Cambodia Flag

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Brief History. Cambodia was an important power in Southeast Asia as far back as 13 centuries ago, with the Khmer Empire stretching from Cambodia, to Thailand, to Laos, and Vietnam. Their dominance of the area waned in the 14th century and the area eventually became a French protectorate (1863). Japan occupied Cambodia during World War II, but the French returned following the war's conclusion. In 1953, Prince Norodom Sihanouk led Cambodia to independence, the french having been defeated in Indochina. Through the 1980s and early 1990s, various degrees of chaos plagued the country, which finally held elections in 1993.