Cambodia in Brief

History and Geography

Comprising an area of 181,035 square kilometer, the kingdom of Cambodia was part of the ancient kingdom of Funan. Being the oldest state in southeast Asia, its religion was Hinduism today, Theravada Buddhism is the dominant religion.

The Mekong river which flows through the country and the Tonle Sap (Great Lake) are the lifeline of the people who live along the waterways. Tonle sap is one of the richest sources of freshwater fish in the world.

There are three main mountain ranges the Cardamon mountain in the southwest, The Dangkrek mountain in the north and the Eastern mountain in the north-east.

Climate

Cambodia’s tropical climate is affected by the monsoon. The cool dry north-east monsoon which brings little rain, is from November to March. From May to early October, the south-west monsoon brings heavy rain and high humidity. The average temperature is 32C.

Population and People

Of the 14 million people about 90 percent of them are ethnic Khmers. There are several minorities such as the Chams (Khmer Islam), Vietnamese and Chinese. Hill tribes such as the Pnong, Styieng and Kuoy etc. dominate the country’s mountain regions.

Religion

The Official religion is Theravada Buddhism and almost 90 percent of the population are of this faith. The rest are Muslims and Christians.

Economy

About 70 percent of the population work on their rice fields. Cambodia is rich in hardwood (teak and mahogany) and gems which are found in the north west. The economy operates on free market principles. Cambodia bas adopted one of the most liberal investment laws for foreign investor.

Language

The Official language is Khmer while the second language (spoken by the educated older Cambodian) is French. However in recent years. English has gained popularity.

Transport

The best and most inexpensive way  to take in the sights and sounds of Phnom Penh is by Cyclo (a tricycle) and motor tricycle (TUK TUK) the cost is US$ 2-4 per hour. Taxi meter are available in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap now. And for visiting Siem Reap, Angkor Wat you should hire a tuk tuk for traveling here is very popular. And has cheap price too.

There are many tour operators in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap who offer tours to other parts of the country. Most of them also provide cars and mini-vans for hire.

Example: if you would like to visit Siem Reap, Angkor Wat please try to find a taxi for tuk tuk driver for you guide. Please write us on our webpage we can organize for your trip in Angkor Wat, Siem Reap. Click here.

Time

Cambodia has one time zone and is seven hours ahead of GMT.

Currency

Riel is the country’s currency. However the US dollar is widely accepted. Traveler’s cheque in US dollar can be change at most banks in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. If you traveling to the outskirts. It is advisable to use US dollars (get small change) although the riels is accepted. Credit cards facilities are limited for the time being although efforts are being made to introduce it on a bigger scale. Many Hotels accept Credit card. At the time of press it was 4,100 riels to 1$US.

Airport Tax

International departure : US$ 25 and US$ 6 for domestic destination .

Business Hours

Government office open from 7:30am to 5pm on weekday only. The lunch break if from 11.30am to 2pm. Most Business are open from 8:00 to 9:00pm

Electricity

All electric appliances use 220 volts.

Communication

Hand phones has become a necessity in Cambodia and almost everyone carries a hand phone in this country hand phone number start with 010, 011, 012, 013, 015, 016, 017, 077, 097, 098 etc….

Phone cards can be bought at most Hotels. The post offices or supermarket and local shops.

Clothing

Most Cambodians are casual in their dressing except when they are attending formal events or business meetings. It’s not unusual to see both men and women wearing the Krama. Along, narrow checked cotton cloth round their neck. The Krama is a versatile piece of cloth.

Note: If you interest to visit our country, especially visit Angkor Wat in Siem Reap Town please see our travel package offer