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COUNTRY INFORMATION

WEATHER CONDITIONS: 

Situated in the tropical zone, Cambodia benefits from a great amount of sun almost year-round. Each season has its own beauty and refreshing changes in weather. The minimum temperature is about 16 degrees. There are two seasons: monsoon season and dry season. The humid, rainy season lasts from April to October due to southwestern monsoons. Temperatures range from 27-35C with humidity up to 90%. Mountainous areas receive the most rain (5 meters annually), while Phnom Penh receives an average of 1.4 meters annually. The hottest month is April when the temperature can reach 38 degrees C. The cool, dry season lasts from November to March with temperatures ranging from 17-27 degrees C (night/day). December to January is the coolest period. The ideal months to be in Cambodia are December and January, when humidity is bearable, temperatures are cooler and it's unlikely to rain. From February onwards it starts getting pretty hot, and April is unbearably so. The wet season (from May to October), though very soggy, can be a good time to visit Angkor, as the moats will be full and the foliage lush - but steer clear of the northeast regions during those months, as the going gets pretty tough when the tracks are waterlogged.

GOVERNMENT:

The official country name since 1993 is the Kingdom of Cambodia. After regaining independence in 1953, the country had several names: State of Cambodia (1989-1993), People's Republic of Kampuchea (1979-1989), Democratic Kampuchea (1975-1979) the Khmer Republic (1970-1975) and the Kingdom of Cambodia (1953-70). The government is a Constitutional Monarchy having a Government headed by democratically elected Prime Minister. The National Assembly is composed of 120 representatives. The voting age is 18. The reigning monarch is King Norodom Sihanouk. Currently, however the First Prime Minister, Norodom Ranariddh, was overthrown in a bloody coup staged by the Second Prime Minister Hun Sen in July 1997. The issue of international recognition of the new government is currently unresolved.

GEOGRAPHY

Cambodia is located in Southeastern Asia, bordered on the west by Thailand, on the north by Laos, on the east by Vietnam and to the south by the Gulf of Thailand. It lies completely within the tropics with its southern most points slightly more than 10° above the Equator. Its geographic coordinates are 13 00 N, 105 00 E. The total area of Cambodia covers 181,040 sq km (11,224 sq mi) (of which 176,520 sq km is land and the balance of 4,520 sq km is water). In comparative terms, Cambodia is about half the size of Vietnam, Germany or Italy and slightly smaller than the state of Oklahoma. Its land boundaries total 2,572 kms, its border countries are Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km and coastline 443 km. The terrain is mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north. Cambodia's natural resources include timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates and hydropower potential. The arable land is 13%, permanent crops, 0%, permanent pastures, 11%, forests and woodland, 66% and other:10%. The natural hazards are monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; and occasional droughts. Topographically, the country is dominated by the mighty Mekong River, which passes through the country for about 500 kilometers in a north-south direction and which cuts a swathe through the country; the fish-filled Tonlé Sap (Great Lake); the Elephant and Cardamom mountains in the southwest; the Dangkrek Mountains along the Thai border; and the Eastern Highlands in the northeast. Most Cambodians live on the fertile central plains of the Mekong-Tonlé basin. The Mekong is navigatable for larger ships from its delta in Vietnam until Phnom Penh and for smaller local craft along all its length except sometimes during the dry season. Southeast Asia's largest lake, Tonle Sap, is connected to the Mekong by a short river, also called Tonle Sap. For most of the time this river flows from Tonle Sap Lake into the Mekong. However, during the South East Asian rainy season from June to October when the Mekong drains large areas of South East Asia and carries tremendous water capacity, the Tonle Sap River reverses its flow so that water flows back into the Tonle Sap Lake thus causing enormous floods in areas surrounding the lake. During this time, Tonle Sap Lake can swell to more than twice of its normal size. During particularly wet seasons when high levels of water flow into the Mekong from Laos in the north combine with storms creating higher water levels south in Vietnam, Cambodia is often caught in between with periods of disastrous flooding over its low lying land. Despite the regular flooding of the low farmlands, the silt left behind makes this land particularly fertile for rice and crop planting which are the main agricultural commodities and provide a basic living for about 80% of the population. Mountain ranges in the shape of a semicircle form of a natural boundary with Thailand. In the west are the Cardamon Mountains (designated after the spice of the same name), in the south west the Elephant Mountains and to the north the Dankret Mountain Range. The highest mountain in Cambodia is Phnom Aural in the Cardamon range, at a height of 1,813 meters. These mountain ranges are only sparsely populated and are comparatively densely covered with forest from which a large timber industry has operated. The southern coastal strip has never been of importance for the Cambodian economy. It is separated from the central plain by difficult terrain.

