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Introduction to Cambodia and the Khmer Language

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Introduction to Cambodia and the Khmer Language Introduction to Cambodia and the Khmer Language Cambodia is a land known for its abundance of strength, spirit and stoicism. It is located in Southeast Asia, and occupies a total of 181,040 square kilometers (69,900 square miles or about the size of Missouri). Approximately 176,520 square kilometers of this is land and 4,520 square kilometers is water. It is commonly bordered to the north by Thailand and Laos, to the east by Vietnam, to the south by Vietnam and the Gulf of Thailand and to the west by the Gulf of Thailand and Thailand. Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia. It has an area of 290 square kilometers and is the major center of administration, commerce, communication, culture, economy and education of Cambodia. Over two million Cambodians reside in Phnom Penh, and thus make the city a lifeline of the Cambodian economy. Other major cities within Cambodia are Batdambang, Siem Reab, Kampong Cham, Kampot and Kampong Saom. 1 A rainy day in Cambodia A small swamp after the rain Climate The climate of Cambodia is comprised of two main seasons, the rainy season and the dry season. This climate is affected by the tropical monsoon – the rainy season from June to October and the dry season from November to May. The monsoon season may carry some heavy rains but these quite often occur during the late evening and overnight. In other words, it rarely rains in the morning, even during the wet monsoon season. The average temperature is 27 degree Celsius in Cambodia with a high of 40 degrees during April and a low of 14 degree at night during late December or early January. Normally, the cooler period lasts from December to January and hotter period lasts from early April to early May. However, there is little seasonal temperature variation through out the year. A central Cambodian swamp A small western Cambodian village 2 Terrain The terrain of Cambodia can be divided into six major regions: the western and northwestern mountains, the northwestern plateau, the central plain, the western and southwestern coastal plain, the eastern and northeastern valleys and the peninsula. The western and northwestern mountains of Cambodia are rich in tropical forest, wildlife and fruit trees. The northeastern plateau is filled with tropical forest, wildlife, waterfalls and diamonds. The central plain is a large area of flat land, best known for cultivating rice, corns and beans as well as for favoring fish and mangrove. The western and southwestern coastal plain is popular with tourists looking to sunbathe on the sandy beaches and to consume abundant seafood. The western and northeastern valleys contain excellent sources for the development of hydro-electric power. Finally, the peninsula has many natural resources which include tin mining, rubber cultivation and fishing. A vast majority of Cambodians live in the fertile central plain. The central plain is also home to two dominant topological features: the Mekong River and the Tonle Sap Lake. During the wet season, rich sediment from the Mekong’s flooding is deposited along this plain, making the plain a very fertile land. Population Elder Cambodians Young Cambodians In 2005, it was estimated that there were 14,071,000 people living in Cambodia with an average annual growth rate of 1.96%. It is predicted that the Cambodian population will reach 20 million by 2010. Presently, the infant mortality rate is around 69 per 1,000 with maternal mortality rate around 6.5 per 1,000. Life expectancy is 57 years for Cambodian male and 61 years for female. The majority of Cambodians are very poor. Although there isn’t a reliable statistic, most reports show that between 65% and 80% of Cambodian are poor. 3 The statistics for Cambodian education are as follows: • primary school enrollment: 91.9% with completion rate of 46.8% • grades 7 to 9 enrollment: 26.1% with completion rate of 20.57% • grades 10 to 12 enrollment is 9.3% with completion rate of 8.92% • post-secondary enrollment is 1.4% with completion rate of 8.92% The literacy rate for Cambodia for 15 years old and older is 73.6% (male 84.7% and female 64.1%). Government Cambodia is a multi-party democracy under a constitutional monarchy. The Royal Government of Cambodia, formed on the basis of elections internationally recognized as free and fair, was established on September 24, 1993 with its constitution being amended on March 6, 1999. Cambodian citizens can vote for their leaders as long as they are 18 years or older.The Cambodian constitution provides for a wide range of internationally recognized human rights, including freedom of the press. While limitations still exist on mass media, freedom of the press has improved markedly in Cambodia since the adoption of the 1993 constitution, which grants a certain degree of freedom to the media. The written press, while