Cambodia

Cambodia is bordered by the Mekong River and has an overflowing and fascinating nature. The country has many religions and expresses itself through its remarkable architecture. Angkor vat, the former capital of the Khmer Srok, is now part of UNESCO’s heritage. It symbolizes the religious but also cultural character of the Khmer people.

With its Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Christian touches, Cambodia has shaped its own philosophy of life. Colors, dances and legends are an integral part of the culture, which makes it so rich and captivating.

Paradoxically, the country has given its best, mixing art and culture, and worst of all, the Khmer Rouge, synonymous with genocide and terror.

It is estimated that between 1.5 and 2 million people (about a quarter of Cambodia’s population at that time) died under the Khmer Rouge regime. The majority of the skilled workforce has been eliminated.

After 20 years of conflict and civil war, the signing of the Paris Peace Agreements in October 1991 launched Cambodia into a process of democratic reconstruction and transition to a market economy.

Today, Cambodia is one of the poorest countries of South-East Asia. Different factors are making things worse, such as malnutrition, illiteracy, gender discrimination, limited access to social services and low share capital. The informal sector, which mainly concerns agricultural activities and international smuggling, accounts for about 80% of GDP. Income distribution is extremely unequal.

Cambodia remains a predominantly agricultural country with a large, poor and rural population. Its inhabitants are therefore extremely vulnerable to flooding caused by seasonal monsoon rains, which destroy fields and homes.

Furthermore, poor hygiene conditions encourage the development of waterborne diseases. Rural communities are also facing the effects of climate change and deforestation.

In 2011, Cambodia and the neighboring countries have been affected by devastating floods. Heavy rains have flooded 70% of the country, which led to the displacement of several thousand people and the destruction of fields, homes and resources. After storms and floods and the destructions that followed, the population needs food, temporary housing, clean water and sanitation facilities, primary health care and non-food products.

Cambodia is a poor country and one of the least developed countries. The kingdom remains dependent on international aid (12% of GDP) and the American and European markets for its exports. The four main pillars of its growth are agriculture, fishing, tourism and textiles (20% of GDP). Demographic imbalances (50% of the population is under 21 years old), the lack of skilled labour and the weakness of the labour market that cannot absorb the thousands of new annual graduates, represent Cambodia’s main challenges.

Cambodia has set a series of goals on the basis of the millennium development goals (MDGs) and has included it in its national strategic development plan. This list represents an ambitious but realistic challenge for the population and economy of Cambodia for 2015:

• Eradicating extreme poverty and famine and halving the number of people who live below the poverty line;
• Establishing universal basic education for 9 years;
• Promoting full gender equality.

Although Cambodia has made significant progress in the field of human rights over the past decade, it is still in a post-conflict situation. Several international and local organizations work on human rights and civil society groups are actively engaged in promotion, education and protection activities in this field. However, much work remains to be done.

The country has many religions and expresses itself through its remarkable architecture. Angkor vat, the former capital of the Khmer Srok, is now part of UNESCO’s heritage. It symbolizes the religious but also cultural character of the Khmer people.

With its Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Christian touches, Cambodia has shaped its own philosophy of life. Colours, dances and legends are an integral part of the culture, which makes it so rich and captivating.

Paradoxically, the country has given its best, mixing art and culture, and worst of all, the Khmer Rouge, synonymous with genocide and terror.

It is estimated that between 1.5 and 2 million people (about a quarter of Cambodia’s population at that time) died under the Khmer Rouge regime. The majority of the skilled workforce has been eliminated.

Vaccines and specific advice:

Find out about the vaccines you should make before going to this country and about the preventive and/or treatment measures for local diseases.

Checklist :

• Vaccine updates, specific vaccines: 1-3 months before departure
• Visit your doctor for any health problem, prescription renewal, contraception, etc. In addition, you will need to send your coordinator a certificate from your doctor certifying that you are well suited to take part in an international volunteering project.
• Dentist: a dental check-up can be useful before going!

We advise you to visit the website of your country’s Foreign Affairs Ministry to consult the advice for every country.

Advice for American travellers here

Advice for Canadian travellers here

Advice for English travellers here

Cambodia travel advice

(dernière mise à jour faite le 2018-10-02T11:43:01+00:00)

Latest update: Summary – there is a heightened risk of flooding along the whole of the Mekong River; the south of the country has so far seen the worst of the flooding but areas at risk continue to change on a daily basis; you should follow the advice of local authorities; Health Section – revised guidance on sources of health information before travel

For more info, read the full article Cambodia travel advice