Cambodia Profile

The Kingdom of Cambodia, formerly known as Kampuchea, has its name derived from the Sanskrit name Kambujadesa.

Location and Area

The Kingdom of Cambodia, (Khmer: ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា Preăh Réachéa Nachâk Kâmpŭchéa), also known as Cambodia, derived from Sanskrit Kambujadesa (कम्बोजदेश)), is a country in Southeast Asia that borders Thailand to the west and northwest, Laos to the northeast, Vietnam to the east, and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest. The geography of Cambodia is dominated by the Mekong River Tonlé Mékong and Tonlé Sap lake.

The kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with King Norodom Sihamoni as head of state, who has reigned since 2004. Phnom Penh is the kingdom's capital and largest city, and is the center of political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities. Siem Reap is the gateway to the Angkor region in which the famous ruins of Angkor Wat and other Angkorian temples are located which makes it a main destination for tourism. Battambang, the largest province in northwestern Cambodia is known for its rice production, and Sihanoukville, a coastal city, is the primary sea port and beach resort.

Cambodia has an area of 181,035 square kilometers (69,898 sq mi) and a population of over 14 million people. A citizen of Cambodia is usually identified as "Cambodian" or "Khmer" which strictly refers to ethnic Khmers. Theravada Buddhism is the official religion of Cambodia, which is practiced by around 96% of the Cambodian population. The country also have a minority number of Muslims Cham, as well as ethnic Chinese, Vietnamese and various hill tribes.

Agriculture has long been the most important sector to the Cambodian economy, with around 59% of the population relying on agriculture for their livelihood (with rice being the principal crop).Other important sectors include garments, construction and tourism - foreign visitors to Angkor Wat numbered more than 4 million in 2007.In 2005, oil and natural gas deposits were found beneath Cambodia's territorial waters, and once commercial extraction begins in 2011, the oil revenues could profoundly affect Cambodia's economy

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