Beneath the Cardamom Mountains or on the banks of the Mekong, Khmer village life goes on pretty much as it always has (give or take the odd iPhone). And when you’re watching a sunrise over Angkor Wat or the ruins of Tha Promh, the modern world feels a long way off. While progress was for years dampened by a tragic history – Cambodia is now a country on the move. With riverside boulevards and art galleries popping up in Phnom Penh, and Siem Reap’s growing reputation for hip cafes and dining, Cambodia tours aren’t all about the temple-gazing.
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TimezoneUCT+7:00
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Climate
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Fact Sheet
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Voltage220VOutlet Configuration
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CurrencyRiel (KHR)
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Highlight CityPnom Penh, Siem Reap
GEOGRAPHY
Area
Total: 181,035 sq km
Land: 176,515 sq km
Water: 4,520 sq km
Country comparison to the world: 91
Land boundaries
Total: 2,530 km
Border countries (3): Laos 555 km, Thailand 817 km, Vietnam 1,158 km Coastline: 443 km
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate
Tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain
Mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
Elevation
Mean elevation: 126 m
Lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
Highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m
Natural resources
Oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential, arable land
Land use
Agricultural land: 32.1%
Arable land 22.7%
Forest: 56.5%
Other: 11.4% (2011 est.)
Irrigated land
3,540 sq km (2012)
PEOPLE & SOCIATY
Population
16,204,486 (July 2017 est.)
Country comparison to the world: 68
Ethnic groups
Khmer 97.6%, Cham 1.2%, Chinese 0.1%, Vietnamese 0.1%, other 0.9% (2013 est.)
Languages
Khmer (official) 96.3%, other 3.7% (2008 est.)
Religions
Buddhist (official) 96.9%, Muslim 1.9%, Christian 0.4%, other 0.8% (2008 est.)
