Angkor Wat       Phnom Penh

Around 4000 B.C. at what today is Samong Sen at lake (Tonle Sap) a human society developed a remarkable level of civilization. As has been found in excavations, at that time, people already built houses on stilts, just like they still do today at lake (Tonle Sap).

Angkor

For centuries, the area around the Mekong delta and the Cambodian central plain were ruled by the Kingdom of Java (in today's Indonesia). But in 802, Khmer prince Jayavarman II, who was born and raised at the court of the Javanese Sailendra Dynasty, declares the areas inhabited by Khmer independent from Java and thus founds the kingdom of Angkor. He is crowned as Devaraja (god king) by a Brahman priest. In the following years he moves his capital several times. Initially it was at Indrapura (East of Kampong Cham), then at Wat Phou (in today's southern Laos) and finally at Rolous (near Angkor).

In 889 Yasovarman I became a king of the Khmer. He starts the construction of Angkor and then named Yasodharapura. Yasovarmans reigns until the year 900.

In 1002 Suryavarman I usurp the throne. Under his rule, the kingdom of Angkor is extended into vast stretches of today's Thailand and Laos.

In 1080, after Angkor had been conquered by the Kingdom of Champa, a Northern provincial Khmer governor declares himself king, assuming the name Jayavarman VI. He rules the new Khmer Kingdom from his Northern Province.

In 1113 a nephew of Jayavarman VI is crowned king of the Khmer, choosing the new name Suryavarman II. During his long reign Angkor Wat is built.

In 1177 Angkor is again conquered by an army from Champa. Jayavarman VII, a cousin of Suryavarman II, becomes king in 1181 and subsequently conquers Vijaya, the capital of Champa (in today's Vietnam). Under Jayavarman VII the Khmer territory reaches its largest extent ever. It covers practically all of today's Thailand and Laos, and reaches into today's Myanmar, Malaysia and Vietnam. Jayavarman VII converts from Hinduism to Buddhism and makes Buddhism the new national religion.

In 1200 construction of a new royal capital is started Angkor Thom. As this enormous construction depletes the resources of the Khmer realm, it suffers economical problems in the following years.

The following decades see the decline of Angkor. To the West Thai Kingdoms become the dominant political powers; to the East Vietnamese kingdoms rise. As a small buffer state Cambodia in between the two, the kingdom of the Khmer alternatively depends on the Thais and the Vietnamese. In order to liberate themselves from the yoke of one conqueror they need the help of the other who then demands that the Khmer obey in compensation of their debts.

In 1432, after Thais once more conquered Angkor, the Khmer abandon their capital, leaving it to the jungle.     (Top)

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is situated at the confluence of the Tonle Sap and Bassac rivers with the Mekong. It was founded as a small monastery in 1372 by the rich Khmer woman Penh, after she had found four Buddha statues in a tree trunk on the banks of the Mekong. She set up the monastery on a hill near the bank of the Mekong. The Cambodian word for hill is Phnom. Therefore the name of the town correctly translates as Hill of Penh.

Rather significantly Phnom Penh's history is founded on an episode, in which the Buddhist religion played a part, contrary to the Khmer capital of that time, Angkor, which was shaped, and literally so, by Hinduism. Nevertheless, Buddhism had, since the beginning of the 13th century, become the dominant religion. (In Southeast Asia both religions are entwined to a much higher degree than first appears to be the case. For instance, numerous Buddhist temples in Thailand house altars of Hindu deities, especially Brahma, and the details of the royal ploughing ceremony in Bangkok are determined by Brahman, not Buddhist, palace priests... just like Thai coronation modalities).

In 1434, after the Siamese conquest of Angkor in 1431, the Khmer nobility unwilling to submit to Siamese overlords fled from Angkor and established Phnom Penh as the new Khmer capital, just 64 years after the Buddhist monastery had been founded on Penh Hill. However, the Khmer never succeeded in setting up a new kingdom to come close to the glamour of Angkor.

In fact, for long periods of time the Khmer kingdom centered in Phnom Penh wasn't a sovereign country but alternatively a satellite state of, or directly ruled by, the Vietnamese or the Thais. For more than 400 years - until the French made Cambodia their protectorate - the art of politics in Phnom Penh was just an exercise of balancing between the two powerful neighbours.

On April 17, 1864, the Cambodian king Norodom accepted for his country the status of a French protectorate. King Norodom expected the French to protect Cambodia from the neighbouring countries Siam (Thailand) and Vietnam.

However, the French protectors did not prevent politically strong Siam from temporarily annexing western parts of the country, including the town of Battambang. Nevertheless, by recognizing French rule, King Norodom preempted moves of Siam and Vietnam to entirely divide his country between them. In past centuries the loss of territory to Vietnam had been more significant. The Mekong delta, or rather the entire present-day South Vietnam, had been settled by Cambodians until well into the 18th century.

During almost 90 years of colonial rule the French reshaped and extended Phnom Penh according to their architectural taste. They built broad boulevards and the city received a touch of Mediterranean atmosphere.

During the Vietnam war the city grew to more than 2 Million inhabitants, creating an atmosphere of an overcrowded refugee camp rather than a French metropolis.

On April 17, 1975, 20 years after the end of French colonial rule, the Khmer Rouge marched into Phnom Penh. Within weeks the city was emptied, its population forced into provincial labour camps; Phnom Penh became a ghost town.

After an increasing number of incidents at the Cambodian-Vietnamese border, Vietnamese troops move into Cambodia and on January 7, 1979, take Phnom Penh. Since then, many of the city's former inhabitants have returned, and new folks have arrived. The city now, once more, counts over a Million inhabitants.

Since the signing of the Paris Peace Treaty in 1991, Phnom Penh experienced a great economic boom, despite the civil war still smoldering in far-off parts of the country. Although streets and canalization - destroyed by the Khmer Rouge - are not yet fully repaired, a large number of modern hotels have been built.    (Top)

Colonial Times

On April 17, 1864, after being alternatively controlled by Thailand or Vietnam for more than 400 years, Cambodian King Norodom accepts for his country the status of a French protectorate. King Norodom expects the French to protect Cambodia from the neighbouring countries Siam (Thailand) and Vietnam.

However, the French protectors cannot prevent politically strong Siam from temporarily annexing western parts of the country, including the town of Battambang. Nevertheless, by recognizing French rule, King Norodom preempted moves of Siam and Vietnam to entirely divide his country between them. In past centuries the loss of territory to Vietnam had been more significant. The Mekong delta, or rather the entire presentday South Vietnam, had been settled by Cambodians until well into the 18th century.

In 1884, with the acknowledgment of King Norodom, Cambodia's status is changed from protectorate to colony. The political influence of the French grows, and together with Vietnam and Laos, Cambodia becomes part of the Union Indochinois. In subsequent decades the French colonial masters install a European administrative system in Cambodia and improve the infrastructure of the country. Nevertheless, the economical development of the French Union Indochinois does not reach the extent of Burma's or India's development under British rule.

In September 1940, after France is invaded by Germany, Japanese troops occupy Indochina without meeting any resistance.

Officially the word is that the French colonial power leaves all military installation for the Japanese troops to use; in exchange the French colonial administration remains in office. Therefore the years of World War II bring less destruction to Cambodia than, for instance, to the fiercely contested Southeast Asian states of Burma and the Philippines.

In 1941 the French colonial masters proclaim 18-year-old Prince Norodom Sihanouk king of Cambodia, expecting to be able to easily control the politically inexperienced youth.

In March 1945 the Japanese military remove the French colonial administration and force young King Norodom Sihanouk to proclaim the independence of his country.

In East Asia, World War II ends August 14, 1945, with the capitulation of Japan. Subsequently, France tries to reestablish herself as colonial power in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos.

In 1946 King Norodom Sihanouk demands independence for his country from France. The French colonial masters respond by abolishing the absolute monarchy in Cambodia and by restricting the position of the king to representative status. A national assembly is elected.

In 1952 King Norodom Sihanouk enters self-elected exile, announcing he would return to Cambodia only when the country is independent.      (Top)

Independence

On November 9, 1953, France releases Cambodia into independence and King Norodom Sihanouk returns.

In 1955, in order to free himself from the restrictions set for the king by the Cambodian constitution, Norodom Sihanouk abdicates in favour of his father, Norodom Suramarit, and enters politics. In successive elections, in 1955, 1958, 1962 and 1966, the party of Norodom Sihanouk wins every seat in parliament.

In March 1969 American planes start bombing Cambodia to interrupt the supply trails of the Vietcong. The bombardments last until 1973.

