Cambodia

Where the name comes from

Cambodia comes through Khmer Kampuchea from Sanskrit Kambujadeśa, “land of the Kambojas”; an inscription from 947 links it to the legendary Indian sage Kambu.

First people

People lived here for thousands of years, and early states such as Funan traded across the Gulf of Thailand.¹

Known for

Cambodia is known for Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world, built at the heart of the Khmer Empire, which ruled from 802 to the 1400s.^2,3

Outside contact

France made Cambodia a protectorate in 1863, and Japan pushed out French authority in 1945.⁴

The modern country

Independence came in 1953.⁴