Cambodia

Population: 13,607,069 (July 2005 est.)

Capital: Phnom Penh

Environmental Issues: illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, most of the population does not have access to potable water; declining fish stocks because of illegal fishing and over-fishing

Life on and around Tonle Sap

Tonle Sap is one of the richest freshwater systems in the world with over 400 species of fish and large populations of bird, mammal and reptile communities. The lake and floodplain are very dynamic, expanding and receding seasonally over vast areas. Tonle Sap is fed by the Mekong River and consists of a central lake, freshwater swamp forest and seasonal flooded grasslands.

For Cambodians, this area is a significant source of foods which provide a large amount of the protein in their diet, as well as providing jobs through fishing and tourism. In the past 20 years steep declines in fish catches have been experienced. This is due to over-fishing and the pollution of the lake system.

The floating villages at Prek Toal are located in the Battambang province in northern Cambodia, just 10kms from the famous Angkor Temples. Here, both large populations live on and around the fringes of the lake. The people depend on the lake for their livelihoods. With the changes in the lake system they are finding it increasingly difficult to improve their quality of life.

	Chea Doeun
	Chea Doeun used to be a fisherman on Tonle Sap. He remembers a time when the fish caught in the area weighed up to 80kgs.
	Peng Hay
	Peng Hay was born in Battambang Province , but his parents moved to Tonle Sap from Vietnam . He comes from a family of fisherman, but nowadays, due to the decline in the fish catch his family and others in the community are working in different jobs.
	Ms Ry Thoch
	Ms Ry Thoch remembers a time when animals and plant species on Tonle Sap were much more abundant than today. Some of the animals she remembers as a child are no longer found at Tonle Sap.
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