by Sarah White

  The Geography of Cambodia

Cambodia, or Kampuchea, is a small, Southeast Asian country located between Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and the Gulf of Thailand. The country is smaller than our state of Oklahoma, with a population of approximately 15 million. When reading statistics of Cambodia’s people, government and geography, the country appears very similar to many other Southeast Asian countries. It has a tropical climate and many natural resources; it produces rice and has a rather unstable economy.

People Were Murdered

What stands out about Cambodia though, especially to those with a heart for missions, is a striking component of Cambodia’s population curve. Only 3 percent of Cambodia’s people are over the age of 65, 52 percent are between the ages of 15 and 64, and 45 percent are 14 years old or younger. The reason for this lack of aged people is not simply a low life expectancy rate and high fertility rate, although those factors do play a role. The reason is found in what we have come to know as the Cambodian “killing fields” when, between 1975-1979, up to one-third (3.5 million) of Cambodia’s people where systematically tortured and murdered by their own countrymen.

Conflicts Reigned

The history of Cambodia seems to be riddled with instability, conflict and uncertainty. Even during periods of apparent peace and growth, such as the Angkorean period between 800 and 1450A.D. when the great temples at Angkor were built, forward movement and social accomplishments seem scarce. Internal conflicts between rulers and prospective rulers, as well as border conflicts with Thailand and Vietnam, seem to have virtually always existed.

Religions Abound In contrast to Cambodia’s political struggles, culturally, the Cambodian people seem to have been quite accommodating. Traces of, first, Brahmanism and Hinduism, then more solidly, Buddhism and Islam, are embedded throughout the Cambodian culture and world view. While these religions were all brought from India and have been somewhat assimilated with animistic beliefs, ancestor worship and other forms of folk religion, religious conflict was apparently, never a major issue. Perhaps the Cambodians have always been seeking but have never been spiritually satisfied. 

 

The French Help

In the recent past, French colonization of Cambodia from 1863 to 1953 allowed for at least three positive outcomes.

* First, fairly distinct political boundaries were established for Cambodia. Whether they were fair or favorable is a separate issue, but since politics were slowly being imposed on Cambodia anyway, the opportunity for national protection and stability was an advantage.

* Second, for the first time, thousands of Cambodians had taken part in and were perpetuating an educational system, that has its obvious advantages for health and issues of general well-being.

* Third,   with the French presence, Cambodia became open to missionaries and the gospel of Christ.