CAMBODIA, or CAMBOJA, nominally a state under a French protectorate, but practically a French dependency, situated on the lower course of the Mekong, 220 miles from northeast to southwest, and 150 miles broad, comprising an area of 45,000 square miles. The coast, 156 miles long, indented about the middle by the Bay of Kompong-Som, offers but one port, ICampot. Among the numerous islands along the Oast are Kong, Rong and Hon-Nan-Trung, most of them in habited. The principal river, the Mekong (in Cambodian, Tonle-Tom, °Great River"), flows through Cambodia from north to south as far as Chen-Tel-Pho, and thence southwest till, at the town of Pnom-Penh, it divides into two arms, the Han-Giang, or Bassac, and the Tien Giang, or Anterior River, both flowing south. Above Pnom-Penh is a north-northwest for the surcharge of the Tonle-Tom, the Tonle Sap (gSweet Water River”, expanding into the Great Lake, 100 miles by 25 miles in area, with a maximum depth of 65 feet. The greater part of the country is low, well watered and heavily timbered. The climate presents a dry and wet season (June to November) and is fairly healthy. The soil is amazingly fertile, producing large quantities of rice, besides silk, pepper, maize, sugarcane, cotton, betel, tobacco, indigo, coffee, etc. Timber is abundant. Gold and precious stones are found, besides iron, tin, limestone and salt. The breeding of cattle is a flourishing native industry. Among wild animals are the elephant, wild buffalo, deer and tiger. The Cambodians were formerly a highly
cultured and civilized race. Various architec tural remains, witnessing to former greatness, are found throughout the country. The present population is very mixed, being composed of Annamites, Malays and Chinese, with a season ing of aboriginal racial elements. The religion is Buddhism. Polygamy is practised, the num ber of wives being restricted to three. In early times Cambodia was a powerful state to which even the kings of Siam paid tribute, but it gradually fell into decay, until about the close of the 18th century the Siamese annexed part of Cambodia to their own land, and reduced the rest of the country to a state of dependency. France, on 11 Aug. 1863, concluded a treaty with the king of Cambodia, Nerodom, placing Cambodia under a French protectorate. This treaty was superseded by that of 17 June 1884, under which the king of Cambodia accepted all the reforms, administrative, judiciary, finan cial and commercial, which the government of France might institute. The present King Sisowath succeeded to the throne in 1907. The chief imports are salt, sugar, wine and various manufactured goods, such as textiles and arms; the exports include salt-fish, spices, cotton, tobacco and rice. The external trade is mostly passed through Saigon in Cochin-China. The capital is Pnom-Penh (pop. 54,621). Pop. 1,634,252, of which about 1,100 are Europeans, exclusive of military.