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1. COUNTRY
Cambodia, located in
Southeast Asia, is bordered by the Gulf Of
Thailand in the south and west, by Thailand and
Laos in the north,
and by Vietnam in the south and east.
Cambodia is divided
into 20 provinces (kaeyte): Banteay Meancheay,
Battambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang,
Kampong Speu, Kampong Thom, Kampot, Kandal, Koh
Kong, Kratie, Mondul Kiri, Oddar Meancheay,
Pursat, Preah Vihear, Prey Veng,
Rattanak Kiri,
Siem Reap, Stung Treng, Svay Rieng and Takeo;
and 3 municipalities (krong): Kep, Phnom Penh
and Preah Seihanu (Sihanoukville).
2.
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
Cambodia is about 181,035 sq km
3. AREA
513,115 sq km
4. POPULATION
13.8 million
5. CAPITAL
Phnom Penh
Photo: Royal Palace in Phnom Penh
6. PEOPLE
Khmers, about 90% of
the population are the predominant group with the ethnic
Chinese, Cham, Vietnamese and hill-tribes making up the rest.
7. LANGUAGE
The official language is Khmer
while English is widely spoken while the older generation is
able to speak French.
8. RELIGION
The official religion is
Theravada Buddhism with almost 90% of Khmers following this
religion while Islam and Christianity are also being
practiced.
9. GOVERNMENT
Cambodia is reigned by a king
whose role is not to rule but to reign and remains the
symbol of national unity for the people of Cambodia.
Cambodia now has a parliamentary government system in which
the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) is the current ruling
party.
10. CLIMATE
Cambodia has an average
temperature of 270C and it is comprised of two
seasons because of the tropical monsoon with the wet season
from May to October and the dry season from November to
April. The coolest period is from December to January.
11. HISTORY
AND CULTURE
The establishment of the State
of Funan, whose prosperity was due in large part to its
position on the great trade route between China and India,
in the first century A.D. marks the beginning of the history
of Cambodia. It was during this time that the modern day
Khmer customs and language evolved. Sanskrit, part of the
Mon Khmer family dialect, was the written and spoken
language of that time. The officially known religion then
was Hinduism which slowly evolved into Buddhism over the
years.
The State of Funan lasted about
six hundred years and finally gave way to the powerful
Angkor Empire which was responsible for establishing the
Khmer kingdom. The Khmer empire of the Angkorian era reigned
for the next 650 years and it was during this period that
the Khmer kings built the most ornate and extensive temples
or prasats known to mankind. Angkor became the capital of
this great kingdom but overstretched outposts, overambitious projects and increasingly belligerent neighbors
saw the empire disintegrate in the 13th century. Angkor was
then abandoned and covered by tropical forest and the
capital was moved to Phnom Penh.
The Thai and Vietnamese kingdoms
steadily occupied areas of Cambodia and it was the French
who 'saved' Cambodia from extinction by controlling it as a
protectorate from 1863 after Preah Bat Norodom signed a
Protectorate Treaty with France that consequently placed
Cambodia under French rule for the next 90 years. During the
Second World War in 1945, the Japanese ousted the French and
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk, seeing that colonialism
was a dying force, began his fight for independence and
campaigned tirelessly and eventually achieved his goal as
Cambodia was granted its independence in 1953. In 1959, King
Norodom Sihanouk abdicated the throne and turning the
position of kingship over to his father. Prince Norodom
Sihanouk then became the Head of State.
The period from 1950 through to
1970 was seen as Cambodia's golden years as the economy
prospered but the good times were shortlived because
as war started to escalate in Vietnam, Cambodia's borders
became the targets of American and South Vietnamese troops
hunting down Vietnamese communist forces. The Americans also
began carpet-bombing suspected communist base camps in
Cambodia. On the 18th March 1970, General Lon Nol, backed by
the Americans, overthrew the Head of State Prince Norodom
Sihanouk. When Sihanouk teamed up the indigenous rebels, the
Khmer Rouge ( French for 'Red Army'), fighting between the
government and the rebels soon engulfed the entire country
as support for the rebels gathered strength as there was
strong resentment against the American's bombing campaigns.
