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Cambodia Geography 1999
Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 105 00 E Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
Areacomparative: slightly smaller than Oklahoma
Land boundaries:
Coastline: 443 km
Maritime claims:
Climate: tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation Terrain: mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential
Land use:
Irrigated land: 920 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts Environmentcurrent issues: illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand are resulting in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; toxic waste delivery from Taiwan sparked unrest in Kampong Saom (Sihanoukville) in December 1998
Environmentinternational agreements:
Geographynote: a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap
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