Cambodia: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities Opposition Fares Well in Election Geography Situated on the Indochinese peninsula, Cambodia is bordered by Thailand and Laos on the north and Vietnam on the east and south. The Gulf of Thailand is off the western coast. The size of Missouri, the country consists chiefly of a large alluvial plain ringed by mountains with the Mekong River to the east. The plain is centered around Lake Tonle Sap, which is a natural storage basin of the Mekong. Government Multiparty liberal democracy under a constitutional monarchy. History The area that is present-day Cambodia came under Khmer rule about 600, when the region was at the center of a vast empire that stretched over most of Southeast Asia. Under the Khmers, who were Hindus, a magnificent temple complex was constructed at Angkor. Buddhism was introduced in the 12th century during the rule of Jayavaram VII. However, the kingdom, then known as Kambuja, fell into decline after Jayavaram's reign and was nearly annihilated by Thai and Vietnamese invaders.

Kambuja's power steadily diminished until 1863, when France colonized the region, joining Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam into a single protectorate known as French Indochina. The French quickly usurped all but ceremonial powers from the monarch, Norodom. When he died in 1904, the French passed over his sons and handed the throne to his brother, Sisowath. Sisowath and his son ruled until 1941, when Norodom Sihanouk was elevated to power. Sihanouk's coronation, along with the Japanese occupation during the war, worked to reinforce a sentiment among Cambodians that the region should be free from outside control. After World War II, Cambodians sought independence, but France was reluctant to part with its colony. Cambodia was granted independence within the French Union in 1949. But the French-Indochinese War provided an opportunity for Sihanouk to gain full military control of the country.

He abdicated in 1955 in favor of his parents, remaining head of the government, and when his father died in 1960, Sihanouk became chief of state without returning to the throne. In 1963, he sought a guarantee of Cambodia's neutrality from all parties in the Vietnam War. However, North Vietnamese and Vietcong troops had begun using eastern Cambodia as a safe haven from which to launch attacks into South Vietnam, making it increasingly difficult to stay out of the war. An indigenous Communist guerrilla movement known as the Khmer Rouge also began to put pressure on the government in Phnom Penh. On March 18, 1970, while Sihanouk was abroad, anti-Vietnamese riots broke out and Sihanouk was overthrown by Gen. Lon Nol. The Vietnam peace agreement of 1973 stipulated withdrawal of foreign forces from Cambodia, but fighting continued between Hanoi-backed insurgents and U.S.-supplied government troops.

THAI-LAOS CLASHES ON BORDER GROW - NYTimes.com THAI-LAOS CLASHES ON BORDER GROW By BARBARA CROSSETTE, Special to the New York Times Published: January 7, 1988 BANGKOK, Thailand, Jan. 6— A border dispute between Laos and Thailand is growing into a wider diplomatic controversy while both Vietnam and the Soviet Union are trying to improve relations with non-Communist Southeast Asian nations. The border dispute has led to sporadic outbursts of fierce fighting over the last few weeks. Today, a spokesman for the Thai National Security Council said there was evidence that guerrillas of the Pak Mai, a pro-Moscow Thai Communist organization, were fighting alongside Laotian troops in border areas of the northern Thai province of Phitsanulok. Thailand put down a Communist insurgency in the north and northeast less than a decade ago, and the concern that Laos could be used as a base for renewed insurrection is always present here. Laos, in turn, has to deal with an anti-Government insurgency operating from Thailand.

Hanoi Is Blamed for Trouble The Thai Security Council's secretary general, Suwit Suthanukul, has publicly accused Vietnam, which has about 40,000 soldiers in Laos, of provoking and assisting in the new border attacks. Vietnam denies the charge. Hanoi, lashing out at ''Thai reactionary circles,'' backs Laotian charges that Thai troops are on Laotian territory and that some of them are engaged in illegal logging. Thai and Laotian officials have long used different maps to define the land border in western Laos. Most of the rest of the dividing line between the two countries follows the Mekong River. Some regional officials and diplomats acknowledge they are mystified by the flare-up in Thai-Laotian fighting, described as the worst since the Communist Government came to power in Vientiane in 1975. Although the two countries fought bitter battles over three disputed villages farther north along the same frontier in 1984, Thai-Laotian relations had been improving steadily since.

