South East Asian Trips

Cambodia has a total land area of 181,035 Sq. Km, and very varied topography indeed. It has 354 Km of coastline, much of it lined with silver beaches. Amongst the country's most prominent feature is its water bodies- the Bassac River System, the Mekong (Cambodia's largest river), and the Tonlé Sap (Great Lake), which virtually sits in the middle of the country. Three quarters of Cambodia consist of the Central Plains, which are surrounded by the highlands: the thickly forested areas of the Elephant Mountains, the Cardamom Mountains and the Dangrek Mountains. Towards the northeast lie the Eastern Mountains. The country is a picturesque one with its paddy fields, dense hardwood forests, lakes and river deltas and pretty rural villages of thatched huts and palm trees. Despite deforestation, a large portion of the land is still covered by dense tropical jungles; along the coastal areas are mangrove swamps hosting an impressive array of wildlife. Major environmental problems facing Cambodia include deforestation; destruction of the habitat due to gem mining; destruction of the mangrove swamps; and soil erosion.