In 1970, while Norodom Sihanouk is in Moscow on a state visit, Marshal Lon Nol stages a coup d'etat in Phnom Penh. Lon Nol abolishes the monarchy and declares Cambodia a republic. Norodom Sihanouk chooses to stay in Peking, presiding over a governmentinexile. The Khmer Rouge is a part of it. During the following years, the Khmer Rouge conquered more and more regions of Cambodia, until finally only Phnom Penh remains under the control of the Lon Nol government.

On April 17, 1975, the Khmer Rouge march into Phnom Penh. Within a few days, the execution a large number of Cambodians formerly connected to the Lon Nol regime. More than 2 Million inhabitants of Phnom Penh are forced out of the city and moved to provincial labor camps. Phnom Penh becomes a ghost town. The economy of the entire country is transformed along radical Communist lines, money is simply abolished. The consequences include famine and epidemics.

Within the following 44 months more than a Million Cambodians fall victim to the Khmer Rouge rule of terror. Refugees who make it to Thailand report atrocities of the worst kind: executions of children, only because they were not born of peasant families or of Vietnamese or Chinese origin. Whosoever was suspected of being educated, or to be a member of a merchant family, was murdered: clubbed to death, not shot, in order to save ammunition.

On December 25, 1978, after a series of transgressions at the Cambodian Vietnamese border, the Vietnamese army invades Cambodia. On January 7, 1979, Vietnamese troops occupy Phnom Penh. A Vietnam friendly government is installed, Heng Samrin, a Khmer Rouge guerrilla who earlier had fled to Vietnam, is proclaimed president. The new Cambodian government is not recognized by Western countries.

In 1982, three Cambodian resistance groups, the Khmer Rouge, the National Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful and Cooperative Cambodia (FUNCINPEC) of Prince Sihanouk, and the anticommunist Khmer People's National Liberation Front of former PM Son Sann, form a coalition aiming to expel the Vietnamese occupation forces.

In 1989 the Vietnamese troops retreat from Cambodia. On October 23, 1991, the government previously installed in Phnom Penh by the Vietnamese together with the resistance coalition, among them the Khmer Rouge signed a peace treaty in Paris. Three weeks later, on November 14, 1991, Prince Sihanouk returns to Phnom Penh. The population of the capital received him enthusiastically.

In 1992 the United Nations Transitory Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) took over the government and the administration of the country. The Khmer Rouge did not adhere to the Paris agreement which stipulates that warring factions lay down their arms.

On May 23, 1993, in elections for a constitutional assembly, supervised by the UN, FUNCINPEC wins 45 % of the votes. The Cambodian People's Party of the government installed by the Vietnamese achieves 38 %. FUNCINPEC and CPP agree to form a coalition government.   (Top)

Geography

Covering an area of 181,035 square kilometers, Cambodia is about half the size of Germany. In the West the country is bordered by Thailand, in the North by Laos and in the East by Vietnam.

By far the most important river of Cambodia is the Mekong, which passes through the country for about 500 kilometres in a northsoutherly direction. The Mekong is passable for ships from its delta in Vietnam until Phnom Penh.

Southeast Asia's largest lake, Tonle Sap, is in Cambodia and is connected to the Mekong by a short river, also called Tonle Sap. For most of the time this river flows from lake (Tonle Sap) into the Mekong. However, during the Southeast Asian rainy season from June to October when the Mekong drains large areas of Southeast Asia, the Tonle Sap river flows from the Mekong back into lake (Tonle Sap) thus causing enormous floods in the area surrounding the lake. During this time, lake (Tonle Sap) can swell to more than twice its regular size.

Central Cambodia is a fertile plain. Mountain ranges in the shape of a semicircle form a natural boundary with Thailand. In the West are the Cardamon Mountains (designated after the spice of the same name), in the Southwest the Elephant Mountains and in the North the Dankret Mountain Range. The highest mountain in Cambodia is Phnom Aural in the Cardamon range, at a height of 1,813 metres.

To date these mountain ranges are comparatively densely covered with forest and are only sparsely populated. All three are still operating areas of the Khmer Rouge guerrillas.

The southern coastal strip has never been of importance for the Cambodian economy. It is separated from the central plain by difficult terrain. The Mekong has always been the economical conduit of Cambodia.

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