Trade Is Legalized Legal trade across the border has opened at several points - Laos relies on consumer goods transported through or bought from Thailand - and Bangkok drastically reduced a list of strategic goods Thais were not permitted to sell to Laos. Boat races on the Mekong resumed in 1986, to the great joy of crowds on both banks. The only serious setback until the outbreak of the present fighting occurred in March 1987 when the Laotian Deputy Foreign Minister, Soubanh Sarithirath, called a news conference in Thailand while here on a negotiating mission and blasted Bangkok's policies toward Vientiane. The outburst, considered more unseemly than dangerous by Southeast Asians, who do not normally air grievances in this manner, has so rankled the Thais that Foreign Minister Siddhi Savetsila told Laos not to send Mr. Soubanh back to talk about the new dispute. U.N. Intervention Sought The United Nations Secretary General, Javier Perez de Cuellar, sent a message to both sides this week asking them to discuss the border problem. Laos had requested United Nations intervention after Thai planes made bombing runs over the area in December.

The new tension in Thai-Laotian relations comes as Vientiane begins upgrading its diplomatic ties with China, an increasingly close ally of Thailand. Officials had speculated that the Laotians were perhaps testing the international waters on behalf of Vietnam, which says it also wants improved ties with Beijing. China, however, has repeated many times that there can be no closer links with Hanoi - there are diplomatic relations - until Vietnam ends its occupation of Cambodia. Recent Chinese radio broadcasts have dismissed Vietnamese plans for an internationally supported ''national reconciliation'' in Cambodia with the rejoinder, ''Whoever started the trouble should end it.'' Map of Thailand highlighting Phitsanulok (NYT) Chiang Rai Arival Meals: Welcome to Chiang Rai, transfer to your hotel for check in. Rest of the day at your leisure. DAY Half Day Tour In Chiang Rai – Transfer To Chieng Khong Meals: B,L Morning, have breakfast at hotel then transfer to visit Doi Tung (The Flag Mountain) known by locals as Thailand’s Switzerland. Visit the Doi Tung Royal Villa, the former residence of the Princess Mother (Mother of the present king) and houses a museum and displaying her work to improve the life quality of local tribal people.

Continue to Mae Fah Luang Gardens, a botanical park located on the slopes below the royal villa. Flowers and plants grow among rock formations. Depart to Chiang Khong for overnight. DAY Samantha H We spent a total of 19 days visiting Vietnam and Cambodia. I planned the trip with fairly short notice and rather individualized. Daisy was super accommodating with our requests even after our arrival. She showed great concern for our well-being when the weather turned cold as we were heading toward Sapa in the mountains. We purchased the ubiquitous "North Face" jackets for the experience of snow in Vietnam. Our trip had numerous guides and every form of travel. Never once were we stranded by our hosts. Our favorite parts of the trip were Sapa, Ha Long Bay (boat), Hoi An (beach), and Angkor Wat. In these and the other locations we always felt well taken care of in excellent hotels and on the arranged tours. The vacation using 365 Travel met our expectations and then some. I would highly recommend using 365 for your Southeast Asia travels.

Gregory M , US When your knowledge of the language is limited to "hello" and "thank you" it's VERY desirable to have a native-speaking guide at your side, and 365 provides friendly, knowledgable, professionals waiting for you at every stop. And we had many stops in our four-week travels, excellently planned, collaboratively with us, by Daisy. They even shuttled us to and from a resort we booked independently. It's also compelling for us that every guides was local to the area we were visiting, and took pride and interest in their home area - besides having lots of useful information and guidance. Besides the Vietnam destinations mentioned in other reviews, we stopped in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap (for the Angkor complex), Luang Prabang, Chiang Mai, and Bangkok. Fascinating. Too many highlights to mention - though being at a temple hearing monks chanting into the New Year, and then seeing revelers launch small hot-air balloons, was really special. Having an unscheduled day after the endless flights to Hanoi was a smart decision, as was a beach day before flying home!

Good to know is that visits to workshops and demonstrations carry an expectation that you'll make a purchase - so be prepared to buy - or decline. We should also add that 365 accommodated our - sometimes last-minute - change requests, both before and during our travels. And that flexibility made for a more enjoyable / interesting / balanced trip. Finally we should add that we'd got a quote from another custom provider before we discovered 365 online, and 365 were able to offer a very similar itinerary at a very competitive rate. Should we return to the region, we wouldn't think of arranging it with another provider. Thanks Daisy, and all the guides. Visited December 2015 Mwb2016 , United States My family of four just completed a 14 day excursion with 365 Travel that included 4 days in Thailand, 3 days in Cambodia and 7 days in Vietnam. I worked with an amazing trip planner Hanna Doan who was extremely accomodating to all of our requests and allowed us great flexibility to make changes sometimes necessitated by air travel changes. She was a great resource when we chose to make some of the hotel arrangements on our own.

I had the chance to meet Hanna in Hanoi and she was a lovely person who even gave us beautiful souvenier gifts from her country. I will start by saying that our family has traveled throughout the world with a number of great tour operators and the level of customer service focus of this company is about as good as it gets. At each of our stops, we were met by wonderful guides who were kind, passionate, informed and friendly and drivers who were not onlyexcellent drivers in navigating through an amazing web of traffic at many large cities but were always courteous and giving us water and facial wipes along the way. The guides responded to all of our questions, gave us suggestions and even treated us to local food and drink for tastings. They were also very patient with us waiting sometimes hours at the airport due to flight delays or visa issuance delays in Ho Chi Minh city. They made sure at hotels and airports that everything was in order before leaving us even though we had made some of these arrangements on our own. 365 Travel was extremely helpful in designing itineraries that met our needs in terms of the number and types of places we wanted to visit. Never did they say no to something or indicate that our requests were not reasonable.

The lunches and dinners that were included were all very good with restaurants that provided good food and service by our standards. I can't say enough great things about their attention to detail and making sure their services were always to our satisfaction. Before the trip, I had considered 3 other recommended tour operators, which were larger and had more reviews. I went with 365 Travel mostly because of the attention Hanna provided and their great flexibility and knowledge. I found their pricing to be very fair. I am truly glad that I went with 365 Travel and recommend them without any reservation. A friend of mine who also used them on a Vietnam trip during the same period we were in were also very pleased with their services. The happy memories we created through this trip we owe in great part to the great attention and services we received from 365 Travel and Hanna. Visited December 2015 Oscar M , United States Hi Daisy. We had a wonderful trip to Hanoi and to Halong Bay. Your planning and service was very gracious and thorough. Mr. Hung was very interesting, intelligent and patient with us. His care and servicces were very accommodating. He knows the area and the history of the area which we appreciated very much.

His help with our luggage and rescheduling our flight back to HCMC was very helpful. Thank you for such a memorable trip. When we return we will contact you and 365 again to plan our travels to other areas we would like to visit when we come again to Vietnam. We will share our experiences with our family and our friends. Louise chandler-Hones , United States We were very impressed with the quality of the guides/drivers/vehicles as well as the accommodations and logistics. Everything was as good or better than advertised. Kensington did an excellent job of taking care of all the little things as well. From providing a cell phone for use in country, to checking in with us periodically to make sure all was well. We'd definitely use and recommend Kensington for any future travel Bobby Lukeshaw , Norway Our trip to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam was rich in culture and learning. 365 Travel made it so easy for us to be engaged in our trip instead of on our trip. Our responsibility was to enjoy and participate as the details of travel, accommodations and activities were all in place. This was no small activity as we boarded ten plane flights and went through immigration and customs five times all without incident.

