Cambodia’s Past: Cambodia's descent into hell began in the 1970s when the Vietnam War spilled across the border. The United States bombed Cambodia relentlessly. Out of the chaos, a small, hardcore band of Maoists, the Khmer Rouge, took control of the country. They emptied the cities, marching people off to rural work camps and turned back the calendar to Year Zero. In an effort to create a primitive agrarian utopia, the Khmer Rouge purged the country of everything foreign or modern. They outlawed books, money and medicine. They began mass executions, and nearly 2 million died during this period.

In 1979, the Vietnamese liberated Cambodia from the Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot and his army, but a civil war ensued in the rural regions of the country and continued until 1998.

Cambodia today: Cambodia is a fledging democracy, struggling with corruption, poverty, crime and disease. The country holds great promise as the economy continues to grow, democratic elections are approaching international standards for being fair and free, and international aid groups allow for improvements such as affordable privatized health care.

In spite of all the progress, the Cambodian economy continues to suffer from the legacy of decades of war and internal strife. The per capita income and education levels are lower than in most neighboring countries, and its infrastructure remains inadequate.