What religion is practiced in Cambodia?
Cambodia is over 95% Theravada Buddhist, the country's state religion. Religious minorities include Islam (2% of the population) and Christianity (0.37%).
Theravada Buddhism, the dominant religion
More than 95% of Cambodians practice Theravada Buddhism, which holds the status of the state religion. This form of Buddhism, present for centuries, deeply structures Cambodian society and influences daily life, national festivals and temple architecture.
Religious minorities
- Islam : practiced by nearly 2% of the population, mainly by the Cham ethnic minority
- Christianity : represents 0.37% of the population, with Catholic and Protestant communities
- Other beliefs : traditional animism still present in certain rural regions
Impact on your travel
The Buddhist predominance is felt in the omnipresence of pagodas (wat), the daily rituals of monks in saffron robes, and the numerous religious festivals such as Pchum Ben or Bon Om Touk that mark the Cambodian calendar.