CAMBODIAN HISTORY

A carbon-l4 dating from a cave in northwestern Cambodia suggests that people using stone tools
lived in the cave as early as 4000 bc, and rice has been grown on Cambodian soil since well before
the 1st century ad. The first Cambodians likely arrived long before either of these dates. They
probably migrated from the north, although nothing is known about their language or their way of
life.
By the beginning of the 1st century ad, Chinese traders began to report the existence of inland and
coastal kingdoms in Cambodia. These kingdoms already owed much to Indian culture, which
provided alphabets, art forms, architectural styles, religions (Hinduism and Buddhism), and a
stratified class system. Local beliefs that stressed the importance of ancestral spirits coexisted with
the Indian religions and remain powerful today.
Cambodia's modem-day culture has its roots in the 1st to 6th centuries in a state referred to as
Funan, known as the oldest Indianized state in Southeast Asia. It is from this period that evolved
Cambodia's language, part of the Mon-Khmer family, which contains elements of Sanskrit, its
ancient religion of Hinduism and Buddhism. Historians have noted, for example, that Cambodians
can be distinguished from their neighbors by their clothing - checkered scarves known as Kramas
are worn instead of straw hats.
Funan gave way to the Angkor Empire with the rise to power of King Jayavarman II in 802. The
following 600 years saw powerful Khmer kings dominate much of present day Southeast Asia,
from the borders of Myanmar east to the South China Sea and north to Laos. It was during this
period that Khmer kings built the most extensive concentration of religious temples in the world -
the Angkor temple complex. The most successful of Angkor's kings, Jayavarman II, Indravarman
I, Suryavarman II and Jayavarman VII, also devised a masterpiece of ancient engineering: a
sophisticated irrigation system that includes barays (gigantic man-made lakes) and canals that
ensured as many as three rice crops a year. Part of this system is still in use today.
CAMBODIA GEOGRAPHY

Cambodia has a land area of 181,035 square kilometers in the southwestern part of the Indochina
peninsula, about 20 percent of which is used for agriculture. It lies completely within the tropics
with its southern most points slightly more than 10 above the Equator. The country capital city is
Phnom Penh.
International borders are shared with Thailand and the Lao Peoples Democratic Republic on the
West and the North, and the Social Republic of Viet Nam on the East and the Southeast. The
country is bounded on the Southeast by the Gulf of Thailand. In comparison with neighbors,
Cambodia is a geographical contact country administratively composed of 20 provinces, three of
which have relatively short maritime boundaries, 2 municipalities, 172 districts, and 1,547
communes. The country has a coastline of 435 km and extensive mangrove stands, some of which
are relatively undisturbed.

The dominant features of the Cambodian landscape are the large, almost generally located, Tonle
Sap (Great Lake) and the Bassac River Systems and the Mekong River, which crosses the country
from North to South. Surrounding the Central Plains which covered three quarters of the countrys
area are the more densely forested and sparsely populated highlands, comprising: The Elephant
Mountains and Cardamom Mountain of the southwest and western regions; the Dangrek
Mountains of the North adjoining of the Korat Plateau of Thailand; and Rattanakiri Plateau and
Chhlong highlands on the east merging with the Central Highlands of Viet Nam.
RELIGION IN CAMBODIA

Thearavada Buddhism is the official religion in Cambodia which is practiced by 95 percent of the
population-- just like that of Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka. However, Christianity and Cham Muslim
are being active and popular among a large number of population as well in the capital and
provinces, showing a sign of growth. Daoism and Confuism are also commonly practiced among
the Chinese people.
Buddhist monks are highly disciplined and must follow 227 rules in addition to the ten basic
precepts of being a good Buddhist. Monks cannot take part in entertainment. They lead simple
lives dedicated to Buddhism and the temple.
Buddhists see the universe and all life as part of a cycle of eternal change. They follow the teaching
of Buddha, an Indian prince born in the sixth century B.C. Buddhists believe that a person
is continually reborn, in human or nonhuman form, depending on his or her actions in a previous
life. They are released from this cycle only when thy reach nirvana, which may be attained by
achieving good karma through earning merit and following the Buddhist path of correct living.
Earning merit is an important of Buddhist life. Buddhists in Cambodia earn merit by giving money,
goods, and labor to the temples, or by providing one of the two daily meals of the monks.
Children often look after the fruits trees and vegetable gardens inside their local wat, or temple.
Boys can earn merit by becoming temple servants or novice monks for a short time. Most young
men remain monks for less than a year.
ROYAL GOVERNMENT OF CAMBODIA

