HISTORY
The country was named after Cambu Svayambhuva, an ancient sage from whom the country’s kings claim to be descended.
The area now known as Cambodia was once occupied by the Khmer empire, an ancient civilization that flourished during the 6th–15th centuries.
Warriors of the Khmer Empire, found in Cambodia from 800-1400 AD, rode elephants into battle. The sight of the trumpeting elephants caused panic in the enemy’s ranks and won the Khmers many battles.
Angkor the capital of the Khmer Empire, was a megacity supporting at least 0.1% of the global population during 1010–1220. At its peak, the city occupied an area greater than modern Paris, and its buildings use far more stone than all of the Egyptian structures combined. Today, the city houses the magnificent Angkor Wat, one of Cambodia's popular tourist attractions.
Angkor Wat actually used a much greater amount of stone than every one of the Egyptian pyramids combined. On top of that, if also occupied a surface area greater than Paris in its entirety.
The Khmer Rouge were a Stalinist, Maoist militant group who took over the capital, Phnom Penh, on April 17, 1975. Led by Pol Pot, they immediately forced everyone out of the cities, effectively turning the whole country into a giant labor camp.
Over the next four years between 1.7 million and 2 million people were killed (20–30% of the population) in a genocide comparable to the Holocaust.
On February 7, 1979 the Vietnam People's Army captured the Cambodian capital city Phnom Penh, deposing Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, which marked the end of large-scale fighting in the Cambodian–Vietnamese War.
Following the rule of the Khmer Rouge and the occupation of Vietnam, the State of Cambodia (SOC) and three warring factions of the Cambodian resistance consisting of FUNCINPEC, Khmer Rouge and Khmer People's National Liberation Front (KPNLF) signed the Paris Peace Accords in October 1991. A United Nations-led interim administration was set up to supervise the demobilization of troops from the SOC and the three warring factions.
The Cambodian monarchy was restored on September 24, 1993, with Norodom Sihanouk as king.
On December 29, 1998 leaders of the Khmer Rouge apologized for the deaths of nearly a quarter of the country's then population, during the "Killing Fields" era between 1975-1979.
The price of rat meat was reported to have quadrupled in Cambodia in 2008 as inflation put other meat beyond the reach of poor people.
In 2014 two Khmer Rouge leaders, Nuon Chea and Kheiu Samphan, were jailed by a UN backed court for life, which found them guilty of crimes against humanity and responsible for the deaths of up to two million Cambodians during the 1970s genocide.
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| Photos of the victims of the Khmer Rouge |
FUN CAMBODIA FACTS
One of the most popular drinks in Cambodia is Tarantula Brandy; a concoction that includes rice liquor and freshly dead tarantulas.
The Tonle Sap River in Cambodia flows north for almost half the year and then south for the rest of the year.
There are 1.3 million mopeds in Cambodia, which is almost as many as the number of people there.
Ninety-five per cent of Cambodians are Buddhists. Women may not touch the monks.
The biggest religious building in the world is a Hindu Temple, Angkor Wat, located in Cambodia. It was built at the end of the 11th century from 5 million tons of sandstone that had to be carried from a quarry 25 miles away. It covers more than 0.6 of a square mile.
The Angkor Wat also features on the flag of Cambodia, the only actual building to feature on any national flag.
Cambodians do not celebrate their birthdays. Many older people do not even know their age.
Angelina Jolie was awarded Cambodian citizenship after turning one of the country's overly-poached areas into a nature reserve.
Source Daily Express
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