Cambodia — books & literature

The story of Cambodia

Cambodia's story begins with the kingdoms of Funan and Chenla in the first millennium CE, then rises into one of history's great civilizations: the Khmer Empire, founded in 802 CE by Jayavarman II. From its capital at Angkor, the empire dominated mainland Southeast Asia for six centuries and built Angkor Wat, still the largest religious monument on Earth. After Angkor was abandoned in the 15th century, Cambodia endured pressure from neighbouring Siam and Vietnam, became a French protectorate in 1863, and regained full independence in 1953 under King Norodom Sihanouk. The Khmer Rouge years (1975-1979) devastated the country and its intellectual life, but Cambodia rebuilt, restoring its constitutional monarchy in 1993. Today it is a nation reclaiming a literary and cultural heritage that is among the oldest in the region.

Timeline — key moments

1. 802

   Jayavarman II founds the Khmer Empire, uniting the region.

2. circa 1122

   Angkor Wat begun under King Suryavarman II.

3. circa 1181

   Jayavarman VII rules the empire at its height; builds Angkor Thom and the Bayon.

4. 1431

   Angkor abandoned after invasion by the Ayutthaya kingdom.

5. 1863

   Cambodia becomes a French protectorate.

6. 1953

   Independence from France under King Norodom Sihanouk (9 November).

7. 1975-1979

   Khmer Rouge regime; catastrophic loss of life and culture.

8. 1993

   Constitutional monarchy restored under a new constitution.

Top 10 things to know about Cambodia

1. Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world.
2. Cambodia's flag is the only national flag that features a building (Angkor Wat).
3. The Khmer Empire was one of the most powerful states in Southeast Asian history.
4. Angkor was among the largest pre-industrial urban centres in the world.
5. Khmer is the official language, written in a script descended from ancient South Indian scripts.
6. Theravada Buddhism is the state religion and shapes daily life.
7. The Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia and reverses its flow each year.
8. Classical Khmer (Apsara) dance is recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.
9. Cambodian riel is the currency, though the US dollar circulates widely.
10. Cambodian cuisine centres on rice, freshwater fish, and the herb-rich curry called amok.

Famous people from Cambodia

Say it in Cambodia's language

Did you know?

• ★Cambodia's national flag is the only one in the world to depict a building.
• ★The Tonle Sap river changes the direction it flows twice a year with the monsoon.
• ★At its peak, the Angkor region supported a population larger than many European cities of the time.

Cambodia culture

• Choul Chnam Thmey (Khmer New Year) in April is the biggest national celebration.
• Bon Om Touk, the Water Festival, marks the reversal of the Tonle Sap with boat races.
• Amok, a coconut-and-fish curry steamed in banana leaf, is the national dish.
• Apsara dance, with its precise hand gestures, tells stories from Hindu-Buddhist epics.

Why read Cambodia's books

Cambodian literature carries a heritage of temple inscriptions, Buddhist verse, and oral epic, much of it nearly erased when the Khmer Rouge targeted the country's writers and teachers. Reading Cambodia's books is part of that recovery.