The Kingdom of Cambodia  

Cambodia , a country in Southeast Asia in the Southern part of Indochina, covers an area of 181 035 square kilometers and has a population of 18.0458274million (2008 EST.). The country’s shape is an almost-square Polygon, with Kampong Thom Province as its central point. The country extends 440 kilometers from north to south and 560kilometers from west to east. This shape makes Cambodia east for tourists to navigate and poses no difficulties for the development of tourism.   Among the 10member countries of the Association Southeast Asia Nations (ASIAN), Cambodia ranks eighth in land size and seventh in population. Its geographical location makes Cambodia an easily accessible ecotourism destination for travelers in neighboring countries and other parts of the world. The country is situated geographically between the 10th and 15th parallels north latitude and the 102nd 108th parallels east latitude. The country has a tropical climate- warm and humid. In the monsoon season, abundant rain allows for the cultivation of a wide variety of crops. This year-round tropical climate makes Cambodia ideal for developing tourism. Travelers need not fear natural disaster such as erupting volcanoes or earthquakes, and the country is not directly affected by tropical storms.  

Boundaries of the country  

The borders of Cambodia encompass 2600 kilometers of which five-sixths are land and one-sixth is costal border.  

Land Boundaries  

The kingdom of Cambodia is bounded on the northeast by the people’s Democratic Republic of Laos, on the east and southeast by the socialist of Vietnam and on the West and northwest by kingdom of Thailand.  

Coastal Boundary  

The coastal boundary of Cambodia is 440 kilometers with medium depth tropical sea rich in aquatic creature that are good for aquatic business. In addition, there are beautiful, uninhabited islands, virgin beaches, white sand and fresh air, which are also good for tourism. 

Topography of land 

Cambodia’s land surface is deep and plain at the middle since it is surrounded by mountains and plateaus. In the southwest lies the coastal area.As regards tourism development, Cambodia is classified by four types of topography: 

Plain Area 

This area covers 25,069 square kilometers. The total population of the plain area is 5,898,305 or about 51.6 percent of the entire population, and the population density is 235 persons per square kilometer, according to the 1998 census. This area consists of 63 districts, 700 communes and 6,414 villages.  The capital city of Phnom Penh, as well as Kandal province, Kampong Cham, Svay Rieng, Prey Veng and Takeo provinces are located in this area.   The plain area is the most crowded inhabited by many races of people including Khmer, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cham, Thai, Lao, and westerners. Minority group including Kuoy and Steang also live in the Krek and Memut disrtricts in Kampong Cham province.  

Surrounded by great Lake Tonle Sap area  

This area covers 67,668 squares kilometers. The total population of the surrounding Great Lake Tonle Sap area is 3,505,448 or about 30.7 percent of the 1998 census. It consists of 60 districts 448 communes and the 4,041 vilages. THe area includes Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Pursat, Kampong Chhnang and Oddar Meanchey provinces and Pailin city. The surrounding Tonle Sap area is inhabited by many races of people, including Khmer, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Cham. In addition, there are a number of minority hill tribes such as Sa Och, Steang and Samre, who inhabit the mountainous area.  

Coastal Area  

Cambodia ’s coastal area covers 17,237 square kilometers. The total population living in the coastal area is about 845,000 people or about 49 persons per square kilometer, according to the 1998 census. It consists of 21districts, 152 communes and 705 villages. The area includes Sihanouk Ville, Kampot and Koh Kong provinces, and Kep city. All lie along Cambodia’s southwestern is the coast, which is 440 kilometers long. Sihanouk ville is the mid point of the coastal area. It is 232 kilometers from Phnom Penh. About 80 percent of the population of the coastal area is Khmer, although Cham Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai and ethnic minorities such as Sa Och also live here. Most of people living along the coast have a good life. They their living by farming and fishing. The topography of Cambodia’s coastal area is mountainous, plateau, plain, coast, easside and gulf. There is much sand in this area. Palm oil, rubber, coconuts, pepper, durian and other crops can be grown in this area. It is also rich in varieties of mangroves. The total length of Cambodian coastal area has been disputed over the years. The generally accepted length 440 kilometers, although a 1997 survey by the DANIDA organization set the length at 435 kilometers, while the oil Authority in 1973 determined the coast to be 450 kilometers long. In Cambodian school, however the 440 kilometer figure is used.   Cambodian gulf, which divides the country from the Malacca subcontinent, is not very deep, averaging only 50 meters. The maximum depth is 81meters. The bottom is plain. There are 60 islands in Cambodia’s coastal waters. They include 23 in Koh Kong province, 2 in Kampot province, 22 in Sihanouk Ville, and 13 in Kep city.