Southeast Asia · Asia

Cambodia

Discover Cambodia - home to Angkor Wat, the world's largest religious monument, where ancient Khmer civilization meets the bustling energy of a young nation rising from a tragic past.

Where Is Cambodia?

Cambodia is a country in Southeast Asia. Its capital is Phnom Penh.

Where Cambodia isSoutheast Asia · Capital Phnom Penh

Capital Phnom Penh
Population 17.8M
Area 181,035 km²

Cambodia is the country that built Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument ever constructed. Between the 9th and 15th centuries, the Khmer Empire ruled most of mainland Southeast Asia from a capital that at its peak held over a million people - making it the largest city in the pre-industrial world. The temples they left behind, hundreds of them scattered across the jungle near Siem Reap, are among the most extraordinary architectural achievements in human history. The main temple of Angkor Wat is so central to Cambodian identity that it appears on the national flag - the only country in the world with a building on its flag.

Modern Cambodia carries the weight of one of the 20th century's darkest chapters. The Khmer Rouge regime of 1975-1979 killed an estimated two million people, nearly a quarter of the population, in one of history's worst genocides. Yet Cambodia's recovery has been remarkable. Phnom Penh buzzes with energy, the riverside promenades are packed, and the median age is just 26. The country runs largely on US dollars alongside its own riel, and tourism - driven by those astonishing temples - has become a major economic engine. Cambodians are among the warmest and most resilient people you will meet anywhere, and their smile is genuine, forged in a history that would have broken most nations.

At a glance

Language

Khmer

Currency

Cambodian Riel (KHR)

Calling Code

+855

Drives On

Right

Internet

.kh

Timezone

ICT (UTC+7)

Script

Khmer

Government

Constitutional Monarchy

Independence

1953

By population

Largest cities in Cambodia

Phnom Penh

Capital at the confluence of four rivers, a rapidly growing city mixing French colonial architecture, Buddhist pagodas, and rooftop bars

2,300,000

Siem Reap

Gateway to the Angkor temple complex, transformed from a sleepy town into Southeast Asia's premier cultural tourism destination

250,000

Battambang

Second largest city and Cambodia's cultural capital, known for its colonial architecture, circus arts, and surrounding rice paddies

180,000

Sihanoukville

Coastal city on the Gulf of Thailand with beaches and islands, undergoing massive development and transformation

100,000

People

Famous people from Cambodia

King Jayavarman VII
Politics
Greatest Khmer king who built Angkor Thom, the Bayon temple, and expanded the empire to its largest extent in the late 12th century
Norodom Sihanouk
Politics
King and independence leader who navigated Cambodia through decolonization, was also a filmmaker and composed music
Rithy Panh
Film
Oscar-nominated filmmaker whose The Missing Picture used clay figures to tell the story of the Khmer Rouge genocide
Vann Nath
Art
Artist who survived the Tuol Sleng prison and spent his life painting scenes of Khmer Rouge atrocities to preserve memory

Food

Traditional cuisine of Cambodia

Fish Amok: Cambodia's signature dish - fish steamed in banana leaves with a creamy coconut curry sauce flavored with kroeung spice paste
Lok Lak: Stir-fried beef with pepper sauce served on lettuce with tomato, onion, and a fried egg, a beloved everyday Cambodian meal
Nom Banh Chok: Khmer noodles with a green fish curry sauce, fresh herbs, and vegetables, eaten for breakfast across the country
Prahok: Fermented fish paste that is the backbone of Cambodian cooking, used in virtually every dish as the essential umami element
Bai Sach Chrouk: Sliced pork marinated in garlic and coconut milk, grilled over charcoal and served over broken rice, the classic Cambodian breakfast

Nature

Nature and landmarks in Cambodia

Angkor Archaeological ParkLandmark: UNESCO World Heritage complex of over 1,000 temples spread across 400 square kilometers of jungle, the crowning achievement of the Khmer Empire
Tonle SapLake: Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake that swells to five times its size during monsoon season, with floating villages and extraordinary biodiversity
Cardamom MountainsMountain: Southwest wilderness containing one of the largest intact rainforests in mainland Southeast Asia, home to elephants, sun bears, and clouded leopards
Koh RongIsland: Tropical island off the southern coast with white sand beaches, bioluminescent plankton, and coral reefs
Mekong RiverRiver: The mighty Mekong flows through eastern Cambodia, meeting the Tonle Sap in a unique hydrological phenomenon at Phnom Penh

Sport

Sports in Cambodia

Pradal Serey: Cambodia's traditional kickboxing art, closely related to Muay Thai, with a history stretching back to the Angkor period
Football: Most popular modern sport in the country, with a growing domestic league and passionate fan base
Boat Racing: The annual Water Festival features dramatic longboat races on the Tonle Sap River, drawing millions to Phnom Penh

Facts

Did you know?

Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument ever built and the only building to appear on a national flag
The Tonle Sap River reverses its flow direction twice a year during monsoon season, a unique phenomenon in the natural world
Cambodia's Khmer alphabet has 74 letters, making it the largest alphabet in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records
The country effectively uses two currencies - the Cambodian riel and the US dollar, with dollars used for most transactions
At its peak in the 12th century, the Khmer Empire's capital of Angkor was the largest city in the world with over a million inhabitants
Fried tarantulas are a popular snack in the town of Skuon, originally eaten for survival during the Khmer Rouge era

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