General Lon Nol's control over
Cambodia lasted less than five years as Phnom Penh fell to
the Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, on the 17th April 1975. The
Khmer Rouge implemented one of the most brutal revolutions
the world has ever seen. Almost two million Cambodians was
killed during the reign of terror by the Khmer Rouge
government.
At the end of 1978, Vietnam
invaded and overthrew the Khmer Rouge. Cambodia, with the
help of the Vietnamese, rebuilt their economy throughout the
1980's. The Khmer Rouge maintained a guerrilla war
throughout the 1980's against the Vietnamese-backed
government in Phnom Penh.
The Vietnamese withdrew from
Cambodia in 1989 and two years later, a peace accord was
signed in Paris to enable a United Nations (UN) administered
elections in Cambodia. In May 1993, the United Nations
Transitional Authority (UNTAC) supervised Cambodia's first
election. Preah Bat Norodom Sihanouk was reinstated as king
again and a new constitution was drawn up and adopted. The
government was a coalition of the United Front for an
Independent, Neutral and Free Cambodia (FUNCINPEC) led by
Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and the Cambodian People's Paty (CPP)
led by Hun Sen. Cambodia finally joined the Association of
Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) in 1999 giving the country
the much needed economic stability with the hope of bringing
in more foreign investment.
The culture of the Cambodians is
based closely to family values, faith and food. To them,
families stick together, solve problems collectively, listen
to the wisdom of the elders and pool resources. They
believed that as long as there is a bloodline, there is a
bond no matter how distant the relationship may be. The
faith in Buddhism has helped them to rebuild their shattered
lives after waking from the nightmare that was the Khmer
Rouge. Most Cambodian houses contain a small shrine to pray
for luck and the wats are thronging with the faithful on
Buddhist Day. Food is very important to the Cambodians as
they have tasted what it is to be without it. Rice is a
staple with every meal.
12. MAJOR HOLIDAYS
New Year's Day (January 1),
Victory Day over Genocide (January 7), Meak Bochea Day
(February 5), Women's Day (March 8), Khmer New Year (April
13-15), Labor Day (May 1), Visaka Bochea Day (May 3), Royal
Ploughing Ceremony (May 7), Children's Day (June 1), Samdech
Preah Reach Aka Mohesey Norodom Monineath Sihanouk's
Birthday (June 18), Constitution's Day and Re-coronation Day
of His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk
(September 24), Pchum Ben Day (October 12-14), Paris Peace
Agreement on Cambodia (October 23), His Majesty Preah Bat
Samdech Preah Norodom Sihanouk's Birthday (October 30-31 and
November 1), Independence Day (November 9), Water Festival,
Moon Festival (November 25-27), United Nations Human Rights
Day (December 10)
13. ECONOMIC PROFILE
Tourism remains
Cambodia's fastest growing industry but the
long-term development of the economy after
decades of war remains a daunting task. The
population lacks education and productive
skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden
countryside which totally lacks of basic
infrastructure. Fear of renewed political
instability and corruption within the government
discourage foreign investment and delay foreign
aid and without tourism, Cambodia's economy
would be in even worse shape than it is while
agriculture employs seventy-five percent of the
workforce and is dominated by subsistence
farming.
14. ENTRY
REQUIREMENTS
Visa, valid for a 30-day stay,
is issued to each tourist on arrival at a cost of USD20.00
and to each businessman at a cost of USD25.00 at the
following points of entry:
Airports
Phnom
Penh International Airport
Siem Reap International Airport
International Border Checkpoints (IBC)
Bavet and Kha Orm Sam Nor at the
Cambodia-Vietnam border
Poi Pet, O'Smach and Cham Yeam
at the Cambodia-Thailand border
Visas are
also issued at Royal Cambodian Embassies or Consulates in
foreign countries. Please note that in order to be admitted
into Cambodia, visitors need sufficient funds for their
intended stay and also a return ticket.
