CAMBODIA has a long and rich history, from the glorious Khmer Empire that built Angkor Wat, to the tragic Khmer Rouge regime that killed millions. It was colonized by France, fought for independence, and suffered from civil war and foreign invasion. It is now a constitutional monarchy with a multiparty democracy, striving for peace and development, but still facing many problems. Cambodia is a country of both suffering and resilience.

• TOTAL AREA: 181,035 sq km
• POPULATION: 17,638,800 (2024 est.)
• CAPITAL: Phnom Penh, population 2,352,680 (2024 est.)
• ETHNIC GROUPS: Khmer 96.2%, Cham 2.0%, Vietnamese 0.3%, other 1.4% (2021)
• LANGUAGES: Khmer, Chinese, Vietnamese, minority languages; English and French are widely spoken in urban areas
• MAJOR RELIGIONS: Buddhist 97.1%, Muslim 2.0%, Christian 0.3%, other 0.5% (2019)
• TIME DIFFERENCE: UTC+7
• EXCHAGE RATES: Riels (KHR) per US dollar (USD) 4,050 (2024)
  Note: US dollar remains legal tender in Cambodia and is readily accepted countrywide; the dollar banknotes, however, should be in good condition, without any tears, folds or damage of any kind
• TELEPHONE CODE: +855
• EMERGENCY PHONES: Ambulance: 119; Fire: 118; Police: 117
• TIPPING GUIDELINES: A tip of 10% is appropriate at restaurants. If you are staying in a hotel, give the bellman around USD 1 per bag and housekeeping USD 1 per day. Taxi drivers do not expect tips.
• SOUVENIRS: Krama scarves, silk products, stone and wood carvings, jewelry, silver boxes and bowls, recycled bags
• CLIMATE: Tropical, hot, and humid all year round. There are two main seasons: a rainy season from May to mid-November, and a dry season from mid-November to April. The rainy season is caused by the southwest monsoon, which brings heavy rains and high humidity. The dry season is caused by the northeast monsoon, which brings lighter and drier winds. The temperature is high throughout the year, ranging from about 28 °C (82 °F) in January to about 35 °C (95 °F) in April. The rainfall varies depending on the region, with the southwest being the wettest and the inland plains being the driest. SIEM REAP is located in the northwest region of Cambodia where the climate is mostly similar to that of Phnom Penh. However, there are some differences: the monsoon season in Siem Reap is shorter than in Phnom Penh, and it usually ends in early November. The winter season in Siem Reap can be slightly cooler than in Phnom Penh, and the minimal temperature can drop as low as 21°C/ 70 °F.