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CAMBODIA
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Location:
Cambodia occupies
an area of 181.035 square kilometers on the Indochina peninsula and
borders Thailand, Lao and Vietnam. The country consists chiefly of a
large alluvial plain ringed by mountains and the Mekong river. The plain
is centered on lake Tonle Sap, which is a natural storage lake of the
Mekong. Cities: Phnom Penh, the capital, Battambang, Sihanoukville, Kampong Cham, Kandal, Prey Veng, Takeo, Kampong Thom, Svay Rieng, Kampong Speu.
Population:
The total population is over 10 million, with 90-95% constitued
by Khmers. Other ethnic backgrounds: Chinese, Vietnamese, Cham
(muslims) and Khmer Loeu (hill tribes). Religion:
The official religion of Cambodia is Theravada Buddhism, that
was introduced into Cambodia in the 12th century by King Jayavarman
VII. There are also around 500.000 Muslims and 60.000 Christians. Mountains:
The Dangrek mountains run along the Northern border, the Cardamom mountains
run Southwest of Battambang. The Elephant mountains run East and Southeast
of Phnom Penh. The country's tallest mountain, Phnom Aoral, 1.813 m,
lies East of the capital between Kampong Chhnang and Kampong Speu provinces. Forests:
The last virgin rain forests are protected in the Northeastern regions
of Cambodia, which are rich in rare woods. In November 1993, the King
issued a Royal decree which established a system of 23 protected areas
covering 3,4 million hectares. Animals:
The Ko Prey, jungle cow, Cambodia's national animal, is one of the most
endangered species in the world. Hunting this animal is forbidden by
Royal decree. About some tens of Ko Prey are believed to exist in the
Northeast. Cambodia is abundant in wild animals: monkeys, deers, rhinoceros,
crocodiles and tigers. Language:
Except Khmer, which is the official language, French is spoken by old
and educated people. In recent years, the trend among younger cambodians
has been to study English as a second language. Currency:
The unit is the Riel. Riel denominations are 100, 200, 500, 1.000, 2.000,
5.000, 10.000 and 20.000. There are no coins. American dollars are generally
accepted throughout the country, as well as Thai Baths. Most of the
major hotels and the banks accept credit cards for a standard charge
beginning at 2%. Local time:
+ 7 hours GMT. Working hours:
Telecommunications:
Food: Rice and fish are the meals among Khmers. Local specialities include soups, curries and many varieties of dishes prepared with beef, pork, poultry and seafood. Chinese, vietnames and western cuisine can be found in Canbodia. Annual
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