24th September: Cambodia

The Monarchy was restored in Cambodia on this date in 1993. Here are 10 things you might not know about Cambodia:

1. The official name is the Kingdom of Cambodia although it is also known as Kampuchea, which derives from the Sanskrit word Kambuja or "Golden Land" or "Land of Peace and Prosperity".
2. The current king is Norodom Sihamoni, who has reigned since his father abdicated in 2004. He spent 20 years of his life in France, and before becoming king, worked as an Ambassador in Europe and also as a ballet teacher. He often visited Prague and is therefore the only reigning monarch who can speak Czech. He has never married.
3. Geographically, Cambodia is bowl shaped - the interior is lowlands and flood plains, including the the largest inland lake in South East Asia called the Tonle Sap, surrounded by mountains.
4. In the 1970s, Cambodia was ruled by the Communist Party of Kampuchea, aka the Khmer Rouge, lead by Pol Pot. That era is known for it violence and mass killings of anyone who opposed the government, or was likely to. Artists, musicians, teachers, business owners, and everyone with an education was murdered. They even went so far as to kill anyone who wore glasses, because they looked intelligent. During the 4 year reign of the Khmer Rouge, it is estimated that between 1.4 million and 3 million Cambodians died either by execution in the Killing Fields, or in prison. In 1979, the Khmer Rouge was driven out by the Vietnamese who established the People’s Republic of Kampuchea.
5. The Cambodian Flag is the only national flag that has an image of a building on it – the Angkor Wat.
6. Angkor Wat is a temple complex and the largest religious monument in the world. It was originally a Hindu temple for the Khmer Empire, gradually transforming into a Buddhist temple toward the end of the 12th century. It was built by King Suryavarman II who reigned from 1131 to 1150, and was discovered by French explorers in the 19th century. Angkor Wat is Cambodia's main tourist attraction. Angkor means "city" and Wat "temple". The film Tomb Raider was filmed there.
7. The capital and largest city is Phnom Penh, once known as the "Pearl of Asia," it was considered one of the loveliest French-built cities in Indochina in the 1920s.
8. A greeting and way of showing respect, saying thanks, or apologising, is the Sampeah. The person wishing to greet another places his palms together in a prayer-like fashion while bowing slightly.
9. Tarantula kebabs are a popular delicacy in Cambodia. There is no McDonalds!
10. To celebrate the Buddhist New Year in April, people wish each other luck by throwing Water and Talcum powder at each other.