PROVINCES:

The administrative divisions of Cambodia covers 20 provinces and 3 municipalities* including Banteay Mean Cheay, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Kaoh Kong, Keb*, Krachen, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Cheay, Phnum Penh*, Pouthisat, Preah Seihanu* (Sihanoukville), Preah Vihear, Prey Veng, Rotanah Kiri, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takev.

PEOPLE AND CULTURE:

The population of Cambodia is approximately 11.7 million and 90 percent of those are Khmer, Chinese (approx.5%); Vietnamese (approx.5%); small minorities of hill tribes, Chams, Burmese, and Thai. About 10 percent of the population lives in Phnom Penh, the capital, making Cambodia largely a country of rural dwellers, farmers and artisans. The ethnic groups that constitute Cambodian society possess a number of economic and demographic commonalties- for example, Chinese merchants lived mainly in urban centers and play middlemen in many economic cycles, but they also preserve differences in their social and cultural institutions. They were concentrated mostly in central and in southeastern Cambodia, the major differences among these groups lie in social organization, language, and religion. The majority of the inhabitants of Cambodia are settled in fairly permanent villages near the major bodies of water in the Tonle Sap Basin-Mekong Lowlands region. The Khmer Loeu live in widely scattered villages that are abandoned when the cultivated land in the vicinity is exhausted. The permanently settled Khmer and Cham villages usually located on or near the banks of a river or other bodies of water. Cham villages usually are made up almost entirely of Cham, but Khmer villages, especially in central and in southeastern of Cambodia, typically include sizable Chinese communities. The Khmer Loeu are the non-Khmer highland tribes in Cambodia. They are found namely in the northeastern provinces of Rattanakiri, Stung Treng, Mondulkiri and Crate. Most Khmer Loeu live in scattered temporary villages that have only a few hundred inhabitants. These villages usually are governed by a council of local elders or by a village headman. The Khmer Loeu cultivate a wide variety of plants, but the man crop is dry or upland rice growth by the slash-and-burn method. Hunting, fishing, and gathering supplement the cultivated vegetable foods in the Khmer Loeu diet. Houses vary from huge multi-family long houses to small single family structures. They may be built close to the ground or on stilts. The major Khmer Loeu groups in Cambodia are the Kuy, Phnong, Brao, Jarai, and Rade. All but about 160,000 Kuy lived in the northern Cambodia provinces of Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, and Stoeng as well as in adjacent Thailand. The Cham people in Cambodia descend from refugees of the Kingdom of Champa, which one ruled much of Vietnam between Gao Ha in the north and Bien Hao in the south. The Cambodian Chams are divided into two groups, the orthodox and the traditional- base on their religious practices. The orthodox group, which make up about one-third of the total number of Chams in the country, were located mainly in Phnom Penh - Oudong area and in the provinces of Takeo and Kapot. The traditional Chams were scattered throughout the midsection of the country in the provinces of Battambang, Kompong Thom, Kompong Cham, and Pursat. The Chams of both groups typically live in villages inhabited only by other Chams; the villages may be along the shores of watercourses, or they may be inland. The inhabitants of the river villages engage in fishing and growing vegetables. They trade fish to local Khmer for rice. The women in these villages earn money by weaving. The Chams who live inland support themselves by various means, depending on the villages. Some villages specialize in metalworking; others raise fruit trees or vegetables. The Chams also often serve as butchers of cattle for their Khmer Buddhist neighbors and are, in some areas, regarded as skillful water buffalo and ram breeders. The Chinese in Cambodia formed the country's largest ethnic minority. Sixty percent of the Chinese were urban dwellers engaged mainly in commerce; the other 40 percent were rural residents working as shopkeepers, as buyers and processors of rice, palm sugar, fruit, and fish, and as money lenders. It is estimated that 90 percent of the Chinese in Cambodia were in commerce and that 92 percent of those involved in commerce in Cambodia were Chinese. In rural Cambodia, the Chinese were moneylenders, and they wielded considerable economic power over the ethnic Khmer peasants. The Chinese in Cambodia represented five major linguistic groups, the largest of which was the Teochiu (accounting about 60 percent), followed by the Cantonese (accounting about 20 percent), the Hokkien (accounting about 7 percent), and the Hakka and the Hainanese (each accounting for 4 percent). Those belonging to the certain Chinese linguistic groups in Cambodia tended to gravitate to certain occupations. The Teochiu, who make up about 90 percent of the rural Chinese population, ran village stores, control rural credit and rice marketing facilities, and grew vegetables. In urban areas they were often engaged in such enterprises as the import-export business, the sale of pharmaceuticals, and street peddling. The Cantonese, who were the majority of Chinese groups before Teochiu migrations began in the late 1930s, live mainly in the city. Typically, the Cantonese engages in transportation and in constriction, for the most part as mechanics or carpenters. The Hokkien community was involved import-export and in banking, and it included some of the country’s richest Chinese. The Hainanese started out as pepper growers in Kompot Province, where they continued to dominate that business. Many moved to Phnom Penh, where, in the late 1960s, they reportedly had virtual monopoly on the hotel and restaurant business. They also often operated tailor shops. In Phnom Penh, the newly arrived Hakka were typically folk dentists, sellers of traditional Chinese medicines, and shoemakers. The Vietnamese community is scattered throughout southeastern and central Cambodia. They were concentrated in Phnom Penh, and in Kandal, Prey Veng, and Kampong Cham provinces. No close cultural or religious ties exist between Cambodia and Vietnam. The Vietnamese fall within the Chinese culture sphere, rather within the Indian, where the Thai and Khmer belong. The Vietnamese differ from the Khmer in mode of dress, in kinship organization, and in many other ways- for example the Vietnamese are Mahayama Buddhists while most of the Cambodians are Theravada Buddhists. Although Vietnamese lived in urban centers such as Phnom Penh, a substantial number lived along the lower Mekong and Bassac rivers as well as on the shores of the Tonle Sap, where they engage in fishing. According to Asiaweek's issue of July 6, 1994, Cambodia at that time counted a population of 8.9 Millions. This makes Cambodia the second smallest country in Southeast Asia in terms of population. Most other Southeast Asian countries outnumber the population of Cambodia several times: Indonesia with 191.1 Millions, Vietnam with 73 Millions, the Philippines with 65.6 Millions, Thailand with 59.5 Millions, Burma with 45 Millions and Malaysia with 19.4 Millions. Only Laos is less populated, with 4.5 Millions. By comparison, the city state of Singapore counts a population of around 3.1 Millions. In 1975 Cambodia's population numbered 7.2 Millions. During the four years reign of the Khmer Rouge the population dropped to around 6 Millions mostly due to the genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge but also owing to starvation and migration of large numbers of people, especially ethnic Vietnamese. 

