So… My plan was to dedicate each of the remaining weeks of 2016 to a country I will be visiting in 2017. My plan changed a little due to my sinus surgery and my Thanksgiving Vacation (I am very thankful that each of these things occurred, so it is okay that the plan changed!) In light of this change of plans, I will be catching up this week! I will post information about the specific country and specific prayer requests. I am excited for the unique differences that each country will bring to the table. As a way to prepare my heart, I will be learning and praying. Come learn and pray with me!
The Country of The Moment…
{CAMBODIA}
Fun and Interesting Facts You Might Want To Know About…
Cambodia: “Kampuchea”
Official Name: Kingdom of Cambodia
{Cambodia has a history of changing its name whenever a new government is installed. It was called the Khmer Republic during its republican years, Democratic Kampuchea under the Khmer Rouge regime, and People’s Republic of Kampuchea under the leftist group called Salvation Front. Today, in its latest government form, it is officially called the Kingdom of Cambodia.}
Capital: Phnom Penh
//Geography//
- Located in Southeast Asia
- Cambodia is bordered by Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and The Gulf of Thailand
- Slightly smaller than Oklahoma
- 181,035 square kilometers (69,898 square miles)
- Cambodia is a land of paddies and forest dominated by the Mekong River and Tonie Sap (Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake)
- The terrain includes mostly low, flat plains and mountains in the southwest and north
- Highest Point: Phnum Aoral (1,810 meters – 5,938 feet)
- Natural hazards include monsoonal rains (June to November), flooding, and occasional droughts
- The climate is tropical and includes… monsoon season: May to November; dry season: December to April. There is a little seasonal temperature variation
- The average temperature in June is 91° with 10 rainy days
//People//
- Population: 15,957,223
- Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire
- Annual Growth: 1.56%
- Urbanites: 22.8%
- UN Human Development Report Rank: 137 of 182
- Peoples: 42 People Groups (30 Groups – 71.4% Unreached)
- Official Language: Khmer {Official}
- The number of individual languages listed for Cambodia is 27. Chinese, French, and English are spoken as well
- Life Expectancy: 64.5
- Literacy Rate: 77.2%
- Diet: The Cambodian diet is based on the Khmer Cuisine, which includes a lot of rice, fermented sauces, fruits, and pickled vegetables
- Internet Users: 2.985 million – 19% of Population
- Electricity: 34% of Population has Electricity (9,900,000 without)
- There are 13 million mopeds in Cambodia for a population of over 15 million: thus, mopeds can be found all over Cambodia
- Cambodia does not have a McDonald’s
- Cambodians do not celebrate their birthdays. Many older people do not even know their age
- This nation has a very young population
- Funerals are quite expensive in Cambodia. The procedures typically last more than 49 days, and the body is preserved for the first seven
- It’s considered disrespectful to let your feet or soles to point at people or things, so the feet must be tucked in when sitting
//Economy//
Cambodia has experienced strong economic growth over the last decade. It is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia with and average growth rate of 8% in the last ten years. The tourism, garment, construction, real-estate, and agriculture sectors accounted for the bulk of the growth. Cambodia enjoys relative stability; but subsistence farming employs 75 percent of the workforce and many live in poverty. Cambodia remains one of the poorest countries in Asia and long-term economic development remains a daunting challenge. Tourism continues to grow rapidly with foreign arrivals reaching around 4.5 million in 2014. Cambodians hope that tourism focused on Angkor Wat, meaning “capital monastery,” will bring prosperity; it is the largest temple at Angkor—its image is on Cambodia’s flag. The Cambodian flag is the only national flag that has an image of a building – the Angkor Wat.
