Cambodia

Cambodia's first full year of peace in 30 years was 1999. The country, called Kampuchea by its people, was launched into civil war after a coup dethroned the king in 1970. He joined the communist rebels, the Khmer Rouge, in an attempt to regain power. The resulting struggle saw three million Cambodians die in what has come to be known as the "killing fields."

Cambodia's population is just under 14 million, 95 percent of whom are Buddhist. The Khmers, the original inhabitants of Cambodia, are still the largest people group. There are also small Malay, Vietnamese and Chinese populations in the country. Martial arts and boat racing are popular national sports.

Cambodia is heavily forested and boasts mountains, the Mekong River and the Gulf of Thailand at its western coast. The famous Angkor Wat temple is a large tourist attraction. There is also widespread sex tourism.

Close to 75 percent of the country's workforce earns a living through subsistence farming, but the nation is still greatly impoverished. Cambodia was ranked the third most land-mined country, with thousands injured from unexploded mines that were left behind after the war.