WARNING:

Despite the easing of political tensions in Cambodia, sporadic outbreaks of violence still occur. Visitors are advised to avoid demonstrations and political gatherings, and to generally exercise caution. Cambodia remains one of the world's most heavily land mined countries, with an estimated four to six million UXOs dotted around the countryside waiting to be detonated. The most heavily mined part of the country is the Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Pursat, Siem Reap and Kampong Thom provinces, but landmines are a problem nationwide. It's advisable to travel with a local guide in rural areas, and never venture off the path into forest or dry paddy fields - even when you're at Angkor. Avoid solo travel during the day outside provincial towns, and in all parts of the country at night. Street crime remains a problem in the capital - take particular care at night, and travel by taxi, rather than motos or cyclo. The potential for general banditry and lawlessness is high in the areas between Kratie, Snuol and Stung Treng, due in part to the illegal logging that goes on in the region. Check out Governmental Travel Alerts.

RELIGION:

Official religion is Theraveda Buddhism (95%). Islam; animism; atheism and Christianity are observed. The country also has minority religions of about half a million Muslims, and 60,000 Christians. Theravada Buddhism was introduced into Cambodia in the 12th century by King Jayavaman VII. The sight of saffron-robed monks is common throughout the Kingdom and almost every village has a Buddhism temple as a dominant feature of daily life. 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. 

THINGS TO KNOW:

For visiting temples or pagodas, shorts and T-shirts are acceptable. However, for visiting the Silver Pagoda and the Royal Palace, visitors are asked to dress more formally. Films, such as Kodak or Fuji, are widely available. Any specialized photo equipment should be brought along. 

