Cambodia - Useful information for your trip

Cambodia is a country situated in South East Asia with Phnom Penh as a capital city. It is lapped north and south by the Gulf of Siam and is mostly flat, with some peripheral plateaus. The vast flat expanse occupying most of the country was formed by Mekong river. The lacustrine depression of lake Tonle Sap is also interesting, being mainly covered by rice fields.

Cambodia is situated in the monsoonal area, but its climate is affected by the proximity to the Equator, making the rainy season rather longer. The wet season goes from May to October, while the dry one goes from November to February.

The flora in Cambodia is influenced by agricultural activities and the main features of the landscape are rice fields, or tobacco and maize fields. The northern area hosts evergreen forests, while in the south west there are primary and teak forests, while mangroves are widespread along the coasts. Fauna includes elephants, leopards, tigers and wild oxen. In the waters of the Mekong, near the village of Kampi, it's possible to view the rare Irrawaddy dolphin. But the most unusual animal in Cambodia remains the kouprey, a sort of ox which was discovered in 1937 and later became the symbol of the country. Snakes are also quite common, with four particularly lethal species: the cobra, the king cobra, Russell viper and banded krait.

The main products of the agricultural sector are rice, rubber, vegetables, corn, cashews, silk and tapioca, while main industries are textile, tourist, steel industries or industries related to the manufacturing of rice or wood. Tourism is one of the main resources of the country.

Unmissable places to visit during a stay in Cambodia are surely Angkor site in Siem Reap province, the capital city Phnom Penh, the coastal areas of Sihanoukville, Kampot, Kep and Koh kong, Battambang province and Preah Vihear temple.