Each of our guides was unique in that they were from the culture therefore able to help immerse us in the culture. Having a personal guide allowed us to adjust the schedule based on our interests and various needs. The next time we travel somewhere this adventuresome, 365 Travel will be at our side. Johnathan Smith , United States We had a wonderful time, but would like to provide some more detailed feedback that may be useful. (Intent is to be helpful, not to complain, we have no complaints really.) 1) Guides: The guides turned out to be more essential than we thought. For one thing, we were able to see more and understand more without having to manage logistics. They were always very attentive, made sure we had water, didn't get lost, didn't get hassled, etc. Phong (HoiAn), however, set the bar, and maybe to the detriment of the other guides because she was absolutely amazing. She had an unerring ability to anticipate what we would like to see or do, when we might be flagging, when we needed quiet or fun, or food. She always seemed to have interesting background information we couldn't get from guide books.

I mentioned that I would have liked to get a silk lantern and she arranged to have one for me when we got back to Hanoi (we missed the email she sent, however, so she offered to send it to Canada. Unbelievable.) She was delightful to be around and just the right amount of personal and professional. The others were for the most part, good, but language was really important and there was a range of capacity. The guide in Saigon was limited this way, and it was occasionally led to disappointment. Saigon was one place, though, where someone who was fluent in English would have made a significant difference. Ross McGregor and Julie White , United States Guides in Hanoi Siem Reep and Saigon were fantastic. May our guide in Saigon was so nice and very gracious. Our guide on the ship Adam was outstanding and would be a great asset to 365 Travel. The AMA sip was wonderful, food great, tours nice and service impeccable. We would use your agency again for sure. Thank you to Danny for Doing this for us. I would upgrade everyone to the Metropole in Hanoi. It was an experience in itself. A fine old world hotel.

Rose Wilshere , Scotland Hello Alice, Thank you for your email - I was going to be writing to you today in any event to thank you and all at 365 for making our trip so memorable and indeed perfect! I will try to give you as much feedback here as possible and will try to be as logical as possible but forgive me if I miss anything out. Organisation: This was perfect throughout the trip in every respect with timekeeping perfect and the guides and drivers appearing as if by magic at exactly the right time. Guides: All 3 guides were very good being both friendly and very knowledgeable and really brought our trip alive, although I have to make a special mention of Thang who I think was exceptional. Hotels: All hotels were good but we felt that the Angkor Regency was the best hotel and also loved the Victoria as it was not only very good but also had special charm. The Green Palace was probably the least favourite. Vietnam Trips: We did so much in such a short space of time I will not try to mention all as we felt the itinerary was very very good for the whole trip.

But worthy of mention was the Birthday Boat trip was very good despite the last minute change and it was very much appreciated by all of us - thank you once again! The Tunnels were also very good and we all loved all the trips on the Mekong. Cambodia Trips: The Killing Fields and S21 were very moving and should be seen by all and all the Temples at Angkor Wat were fantastic. I took over 1500 photos and will put some of these on the Westminster website. Please pass on my sincere thanks to Cindy and all those involved in making this a truly exceptional experience and I now have no hesitation at all in trying to encourage our clients from Westminster Tours to use 365. I will meet with Cindy when she is in London in November (please ask her to email me with exactly what dates she will be here) to see how best to develop things. Thank you all once again, Kevin Kevin R Smith , USA I could not be happier with your service and the planning of this wonderful trip. Everything was first class. Although I was traveling alone, I felt safe and secure at all times. In particular my travel consultant Danny P.

should be highly praised for all his knowledge and work to put this together. Thank you Danny Danny , USA We enjoyed the entire trip. The guide in Hanoi was satisfactory. The guide in Hue and the rest of Vietnam Suooang was terrific. She went out of her way. We loved her. The guide Chia in Bangkok was also superior. He also went out of his way to add to our trip. The guide in Siem Repp was not terrific. I wore a sleeveless dress in the morning. We went back to the hotel after lunch before Angkor Wat. Of course they didn't want to let me go up to the top. He should have told me to change. He knew they wouldn't let me up. Anthony Berking , Germany Our guides were very customer oriented, except Johnny in Saigon, who really was so self interested and not focused on giving us the best tour. The last hotel was very poor compared to others and left us with a bad taste. Especially with Anantara only a few doors away. In addition, we asked for boutique hotels like Anantara and were put in a large corporate hotel in Saigon.

