multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy
constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004
Independence date
9 November 1953 (from France)
Religions
Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%
Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)
Languages
Khmer (official) 95%, French, English
Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census) note: English (official), widely spoken as a second language
riels (KHR) per US dollar - 4,070.94 (2008 est.), 4,006 (2007), 4,103 (2006), 4,092.5 (2005), 4,016.25 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
3.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos
Oceania, two archipelagic island chains of 29 atolls, each made up of many small islets, and five single islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between Hawaii and Australia
Area
181,035 km sq
181 km sq
Coastline
443 km
370 km
Climate
tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation
tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November; islands border typhoon belt
