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Cambodia: today it is an impoverished step-child in the region. But the Khmers once ruled perhaps the greatest empire mainland SE Asia ever saw -- the Kingdom of Angkor. And today the old Khmer capital is by far Cambodia's single biggest tourist draw.

Angkor became the focus of academic interest in the late 19th century after the publication of Voyage à Siam et dans le Cambodge, by French naturalist Henri Mouhot. Efforts began at clearing away the rainforest that had threatened to devour the monuments; restoration efforts continue today.

The city of Angkor was founded by Yasovarman I, who ruled 889-900. But the monument associated with Khmer greatness in the modern mind - Angkor Wat - was not built for another 200 years: Suryavarman II (ruled 1113-1150) built the Vishnu temple at Angkor Wat, marking the high point of Khmer civilization. The reign of Suryavarman II also marked the high point of Khmer territorial expansion