The fact that the tour arranger did not pick up that we had no flights from Siem Reap to Hanoi was very disturbing and created much upset on the trip. We only did very touristy things. We were hoping, as with other tours, you would offer opportunities off the beaten track that were more original and different, this was disappointing. Political Map of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam - Atlapedia® Online Myanmar Myanmar is located on the mainland of South East Asia. It is bound by China to the north and northeast, Laos to the east, Thailand to the east and southeast, India to the northwest, Bangladesh to the west and the Andaman Sea to the south.... Thailand Thailand is located in the center of mainland South East Asia. It is bound by the Andaman Sea to the west, Myanmar to the west and northwest, Laos to the east and northeast, Cambodia to the east as well as Malaysia and the Gulf of Thailand to the south.... Laos-ASEAN Countries Laos Laos was under the control of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of French Indochina.

The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the government, ending a six-century-old monarchy. Initial closer ties to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual return to private enterprise, a liberalization of foreign investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997. The country is located in Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam. The bordering countries are Myanmar, Cambodia,China, Thailand, and Vietnam. As most of the Southeast Asian countries, Laos is a tropical country with humid and moist weather. The natural resources found in Laos are timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, and gemstones. The population is about 6,217,141. The nationality is Lao or Laotian. The ethnic groups of Laos are Lao Loum living in the lowland, Lao Theung living in the upland, Lao Soung living in the highland, including the Hmong and the Yao. Some of them are also ethnics from Vietnamese and Chinese. Most people are Buddhist.

The official main language is Lao, but French and English are also spoken. The capital of Laos is Vientiane. The city is situated along the great Mekong River. The currency is kip (LAK). Tourist attractions in Northern Laos are mountains region and unspoiled colorful villages of many ethic minorities such as Hmong, Iko, Mien and Samtoa which made this northern part of Laos become a spotlight destination. This place is known as Luang Namtha. Houaixay region is one of the key trading port of these three countries, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, known as the Golden Triangle. This place is also well known of its precious stones and gold mining. When Traveling to the southern part of Laos to the border of Cambodia is Kong Island. This island is decorated by the biggest waterfall in Southeast Asia known as Khoneprapheng Waterfall. In Pakse, the formal royal palace capital of Champasack and the ruins of pre-Angkorian Wat Phou Temple can be visited. The Luang Prabang, which is recently named as World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is also in Pakse.

About Myanmar Indochina: Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam Indochina: Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam Outline o Culture, Language, and Religion o Persistent Poverty 2. Demographic Analysis based on Population Data Sheet 2007 o Population mid 2007 o Percent Under 15 / Over 65 o Population Natural Growth o Projected Populations ï¿½ 2025/2050 o Population Density 5. Review questions Regional Characteristics The three countries of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam represent Indochina, located in Southeast Asia to the south of China and to the east of Thailand. Like much of this part of the world Indochina was colonized by Europeans. The French occupied Indochina for most of the nineteenth century and for the first half of the twentieth century. The physical environment of Indochina is mostly mountainous. Climate, the Indochina peninsula as a whole experiences a monsoon tropical climate type of environment. The summer rains are brought by winds from the oceans leaving the peninsula subjected to typhoons during the late summer period. The winters are cooler and drier, and are dominated by winds blowing outward from Asiaï¿½s interior.

