The Cambodian population and healthcare system struggles with many of the diseases common to the Tropics , in particular in rural areas . In addition , malnutrition of children has long been a major problem . HIV became an increasing problem in 1998 , but the epidemic has since been almost curbed . Cambodia gained its independence from France in 1953 , but the road to self-governance would prove to be very difficult . In 1967 , the Cambodian Civil War broke out and the following decade turned out disastrous for the country and the Cambodian people . The Vietnam War spread across the border and the US initiated massive bombing campaigns in Cambodia , which further aggravated the civil war and destroyed infrastructure and agricultural resources in the entire eastern half of the country , in particular the rural areas . In 1970 , a coup d’état , supported by the United States , brought down the Cambodian government of King Norodom Sihanouk , and the Khmer Republic , an unstable military republican regime , was installed . As the civil war progressed , the regime was eventually overthrown by the Khmer Rouge in 1975 and in the aftermath , an internal genocide began , further destroying the economy and the capital city , massacred intellectuals , and crumbled the country apart , resulting in the deaths of around 1.7 million people ( 21 % of the population ) in total . The Khmer Rouge came to a demise in 1989 , and the United Nations took over and sponsored a national election that supported numerous developmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations ( NGOs ) to come into Cambodia , which helped in the rebuilding of the country
internal genocide
Cambodian genocide
Health in Cambodia