Portal:Cambodia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Kingdom of Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia with a population of over 13 million people. Most Cambodians are Therevada Buddhists of Khmer extraction. A citizen of Cambodia is usually identified as Cambodian, or more often, Khmer.
Cambodia is the successor state of the mighty Khmer Empire, which ruled most of the Indochinese Peninsula between the 11th and 14th centuries.
The country shares a border with Thailand to its west, with Laos to its north, with Vietnam to its east, and with the Gulf of Thailand to its south. The geography of Cambodia is dominated by the Mekong river and the Tonle Sap, an important source of fish.
Angkor is a name conventionally applied to the region of Cambodia serving as the seat of the Khmer empire that flourished from approximately the 9th century to the 15th century A.D. (The word "Angkor" itself is derived from the Sanskrit "nagara," meaning "city.")[1] More precisely, the Angkorian period may be defined as the period from 802 A.D., when the Khmer Hindu monarch Jayavarman II declared himself the "universal monarch" and "god-king" of Cambodia, until 1431 A.D., when Thai invaders sacked the Khmer capital, causing its population to migrate south to the area of Phnom Penh.
The ruins of Angkor are located amid forests and farmland to the north of the Great Lake (Tonle Sap) and south of the Kulen Hills, near modern day Siem Reap (13°24'N, 103°51'E), and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temples of the Angkor area number over one thousand, ranging in scale from nondescript piles of brick rubble scattered through rice fields to the magnificent Angkor Wat, said to be the world's largest single religious monument. Many of the temples at Angkor have been restored, and together they comprise the most significant site of Khmer architecture. Visitor numbers approach one million annually.
References
- ^ Higham, The Civilization of Angkor, p.4.
Depiction of a guardian spirit (Yaksa) atop a mythological creature (named Kala or Rahu) at the Banteay Srei in Angkor.
Famous Cambodians:
- Francois Chau- Actor
- Patricia Hy-Boulais-Professional Tennis Player
- Kris Dim-Pro BodyBuilder
- Soben Huon-Miss Utah
- Maddox Chivan Jolie-Pitt-Angelina Jolie's adopted son
- Meng Lau-Model (appearances in Maxim and Stuff Magaxine)
- Haing S. Ngor-Academy Award winner
- Somaly Mam-Human rights activist, Olympic flag bearer
- Rithy Panh-Director
- Dith Pran-New York Times photo journalist
- Norodom Sihanouk-King, Prime Minister, Actor, Director, Songwriter, Screenwriter
- Loung Ung-Human rights activist
- Chhun Yasith-President of Cambodian Freedom Fighters
- Sophiline Cheam Shapiro-Classical Cambodian dance choreographer
- Ros Sereysothea one of the greatest female khmer singers from the 60's and early 70's
- Sinn Sisamouth considered greatest khmer singers ever often sang with Sothea
- August 13, 2007-New archaeological map shows Cambodia's Angkor ruins to be biggest pre-industrial city founded (The Australian)
- July 21, 2007-Cambodian will host the ASEAN football tournament for teenagers(People's Daily Online)
- July 17, 2007-Cambodia limits Christian activity{Yahoo News}
- July 17, 2007-Cambodia to host its first International Golf Tournament{E.Sinchew-i}
...that Sisowath Monivong was the king of Cambodia from 1927 until his death in 1941?
...that Phnom Penh International Airport is the largest airport in Cambodia?
...that there were 150,000 to 200,000 Muslims in Cambodia as late as 1975? Read more at Islam in Cambodia
...that King Norodom Sihamoni is one-fourth Italian?
...that the kouprey was declared the national animal of Cambodia by Norodom Sihanouk?
...that the Cambodia national football team finished fourth in the Asian Cup 1972?
...that former King Norodom Sihanouk holds the Guinness World Record for the politician who has occupied the greatest variety of political offices?
...that current Prime Minister Hun Sen started his term in 1985?
...that the Tonle Sap supplies 60% of Cambodia's protein intake?
...that Saigon was founded by Cambodians?
- Help expand articles in under the Cambodia category and under its sub-categories
- Find Cambodia related articles and categorize them, if they aren't already, to the Cambodia category with: Category:Cambodia
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Subcategories of Cambodia:
Cambodian people - Buildings and structures in Cambodia - Cambodian people - Companies of Cambodia - Cambodian culture - Democratic Kampuchea - Geography of Cambodia - History of Cambodia - Phnom Penh - Politics of Cambodia - Royal Family of Cambodia - Schools in Cambodia - Tourism in Cambodia - Transportation in Cambodia - Travel guide to Cambodia