Cambodia experiences a tropical savanna climate and tends to receive about 60 to 80 inches of average annual rainfall. Cambodia is mostly plains along and to the west of the lower Mekong River with mountain fringes to the northeast and southwest. Vietnam has two different climates in the north and south. North Vietnam experiences a humid subtropical climate while South Vietnam tends to have a tropical rainy climate. Vietnam receives the most rain on the Indochina Peninsula averaging over 80 inches annually. Laos also has two different climates because like Vietnam is an elongated country that stretches between two climates. North Laos has a humid subtropical much like that of North Vietnam. South Laos, however, is much like Cambodia in that it experiences a tropical savanna climate. Laos also receives averagely 60 to 80 inches of rainfall with some parts reaching over 80 inches. Laos is mountainous, sparsely populated, and landlocked between Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. These three countries are each very different and a particular culture dominates each country. The religions of Indochina are numerous, but the main religions are prevalent throughout the region. Indian traders brought Hindu and Buddhist religions across the ocean from the west.

The distinctive Indian culture and architecture, reflected in temples of Angkor, Cambodia, led to the area that includes Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam being called Indochina. People known as Mon and Khmer occupied the Cambodian area from the North and between A.D 800s and 1200s it was the center of the Khmer empire. The language of Cambodia is Khmer while the religion is Buddhism. Except for about a half million people which are Vietnamese, almost all 14 million people are ethnic Cambodian. Vietnamese and Lao arrived in the territories that now form their national centers. There are about 68 different ethnic groups in Laos with the largest of the groups being Lao. They are linguistically and culturally related to the Thais and their religion along with Cambodia is Buddhism. Almost nine-tenths of Vietnamï¿½s people are ethnic Vietnamese. They are closely related to the Chinese in many cultural aspects, including language and shared religious elements of Confucianism, Buddhism, and ancestor veneration. Large Chinese minorities live in major countries in each of the three countries of Indochina. Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam remain poor.

Vietnam was catching up having a 2000 economy of $31 billion which was up four times since 1990. Cambodia and Laos had 2000 total GNIs of less than $4 billion each. The three countries of former French Indochina have experienced relatively little economic expansion. This area seems to have had almost continual warfare between 1941 and 1975, and fighting persisted until the late 1990s in Cambodia. Of these three countries, Vietnam is the most prosperous; however it is still among the worldï¿½s poorest countries. Conditions grew worse after the fall of the Soviet Union, Vietnamï¿½s main supporter and trading partner. Vietnam still has overcome these conditions though by following the Chinese model. However, Laos and Cambodia face more serious problems. In Cambodia, ravages of war exacerbated an already unstable situation, while Laos faces special difficulties owing to its rough terrain and relative isolation. Laos and Cambodia are also hampered by lack of infrastructure; outside the few cities, paved roads and reliable electricity are rarities. Economies of both remain largely agricultural in orientation.

The Laotian government is pinning its economic hopes on hydropower development. The country is mountainous and has many large rivers and could generate large quantities of electricity, which is in high demand in neighboring Thailand, if it can find funding for the necessary dams to build. Despite the lack of development, Cambodia and Laos are not as miserable as one might expect. Both countries have experienced an upsurge of economic activity in the early and mid 1990s. Although the three countries have lower GNI figures, few people are seriously malnourished. There have been a number of conflicts on the Indochina Peninsula and it seems when one country has a problem it drags one of the other two along with it. The French occupied Indochina during the 1800s and early 1900s. They had built roads and railroads and encouraged manufacturing. In the 1950s and 1960s, communists had advanced and overtook continental Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. In World War II, Nazi Germany occupied France and persuaded the French colonial government to allow Japanese forces to pass through Indochina.

After the war ended, the French tried to reestablish control of the area, but communist groups forced them to leave northern parts of Vietnam in 1954. During the Vietnam War, the Ho Chi Minh Trail was ill-defined network of forest passages through Laos and Cambodia, thus steadily drawing these two countries into the conflict. After several years, Vietnam invaded Cambodia and installed a communist regime. Also, Vietnam had stationed significant numbers of troops in Laos. The divided country, with a communist north and free-market south, was subject to further warfare. In 1975, North Vietnam was victorious over the United States and reunified the country. Laos went through much strife along its border with Vietnam, slowing economic development. Cambodia became independent in 1953, but suffered 30 years of civil war and invasions by Vietnamese. By the 1990s, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) switched from political to economic objectives and embraced its former ï¿½oppositionï¿½ of Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam as new members. Demographic Analysis based on World Population Data Sheet 2007 Country * In millions.

