Cambodia

American  

[kam-boh-dee-uh] / kæmˈboʊ di ə /

noun

1. a republic in Southeast Asia: formerly part of French Indochina. 69,866 sq. mi. (180,953 sq. km). Phnom Penh.

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Cambodia British  

/ kæmˈbəʊdɪə /

noun

1. a country in SE Asia: became part of French Indochina in 1887; achieved self-government in 1949 and independence in 1953; civil war (1970–74) ended in victory for the Khmer Rouge, who renamed the country Kampuchea (1975) and carried out extreme-radical political and economic reforms resulting in a considerable reduction of the population; Vietnamese forces ousted the Khmer Rouge in 1979 and set up a pro-Vietnamese government who reverted (1981) to the name Cambodia; after Vietnamese withdrawal in 1989 a peace settlement with exiled factions was followed in 1993 by the adoption of a democratic monarchist constitution restoring Prince Sihanouk to the throne. The country contains the central plains of the Mekong River and the Cardamom Mountains in the SW. Official language: Khmer; French is also widely spoken. Currency: riel. Capital: Phnom Penh. Pop: 15 205 539 (2013 est). Area: 181 000 sq km (69 895 sq miles)

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Cambodia Cultural  

1. Nation in Southeast Asia; bordered by Laos to the north, Vietnam to the east, the Gulf of Siam to the south, and Thailand to the west and north. Phnom Penh is its capital and largest city.

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Discover More

The Japanese occupied Cambodia during World War II.

In 1979, Vietnam invaded Cambodia and installed a puppet government. In 1989, Vietnamese troops withdrew from Cambodia.

Part of French-ruled Indochina until 1946, it then became self-governing. It was granted full independence in 1953.

It was a major battleground of the Vietnam War.

In 1975, Cambodian communists, called the Khmer Rouge, occupied Phnom Penh and then forcibly expelled most of its population to work in the countryside. More than one million Cambodians died at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, either by outright execution or because of forced labor and deprivation.

Other Word Forms

• anti-Cambodia
  adjective
• pro-Cambodia
  adjective

Example Sentences

It also defended its record in Cambodia, saying its support for microfinance lenders in the country had helped provide funding to around 400,000 micro, small and midsize enterprises every year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 25, 2026

A pitch in Cambodia where the turf was just the part of the ground with the least gravel.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

As a young man he works as a ship-breaker in Turkey; in middle-age, we find him in a coastal town in Cambodia, making replicas of great paintings for tourists.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

"Resolving this issue with a conciliatory spirit through dialogue between Khmer and Khmer is the best option for the national and Cambodian people's interest," Kem Sokha said, referring to the majority ethnic group in Cambodia.

From Barron's • May 25, 2026

Many of the isolated, heavily defended camps were on hilltops in remote locations near Vietnam’s western border with Cambodia and Laos where Special Forces could keep track of enemy movement.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge