Asia & the Pacific

Cambodia

• © UNESCO/Daniel Riffet
• Water paddle irrigation in Siom Roap

The country hosts a UNESCO National Office in Phnom Penh.

The hydrological regime of the Mekong River which feeds the area Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve is highly characteristic: the area underwater in the dry season is five times less than in the rainy season and the mass of flood water reverses direction between seasons. More than 400 species of fish have been identified, as well as many species of mammals and reptiles. This area is vital for the economy of Cambodia, since its fisheries provide 80% of the protein consumed within the country. The main goal of the reserve is ensure the conservation of the ecosystem while promoting sutainable use of its resources, including through indigenous ecological knowledge and management practices.

Below you can access the projects that are currently being implemented in the country within the framework of UNESCO’s Natural Sciences Sector.

Freshwater

Asian Pacific Flow Regimes from International Experimental and Network Data (Asian Pacific FRIEND) 

People, Biodiversity and Ecology

- Biosphere Reserves (WNBRs)