Abstract

Most developing, agriculturally based countries are dependent on adequate water resources. Cambodia is, however, extreme in this regard, because it has been defined by its use of water resources more than most countries. Geographically, Cambodia is centred on the Mekong mainstream and the Tonle Sap system. Politically, water is becoming increasingly important both regionally and domestically. In terms of development, both “big” development (as in dams, hydropower, and major irrigation schemes) and “small” development (as in health, small-scale irrigation and household supply) are of absolute top priority in contemporary Cambodia. Water is also becoming a critical resource, marked by tension, rivalry and conflicts – both at a regional level and in the sub-national arena.