According to official statistics, around 96% of the people who live in Cambodia are ethnic Khmers, making the country the most homoge­neous in Southeast Asia. In reality, perhaps 10% of the population is of Cham, Chinese or Vietnamese origin.

The Khmers have inhabited Cambodia since the beginning of recorded history (around the 2nd century), many centuries before Thais and Viet­namese migrated to the region. Over the centuries, the Khmers have mixed with other groups residing in Cambodia, including Javanese and Malays (8th century), Thais (10th to 15th centuries), Vietnamese (from the early 17th century) and Chinese (since the 18th century).