Cambodia is a small country in Southeast Asia with a size of 181,035 sq. km. The country is situated geographically between the 10th and 15th parallels north latitude and the 102nd and 108th parallels east latitude. With this form, it makes Cambodia slope like a square box. The country is wider from east to west by 580 km and tall from north to south by 450 km. The square slop brings Cambodia’s transportation to be easy to access to almost everywhere with a convenience way. The central of the country is the lowest part of the region since it is surrounded by mountains and plateaus. Those surrounded mountains and plateaus bring many advantages to the country for it can protect Cambodia from storms or any strong wind so it is more likely to conclude that Cambodia is a safe place from natural disaster.
Cambodia is bordered with three countries, to the west it borders with Thailand, to the north by Thailand and Laos, to the east by Vietnam and to the south by Gulf of Thailand. Three rivers, Mekong River, Tonle Sab Lake and Tonle Basac, flowing across the country are playing a very important nervous system which has been providing Cambodian people huge natural resources for many generations. Three rivers have brought tones of fishes every year and be convenience transportation.
Today many people prefer to settle down along the river side leading their life as fisherman. These rivers are blood and life to 2/3 of Cambodian people. Beside the unlimited fishes, the local people can use water to cultivate their crops. Taking advantages from the rivers, about 70% of overall population as farmer, they can manage to come up with a fruitful cultivation every year.
To mark the overall area of the country, Cambodia classified its territory by four pars:
• Mountainous Area
This part covers up to about 68,000 sq km. It consists of 6 provinces which are Kampong Speu, Kratie, Stung Treng, Preah Vihear, Rattanakiri and Mondulkiri.
This part covers the highest area of Cambodia which seems to surround the whole country and be a good protection to any strong wind. With these mountains, Camboida seems to be a very safety place to live , As this is a mountainous area, there are many minorities groups settle there, especially Mondulkiri and Rattanakiri provinces where there are plenty of tribes leading their lives undisturbed by modern life.
• Costal Area
This part covers about 17,000 sq. km. It consists of Sihanoukvile, Kampot, Koh Kong and Kep City. It lies along Cambodia’s southern coast, gulf of Thailand.
Most of People here lead their lives by fishing and farming. For farming, they can grow rubber, palm oil, coconuts, pepper, durian and many other crops. As the fast economic growing in Cambodia, some companies invested millions of dollar to build a big palm oil field along roadside near Sihanoukvile. Most farmers in Kampot prefer growing durian and pepper. Most people living in this area are rich farmers.
• Plain Area
This area covers only about 25,000 sq. km. It consists of capital city of Phnom Penh, Kandal, Kampong Cham, Svay Rieng, Prey Beng and Takeo provinces.
This part is the heart of Cambodia. Every national institution is located in this area and many economic factors are running here as well. This is a mixture of lives and races. Every races, Asian and Western people, prefer to stay here for the lively lifestyle. Most people living here lead their daily lives in a modern way compare to the other part of the country but there are some parts are still remote areas so there is a big gap between the rich and the poor. The rich live in luxurious lives while the poor are begging to gain their daily food.
• Around Tonle Sap Lake Area
It is the second biggest part which covers up to 67,000 sq. km. It is consists of Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Bantey Meanchey, Battambang, Pusat, Kampong Chhnang, Oddar Meanchey provinces and Pailin city.
This area has extremely wide range of lifestyle since it covers a big part of Cambodia. There are many different places with different situations. They can make their living by farming, fishing and do business. The most important part of this area is Siem Reap where there is the most tourist attractive place of Cambodia by its old temples especially the Great Angkor Wat.