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Cambodia |
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Cultural & Educational |
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Eco Tours |
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The Kingdom of Cambodia
Formerly the leading empire in Southeast Asia, Cambodia's civilization has both a
long and culturally rich historical background. Today, Cambodia occupies only a
small corner of the Khmer Empire that extended over a large power and feats of
construction, notably the many great temples, including Angkor Wat built by King
Suryavarman II and the Bayon Temple by King Jayavarman VII. After that
glorious period of unrivaled achievement, indications are that the irrigation
network was overworked and the country was the victim of repeated invasions
from its neighbors, which cast this great empire into a period of decline from
which it never fully recovered. The country became a French protectorate in
1864 and was also occupied by the Japanese for a short while. In 1953, it once
again became an independent country. Cambodia was greatly influenced by the
French during the colonial period, as were its neighbors in Indochina. As a
result, the country has been left with a legacy of many interesting building of
distinctive architecture, an attraction for many visitors.
Cambodia has a surface area of 181035 square kilometers, and its population is
reaching the figure of 12 million inhabitants, 90 percent of whom are Khmer, the
remaning 10 percent being Cham (Khmer Muslim), hill tribes, Chinese and
Vietnamese. Ninety-five percent of the people of Cambodia adhere to Thervada
Buddhism, which is the official religion of the country. Besides its stunning stone
temples, Cambodia is a country of beautiful scenery. The tropical climate and
rich alluvial soil are good for the agricultural potential of the country, and its
dense rain forests are the home of elephants, tigers and many other wild
animals. Its lakes, rivers and many other attractions make Cambodia a full-fledged
tourist destination.
Despite the hard times that have confronted the Cambodian people, they are
very happy to welcome visitors with warm, heartfelt smile. For good reason
Cambodia is known as the "land of million smiles."
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