The largest of the ethnic groups in Cambodia are the Khmer, who comprise 95.8% of the total population and primarily inhabit the lowland Mekong subregion and the central plains. The Khmer historically have lived near the lower Mekong River in a contiguous arc that runs from the southern Khorat Plateau where modern-day Thailand, Laos and Cambodia meet in the northeast, stretching southwest through the lands surrounding Tonle Sap lake to the Cardamom Mountains, then continues back southeast to the mouth of the Mekong River in southeastern Vietnam.
Ethnic groups in Cambodia other than the politically and socially dominant Khmer are classified as either “indigenous ethnic minorities” or “non-indigenous ethnic minorities”. The indigenous ethnic minorities, more commonly collectively referred to as the Khmer Loeu (“upland Khmer”), constitute the majority in the remote mountainous provinces of Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri and Stung Treng and are present in substantial numbers in Kratie Province.
Approximately 17-21 separate ethnic groups, most of whom speak Austroasiatic languages related to Khmer, are included in the Khmer Loeu designation, including the Kuy and Tampuan people. These peoples are considered to be the aboriginal inhabitants of the land by the Cambodian authorities. Two of these highland groups, the Rade and the Jarai, are Chamic peoples who speak Austronesian languages descended from ancient Cham. These indigenous ethnic minorities haven’t integrated into Khmer culture and follow their traditional animist beliefs.
The non-indigenous ethnic minorities include immigrants and their descendants who live among the Khmer and have adopted, at least nominally, Khmer culture and language. The three groups most often included are the Chinese Cambodians, Vietnamese and Cham peoples. The Chinese have immigrated to Cambodia from different regions of China throughout Cambodia’s history, integrating into Cambodian society and today Chinese Cambodians or Cambodians of mixed Sino-Khmer ancestry dominate the business community, politics and the media. The Cham are descendants of refugees from the various wars of the historical kingdom of Champa. The Cham live amongst the Khmer in the central plains but in contrast to the Khmer who are Theravada Buddhists, the vast majority of Cham follow Islam.
There are also small numbers of other minority groups. Tai peoples in Cambodia include the Lao along the Mekong at the northeast border, Thai (urban and rural), and the culturally Burmese Kola, who have visibly influenced the culture of Pailin Province. Even smaller numbers of recent Hmong immigrants reside along the Lao border and various Burmese peoples have immigrated to the capital, Phnom Penh.
Ethnic groups
More information % of total* …
Cham – Descendants of Cham refugees who fled to Cambodia after the fall of Champa. 222,808 (2012 est.)
Chinese – Descendants of Chinese settlers in Cambodia. 695,852 (2012 est.)
Cambodian Hokkien
Khmer
Khmer Kandal – “Central Khmers” Ethnic Khmers indigenous to Cambodia proper.
Khmer Krom – “Lowland Khmers” Ethnic Khmers indigenous to Southeastern Cambodia and the adjoining Mekong Delta region of Southern Vietnam. The provinces of South Vietnam all bear ancient Khmer names as they were once part of the Khmer Empire, until the 19th century when the French made Cambodia a protectorate.
Khmer Surin – “Surin Khmers” Ethnic Khmer indigenous to Northwestern Cambodia and adjacent areas in Surin, Buriram and Sisaket provinces in Northeast Thailand, in the region known as Isan. These provinces were formerly part of the Khmer Empire but were annexed by Thailand in the 18th century.
Khmer Loeu – “Highland Khmers” Umbrella term used to designate all hill tribes in Cambodia, irrespective of their language family.
Mon–Khmer speakers
Kachok
Krung – There are three distinct dialects of Krung. All are mutually intelligible.
Krung
Brao
Kavet
Kraol – 2,000 (est.)
Mel- 3,100 (est.)
Kuy – A small group of people mostly located in the highlands of Cambodia.
Phnong or Mnong, ethnic group located on the eastern province of Mondulkiri.
Tampuan – Ethnic group located in the Northeastern province of Ratanakiri.
Stieng – Often confused with ethnic Degar (Montagnard)
Ra’ong
Samre
Chong
Sa’och
Somray
Austronesian speakers
Jarai – Mostly located in Vietnam, the Jarai extend into Cambodia’s Ratanakiri Province.
Rhade – The majority of Rhade, or Ê Đê, are located in Vietnam. They share close cultural ties with the Jarai and other tribes.
Tai
Thai – 43,000 (est.)
Lao – Living mainly in the Ratanakiri Province.
Shan
Kula
Vietnamese – Live mostly in Phnom Penh where they form a considerable minority and parts of southeastern Cambodia next to the Vietnamese border.
Hmong–Mien – The Miao and Hmong are hill tribes that live in urban and rural areas.
Miao
Hmong
Yao
Tibeto-Burman
Burmese – 4,700 (est.)
Japanese – mainly first generation entrepreneurs and investors in Phnom Penh
Koreans – mainly first generation entrepreneurs and investors in Phnom Penh
See also
Demographics of Cambodia
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