Samdech HUN SEN

Prime Minister of Cambodia

In the past two decades, Cambodia has gone through many major changes reflecting the heroic
sacrifice of the Cambodian people to protect and to rebuild their homeland, the standard of their
living, and the prosperity of their future. With the October 23, 1991 Paris Peace Agreement,
Cambodia achieves full right and sovereignty. For the result, the Cambodian people may fervently
develop their country with generous assistance from international communities.
Before reaching their goal of prosperity, they facedmany critical proceedings. With His Majesty
vision of Preah Bat Samdech NorodomSihanouk, the beloved king of the Cambodia people, peace
and nationalreconciliation were finally achieved.
At the second session of the auspicious plenarymeeting of the National Assembly, I (Samdech Hun
Sen, Prime Minister) have the honor to submit the Royal Government of Cambodia's Platform for
approval from the august legislative body, the National Assembly. It is a foundation of governance
to ensure peace, stability, democracy and development for the Cambodian people and to rebuild
their country.

CAMBODIAN CUISINE
Khmer cuisine (Khmer: ) or, more generally, Cambodian cuisine, is the
traditional cuisine of the people of Cambodia. Average meals typically consist of more than one
dish and ideally contrasts flavors, textures and temperatures within the meal using plenty of herbs,
leaves, pickled vegetables, dipping sauces, edible flowers and other garnishes and condiments.
Rice is the staple food in Cambodia, and it is part of every meal, both as an accompaniment and
used as an ingredient for many dishes. According to the International Rice Research Institute, there
are 2,000 rice varieties indigenous to Cambodia that were developed over centuries by Cambodian
rice farmers.
Rice is eaten throughout the day in the form of street-side snacks, such as deep-fried rice cakes
with chives and spinach, for breakfast, as in Cambodia's famous rice noodle soup kuyteav or rice
porridge, and in many desserts. Plain white rice is served with nearly every family meal, typically
served with grilled freshwater fish, a samlor or soup, and an assortment of seasonal herbs, salad
leaves and vegetables.
The popular Khmer dish called amok uses a kind of catfish steamed in a savoury coconut-based
curry. The small fish known as Trey Dang Dau are very common and are often eaten deep-fried.
While freshwater fish is the most commonly used meat in the Cambodian diet, pork and chicken
are also popular.

Language in Cambodia
Khmer is the official language of Cambodia and is used in most social contexts including
government administration, education at all levels, and in the mass media. It is spoken by some 7
million people living there, roughly 90% of the population.
Regional differences are slight and normally mutually intelligible. Based on the dialect of the
capital city of Phnom Penh, Modern Khmer is used throughout the nation and widely understood
by its inhabitants. Much Khmer vocabulary used in literature, the military, and administration is
borrowed from Sanskrit, or Pali. Due to years of French colonial rule, numerous French words
have been incorporated into the language as well.

Cambodian Etiquette
Meeting & Greeting
Greetings between Cambodians are dependent on the relationship/hierarchy/age between
the people.
The traditional greeting is a bow combined with a bringing of the hands together at chest
level (similar to bringing hands together for prayer).
If one intends to show greater respect the bow is lower and the hands brought higher.
With foreigners Cambodians have adopted the western practice of shaking hands. Women
may still use the traditional Cambodian greeting.
 The simple rule is to respond with the greeting you are given.
In Cambodia people are addressed with the honorific title "Lok" for a man and "Lok Srey"
for a woman followed with the first name or both the first and surname.
Dining Etiquette
Table manners are fairly formal.
If unconfident with the dos and don'ts simply follow what others do.
When invited to the dining table wait to be told where to sit as you would not want to upset
any hierarchical arrangements.
The oldest person is usually seated first.
Similarly, the eldest person should start eating before others.
Do not begin eating until the eldest person starts.
Never discuss business in such social settings.

Events and Festivals

Cambodia has a wealth of traditional and international festivals. Most of these are a time of great
rejoicing for the predominantly rural populace, many of whom flock to the capital to join in the
celebrations and witness the organized fireworks displays which accompany the festivals. It is at
these times the nation unites with a shared common understanding of values and traditions and
they are looked forward to with great expectation. Even in times of hardship people try even harder
to make these times special. All the traditional festivals are influenced by the concepts of
Buddhism, Hinduism and royal cultures. The following are the most important of the celebrations
organized throughout the year.

