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Extensible Markup Language | 1995-06-15 | 5KB | 19 lines

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <!DOCTYPE card PUBLIC "-//Apple, Inc.//DTD card V 2.0//EN" "" > <card> <id>11261</id> <filler1>0</filler1> <cantDelete> <false /> </cantDelete> <showPict> <true /> </showPict> <dontSearch> <false /> </dontSearch> <owner>5472</owner> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet_3106.css" /> <content> <layer>background</layer> <id>31</id> <text>CAMBODIAOfficial name: Preah Reach Ana Pak Kampuchea (Kingdom of Cambodia)Member of: UNArea: 181035 km2 (69898 sq mi)Population: 9280000 (1993 est)Capital: Phnom-Penh 900000 (1991 est)Other major city: Battambang (Batdambang) 45000 (1987 est)Languages: Khmer (official), FrenchReligion: Buddhist (official; majority)GOVERNMENTElections were held in 1993 for a 123-member National Assembly, which is drafting a new constitution. The monarchy was restored in 1993. The King appoints a Prime Minister who enjoys a majority in the Assembly. The PM, in turn, appoints a Council of Ministers.GEOGRAPHYCentral Cambodia consists of fertile plains in the Mekong River valley and surrounding the Tonle Sap (Great Lake). To the north and east are plateau covered by forests and savannah. The mountains in the south rise to the countryΓÇÖs highest point, Phnum Aoral (1813 m / 5947 ft). Principal river: Mekong 4350 km (2702 mi). Climate: Cambodia is tropical and humid. The monsoon season (JuneΓÇôNovember) brings heavy rain to the whole country, with annual totals as high as 5000 mm (200 in) in the mountains.ECONOMYInvasion, civil wars, massacres of the civilian population (1976ΓÇô79) and the (temporary) abolition of currency (in 1978) all but destroyed the economy. Aided by the Vietnamese from 1979 to 1989, agriculture and, to a lesser extent, industry were slowly reconstructed. The rebuilding of CambodiaΓÇÖs infrastructure increased in the 1990s but the country remains one of the worldΓÇÖs poorest nations. Rice yields ΓÇô formerly exported ΓÇô still fall short of CambodiaΓÇÖs own basic needs. Currency: Riel.HISTORYIn the early 9th century, the Khmer king Jayavarman II established the Angkorian dynasty, with a new state religion. By the 12th century, Cambodia dominated mainland Southeast Asia, but, by the 15th century, Thai and Vietnamese expansion had constricted Cambodia to the Phnom-Penh area. A French protectorate was established in 1863 and continued, apart from Japanese occupation during World War II, until independence in 1953. Throughout this period, the monarchy remained in nominal control. In 1955, King Norodom Sihanouk abdicated to lead a broad coalition government, but he could not prevent CambodiaΓÇÖs involvement in the Vietnam War or allay US fears of his sympathies for the Communists. In 1970 he was overthrown by a pro-USA military junta, which, in turn, was attacked by Communist Khmer Rouge guerrillas, who sought to create a self-sufficient workersΓÇÖ utopia. The Khmer Rouge were finally victorious in 1975. Under Pol Pot, they forcibly evacuated the towns and massacred over 1000000 of their compatriots. In 1978 Vietnam ΓÇô CambodiaΓÇÖs traditional foe ΓÇô invaded, overthrowing the Khmer Rouge. The hostility between the two countries was sharpened by the Sino-Soviet split in which they took different sides. After Vietnamese troops withdrew in 1989, forces of the exiled government coalition invaded. In 1991 the countryΓÇÖs warring factions agreed a peace plan that included free elections and UN supervision and participation in the administration of Cambodia. Although the Khmer Rouge withdrew from the plan, multi-party elections were held in 1993 and the monarchy was restored. The Khmer Rouge remain active in parts of the country.</text> </content> <name>Cambodia</name> <script></script> </card>