The Kingdom of Cambodia (pronounced /kæmˈboʊdiə/, formerly known as Kampuchea (/kæmpuːˈtʃiːə/), transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East Asia with a population of over 13 million people. The kingdom's capital and largest city is Phnom Penh. Cambodia is the successor state of the once powerful Hindu and Buddhist Khmer Empire, which ruled most of the Indochinese Peninsula between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries.
A citizen of Cambodia is usually identified as "Cambodian" or "Khmer," though the latter strictly refers to ethnic Khmers. Most Cambodians are Theravada Buddhists of Khmer extraction, but the country also has a substantial number of predominantly Muslim Cham, as well as ethnic Chinese, Vietnamese and small 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: Tonle Thom or "the great river") and the Tonlé Sap ("the fresh water lake"), an important source of fish.
Cambodia's main industries are garments, tourism, and construction. In 2007, foreign visitors to Angkor Wat numbered more than 4 million. 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.
Capital (and largest city): Phnom Penh
Official languages: Khmer
Demonym: Cambodian
Government: Constitutional monarchy,Parliamentary representative democracy
King: Norodom Sihamoni
Prime Minister: Hun Sen
Formation
- Khmer empire 802
- Monarchy reestablished November 9, 1953
- Monarchy restored May 1993
Area
- Total 181,035 km2 (88th)
69,898 sq mi
- Water (%) 2.5
Population
- 2008 estimate 13,388,910 (67th)
- 2008 census 13,388,910
- Density 74/km2 (125th) 192/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2007 estimate
- Total $26.064 billion[1] (89th)
- Per capita $1,817[1] (133rd)
GDP (nominal) 2007 estimate
- Total $8.690 billion[1]
- Per capita $606[1]
HDI (2007) ▲ 0.598 (medium) (131st)
Currency Riel (៛)1 (KHR)
Time zone (UTC+7)
- Summer (DST) (UTC+7)
Drives: on the right
Internet TLD: .kh
Calling code : 855
1 Local currency, although US dollars are widely used.