CURRENCY:
The local currency is the Riel, with a typical exchange rate of around 3,800 Riel to US $1. Riel denominations are 100, 200 and 500. Exchange rates are subject to fluctuation. US Dollars are generally accepted throughout the country. In Phnom Penh, some credit cards can be used and limited services are available for check cashing, and purchasing travelers cheques. Usually, the Riel is only used instead of US Cents. You will pay, for instance, the drivers of Rickshaws (called "Cyclo" or motorcycle taxis in Riel (500 to 1,000 Riel per trip), or the baguette at the local bakery (300 to 500 Riel per loaf). For travellers to Cambodia carrying US Dollars, in small as well as large denominations, there is no need to exchange currency at any time. You automatically acquire possession of Riel when paying in US Dollars and receiving the change below one Dollar in Riel. For a marginally better rate, Dollars can be exchange into Riel at sidewalk money changers. Currencies other than US Dollars can be exchanged at the banks. It is recommended to bring a sufficient amount of US Dollars for the entire duration of your stay. Be aware that US notes that are torn or defaced in any way will not be accepted. Be careful and check the money given to you as change or from banks. In remote rural areas prices are quoted in riel (except accommodation). In western districts, particularly Poipet, Pailin and Koh Kong the Thai Baht is widely used. Traveler's cheque's in US$ can be changed at most banks in Phnom Penh and major tourist destinations. While most major credit cards will be accepted at major hotels, banks, and some businesses, credit cards are not accepted by most local businesses. There are no public ATM money machines and cash advances on credit card can only be done by the main banks.

TRAVEL TO CAMBODIA:
Bangkok is the easiest place to pick up a flight to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap. Flights to the capital also fly out of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Vientiane and Guangzhou. The major airport is Pochentong, 7km (4mi) west of Phnom Penh. The land route will be vastly improved when the road linking Phnom Penh with the Thai border at Poipet is upgraded, but there are no firm plans to improve the road to Siem Reap. A combination of boats and buses will ferry you from Thailand's Trat Province to the coastal town of Krong Koh Kong. Buses and shared taxis will get you to Vietnam's entry point at Moc Bai. The land border with Laos should open up once the Laos-Cambodia border negotiations are completed. There are many ways to enter Cambodia whether you prefer to do so by road over the border crossings, by water services from coastal ports, or by international air flights from neighboring countries. By Road: There are two border entrances that visitors prefer to take: Poipet – Cambodian border to Thailand; and Bavet – Cambodian border to Vietnam. Be aware that current conditions along the main highways are rather bad though improvements are expected. Rough roads, deep potholes, and dust are major problems to be faced. By Water: You can travel from Laos or Vietnam along the Mekong River or by ship to Sihanoukville port which is the Cambodia international sea port. Boat travel is possible from Thailand to the coastal island of Koh Kong and then into Cambodia. By Air: Previously there was only one international airport, Pochontong in Phnom Penh, but recently with the aim to attract more visitors, the government has added Siem Reap as another international airport. There are numerous airlines flying in and out of Cambodia, some are daily and some only a couple of times a week. However, with Cambodia's open skies policy, more airline services are becoming available.

TRAVEL IN CAMBODIA: 
From Pochentong International Airport to anywhere in Phnom Penh (about 8-10 km) will cost you about $5 per trip by taxi. If you are traveling on a tour package transfer arrangements should be made at time of booking. Flying is the quickest (and of course most expensive) way of getting to places like Angkor, Battambang, Ratanakiri, Koh Kong, Stung Treng and Mondulkiri. Road travel is safer than it's been for years, but the country's highways are in truly pathetic shape. Train travel is back on the agenda for visitors but the journey will take much longer than by bus. Trucks and jeeps tackle the dreadful roads to Siem Reap, Battambang and Kratie, and share-taxis scoot around the south coast. With some 1,900km (1,180mi) of navigable waterways to utilize, boats play a major role in getting around. The most popular services operate between the capital and Siem Reap - the express service cuts the journey time down to a mere four hours. Fast boats also head up the Mekong to Kompong Cham, Kratie and Stung Treng. An effective local bus network makes travel to sights around Phnom Penh much easier than driving, particularly as cars can only be hired with a driver. Taxis are more common in the cities these days, and cyclos and motos (small motorcycles) can be flagged down for short hops.

COMMUNICATIONS:
In the last few years, price on hand phone and service have gone down sharply therefore almost everyone carries one presently. There are five companies providing mobile phones services and numbers starting from: 011, 012, 015, 016, 017 and 018. There are no coin operated phones in Cambodia (Cambodian currency has no coins). In Phnom Penh, though, there are card phones situated throughout the city, and the cards to use in them are available at many outlets. There are also several mobile phone systems. - Country Code: +855. City Codes: Phnom Penh IDD 23 (e.g.: (855-23) 26107 Ministry of Tourism). International calls can be dialed direct from the main post office, private business centers, hotels, or by purchasing cards for use in public telephones located throughout Phnom Penh. Credit card calls and reversal of charges are not available in Cambodia. Phnom Penh has land-line systems several mobile phone systems. Provincial cities including Siem Riep, Sihanoukville, Battambang and Kompong Cham can be reached on the mobile phone network. 

