of rehabilitation. French bread can be bought at most market stalls.

Tourism is another industry which is developing slowly. There are now direct flights from Bangkok to Siem Reap (Angkor Wat), so unfortunately travelers can avoid spending money and time in Phnom Penh. New hotel construction is exploding in Siem Reap in anticipation of a tourist boom at the temples. Duty free shops are in the planning stage. Ecotourism is in its infancy, and a visitor can take fishing boats on a tour of Ream National Park, southeast of Sihanoukville. Kirirom National Park is another excursion on the road from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville.


Interaction in Cambodia
People of Cambodia are very closely tied to their land. More than three-fourths of the workforce is employed in agriculture. Rice is the main crop, but some export crops are pepper, cassava, corn, rubber, sugarcane, and soybeans. Fruit is also an important subsistence crop. This includes: banana, durian, grapefruit, mango, orange, breadfruit, and papaya. Livestock includes water buffaloes, cattle, and pigs. Most of Cambodia's fish comes from the Tonle Sap Lake. Mining of gemstones (rubies and sapphires) is an industry located along the Thai-Cambodia border. Illegal logging is still a problem, and charcoal kilns dot the countryside near Sihanoukville. Of concern is human and animal waste pollution in Tonle Sap Lake, one of the world's richest sources of freshwater fish. Shrimp farming on the coast is a growing commercial industry, but this necessitates the clearing of mangroves to create artificial ponds; fertilizers and chemicals create pollution problems in these areas. Hydroelectric power has potential, but could cause ecological problems. There seemed to be a lack of wildlife.

Regions of Cambodia:
In Cambodia's northeast corner is its most primitive and remote province, Rattanakiri, one of four provinces home to several hilltribes. These groups are not ethnic Khmer as are most Cambodians, and they occupy a mountainous and isolated area of rainforest. They are mostly subsistence farmers and rubber plantation workers. People also raise tobacco. This is an area of poverty and high infant mortality. The south coast is an area of mangroves and palm studded sandy beaches. Cambodia's only port, Sihanoukville, is located there. Islands in the area are beautiful and accessible by boat and most people fish or work at the port. Tourists stay in small hotels along the beach. Ream National Park protects the mangrove ecosystem from extinction, and tourists can explore this resource using local guides.

Phnom Penh is the largest and most developed city in Cambodia. This once beautiful capitol city is in the process of rebuilding. Architecture is a mix of Khmer and French, with several markets in the middle of town. People play soccer and volleyball, and fly kites on the plaza. Two large rivers converge here, the Tonle Sap and the Mekong. There are modern hotels, largely owned by foreign companies; one of these hosts a large gambling facility. Like many big cities in Asia, prostitution and poverty are problems. As the government becomes more stable, agencies will be able to address solutions to these situations.

The Tonle Sap (Great Lake) is a huge lake in central Cambodia. It swells from 3000 square kilometers in the dry season to over 7500 square kilometers during the monsoons, due to a rise in the level of the Mekong River which flows into it. Soil is extremely fertile along its banks, and the vast majority of Cambodians live here. In addition to ethnic Khmers, backgrounds of farmers and fisher people here range from Vietnamese, who fish, to Chinese, who are successful farmers.

Battambang, Cambodia's second largest city, is located in the west. It used to be the country's rice bowl area, but the problem with landmines which were placed during the many years of war, makes it hazardous to farm and discouraging to tourists. In the past, there have also been problems with refugees returning from camps along the Thai border. See http://www.btinternet.com/~andy.brouwer/batt99.htm for more recent pictures and information.


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