1. Industry: Tourism, Garments, Construction, Rice Milling, Fishing, Wood and Wood Products, Rubber, Cement, Gem Mining, Textiles
2. Agriculture: Rice, Rubber, Corn, Vegetables, Cashews, Cassava, Silk
3. Exports: Timber, Garments/Clothing, Rubber, Rice, Fish, Tobacco, Footwear {Export Partners: US 23.1%, UK 8.8%, Germany 8.2%, Japan 7.4%, Canada 6.7%, China 5.1%, Vietnam 5%, Thailand 4.9%, Netherlands 4.1%}
Currency: Cambodian Riel
Population Below the Poverty Line: 17.7%
//History//
- For more than 500 years, Angkor (in Northwestern Cambodia) was the capital of the Khmer Empire. The Khmer Empire controlled mainland Southeast Asia from the 9th to the 13th century
- Angkor Wat is the world’s largest religious monument, covering an area of 162.6 acres. The temple was built by the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century. The temple was initially a Hindu temple; however, gradually it got transformed into a Buddhist temple by the end of the 12th century. Angkor Wat means “City of Temples” in Khmer
- Thailand and Vietnam encroached upon the kingdom until 1863, when France made Cambodia a protectorate
- It became part of French Indochina in 1887
- Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France on November 9, 1953
- The Vietnam War spilled into Cambodia, igniting conflict, and in the 1970s a pro-Western military government overthrew longtime ruler Prince Norodom Sihanouk. Five years later Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge guerrillas began to brutally enforcing radical communism that involved killing some two million Cambodians
- In Cambodia, genocide (the systematic killing of people on the basis of ethnicity, religion, political opinion, social status, etc.) was carried out by the Khmer Rouge (KR) regime between 1975 and 1979. At least one and a half to three million people. The genocide came to an end when Vietnam invaded Cambodia and occupied Cambodia from 1978 o 1989, with up to 200,000 troops
- The bodies of the people killed in the genocide were buried in the “Killing Fields”
- In 1991, three rebel groups and the Phnom Penh government signed a UN-sponsored peace accord – The 1991 Paris Peace Accord: Mandated democratic elections and a cease-fire
- Returning from exile in 1993, Sihanouk became king and lead the new constitutional monarchy
- The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in early 1998
- In 2004, King Norodom Sihanouk abdicated the throne and his son, Prince Norodom Sihamoni, was selected to succeed the throne
//Religion//
In the 10/40 Window
Religion: Buddhism {Official} (96.9% ), Islam, Christian, and Other(Estimation)
Largest Religion: Buddhism (96.9%) {Official Religion}
Religion Pop % Annual Growth
Christians – 471,162 3.13 8.4
Evangelicals – 240,196 1.6 8.8
Buddhist – 12,545,264 96.9
//Prayer//
I ask that you would join me in praying for Cambodia.
JUSTICE ~ peace ~ HEALING ~ mercy ~ LOVE ~ FrEeDoM ~ TRUTH ~ God-fearing Church Leaders to Rise Up ~ HOPE ~ GrOwTh in the ChUrCh ~ may oppression cease ~ Prayers Against IDOLATRY – CORRUPTION – VIOLENT CRIME – CHILD PROSTITUTION – HUMAN TRAFFICKING ~ repentance ~ fOrGiVeNeSs of SiNs ~ ReScUe the ViCtiMs ~ OPPORTUNITY ~ ReDeMpTiOn ~ light in the dark ~ LOVE and CARE for the ORPHANS ~ Reception of the TRUTH ~ breaking BARRIERS ~ enCouRagEmeNt ~ strength ~ RaIsE uP WoRkErS ~ THE GOSPEL TO PERMEATE THE BUDDHIST CULTURE ~ prayers for the KING ~ ALL TO SEE AND COME TO KNOW THE ONE TRUTH GOD – Father, Son, and Spirit ~ May people know —
JESUS
To God Be The Glory
Forever…AMEN!
Click the link below to watch a video on how you can pray for Cambodia:
Let Heaven Come.
On Earth As It Is In Heaven.
To God Be The Glory!
Amen!
// Your Grateful daughter //
LoVe,
Cary
Information Gathered From:
CIA World Factbook
National Geographic Travel
Operation World
Joshua Project
Ethnologue
Prayercast
