Timeline: The History of Cambodia From Independence to Today

Nov 9, 1953

Independence of Cambodia

The French finally gave Cambodia independence.

Mar 2, 1955

The King abdicated in favor of his father

King Sihanouk abdicated in favor of his father, Norodom Suramarit.

Jun 13, 1960

Death and head of state

Sihanouk's father dies. Sihanouk becomes head of state.

Aug 27, 1963

South Vietnam

Cambodia severed ties with South Vietnam.

May 3, 1965

Sihanouk breaks off relations with the US

Sihanouk breaks off relations with the US and allows North Vietnamese guerrillas to set up bases in Cambodia in pursuance of their campaign against the US-backed government in South Vietnam.

Apr 30, 1977

Fighting

Fighting breaks out with Vietnam.

Dec 25, 1978

Lightning Assault

Vietnamese forces invade in a lightning assault.

Jan 14, 1985

Hun Sen becomes prime minister

Hun Sen becomes prime minister. Cambodia is plagued by guerrilla warfare. Hundreds of thousands become refugees

Jul 7, 1994

Surrender

Thousands of Khmer Rouge guerrillas surrender in government amnesty.

Sep 18, 1996

New Party

Deputy leader of Khmer Rouge Ieng Sary forms a new party and is granted amnesty by Sihanouk.

Mar 15, 2001

Approved law

Senate approves a law to create a tribunal to bring genocide charges against Khmer Rouge leaders.

Jun 15, 2001

$560 million

International donors, encouraged by Cambodia's reform efforts, pledge $560 million in aid at a donor conference in Tokyo.

Dec 4, 2001

First bridge across the Mekong River opens

First bridge across the Mekong River opens, linking the east and west of the country. The 1.36km bridge cost $56 million.

Feb 3, 2002

First multi-party local elections

First multi-party local elections; ruling Cambodian People's Party wins in all but 23 out of 1,620 communes.

Sep 23, 2004

World Trade Organization

Parliament ratifies kingdom's entry into World Trade Organization

Oct 8, 2004

King Sihanouk abdicates

King Sihanouk abdicates and is succeeded by his son Norodom Sihamoni.

Feb 4, 2005

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy leaves

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy leaves Cambodia after parliament strips him of his immunity from prosecution, leaving him open to defamation charges brought by the ruling coalition.

Apr 8, 2005

Surviving Khmer Rouge

Tribunal to try surviving Khmer Rouge leaders gets green light from UN after years of debate about funding.

Oct 7, 2005

Prime minister signs a controversial border

Prime minister signs a controversial border agreement with Vietnam. Legal action is taken against some critics of the deal, prompting international concern.

Dec 23, 2005

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy, in exile in France, is convicted by a Cambodian court of defaming PM Hun Sen and is sentenced to nine months in prison.

Feb 10, 2006

Sam Rainsy receives a royal pardon

Sam Rainsy receives a royal pardon and comes home after a year in exile.

May 26, 2006

Parliament votes

Parliament votes to abolish prison terms for defamation. The legislation had been used to jail some government critics.

Jul 21, 2006

Ta Mok dies

Ta Mok, one of the top leaders of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, dies aged 80.

Oct 20, 2006

Royalist Funcinpec party drops Prince Norodom Ranariddh as its leader

Royalist Funcinpec party, a junior partner in the ruling coalition, drops Prince Norodom Ranariddh as its leader.

Mar 14, 2007

Prince Norodom Ranariddh sentenced in absentia to 18 months in prison

Prince Norodom Ranariddh, who now lives abroad, is sentenced in absentia to 18 months in prison for selling the Funcinpec party's headquarters. He denies the charge.

Apr 27, 2018