Angkor, The Hydraulic City
Recent work carried out at Angkor by the Greater Angkor Project (GAP) used advanced radar remote sensing applications to map the city and its environs. The project determined the urban complex of about 200-400 square kms, encircled by a large agricultural complex of farmlands, local villages, temples and ponds, all linked by a web of earthen-walled canals.
The GAP newly identified at least 74 buildings as possible temples. The outcomes from the survey declare that the city of Angkor, including the temples, agricultural fields, residences (or occupation mounds), and hydraulic network, covered a region of almost 3000 square kilometers over the length of its occupation, making Angkor the biggest low-density pre-industrial city on earth.
Because of the huge aerial spread of the city, and also the clear emphasis on water catchment, storage and redistribution, members of the GAP call Angkor a 'hydraulic city', in that villages in the greater Angkor area were set up with local temples, each encompassed by a shallow moat and traversed by earthen causeways. Large waterways linked cities and rice fields, acting both as irrigation and roadway.
Geography
Cambodia covers a space of some 181, 035 square kilometers, that is bordered by Thailand to the West, by Vietnam to the East, by Laos to the North and by Gulf of Thai to the South. The country's geography mainly comprises of low and flat plains that is mostly fertile by the Mekong and Tonle Sap river, whereas highland and mountains encompassed by evergreen jungles lie at the North and South and Mekong river (Northeast and Southeast) and Tonle Sap (Great Lake, Middle Section of Cambodia) which nourish the majority of Cambodian people by way of fish, crops and plant cultivation.
Mekong River meets Tonle Sap Lake at Phnom Penh, creating a pleasant distinctive site for celebrating cultural and social events each year and thus for different industrialization areas. The Dangrek mountain (Northern area), the Cardamom Mountains ( Northern and Eastern) and the Elephant Mountains (Southern) supply the Kingdom with a lot of advantages such as obscure wild monsoon which carries hard storms and cyclone, wildlife and different high class types of tropical trees, streams and waterfalls, as well as hideouts for rebels through the history and other mystical things that is worthwhile of getting experience into.
People
The inhabitants includes ethnical Khmer in the biggest, associated with ethnical Vietnamese, ethnical Chinese, Cham, Muslim and Hill tribes dwelling at far distant northeast. Most Khmers accounted for 80 percent are farmers growing rice. Vietnamese supply the country with skilled workers, while Chinese dominate many of business ownership. The mountain tribes live at rural area on the northeast practicing slash and burn agriculture.
Language
The Cambodian language is Khmer, which is inherited itself - and advanced in education with employing Indic languages Pali and Sangkrit from India. Furthermore, some technical languages are borrowed from French. However, English is typically communicated in hotels and business compounds at present days.
Climate & Seasons
Located in the tropical area, Cambodia is bathed in sun most of all year long. There are two main seasons: the rainy season and dry season. Each season creates a refreshing change. The moist, rainy season endures from April to October. Temperatures vary from 27-35 degrees Celsius. The hottest month is April once the temperatures may get to 41 degree C these times. The cool, dry season endures from November to March, with temperatures between 17-27 degrees C. December to January is the coolest times at around 27 degrees C.
Marathon
International Half Marathon (10km run) at Angkor Wat ( Late December every year). The Kingdom is happy with the host nation providing the organization of International Half Marathon at Siem Reap on the spot of Angkor Wat late December ( around the 20th) each year. Members from all over Cambodia and also the world enjoy the 10 km running of the International Half Marathon around the compound of Angkor Wat, wherein large evergreen tropical trees, cool weather and also the attractiveness of the Angkor Wat with a large number of participants and spectators are of special and excellent interests.
Khmer New Year
The Khmer New Year Days (April 14 - 16) the nature of the Khmer New Year is celebrated in Cambodia as a whole marking the change of New Year. All Buddhist temples are packed with people properly clothed in various colors giving foods to Buddhist monks. Each house, brilliantly embellished, setting up the shrine full of fruits and beverages to please and gain the bless from the spirit of Heaven's God as the New Year is proceeding.
City streets are very well adorned in local design, shinning in night lights not the same as any day in the year. The 3 day celebration marks the bless and rice harvest done during the year. It's a great time; travelers ought to invest time to seriously understand the role and process of Buddhism as well as particular concepts of Hinduism in Cambodia on the Buddhist temples and the Cambodian families who warmly welcome all foreigners. Also, it's the proper time to enjoy the cultural show: traditional games performed in many corners of the temples and tourist sites. Read more: Khmer civilization part 3 the end.
Khmer Civilization:
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