A brief introduction to Cambodian history and culture
Background material (and key issues) for understanding In My Heart, I am a Dancer.

Official name: Cambodia has gone through a series of changes in government in the past twenty-five years. As of this writing (1999), Cambodia is a constitutional monarchy, officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Geography: Cambodia's total area is about 69,000 square miles.

Largest cities: Phnom Penh (capital), Battambang, Kompong Som and Siem Reap.

Climate: Tropical with two seasons: rainy (May through October) and dry (October through May). The temperature is rarely below 80º Fahrenheit.

Economy: Cambodia remains one of the world's poorest countries, its economic situation compounded by years of war. The country is dependant on agriculture.

Population (1990 estimate): 8,100,000. 90% of the people are ethnically Khmer, and there are large numbers of ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese as well.

Religion: Over 95% of Cambodians were Theravada Buddhists in Cambodia, with a small Moslem minority population. The kind of Buddhism practiced by Cambodians is different from that practiced in Vietnam and China. Consequently, the calendar and holidays are different. Cambodian New Year occurs in April, and is related to the harvest. The religion also incorporates indigenous elements, which may also be related to Hinduism, believed alongside aspects of traditional Buddhism. Much of the fortune-telling, magical, and tattooing arts are related to the indigenous religious system.

Language: Khmer is the largest language in the Mon-Khmer language group, and is not related to Vietnamese, Thai, or Laotian. It has its own alphabet, with 33 consonants, 23 vowels, and 15 independent vowels. There is also a sacred language, Pali, which is related to Sanskrit.

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