considered largely free, has ties to individual political parties or factions and does not seek to provide objective reporting or analysis. Cambodia has an estimated twenty Khmer-language newspapers that are published regularly. Of these, eight are published daily. There are two major English-language newspapers, one of which is produced daily. Broadcast media, in contrast to print, is more closely controlled. It tends to be politically affiliated, and access for opposition parties is extremely limited. The executive branch of the government is comprised of the king, who is head of state; an appointed prime minister; seven deputy prime ministers, 15 senior ministers, 28 ministers, 135 secretaries of state, and 146 undersecretaries of state. The bicameral legislature consists of a 123-member elected National Assembly and a 61-member Senate. The judiciary includes a Supreme Court and lower courts. Administrative subdivisions are 20 provinces and 4 municipalities. As of 2006, the leaders of Cambodia are: • King Norodom Sihamoni (head of state since October 29, 2004) • Hun Sen (appointed prime minister since January 14, 1985) • Chea Sim (president of the Senate) • Heng Samrin (president of National Assembly) There are 3 major political parties in Cambodia: the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), led by Chea Sim, the National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC), led by Prince Norodom Ranariddh and the Sam Rainsy Party (SRP), led by Sam Rainsy. 4 History • Angkor Wat For more than 300 years, between 900 and 1200 AD, the Khmer Kingdom of Angkor made some of the world’s most magnificent architectural masterpieces on the northern shore of the Tonle Sap Lake, by the town of Siem Reap. The Angkor area stretches 5 miles north to south and 15 miles east to west. Seventy two main temples and other buildings mark the region. The primary temple, Angkor Wat was built around 1112 and 1150 by Suryavarman II. While the measure of the walls is nearly one-half mile on each side, Angkor Wat portrays the Hindu cosmology with the middle towers representing Mount Meru, residence of the gods; the external walls, the mountains enclosing the world; and the moat, the oceans beyond. Angkor Thom, the capital city built after the Cham sack of 1177, is bounded by a 300-foot wide moat. Building of Angkor Thom coincided with a transformation from Hinduism to Buddhism. Temples were changed to display images of the Buddha, and Angkor Wat became a very important Buddhist holy place. In the 15th century, almost all of Angkor was neglected after Siamese attacks, except Angkor Wat; it remained a shrine for Buddhist pilgrims. The great city and temples remained largely covered by the forest until the late 19th century when French archaeologists started a long renovation process. France established the Angkor Conservancy in 1908 to direct restoration of the Angkor complex. For the next 64 years, the conservancy worked to clear away the forest, fix foundations, and put in drains to protect the buildings from their most insidious enemy: water. After 1953, the conservancy became a joint project of the French and Cambodian Governments. Some temples were carefully taken apart stone by stone and reassembled on concrete foundations. • MODERN HISTORY Even though Cambodia had a rich and influential past under the Hindu state of Funan and the Kingdom of Angkor, by the mid-19th century the country was on the verge of dissolution. After repeated requests for French assistance, a protectorate was established in 1863. By 1884, Cambodia was a virtual colony; soon after it was made part of the Indochina Union with Annam, Tonkin, Cochin-China, and Laos. France continued to run the country even after the beginning of World War II, through its Vichy government. In 1945, the Japanese dissolved the colonial administration, and King Norodom Sihanouk stated an independent, anti-colonial government under Prime Minister Son Ngoc Thanh in March 1945. The Allies overthrew this government in October. In January 1953, Sihanouk named his father as regent and went into a self-imposed exile, refusing to return until Cambodia gained genuine independence. 5 • Full Independence Sihanouk’s actions accelerated the French Government’s July 4, 1953 declaration of its readiness to grant independence, which occurred on November 9, 1953. The situation remained undecided until a 1954 conference was held in Geneva to settle the French- Indochina war. All participants, except the United States and the State of Vietnam, associated themselves (by voice) with the final declaration. The Cambodian delegation agreed to the neutrality of the three Indochinese states but insisted on a provision in the cease-fire agreement that left the Cambodian Government free to call for outside military aid should the Viet Minh or others threaten its territory. • Neutral Cambodia During the 1950s and 1960s, being neutral was the central element of the Cambodian foreign policy.
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