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Cambodia celebrates its independence from France on November 9, marking the date in 1953 when King Norodom Sihanouk formally proclaimed independence after a determined diplomatic campaign that included a self-imposed royal exile designed to force the issue with Paris. France had controlled Cambodia as a protectorate since 1863. Independence Day is a major national holiday: government offices, schools, and many businesses close, and there are official parades and ceremonies throughout the country. In Phnom Penh, celebrations center on the Independence Monument and the Royal Palace. In Siem Reap, public buildings and many businesses fly the Cambodian flag - a dark red field with an image of Angkor Wat at its center, the only national flag in the world to feature a building. Fireworks are often set off in the evening. The day is worth pausing over: the Angkor temples you are visiting were the symbolic heart of a kingdom that fought, diplomatically, for the right to keep them as its own.

Location

Siem Reap