| Basic Information |
| Area |
181,040 sq.km. |
| Capital: |
Phnom Penh |
| Population: |
13 Million |
| Language: |
Khmer (official), English, Chinese and French |
| Religion: |
Theravada Buddhism and Catholic. |
| Country calling code: |
855 |
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| Climate: |
November to February is the "cool season", which is dry and not too hot (up to about 30C or 85F). In April it gets really hot (40/100 daily, 30/85 at night), but not rainy. Starting around June it gets rainy--and still hot. It rains off and on all the time, so roads are muddy and some areas are impassable, and it stays like that until November, when cool & dry comes--gloriously-back. |
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| Local Time: |
GMT +7 |
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| Currency: (RIELS). Vietnamese Dong in denominations of 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, and 100,000 banknotes. The US$ are widely used and accepted and it is advisable to bring some with you. |
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| Exchange: Travellers cheques and foreign currencies can be changed at hotels, airports or markets. Commission is generally not charged at the market moneychangers so they tend to be cheaper, than the alternatives. |
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Credit cards: Some but not all banks in Cambodia accept major credit cards as do some of the hotels. We strongly advise you to check with the hotel where you will be staying at to see if they accept your preferred credit card or not and call your local credit card company for more information.
ATM'S : NONE |
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| Business hours: Generally speaking the official business hours are from 8am to 12 pm and 2pm to 5:30pm Monday to Friday, some businesses are open Saturdays for a half day from 8am to 12pm. Opening times of Government offices are different and they are open 7:30am to 11:30am and 2pm to 5pm Monday to Friday. |
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Electricity supply: Voltage in Cambodia is 220 volts AC, 50HZ.
Water: Do not drink tap water, only drink bottled water
Photography: Photography in airports, railway stations and near any military installations is forbidden and discretion should be used when photographing people, especially monks.
Social Greetings: Cambodians greet each other with a slight bow and a prayer like gesture called a Sompeah, with the younger or lower ranked person normally initiating the gesture. For foreigners and business handshakes are acceptable. |
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| Tipping: Tipping is not customary in Cambodia, but is appreciated. A 5-10% tip for a meal in a good restaurant may equal a day's wages. |
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Public Holidays (2006):
Jan 1: Western New Year's Day
January 7: Fall of Khmer Rouge
February 13: Buddhist Ceremony held during the full moon of the month of Meak Bochea in commemoration of the spontaneous gathering of the monks to listen to the buddha's preaching.
April 14-16: Cambodia New Year
May 1: International Labor's day
May 12: Visaka Bochea/Day Birthday of Buddha
May 13-14: King Birthday
May 16: Royal Ploughing Ceremoy
November 4-6: Water and Moon Festival
November 9: Independence Day
December 10: Human Rights day |
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