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Wildlife Shelters provide natural habitats and protection for a wide variety of native flora and fauna. 

This area is very important for tourists who wish to learn about Cambodian wildlife. There are ten main wildlife shelters in Cambodia.
 
■Phnom Oral is located at the junction of Koh Kong, Pursat and Kampong Chhnang provinces. It covers 253,750 hectares and is home to tigers and elephants.   
■Piem Krasaob is in Koh Kong province.  It covers 23,750 hectares and is rich in birds.
■Phnom Som Kos is in Koh Kong province. It covers 333,750 hectares. Elephants have been spotted in the area.

The Mekong River Dolphin or Irrawadi Dolphin, is an endangered species—only between 40 and 50 are known to exist in Cambodia. They can be found in the deep parts of the Mekong River in Stung Treng and Kratie provinces. In addition, between 15 and 20 of the dolphins are known to inhabit the deep parts of the Tonle Mok, near Konsaom Bat Village, about 15 kilometers north of Kratie provincial town. 

 
The Mekong River Dolphin grows up to 2.8 meters in length. They can live 20-30 years. The female dolphin only produces a baby every two years. Dolphins have brains that are larger and more complex that the human brain. They navigate the water using sonar and are believed to be very clever, which is why they are often trained to perform in water shows.

Cambodia, a country in Southeast Asia in the southern part of Indochina, covers an area of 181,035 square kilometers and has a population of nearly 14 million (2003 est.). The country’s shape is an almost-square polygon, with Kampong Thom province as it central point. The country extends 440 kilometers from north to south and 560 kilometers from west to east. This shape makes Cambodian easy for tourists to navigate and poses no difficulties for the development of tourism. 

 
Among the ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Cambodia ranks eighth in land size and seventh in population. Its geographical location makes Cambodia an easily accessible ecotourism destination for travelers in neighboring counties and other parts of the world.

• Main Language: Khmer

• Main Religion: Buddhism (Theravada)

• Population: 14.8 million (UN, 2005)

• Ethnic group: Khmer, Vietnamese and Chinese minorities

• Monetary unit : riel

• Climate: Tropical humid climate.  Rainy (monsoon) season: May to Octomber.  Dry season: November to April

• Cities: Capital--Phnom Penh (pop. 1.3 million), Battambang, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Prey Veng, Kompong Cham.

• Terrain: Central plain drained by the Tonle Sap (Great Lake) and Mekong and Bassac Rivers. Forests away from the rivers and the lake, mountains in the southwest (Cardamom Mountains) and north (Dangrek Mountains) along the border with Thailand.

• Area:181,035 sq km (69,898 sqmiles); Water 2.5%

• Border counties: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228km

• Coastline: 443 km

• Independence : November 9, 1953

• Per capita GDP: $830 (2010 Est.)

• Annual growth rate: 5.9% (2010 est.) 

• Natural resources: Timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese and phosphate, hydroelectric potential from the Mekong River, unknown quantities of oil, gas, and bauxite.

• Agriculture (33.4% of GDP, 2009): About 4,848,000 hectares (12 million acres) are unforested land; all are arable with irrigation, but 2.7 million hectares are cultivated.

• Products--rice, rubber, corn, meat, vegetables, dairy products, sugar, flour.

• Industry (21.4% of GDP, 2009.): Types--garment and shoe manufacturing, rice milling, tobacco, fisheries and fishing, wood and wood products, textiles, cement, some rubber production, paper and food processing.

• Services (39.8% of GDP, 2009.): Tourism, telecommunications, transportation, and construction.

• Central government budget (2010 est.): Revenues--$1.5 billion; expenditures--$2.2 billion; foreign financing--$825 million.

• Trade: Exports ($4.68 billion, 20010 est.)--garments, shoes, rice, cigarettes, natural rubber, pepper, wood, fish. Major partners--United States, Germany, U.K., Singapore, Japan, Vietnam. Imports ($6.38 billion, 2010 est.)--fuels, cigarettes, vehicles, consumer goods, machinery. Major partners--Thailand, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Taiwan, United States.

• Economic aid received: $989 million in grants or concessional loans were disbursed in 2009. Major donors--Asian Development Bank (ADB), UN Development Program (UNDP), World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Australia, Canada, China, Denmark, the EU, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden, Thailand, the U.K., and the U.S.

• Principal foreign commercial investors: Korea, China, Russia, Thailand, the U.S., and Vietnam. 

• Major Exports : Garments, Fisheries Products, Rubber

• Major Exports Trading Countries: United States, Germany, UK, Singapore, Japan

• Major Imports: Petroleum products, construction materials, vehicles and motorcycles, clothing

• Major Import Tading Countries: Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, South Korea

• Exchange rate (2010): 4,064 riel per U.S. $1. 

• Internet domain: kh

• Internet dialing code:+855

• Electricity: 220V AC 50 Hz

• Driving : Right hand side; International Driving Permit required

• Direct Flight: From Bangkok, Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Vientiane, Kuala Lumpur and Guangzhou