• Bangladesh!

    Bangladesh: Traditional houses. Go Now!

    Bangladesh
    This low-lying country has historic ties to India and Pakistan, but today maintains a wholly unique culture. Explore Bangladesh!

  • Indonesia!

    Indonesia: Lombok. Go Now!

    Indonesia
    This archipelago nation is culturally diverse from big cities to isolated islands. Begin Your Journey!

  • Jordan!

    Jordan: Petra. Go Now!

    Jordan
    Tucked away in this Middle Eastern country, the famed city of Petra (pictured) links the past to the present culture. Explore Jordan!

  • Mongolia!

    Mongolia: Desert. Go Now!

    Mongolia
    This vast country has a culture that spans past and present... a nomadic life shifting to a modern & sedentary society. Begin Your Journey!

  • Kyrgyzstan!

    Kyrgyzstan: Tian Shan Mountains. Go Now!

    Kyrgyzstan
    The mountains, including the Tian Shan Mountains (pictured), give Kyrgyzstan a unique culture, partially formed from this isolation from the mountains. Go Now!

Ethnicity, Language, & Religion of Cambodia

Ethnicity

An overwhelming number of people in Cambodia are ethnically Khmer, a group of people that that forms a part of the greater Mon-Khmer family. The Mon-Khmer Family is actually defined linguistically, not ethnically, but the people are all ethnically similar. The speakers of these languages, including the Khmer are focused in the countries of Cambodia, Vietnam, and in various other regions further south and west. The closest relatives to the ethnic Khmer are probably the Vietnamese, although the two groups aren't extremely closely related on an ethnic level.

Language

Khmer is the only official language in Cambodia as nearly everyone speaks this language natively. Khmer falls into the Mon-Khmer language family with Vietnamese being its closest relative.

French and English are the most common second languages spoken in Cambodia. As a former French colony the French language was very common and many people still speak and continue to learn this language. However, English is gaining popularity, especially with the growing tourist industry based around Angkor.

Religion

Buddhism is the official religion of Cambodia and nearly everyone in the country follows this belief system. Among the remaining 4-5% about half are Muslim.

Buddhism is a religion or philosophy that encourages people to strive for enlightenment. Adherents believe that each being is reborn until enlightenment is reached, at which time they escape the cycle of birth and death. To accomplish this, every being must speak, act, and live in a positive manner; this is magnified with the force of karma, which dictates an individual's later life and/or their rebirth.

This page was last updated: May, 2014