Cambodia's Killing Fields
The rice fields became known as the “killing fields,” where Cambodians were forced to work during the dictatorship of Pol Pot. The Khmer Rouge guerrilla army massacred an estimated two to three million people—more than 15 percent of the population.
Thirty-five years later, Cambodia is still recovering from the gory civil war that lasted three years, eight months, and 28 days. The genocide nearly wiped out Christianity when the Khmer Rouge, in their desire to obliterate anything having to do with urban society, executed anyone with religious affinities. Of an estimated 10,000 Christians in 1974, only a few hundred remained.
Post-war years of oppression have made Cambodians spiritually hungry and open to the gospel. Although Buddhism is the predominant religion, Christianity is spreading throughout the country. Today there are approximately 470,000 Christians, and the number continues to grow.
[Read the full article at: The Gospel Coalition]
Dominated by Buddhism and still recovering from the Khmer Rouge genocide, this nation has the lowest GDP per capita among all the Southeast Asian countries. Spiritual darkness, lacking quality of educational and health institutions, and widespread poverty are daily realities in Cambodia.
A recommend concise overview: OMF's Cambodia Profile.
Population
- 15,205,539 (July 2013 est).
- Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%
- More than 85% of the population live in rural areas
[Statistics: CIA World Factbook]
Cambodia’s population was reduced by between two and three million in the 1975-79 holocaust and accompanying wars, famines and flight of refugees.
Religions
- Buddhist 82.57%
- Chinese religions 4.69%
- Animist 4.35%
- Muslim 3.9%
- Non-religious/other 2.92%
- Christian 1.19%
- Other 0.38%
[Statistics: Operation World]
The tourism industry has continued to grow rapidly with foreign arrivals exceeding 2 million per year since 2007 and reaching over 3 million visitors in 2012. Cambodia, nevertheless, remains one of the poorest countries in Asia and long-term economic development remains a daunting challenge, inhibited by endemic corruption, limited educational opportunities, high income inequality, and poor job prospects.
Approximately 4 million people live on less than $1.25 per day, and 37% of Cambodian children under the age of 5 suffer from chronic malnutrition. More than 50% of the population is less than 25 years old. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the impoverished countryside, which also lacks basic infrastructure.
The major economic challenge for Cambodia over the next decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which the private sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia’s demographic imbalance.
[CIA World Factbook]