90% of locals consider their ancestry to have stemmed from the ancient Angkor civilisation which dominated much of the region. Its rich culture dates back 2 000 years and comprises the basis of the subsequent Khmer kingdom. Nowadays, the Vietnamese and Chinese also have a substantial presence. The dominant language is Khmer and 97% subscribe to Buddhism.
The age structure of Cambodia is severely skewed toward the young as the Khmer Rouge eradicated much of the elder generation, specifically targeting the educated. When peace was eventually restored a significant population explosion occurred which has led to the bottom-heavy population pyramid of today. More than 50% of Cambodians are younger than 24 years old.