The Country & its People

A condensed history of Cambodia:

  • Before Christ:
    The first Khmer people live around lake Tonle Sap
  • 1st - 6th century:
    Today's Southern Cambodia and the Mekong delta form the Kingdom of Funan.
  • 802-850:
    Jayavarman II. returning from Java introduces the Imperial cult and founds the capital at the Kulen mountain, near Angkor Wat.
  • 1112-1152:
    King Suryavarman II. builds Angkor Wat and conquers the kingdom of Champa.
  • 1181-1218:
    Jayavarman VII. builds Wat Bayon and introduces Buddhism as state religion.
  • 1393:
    Ramesuen, king of Siam, conquers Angkor and deports most of the population to Siam.
  • 1434:
    King Ponhea Yat founds Phnom Penh.
  • 1618-1866:
    Udong becomes the capital city. Thailand and Vietnam occupy Cambodia.
  • 1863:
    King Norodom concludes a protectorate contract for Cambodia with France.
  • 1953:
    Cambodia becomes independent from France.
  • 1968:
    The Khmer Rouge begin their armed fight for power.
  • 1969:
    During the Vietnam war the US army is bombing communist posts of the Vietcong on Cambodian territory. That also took the lives of several hundred innocent people.
  • 1970:
    General Lon Nol overthrows the rule of King Sihanouk.
  • 17/04/1975:
    The Khmer Rouge enter Phnom Penh and later evacuate any town of the country. The begin of the genocide by the Pol Pot regime.
  • 7/01/1979:
    The Vietnamese drive the Khmer Rouge into the jungle and install a government depending on them.
  • 1982:
    King Sihanouk forms a common front against the occupation by the Vietnamese comprising three guerilla groups.
  • 23/10/1991:
    Peace treaty signed in Paris by all four civil war parties and 18 nations.
  • 15/03/1992:
    The UN start the biggest and most costly peace mission in its history.
  • 23-28/05/1993:
    The most peaceful and fair elections in the history of Cambodia. .
  • 24/09/1993:
    Norodom Sihanouk is crowned as King of Cambodia for the second time.
  • July 1997:
    Hun Sen takes over and stays Prime Minister until now.
  • 15/04/1998:
    Pol Pot dies in the jungle near Anlong Veng and is immediately cremated.
  • 26/07/1998:
    Second general elections in Cambodia.
  • 29/10/2004:
    Sihamoni Norodom (* May 14th, 1953 in Phnom Penh), oldest son of King Norodom Sihanouk, is crowned as the new King of Cambodia.
  • Feb. 2009:
    Begin of the trial of the main culprits of the Khmer Rouge regime by an international court.