People of Cambodia

Cambodia is ethnically homogeneous. More than 90% of its population is of Khmer origin and speaks the Khmer language, the country’s offi  cial language. The remainder include Chinese, Vietnamese, Cham, Khmer Loeu, and Indians. The Khmer language is a member of the Mon - Khmer subfamily of the Austroasiatic language group. French, once the lingua franca of Indochina and still spoken by some, mostly older Cambodians as a second language, remains the language of instruction in various schools and universities that are often funded by the government of France. Cambodian French, a remnant of the country’s colonial past, is a dialect found in Cambodia and is frequently used in government. However, in recent decades, many younger
Cambodians and those in the business - class have favoured learning English. In the major cities and tourist centers, English is widely spoken and taught at a large number of schools due to the overwhelming number of tourists from English - speaking countries. Even in the most rural outposts, however, most young people speak at least some English, as it is often taught by monks at the local pagodas where many children are educated.

Read More in Cambodia Insight Website on Issue 7 Page 45.