Numbers projected are from 2007 Population Data Sheet ** Infant deaths per 1000. From 2007 Population Data Sheet Vietnam has by far the largest population than its two neighboring countries in Indochina. The three countries are not really stable as can be seen by the percent of persons aged less than 15 is greater than percent of persons aged over 65. Cambodia and Laos have higher natural rates of increase, but because they have such high infant mortality rates, Vietnam grows faster in terms of population than these two countries as can be seen by the projected populations. All three countries are fairly small in size and because of Vietnamï¿½s greater population it also has a high population density. As for the low GNI figures, these countries are not as miserable as one might expect. They all have experienced upsurges of economic activity and few people are seriously malnourished. Countries Cambodia has suffered the worst of the catastrophes. A communist insurgency overcame the American-backed military government in 1975. Known as Khmer Rouge and led by Pol Pot, this organization had ruled for four years with exceptional savagery.

In 1973, the population was about 7.5 million, but by 1979 it was down to only about 5 million. A third of their population had basically been murdered. Some of the intended victims managed to escape as refugees from Cambodiaï¿½s Killing Fields to adjoining Thailand. There were also escalating border conflicts with Vietnam, and in 1979, Vietnamese quickly conquered most of Cambodia and installed a puppet Communist government. The Khmer Rouge, supported by China, began guerilla resistance against Vietnamese. Peace negotiations among Cambodiaï¿½s contending factions led, in 1991, to an agreement resulting in the restoration of democratic government under United Nations (UN) supervision. Cambodia is very poor, but more stable conditions have helped the economy improve recently. Garment manufacturing is the largest industry, but there are fears that Cambodia will prove unable to compete with growing exports of cheaper clothing from China. Tourism is the fastest growing industry, with more than a million visitors arriving in 2004. Few visitors miss Angkor, Wat, still coveted by some in Thailand because it once stood within that countryï¿½s borders.

Cambodians resent Thai claims to the site which has led to riots in 2003. Even in this relatively peaceful time, the people of Cambodia must deal with a persistent scourge for war: landmines. Sown by hostile forces during years of warfare, the antipersonnel explosives remain active indefinitely. Mines have maimed more than 35,000 Cambodians, and about 50 more casualties occur each month. People sow new mines, imported mainly from China and Singapore, to protect their property in Cambodia. Laotians also suffer from ordnance dating to the Vietnam War. Between 1964 and 1973, U.S. warplanes dropped more than 2 million tons of bombs ï¿½ more than the United States dropped on Germany in World War II ï¿½ on the Laotian frontier with Vietnam in an effort to disrupt communist supply lines on nearby Ho Chi Minh Trail and to prevent communist troops from entering Laotian cities. This plain of Jars region retains the distinction of being the most heavily bombed place on Earth.

An estimated 30 percent of the bombs failed to detonate, and today, millions of unexploded American cluster bombs remain. About 200 people are killed or maimed yearly by these explosives. Of Laoï¿½s 17 provinces, 15 contain unexploded ordnance, according to the UN, creating a serious deterrent to farming in a country with inadequate food supplies. Efforts are underway to clear the explosives and hoping to de-mine enough land to produce ten thousand tons of rice yearly, which would feed fifty thousand people. Despite gambling revenues, landlocked Laos is now one of Asiaï¿½s least developed countries, ranking 135th of 177 countries. About 80 percent of its people are peasant farmers. Gold and copper mining, which began in 2002, may bring much needed revenue to Laos. Given the conditions of warfare, political turmoil, and inefficient economic systems, their outlook seems to be improving as tensions relax, supply of goods and services improves, and the number of returning refugees exceeds emigrants. Vietnam is now restoring its war-torn landscape through large-scale reforestation, agricultural reclamation, and nature conservation programs.