LANGUAGES:

The official language is Khmer, which belongs to the Mon-Khmer family, enriched by Indian Pali and Sanskrit languages and also influenced by spoken and written Thai. Some technical languages are borrowed from French. It has 23 vowels, 33 consonants, 24 dependent vowels, 12 independent vowels and several diacritics. Given the French protectorate presence, many older, educated Khmers speak and read French. In recent years the trend among younger Cambodians has been to study English as a second language such that one readily finds people who speak English. However, English is commonly communicated in hotels and business compounds at present days. About 50% literacy rate.

FOOD SPECIALTIES:

Rice and fish are the basic meals among Khmers. Local specialties include curries, soups and many varieties of dishes prepared with beef, pork, poultry and seafood which is abundant in the rivers and oceans. Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine are also common to Cambodia as well as a variety of Western cuisine which can be found in abundance in the Capital. The Khmer cuisine is closely related to other Asian countries, but not very spicy. The typical Khmer dishes are rice, fish, curries and soups with beef, pork, poultry and tasty sauces. Western style food is provided widely in the major cities although other Asian dishes are available (Chinese, Korean, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese). Never drink tap water. Purified bottle water is available everywhere. Soft drinks are also widely sold as well as locally brewed and imported beers. 

FESTIVALS

Lunar New Year is celebrated by ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese in late January or early February. The Khmer New Year celebrations bring the country to a standstill for three days in mid-April - a fair amount of water and talcum powder gets thrown around at this time, so it's a lively but non-contemplative time to visit. Chat Preah Nengkal, the Royal Ploughing Festival, takes place near the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh in early May. The Khmer calendar's most important festival is Bom Om Tuk, celebrating the end of the wet season in early November - it's the best time to visit Phnom Penh or Siem Reap. Banks, ministries and embassies are closed during all public holidays and festivals.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

January - Commemoration Day of the last sermon of the Buddha; date determined by the lunar calendar. January 7 - national holiday in commemoration of the fall of the Khmer Rouge in 1979. April - Chaul Chhnam; traditional Cambodian New Year, equaling Songkran in Thailand; the celebrations last for three days during which Cambodians douse each other liberally with water; exact date determined by the lunar calendar. April - Visak Bauchea; commemoration of the birth and the first sermon of the Buddha; exact date determined by the lunar calendar. April 17 - Independence Day; national holiday in commemoration of the fall of the Lon Nol dictatorship on April 17, 1975. May 1- Labour Day. June 19 - Memorial Day of the founding of the revolutionary forces of Cambodia in 1951; parades in Phnom Penh. June 28 - Memorial Day of the founding of the Revolutionary People's Party of Cambodia in 1951; parades and celebrations in Phnom Penh. July - beginning of the Buddhist Lent; the exact date depends on the lunar calendar. The day is preferred by Cambodian and Buddhist men of neighboring countries for becoming monks, mostly on a temporary basis. September - the day of the final celebrations of the Buddhist Lent; exact date determined by the lunar calendar. September - Prachum Ben; a kind of Cambodian All-Saints-Day in commemoration of the dead and ancestors; exact date determined by the lunar calendar. October and November - Water Festival; this festival celebrates the turn of the current of the Tonle Sap river.

ELECTRIC POWER:

220V, 50Hz (unstable supply). All electric appliances use 220 volts, Asian style two pin plug. Electricity is available in most cities for 24 hours, but in remote power cuts are possible during the night and it is recommended to carry a flash light.

CLOTHING 
Lightweight, loose-fitting, cotton clothing is recommended and long-sleeved items should be included for protection from mosquitoes and the sun. During the rainy season an umbrella is more convenient than a rain coast. A jacket may be needed in hotels and restaurants using excessive air-conditioning. 

HEALTH AND MEDICAL FACILITIES:

Good hospitals are only available in Phnom Penh. Private doctors and pharmacies are available in most cities. Major tourist destinations, such as Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, are free of Malaria. However, for the evenings it is recommended to wear long sleeve shirts and long pants and to apply insect repellants to prevent mosquito bites. Although vaccinations are not officially required, it is recommended that travelers get vaccinated for cholera, typhoid, tetanus, and hepatitis A and B if you are going to the provinces. Malaria protection is also recommended if you intend traveling outside the main cities for any duration. We recommend checking out the US Center for Disease Control - Traveler's Health Center. As a general precautionary measure, we recommended that you take out health insurance before traveling overseas. You should consult with your medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether your policy applies overseas and if it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. Note that some insurers will only authorize payment for medical evacuations performed by companies with whom they have pre-existing agreements.

Travelers alerts, warnings and information from various governmental sources: