For 2,000 years Cambodia’s civilization absorbed influences from India and China and, in turn, transferred them to other Southeast Asian civilizations.

Cambodia becomes a protectorate of France. French colonial rule lasts for 90 years.

Cambodia, a country of nearly 13 million people, is located in Southeast Asia. Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand are the neighboring countries of Cambodia. The people of the country are called Cambodians, and the Khmer language is the official language of Cambodia.

As a result of French occupation, the Vietnamese language has since had many words borrowed from the French language, for example ca-phe (from the French café).

During and after the time of the French Protectorate in French Indochina up until the early 1990s, the French language was a way of life, a language that provoked a sense of intellectual thinking and lifestyle commonly associated with the elite classes of a society.

Visitors to Cambodia can be left confused by the many customs that run strong throughout the country, but with a little help, travellers can avoid committing any possible faux pas or causing offence with ease.

Cambodia has a land area of 181,035 square kilometers in the southwestern part of the Indochina peninsula, about 20 percent of which is used for agriculture. It lies completely within the tropics with its southern most points slightly more than 10° above the Equator. The country capital city is Phnom Penh.

The most famous period in Cambodia's history came from 900 to 1400 AD during the rule of the Khmer Kingdom. The Khmer Kingdom ruled the area and was Southeast Asia's largest empire for part of its history.

Khmer music is an important aspect of Cambodian life and culture. It is a significant component in religious and traditional ceremonies such as weddings or temple celebrations.

If you visit Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s vast temple complex and one of Southeast Asia’s biggest tourist attractions, you’ll experience two sides of the country’s music – the celestial and the human. While the walls of Angkor are covered in reliefs showing angels playing heavenly instruments, along the processional paths that lead to the temples you can hear traditional music played by orchestras of musicians who were disabled under the murderous Khmer Rouge regime (1975–79) or by left-over landmines. Although many musicians were among the million-plus victims of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia is steadily rebuilding its musical culture. John Clewley reports.

Cambodian cinema is yet to come out of its historical crisis of the 70’s. Cinema in this tiny part of the world suffered systematic dismantling at the hand of Khmer Rouge – the Communist Party of Kampuchea regime between 1975 and 1979.

Cambodia has provided the backdrop for a host of Hollywood and film festival favourites. From tropical jungles and pristine countryside to a rich cultural heritage and turbulent history, the Southeast Asian country has all the ingredients to make it worthy of starring in a swathe of must-see films.

Cambodia’s entertainment industry has recovered since the late 1970s; and now ranges from gracious traditional arts such as the apsara dance (with a close link to the artistic zenith of Angkor and popular among visitors), to the city cocktail lounges and clubs (offering live music performances and a leisurely atmosphere).

Mass media influences how facts are viewed and debated in a society, contributing to crafting its public opinion. Independence and pluralism of media, opinions and views - including criticism of people in power - is the safeguard of a healthy democratic system.

The sampot is the national garment of Cambodia. The traditional dress is similar to those worn in the neighboring countries of Laos and Thailand, but variations do exist between the countries.

Cambodia’s garment-making sector first entered many people’s consciousness in 2014, the year workers, human rights activists and unionists first took to the streets of the capital, Phnom Penh, to demand a minimum living wage for garment workers. Three years later, the flames of those original protests still flicker, with activists dressed in their distinctive orange t-shirts continuing to raise their voices on behalf of garment workers’ rights.

Cambodia has a relatively tumultuous past with a lot of fighting with other countries and among themselves. With this in mind, it is not unusual to believe that their traditional sport is a form of martial arts.

In this series of articles about Sports in South East Asia /ASEAN a quick overview is given of the most popular sports in each single country of the region.

Best known as both the home of the colossal temples of Angkor Wat and for the brutal Khmer Rouge era of the 1970s and later civil war, Cambodian history encompasses both some of humanity's greatest artistic accomplishments and most horrific deeds.

Angkor is a standout amongst the most imperative archeological destinations in South-East Asia. With noteworthy landmarks, a few diverse old urban arrangements and vast water stores, the site is an extraordinary grouping of components vouching for an excellent progress.

Cambodian cuisine may be lesser known than the world-renowned dishes of neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam, but it’s just as delicious. Here are 21 of the best dishes in Cambodia, with a handful of the weird and wonderful thrown in for good measure.

Cambodian food is often overlooked and is commonly stereotyped to be like Vietnamese or Thai. As in most countries, it is just about knowing what to order. I enjoyed my time in Cambodia where eating in the streets was always a vibrant and lively affair.