Cambodia

People

The majority of Cambodians are ethnic Khmer and speak the Khmer language. While English is growing in importance, French is spoken in places. Theravada Buddhism, the state religion, is followed by 9S percent of the population. Christianity, Islam and traditional religions are also practised.

History

Cambodia became a French protectorate in 1863 and kept its links with France until independence in 1953. In 1975 the Khmer Rouge. under the leadership of Pol Pot, gained control of the country. Cities were evacuated and residents forced to become agricultural workers. Money and property were abolished and basic freedoms curtailed. An estimated two million people died. Vietnamese troops invaded Cambodia in 1978, sending the Khmer Rouge into the countryside and plunging the country into 13 years of civil war. The Paris Peace Accords were signed in 1991 and United Nations-sponsored elections took place in 1993. With the formation of a coalition government and the surrender of almost all remaining Khmer Rouge guerrillas, by 1999, a sense of stability returned.

Geography

In the centre of the country is a large plain around Tonie Sap Lake and the Mekong River. Most of the population lives in this central area. Cambodia has a tropical climate. During the wet season, from mid-May to November, monsoon winds come from the southwest, bringing hot, humid weather and lots of rain. Floods and droughts are common.

Economy

As a result of the nation's turbulent past, infrastructure is inadequate and most adults have little education. Clothing and footwear are significant exports, and the Government is committed to high labour standards in the industry; 90 percent of garment workers are women. Other exports include timber, rubber, rice and fish. Tourism is increasing. Nevertheless, foreign aid remains important to reduce poverty.

Agriculture

Three-quarters of the workforce is involved in agriculture, with rice being the main crop. Agricultural production is limited by the effects of drought and flood, lack of irrigation and fertiliser, shortage of animals for ploughing and the presence of landmines. In the dry season many people move to the cities to seek alternative work.

Education

Six years of primary school are followed by three years of lower secondary and three years of upper secondary. Most children eventually enrol in school, but some start long after the official enrolment age of 6 and many drop out early. Only half of the villages have primary schools and even fewer have secondary schools. There are shortages of classrooms and equipment. The quality of education is poor because teachers are badly paid and in short supply as many qualified teachers were killed by the Khmer Rouge.

Health

Cambodia's health system is still recovering from the years of Khmer Rouge rule, when hospitals were destroyed and doctors killed. People with disabilities suffer discrimination even though Cambodia has the greatest number of amputees per head of population in the world. Waterborne diseases are common as more than half the people don't have access to clean drinking water and there are few sanitary latrines. Infant and maternal mortality rates are high, as is the rate of malnutrition. HIV prevalence has remained high but stable in recent years, but the care and treatment of people with HIV and AIDS and orphans and vulnerable children still pose significant challenges.

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Cambodia at a glance

Cambodia is slowly recovering from devastation caused by the Khmer Rouge and civil war. An estimated six million undetonated landmines still dot the countryside, covering land that could be used for agriculture and causing hundreds of injuries and deaths every year.

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