BBC News - Friday, 27 July, 2001

An estimated 1.7 million Cambodians perished during the next three years - many died from exhaustion or starvation, others were systematically tortured and executed for being "enemies of the state".

OVERVIEW

Only now is Cambodia beginning to put the mechanism in place to bring those responsible for the "killing fields" to justice.

Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in the world. Subsistence farming employs 75% of the workforce, with the Mekong River providing fertile, irrigated fields for rice production.

Well over half of Cambodia is forested, but illegal logging is robbing the country of millions of dollars of badly-needed revenue. The environment is also suffering, with topsoil erosion and flooding becoming ever more prevalent.

The government has promised to act, but local forestry officials are suspected of colluding with the timber companies.

The spread of Aids is another threat to Cambodia's future. The booming sex industry means there are on average 100 new HIV infections every day, but Cambodia has few resources to care for them.

LEADERS

Head of State: King Norodom Sihanouk

Prime Minister: Hun Sen

Hun Sen is leader of the Cambodian People's Party, which governs with the royalist Funcinpec party. He has been in power in various coalitions since 1985. He has denied accusations that he was once a top official within the Khmer Rouge, saying he was only an ordinary soldier.

In 1997 he ousted his co-prime minister, Prince Ranariddh of Funcinpec, whilst the latter was abroad. But Hun Sen's failure to win an outright majority in elections the following year meant he had to turn again to Funcinpec to form another coalition.

Foreign Minister: Hor Namhong

Interior Ministers: Sar Kheng & Yu Hokkri

Finance Minister: Keat Chhon

MEDIA

Many Cambodian newspapers and private radio/TV stations are dependent on support from political parties and may consequently suffer from a lack of editorial independence.

However, two independent English-language newspapers, The Cambodia Daily and Phnom Penh Post, are published.

Prime Minister Hun Sen and his allies also control several radio and television channels.

Although press freedom is not guaranteed, Hun Sen has declared his support for press freedom, publicly praising the benefits to society of an unfettered media.

There are no restrictions on satellite dish ownership and foreign radio broadcasts can be received easily from neighbouring countries.

The press

* Reaksmei Kampuchea - pro-government daily

* Kaoh Santepheap - pro-government daily

* Cambodia Daily - English-language newspaper

* Phnom Penh Post - English language newspaper

Television

* Cambodian TV - state broadcaster

* Phnom Penh Municipal TV

* Bayon TV - private

* CTV9 - private

Radio

* National Radio of Cambodia - state broadcaster

* Voice of Cambodia

* Phnom Penh Municipal Radio

* Radio Apsara - Cambodian People's Party radio

News agency

* Cambodian Press Agency (AKP)

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