General Information

Country Conventional Name: Kingdom of Cambodia or Kampuchea (In short by local)

Capital: Phnompenh

Location: Southeast Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand to the south, Thailand to the east, Vietnam to the West, and Laos to the North

Climate – Tropical

· Rainy Season: June to October

· Cool Season: November to February

· Hot Season: March to May

· Monsoon season: May to November)

· Dry season (December to April) - Average

Temperature: 32 degree Celsius

Size: 181,035 square kilometers, with coastal line of 443 km.

Religion: Officially Theravada Buddhism 95%; others Islam and Christianity

Language: Officially Khmer - others: English, French, Chinese and Vietnamase

Time: +7 GMT

Religion

Though abolished during the Pol Pot regime the official religion is Theravada Buddhism, which is also practiced in Laos, Thailand, Burma, and Sri Lanka. Theravada Buddhism was introduced to Cambodia in the 12th Century by King Jayavarman VII, where it replaced Hinduism. Much of this is in evidence at Angkor Wat where Buddhist statues sit atop Hindu Plinths

Entertainment

There is a large choice of entertainment venues around Phnom Penh from lively nightclubs to quieter social venues to karaoke bars and fully licensed casinos. For those interested in cultural offerings, there is traditional Cambodian music and dance, especially the graceful and popular Apsara dancing which dates back to the Angkorian period, the Russian trained royal ballet, performances of classical Western music and the French Cultural Center offers something different every night from dance to theatre to cinema and music. Bars and night clubs are widely available especially overlooking the river. One such place is the Foreign Correspondents' club, an interesting meeting spot for expatriate residents and foreign visitors. In addition, many international hotels provide live entertainment for their guests such as jazz pianists and vocalists singing contemporary ballads. Cambodia's guests are never short of anything interesting to do regardless of taste and personal preferences.

Events and Festivals

Cambodia has a wealth of traditional and international festivals. Most of these are a time of great rejoicing for the predominantly rural populace, many of whom flock to the capital to join in the celebrations and witness the organized fireworks displays which accompany the festivals. It is at these times the nation unites with a shared common understanding of values and traditions and they are looked forward to with great expectation. Even in times of hardship people try even harder to make these times special. All the traditional festivals are influenced by the concepts of Buddhism, Hinduism and royal cultures. The following are the most important of the celebrations organized throughout the year.

Water festival (October or November)

Pchum Ben (September)

King Sihanouk's Birthday Celebration (October 31)

Khmer New Year's Day (Mid April)

Angkor Festival (November or December)

Royal Ploughing Day (May)

Independence Day (November 9)

Chinese New Year (January or February)

National Day (January 7)

International Half Marathon (Late December)

Cambodia Visa