Country Overview
History of Cambodia:
When the Khmer Rouge seized power in 1975, the rebels immediately abolished currency and private property and sent Cambodian city-dwellers into the countryside to work in the fields. Under the leader Pol Pot, the regime attempted to violently restructure the country as an agrarian, communal society. During his three year, eight month, and twenty day reign, out of a population of thirteen million, over 1.7 million Cambodians died of torture, execution, disease, exhaustion, and starvation. The Khmer Rouge eliminated most of the educated and business class as enemies of the state, and by doing so, destroyed the economy.
Present:
The current situation in Cambodia, while vastly different than previous decade still requires outside help for improvement. While its neighbors have made astonishing economic and social progress over the last two decades, Cambodia remains among the poorest, most disease-ridden nations on Earth. Unless the cycle of poverty, ignorance, fear and corruption is broken Cambodia will remain a country dependant on foreign aid. Levels of social cohesion in the country are low, and there is a need to build levels of trust, experience reconciliation and learn how to resolve differences without turning to violent conflict.
The population of Cambodia is 14.4 million (UN, 2006), 45% under the age of 18 years. Predominately Buddhist, 94% of the population are Khmer, tribal and Muslim Cham, Chinese (4%) and Vietnamese communities (1.1%). Poverty rates remain high, 35-40% below the income poverty line ($1 day) and 15-20% in extreme poverty. Infant and child mortality rates at 66/83 per 1,000 live births respectively. Only 50% children complete primary school. Exploitation of children in Cambodia is widespread, child labor, trafficking and child sexual abuse are major problems. The church in Cambodia has grown significantly in the past 15 years, from a small remnant that survived the genocide, today there is an estimated 250,000 believers (1.2% pop) in over 2,000 churches.
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