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Cambodia
visitors are enchanted by Angkor, the holy city of the
ancient Khmer empire. Built from the 9th to 14th centuries,
the 200 temple complex is one of the wonders of the
world. Masterful sculptures and intricate bas reliefs
bring the past alive. Angkor Wat, the largest temple,
is near the small, sleepy village of Siem Reap.
Most
Cambodians are Theravada Buddhists of Khmer extraction,
but the country also has a substantial number of predominantly
Muslim Cham, as well as ethnic Chinese, Vietnamese and
small animist hill tribes.
The
country borders Thailand to its west and northwest,
Laos to its northeast, and Vietnam to its east and southeast.
In the south it faces the Gulf of Thailand. The geography
of Cambodia is dominated by the Mekong river (colloquial
Khmer: Tonle Thom or "the great river") and the Tonlé
Sap ("the fresh water lake"), an important source of
fish.
Cambodia
has an area of 181,035 square kilometres (69,898 sq
mi) and a population of over 14 million ethnic Khmer.
A citizen of Cambodia is usually identified as "Cambodian"
or "Khmer", though they strictly refer to
ethnic Khmers. Most Cambodians are Theravada Buddhists,
but the country also have a minority number of Muslim
Cham, as well as ethnic Chinese, Vietnamese and small
animist hill tribes.
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