Vietnamï¿½s economy has improved markedly. Poverty fell by more than half in 1990s and again in 2004. Vietnam had Asiaï¿½s second fastest growing economy after China. They have become a major exporter of rice which is second in the world only to Thailand. Vietnam is also pinning hopes on exports of its proven reserves of six hundred million barrels of oil, especially to oil-hungry China. In addition to joining ASEAN, Vietnam in 1995 restored full diplomatic relations with the United States. They signed a trade agreement in 2000; Vietnam began exporting shoes, finished clothing, and toys to the U.S. References Bradshaw, Michael J. White, Dymond. (2004). Contemporary World Regional Geography: Southeast Asia and South Pacific. New York. McGraw-Hill. Gabler, Robert. (1993). Physical Geography. Brace College. Hobbes, Joseph. Salter, Christopher. (2006). Essentials of World Regional Geography: Southeast Asia: From Slash-and-Burn to Semi Conductors. California. Thomson Learning Inc. Rowntree.

(2000). Diversity Amid Globalization: Southeast Asia. New Jersey. Prentice Hall Inc. World population data sheet (2007). Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau. Review Questions 1. Which of the following countries has a Buddhist Religion? A. Cambodia; B. Laos; C. Vietnam; D. All of the Above 2. The country that was ruled by the Khmer Rouge after the Vietnam War and experienced a reign of terror and destruction including the death of a third of the population? A. Laos; B. Cambodia; C. Vietnam; D. Thailand 3. Which three Southeast Asian countries, collectively termed Indochina, were once occupied by the French? A. Thailand, Cambodia, Laos; B. Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam; C. Laos, Vietnam, China; D. Myanmar, Laos, Thailand 4. The largest Indochina country in population is? A. Vietnam; B. Laos; C. Cambodia; D. Thailand 5. What climate does Cambodia experience? A. Humid Subtropical; B. Tropical Rainy; C. Desert; D.

Tropical Savanna 6. Which of country has no coastline? A. Cambodia; B. Thailand; C. Laos; D. Vietnam 7. What form of development is Laos hoping for to improve their country? A. Paved Roads; B. Hydropower; C. Electricity; D. Running Water 8. What is the largest industry in Cambodia? A. Garment Manufacturing; B. Tourism; C. Gold Mining; D. None of the Above 9. What area retains the distinction of being the most heavily bombed place on Earth in an attempt to disrupt supply lines along the Ho Chi Minh Trail? A. Border between Cambodia and Vietnam; B. Border between Cambodia and Laos; C. Border between Laos and Vietnam; D. None of the Above 10. What is helping Laos bring in much needed revenue? A. Gold Mining; B. Silver Mining; C. Copper Mining; D. Both A and C 11. Which country has the worldï¿½s second fastest growing economy? A. Cambodia; B. Laos; C. China; D. Vietnam 12. Which country is the worldï¿½s second most exporter of rice?

A. Vietnam; B. Thailand; C. Laos; D. China 13. Which country has the largest infant mortality rate? A. Cambodia; B. Laos; C. Vietnam; 14. Which country is the most prosperous? A. Cambodia; B. Laos; C. Vietnam 15. Which country has a population growth of 1.7 percent? A. Cambodia; B. Laos; C. Vietnam First submitted by Jason Jurey on Mar 8,1996. Then by Rachel Schuette on Nov 8,1996. Updated by Alena Kaplun on Apr 8,1997. Updated by Robert Distefano on 11-20-98. Updated by Stephen Kingston on April Fools Day, 2001. Edited by Karen Oyler on 10. Oct.ï¿½03. Updated by Hisa Shimizu and Britney Wesson on Apr 8, 2007. Resubmitted by Keith Janssen on April 30, 2008.

Question: Which country is bordered by Laos, Vietnam and Thailand?
Answer: Cambodia