Cambodia is a mainland Southeast Asian country bordered by Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and the Gulf of Thailand. Its geography is organized around a broad central lowland, the Mekong River, and the Tonlé Sap lake-and-river system, with uplands and mountain ranges around much of the country’s edge.
People and population
Cambodia’s 2019 national census recorded 15,552,211 people. The World Bank’s 2024 estimate is 17,638,801. These figures are not interchangeable: one is a census count at a specific enumeration date, while the other is a modeled annual estimate.
Regions and places
Cambodia has Phnom Penh as its capital and 24 provinces. Cambodia Handbook presents these 25 first-level destinations together for reader navigation, while individual place guides explain cities, districts, waterways, landscapes, and landmarks.
Landscape and waterways
Cambodia covers 181,035 square kilometres. Low plains dominate much of the country. The Mekong crosses Cambodia from north to south, while Tonlé Sap is central to the country’s hydrology, food systems, settlement patterns, and seasonal rhythms.
Climate
Cambodia has a moist tropical monsoon climate, with one rainy and one dry season each year. A World Bank climate profile describes the rainy monsoon season as generally running from May to October and peaking nationally in September, with local variation and year-to-year influence from the El Niño–Southern Oscillation.
Historical orientation
Cambodia’s past extends far beyond Angkor, but the Angkorian period remains central to the country’s historical landscape and global recognition. UNESCO inscribed Angkor on the World Heritage List in 1992. Later history includes colonial rule, independence, years of conflict, the Khmer Rouge period, and national recovery. The History section approaches these subjects through historical study and interpretation.
Economy and contemporary life
Agriculture, manufacturing, construction, tourism, and services all shape contemporary life. World Bank data report GDP of US$46.35 billion in 2024 and GDP per person of US$2,627.9. These indicators describe economic scale and average output; they do not by themselves describe how income or opportunity is distributed.
How to use this Handbook
Continue through the geographic and subject gateways below. Time-sensitive guides display the date when the page was last reviewed, and reading links are provided where they may be useful.