The spoken languages reflect the diversity of the cultures.
In Cambodia, there are at least 19 indigenous languages. They can be divided roughly into the Austronesian language family, which includes the Jarai people, and the Mon-Khmer language family, which includes the Brao, Kreung, Tumpoun, Bunong, and Kui people.
Some native languages are only spoken. Initiatives are already in place to allow indigenous students to receive an education in their native languages, allowing a larger number of them to complete high school and move on to further education.
Although there are more than a dozen languages spoken in Cambodia, Khmer is the only official language and is spoken by about 97% of the population.
Photos: Cambodia Indigenous Youth Association-CIYA
