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15 Fun Facts About Cambodia You Probably Didn't Know

15 Fun Facts About Cambodia You Probably Didn't Know
Cambodia | unsplash.com

The most obvious and popular interesting fact about Cambodia is of course, Angkor Wat. It is the main reason tourists flock in their numbers to Cambodia. But, Cambodia offers much more. Here are a bit of some facts you might wanna know. 

Flag of Cambodia | youtube.com
Flag of Cambodia | youtube.com

 

  1. The Cambodian flag is the only national flag that has an image of a building – the Angkor Wat.
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni sits on his throne beside his crown and sword during his coronation | Phnom Penh Post
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni sits on his throne beside his crown and sword during his coronation | Phnom Penh Post

 

2. Cambodia has been changing its name whenever a new government was installed: It was called the Khmer Republic during its republican years, Democratic Kampuchea under the Khmer Rouge regime, and People’s Republic of Kampuchea under the leftist group called Salvation Front. Today, in its latest government form, it is officially called the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Cambodian Youth | Butterfly Works
Cambodian Youth | Butterfly Works

 

 

3. Half of Cambodia’s current population is younger than 15 years old.

Cambodian senior citizen | Going Slowly
Cambodian senior citizen | Going Slowly

 

4. Traditionally, birthdays are not celebrated in Cambodia. Older people might not even know their birthdays.

Cambodian textile workers | The Independent
Cambodian textile workers | The Independent

 

5. In recent times, the country’s biggest source of income has been the textile industry. The second largest source of Cambodian income is tourism.

 

Cambodian monk | Time to Move
Cambodian monk | Time to Move

 

6. In Cambodia, the head is regarded as the highest part of the body and shouldn’t be touched even in the kindest manner.

 

7. It’s considered disrespectful to let your feet or soles to point at people or things, so the feet must be tucked in when sitting.

Ta Prohm temple, Angkor | SCMP
Ta Prohm temple, Angkor | SCMP

 

8. Angkor Wat was constructed about 800 years before Tomb Raider was filmed there. It’s like they knew she was coming.   

Traditional Cambodian Wedding Ceremony | MaiCamera Photography
Traditional Cambodian Wedding Ceremony | MaiCamera Photography

 

9. Traditional Cambodian weddings are quite involved and can go for up to three days and three nights.

10. Cambodians believe that counting a gecko’s chirp will tell you whom you will marry. The first chirp means you’ll marry a bachelor, second chirp means a widower, third chirp is a bachelor again and so on. Keep counting until the gecko stops.

Yes, those are insects | Nick's Universe
Yes, those are insects | Nick's Universe

 

11. While Cambodia is renowned for cooking up creepy crawlies, most people eat fish and rice.

12. Evidence from carbon dating suggests that Cambodia was inhabited as early as 4000 B.C.

Tonle Sap lake | tonlesaplake.visitwonders.com
Tonle Sap lake | tonlesaplake.visitwonders.com

 

13. The Tonle Sap lake is the largest salt water lake in Southeast Asia.

PM Hun Sen | Khmerization
PM Hun Sen | Khmerization

 

14. Hun Sen, Cambodia’s present Prime Minister became the world’s youngest head of the state when he was 32 years and 162 days old.

Mopeds everywhere | Slick's Adventure
Mopeds everywhere | Slick's Adventure

 

15. There are 1.3 million mopeds in Cambodia for a population of over 1.5 million people. Thus, you can find mopeds almost everywhere you find people in the country.

(From various sources)

Akhyari Hananto

I began my career in the banking industry in 1997, and stayed approx 6 years in it. This industry boost his knowledge about the economic condition in Indonesia, both macro and micro, and how to More understand it. My banking career continued in Yogyakarta when I joined in a program funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB),as the coordinator for a program aimed to help improve the quality of learning and teaching process in private universities in Yogyakarta. When the earthquake stroke Yogyakarta, I chose to join an international NGO working in the area of ?disaster response and management, which allows me to help rebuild the city, as well as other disaster-stricken area in Indonesia. I went on to become the coordinator for emergency response in the Asia Pacific region. Then I was assigned for 1 year in Cambodia, as a country coordinator mostly to deliver developmental programs (water and sanitation, education, livelihood). In 2009, he continued his career as a protocol and HR officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, and two years later I joined the Political and Economic Section until now, where i have to deal with extensive range of people and government officials, as well as private and government institution troughout eastern Indonesia. I am the founder and Editor-in-Chief in Good News From Indonesia (GNFI), a growing and influential social media movement, and was selected as one of The Most Influential Netizen 2011 by The Marketeers magazine. I also wrote a book on "Fundamentals of Disaster Management in 2007"?, "Good News From Indonesia : Beragam Prestasi Anak Bangsa di dunia"? which was luanched in August 2013, and "Indonesia Bersyukur"? which is launched in Sept 2013. In 2014, 3 books were released in which i was one of the writer; "Indonesia Pelangi Dunia"?, "Indonesia The Untold Stories"? and "Growing! Meretas Jalan Kejayaan" I give lectures to students in lectures nationwide, sharing on full range of issues, from economy, to diplomacy Less
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