Application for an entry visa
requires:
- a complete visa application
form
- a valid passport for at least
four month
- one recent photograph (4x6)
- the stipulated visa fees
- supporting documents for
business and official visas
Diplomatic, Official, Courtesy
and Special (Cambodian national) visas are issued gratis.
Free visa (K) is issued to
Cambodians who live in overseas i.e. a Cambodian national
entering Cambodia using a foreign passport. (The applicant
has to provide documents showing proof that one's parents
are Cambodian)
Filipinos and Malaysian do not
need a tourist visas and may stay in Cambodia up to 21 and
30 days respectively.
Visas for tourists (T) and
businessman (E) can be extended at the Immigration
Department or at the National Police Centre while visas of
Diplomatic (A), Official (B) and Courtesy (C) can be
extended at the Consular Department or at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.
It is important to note that a
single entry tourist visa can only be extended once, for up
to a one month period while a business visa can be extended
for:
- one month (single entry)
- three months (single entry)
- six months (multiple entry)
- one year (multiple entry)
Visitors who overstayed in
Cambodia will be fined USD5.00 per day.
15. CURRENCY
The Cambodian unit of currency
is Riel (r). Riel denominations are 100,000; 50,000; 20,000;
10,000; 5,000; 2,000; 1,000; 500; 200; 100 and 50. Foreign
currencies can be easily exchanged at hotels, markets and
airports. US dollars are widely accepted.
USD1.00 = 3,900 Riel
16. BANKING
HOURS
Monday - Friday: 8.00am to
3.00pm except on public holidays and Saturday: 8.00am to
12.00pm
There are no ATMs in Cambodia
and travelers checks are cashable in most big cities for a
2% commission.
Government offices: Monday -
Friday: 7.30am to 11.30am and 2.00pm to 5.30pm
17. POST
OFFICES
Monday - Friday: 7.30am to
11.30am and 2.00pm to 5.00pm except on public holidays
It is important to note that the
Cambodian postal service is not very efficient and it is
advisable to post your mail from a neighboring country. If
you really need to post a letter, stick with the post office
in Phnom Penh and try not to send the mail from the
provinces. The Phnom Penh main post office has a poste
restante box at the far-left-hand end of the post office.
Basically, anybody can pick up the mail, so do not have any
valuables sent here.
18. TIME
Seven hours ahead of Greenwich
Mean Time (GMT)
Throne room at the Royal Palace
19.
ELECTRICITY
Voltage is 220 volt AC at 50
cycles per second. Power cuts are frequent and outside Phnom
Penh, electricity is only available in the evenings from
6.30pm to 9.30 pm. It is advisable to bring a torchlight due
to the frequent power cuts in the provinces.
20. WEIGHTS
AND MEASUREMENTS
Cambodia follows the metric
system in weight and measures.
21. TELEPHONES
In Phnom Penh,
phonecards are available throughout the city and
phonecards can be purchased at many outlets.
There are also several mobile phone systems with
codes: 011, 012, 015, 016 and 018. The country
code is 855. The international access code is
001/007.
The area codes for some provinces
are:
Banteay Meanchey:
054, Battambang: 053, Kampot: 033, Kandal: 024,
Kep: 036, Koh Kong: 035,
Kampong Cham: 042,
Kampong Chhnang: 026, Kampong Speu: 025, Kampong
Thom: 062, Kratie: 072, Mondul Kiri 023, Oddar
Meanchey: 065, Phnom Penh: 023, Preah Vihear:
064, Prey Veng: 043, Pursat: 052, Rattanak Kiri:
075, Siem Reap: 063, Sihanoukville: 034,
Sisophon: 054, Stung Treng: 074, Svay
Rieng: 044 and Takeo: 032
Note: When calling
from overseas, do not dial the first digit "0"
Many guesthouses
will allow you to make local calls cheaply. Or,
you can use the private mobile phone booths
found in every town whereby calls cost about
300r a minute. The cheapest international calls
are internet phone services, technically
illegal, but most internet places offer calls
for as little as 300r a minute. Public phonecard
booths may cost you USD2.00 a minute.
22. GETTING
THERE
BY AIR
The main gateway to Cambodia is
through Phnom Penh using the Phnom Penh International Airport.
