Introduction to Cambodia

Cambodia is a country that is firmly putting its pastfresh water lake in Southeast Asia, which lies south of
behind to embrace the 21st century. It is emerging as aSiem Reap, the town closest to the Angkor temple
vibrant, exciting tourist travel destination, offering ancomplex.
opportunity to step back into ancient history, get offKnown as the Land of Smiles, Cambodia's gentle
the beaten track into a lush yet unpredictable ruralculture is influenced by Theravada Buddhism practiced
countryside and to immerse in a kind and charmingby the bulk of its 13 million ethnic Khmer who live
culture. It is a country where crumbling colonial buildingsalongside substantial minorities of Chinese, Vietnamese,
and tuk-tuks (motorized rickshaws) are juxtaposedCham Muslims and hill tribes. Angkor Wat, the ancient
with 5 star boutique hotels and trendy restaurants andtemple at the heart of a sprawling, monumental
spas.complex of stone block structures in Angkor, is a
Cambodia is bordered by Thailand, Laos and Vietnamtestimony to the power of the Khmer kingdom, which
and in its turbulent past, was invaded by two of itspeaked during the 11th century. At that stage, the
neighbors several times. It shares the powerfulKhmer kingdom included parts of Thailand, Laos and
Mekong River with Laos and Vietnam. The river entersVietnam. However, with the decline of the Khmer kings
the country from Laos in the North, and in itsand in a slow weakening of power marked by
southbound journey almost divides Cambodia intoincursions from the Thais, Vietnamese and later the
halves. The Mekong splits off into two at Phnom Penh,French and Japanese, the country was slowly chipped
Cambodia's capital, before ending in Vietnam. One ofaway to its present size, which is one half of
its tributaries feeds Tonle Sap (Great Lake), the largestGermany.