Water festival (October or November)

This vast festival is probably the most extravagant festival in the calendar. Over three days starting
with the last full moon day in October or the beginning of November up to a million people from
all walks of life from all over the country flock to the banks of Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers in
Phnom Penh to watch hundreds of brightly colored boats with over 50 paddlers battle it out for top
honors. The boat racing dates back to ancient times marking the strengths of the powerful Khmer
marine forces during the Khmer empire. In the evening brightly, decorated floats cruise along the
river prior to and complimenting the fireworks displays. there is often a parallel festival at Angkor
Wat and although it is smaller in scale it is just as impressive due to the backdrop of Angkor Wat.

The festival marks the changing of the flow of the Tonle Sap and is also seen as thanksgiving to
the Mekong River for providing the country with fertile land and abundant fish. It is at this time
when the river flow reverts to its normal downstream direction. The remarkable phenomenon that
is the Tonle Sap sees the river flowing upstream during the rainy season and then change direction
as the rains cease and the swollen Tonle Sap Lake empties back into the Mekong River leaving
behind vast quantities of fish.
 Pchum Ben (September)

This is the most culturally and religiously significant event of the year and is celebrated in
September. This festival of souls concentrates on blessing the souls of ancestors, relatives, and
friends who have passed away. All Buddhist temples, especially Wat Phnom, are the focal points
for this festival and most Cambodians visit the temples to make traditional offerings and pray.

King Sihanouk's Birthday Celebration (October 31)

This celebration revering the country's influential king take place in late October or early
November. People from all over the country come to the capital to join in celebrations and
festivities held throughout the capital. Often the King's birthday and Water festivals coincide
resulting in a mammoths celebration in front of the Royal Palace and along the riverfront.
Provincial villagers who would ordinarily have no reason to visit Phnom Penh will save up and
make this occasion their sole visit to the capital.

Khmer New Year's Day (Mid-April)

Celebrated at the same time as the Thai New Year all over the country, this festival marks the turn
of the year based on the ancient Khmer calendar and also marks the end of the harvest done during
the year. Cambodians decorate their homes to please the Heaven God and many people can be
seen on the streets armed with small bags of water and water pistols to bless people passing by.
This festival is one of the happiest times of the year with joyous smiling faces everywhere you
turn. Cambodians do recognize International New Year on 1 January but there are no celebrations
then.

Angkor Festival (November or December)

This festival is a showcase of performing arts with Angkor Wat as a backdrop. Performers from
all over Asia attend this festival performing great epic stories from myths and legends, including
the Ramayana, with their own national dance costumes and musical and rhythmic inter-predations.
King Sihanouk often attends when he is in residence in Siem Reap and other dignitaries come to
witness this wonderful spectacle.

Royal Ploughing Day (May)

Cambodia has a deep connection with the Earth and farming, and there is a deep astrological belief
that the Ox has an instrumental role in determining the fate of the agricultural harvest each year.
Every year, in May, this cultural ceremony takes place in the large park next to the Royal Palace
and in front of the National Museum. The King plays a key role in driving the Ox and depicting
real ploughing activities in the process of growing rice. The Ox is given a selection of foods and
beverages to consume and the royal soothsayers interpret what the Ox has eaten. For this festival
both men and women can be seen wearing brightly colored traditional Khmer costume.

Independence Day (November 9)

This important ceremony takes place at the site of the Independence Monument at the junction of
Norodom and Sihanouk Boulevards. This ceremony celebrates Cambodia's gaining of
independence from France in 1953. All over the city flags adorn the shop fronts and bunting
stretched over all the main thoroughfares as a sign of national pride.

Chinese New Year (January or February)

Due to the large number of people of Chinese descent who run much of Cambodia's business
enterprises; and also, Vietnamese immigrant communities, the Chinese New Year is widely
celebrated, especially in Phnom Penh. No Chinese festival would be complete without fireworks
and this time of year is no exception with many wealthy families organizing their own private
displays which light up the skies for all to see.

National Day (January 7)

One of the more recent additions to the festival calendar, this day marks the end of the Khmer
Rouge Regime. However, for many Khmers it also marks the start of the Vietnamese regime seen
as another period of foreign occupancy.

International Half Marathon (Late December)

This International Half Marathon is held at Angkor Wat and attracts competitors from all over the
world. Thousands of people come to see this international event held in the spectacular setting that
is Angkor.

Other Holidays and Festivals

Cambodia also celebrates other special days including: International Women's Day (8 March),
International Worker's Day (1 May), Genocide Day (9 May), Vesak Bucha Day - the anniversary
of the birth, enlightenment, and death of Buddha (Late May), Ploughing the Holy Furrow (Late
May), Chol Vassa - Buddhist Lent (July), and International Human Rights Day (10 December).