Cambodia is connected by air only to its Southeast Asia
neighbors, China and Taiwan. Visitors can also enter
Cambodia using the Siem Reap International Airport. Other
airports in Cambodia are at Battambang, Mondul Kiri,
Rattanak Kiri and Stung Treng.
International Airport Tax:
USD25.00 per person for
foreigners and USD18.00 per person for Cambodians
Domestic Airport Tax:
USD6.00 per person for
foreigners and USD5.00 per person for Cambodians
BY SEA
The main entry point by sea to
Cambodia is at Sihanoukville Port.
BY ROAD
Cambodia now has several border
crossings with both Thailand and Vietnam and one with Laos.
It is important to note that the borders with Laos and
Thailand have occasionally been subject to temporary closure
and no 30-day visas are issued at the Laos border. Visitors
can enter Cambodia through the following International
Border Checkpoints:
Bavet (Svay Rieng province)
Kaam Samnor-Koh Rokar (Kandal-Prey
Veng province)
Cham Yeam (Koh Kong province)
Poi Pet (Banteay Meanchey
province)
O'Smach (Oddar Meanchey
province)
Phnom Den (Takeo province)
Dong Krolor (Strung Treng
Province)
23. GETTING
AROUND
BY AIR
Mekong Airlines, President
Airlines, Royal Phnom Penh Airways and Siem Reap Airways are
the airlines serving domestic routes in Cambodia through the
country's eight provincial airports at Battambang, Mondul Kiri, Phnom
Penh, Rattanak Kiri, Siem Reap and Strung Treng.
BY RAIL
Rail journeys in Cambodia is
through its rundown rail network which includes a 330 km
stretch from Phnom Penh to Sisophon via Pursat and
Battambang and a 260 km section south to Sihanoukville via
Takeo and Kampot. Please note that the trains here are both
uncomfortable and often overcrowded.
BY SEA
Popular passenger boats include
services up Tonle Sap from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, up the
Mekong to the riverside towns of Kratie and Stung Treng and
the speedboats linking Battambang and Siem Reap.
BY ROAD
The cyclo is a cheap way to get
around Cambodia's urban areas and since there is no local
bus networks in Cambodia except for a couple of routes to
towns near Phnom Penh, most people use motos (motorcycle
taxis) or cyclos. The cyclo (maximum USD3.00 per hour)
provides visitors with a way to view the city at a leisurely
pace and cyclo drivers can either be flagged down on main
thoroughfares or found hanging out around marketplaces and
major hotels.
For bus services, a private
company known as Ho Wah Genting has the most extensive bus
network covering Sihanoukville, Kampong Chhnang, kampong
Cham, Udong and Takeo using comfortable air-conditioned
buses. Other tour companies take on the popular tourist
routes between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh or Poipet. In this
highly competitive industry, it costs just USD4.00 from
Phnom Penh to Siem Reap.
Cars and mini-buses are readily available
for touring the temples at Angkor or for sight-seeing in and
around Phnom Penh.
24.
ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation ranges from
guesthouses to hotels. Accommodation prices are moderate but
those seeking five-star deluxe hotels in Phnom Penh city and
Siem Reap province will have to pay about USD15.00 for an
air-conditioned room with satellite TV, fridge and private
bathroom. However, budget hostels in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap,
Sihanoukville and a couple of provincial towns cost between
USD2.00 to USD4.00 for a bed.
25. DO'S AND
DON'TS
Don't touch a person's head, nor
ruffle his hair. The head is the noblest part of the body. A
sincere apology should be offered immediately if you touch
someone's head unintentionally.
Avoid placing your feet on the
table while sitting. Never use your foot to point things out
or to touch any part of the body of anyone, which is
considered rude.
Women should wear long clothing
that covers the body.
Men should wear a lightweight
suit and tie during a business meeting.
Do not drink alcohol if you are
below eighteen years old.
Always ask for permission before taking
photographs of people, especially monks, and places of worship.
Gratuities are very popular at
hotels, restaurants and for any other services rendered.
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