Ratanakiri Province 493502 222283668 2008-06-28T14:30:42Z VolkovBot 3035831 robot Adding: [[pt:Ratanakiri]] {{coord|14|N|107|E|display=title}} {{Geobox|Region <!-- *** Heading *** --> | name = Ratanakiri | native_name = រតនគីរី | category = [[Administrative divisions of Cambodia|Province]] <!-- *** Names **** --> | etymology = [[Khmer language|Khmer]]: រតន (gem) + គីរី (mountain) | official_name = | motto = | nickname = <!-- *** Image *** --> | image = Ratanakiri1.jpg | image_caption = Road in rural Ratanakiri <!-- *** Symbols *** --> | flag = | symbol = <!-- *** Country *** --> | country = Cambodia <!-- *** Family *** --> | border = | part = | city = | landmark = | river = <!-- *** Locations *** --> | capital = Banlung | capital_location = | capital_region = | capital_country = | capital_elevation = | capital_lat_d = 13.746804| capital_lat_m = | capital_lat_s = | capital_lat_NS =N | capital_long_d = 107.004519| capital_long_m = | capital_long_s = | capital_long_EW =E <!-- *** Dimensions *** --> | area = 10782 <!-- *** Population *** --> | population = 118,000 | population_date = 2004 est. | population_density = 9.1 <!-- *** History & government *** --> | established = 1959 | date = | leader = <!-- *** Codes *** --> | timezone = Cambodia time | utc_offset = +7 | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = | postal_code = | area_code = | code = <!-- *** Free fields *** --> | free = Muong Poy | free_type = Governor <!-- *** Maps *** --> | map = Ratanakiri.svg | map_caption = Ratanakiri in Cambodia | map_background = <!-- *** Website *** --> | website = <!-- *** Footnotes *** --> | footnotes = |coordinates_no_title=1 }} {{Contains Indic text}} '''Ratanakiri''' is a [[Administrative divisions of Cambodia|province]] in northeastern [[Cambodia]] that borders [[Laos]] to the north, [[Vietnam]] to the east, [[Mondulkiri Province]] to the south, and [[Stung Treng Province]] to the west. Ratanakiri has long been occupied by the highland [[Khmer Loeu]], who are a minority elsewhere in Cambodia. During the region's early history, its Khmer Loeu inhabitants were exploited as [[History of slavery#Southeast Asia|slaves]] by the Khmer, Lao, and Thai empires who controlled the region. The slave trade economy ended during the [[Colonial Cambodia|French colonial era]], but a harsh Khmerization campaign after Cambodia's independence again threatened Khmer Loeu ways of life. The [[Khmer Rouge]] built its headquarters in the province in the 1960s, and bombing during the [[Vietnam War]] devastated the region. Today, rapid development in the province is altering traditional ways of life. Ratanakiri is known for its lush forests; the hilly [[basalt]] plateau between Ratanakiri's two major rivers is home to most of the province's population. Ratanakiri is sparsely populated; its 118,000 residents make up less than 1% of the country's total population. Residents generally live in villages of 100 to 300 people, though the provincial capital of [[Banlung]] (by far Ratanakiri's largest settlement) has a population of 17,000. Ratanakiri is among the least developed provinces of Cambodia. Its infrastructure is poor, and the local government is weak. The vast majority of Ratanakiri's population engages in subsistence [[shifting cultivation|shifting agriculture]]. Health indicators in Ratanakiri are extremely poor, with nearly one in four children dying before age five. Education levels are also low; three quarters of the population is illiterate. ==History== Shouldered stone axes and earthenware ceramics found in Ratanakiri suggest that the region has been occupied at least as early as the [[stone age|stone]] or [[bronze age]].<ref>Stark, Miriam T. "Pre-Angkorian and Angkorian Cambodia". ''Southeast Asia: From Prehistory to History'' (Ian Glover & Peter S. Bellwood, editors). Routledge (2004), [http://books.google.com/books?id=6kDm5d3cMIYC&pg=PT120&sig=DLzoOFPaihOMucJ_xRJ3f0p_fy0 p. 96]. ISBN 041529777X.</ref> Since at least the 4th century A.D., the highlanders of present-day northeast Cambodia traded with towns along the [[Gulf of Thailand]].<ref name=vnp>[http://www.bpamp.org.kh/Download/Publication/Settlement_and_Argri_E.pdf "Settlement and agriculture in and adjacent to Virachey National Park"] (PDF). Cambodia Ministry of the Environment (June 2006), p. 5. Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> The region was invaded by the Cham, Khmer, Thais, and Annamites during its early history, but no empire ever brought the area under centralized control.<ref name=adbhistory/> From the 13th century or earlier until the 19th century, highland villages were often raided by [[History of slavery#Southeast Asia|Khmer, Lao, and Thai slave traders]].<ref name=vnp/><ref name=adbhistory/> The region was conquered by local Laotian rulers in the 18th century and then by the Thai in the 19th century.<ref name=boundary/> The area was incorporated into [[French Indochina]] in 1893, and colonial rule replaced slave trading.<ref name=vnp/> The French built huge rubber plantations, especially in Labansiek (present-day Banlung); indigenous workers were used for construction and rubber harvesting.<ref name=adbhistory/> While under French control, the land comprising present-day Ratanakiri was transferred from Siam ([[Thailand]]) to Laos and then to Cambodia.<ref name=boundary>[http://www.law.fsu.edu/library/collection/limitsinseas/ibs032.pdf "International Boundary Study No. 32: Cambodia–Laos Boundary"] (PDF). Office of the Geographer, US [[Bureau of Intelligence and Research]] (June 12, 1964), p. 4. Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref><ref name=laos>Stuart-Fox, Martin. ''A History of Laos''. Cambridge University Press (1997), [http://books.google.com/books?id=8VvvevRkX-EC&pg=PA27&sig=8jzE879OU9KkfPhgJ-0GrTp1PrU p. 27]. ISBN 0521597463.</ref> Though highland groups initially resisted their colonial rulers, by the end of the colonial era in 1953 they had been subdued.<ref name=vnp/> Ratanakiri Province was created in 1959 from land that had been the eastern area of [[Stung Treng Province]].<ref name=adbhistory>[http://www.adb.org/Documents/Reports/Indigenous_Peoples/CAM/chapter_2.pdf ''Indigenous Peoples: Ethnic Minorities and Poverty Reduction (Cambodia)''] (PDF). [[Asian Development Bank]] (June 2002), p. 6–7. ISBN 971561437X.</ref> The name ''Ratanakiri'' (រតនគីរី) is formed from the [[Khmer language|Khmer]] words រតន (''ratana'', gem) and គីរី (''kiri'', mountain), describing two features for which the province is known.<ref name=welcome>[http://www.tourismcambodia.com/TravelGuides/provinces.asp?ProvinceID=20 "Welcome to Ratnakiri]. Tourism of Cambodia (2007). Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref><ref name=geography115/> During the 1950s and 1960s, the [[Norodom Sihanouk]] regime instituted a development and Khmerization campaign in northeast Cambodia that was designed to bring villages under government control, limit the influence of insurgents in the area, and "modernize" indigenous communities.<ref name=vnp/><ref name=samath353>Sith Samath et al. "Addressing Anarchy: Decentralization and Natural Resource Management in Ratanakiri, Upland Cambodia". ''Institutions, Livelihoods, and The Environment'' (Andrea Straub, editor). Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (2001), [http://books.google.com/books?id=zvf_BS4zv_AC&pg=PA353&vq=ratanakiri&source=gbs_search_s&sig=UUq7kR3lVKk04xhEEuSJCVNJP88 p. 353]. ISBN 8787062984.</ref><ref name=des>Vajpeyi, Dhirendra K. ''Deforestation, Environment, and Sustainable Development: A Comparative Analysis''. [[Greenwood Publishing Group]] (2001), [http://books.google.com/books?id=JWf4X2apWMYC&pg=PA134&sig=KtJtTp_gmMH6hEnEYYIrfebgtso#PPA126,M1 p. 126–27]. ISBN 0275969894.</ref> Some [[Khmer Loeu]] were forcibly moved to the lowlands to be educated in Khmer language and culture, ethnic [[Khmer people|Khmer]] from elsewhere in Cambodia were moved into the province, and roads and large rubber plantations were built.<ref name=vnp/><ref name=samath353/><ref name=des126>Vajpeyi, ''Deforestation, Environment, and Sustainable Development'', [http://books.google.com/books?id=JWf4X2apWMYC&pg=PA134&sig=KtJtTp_gmMH6hEnEYYIrfebgtso#PPA126,M1 p. 126].</ref> After facing with harsh working conditions and sometimes involuntary labor on the plantations, many Khmer Loeu left their traditional homes and moved farther from provincial towns.<ref name=samath353/> In 1968, tensions led to an uprising by the [[Brao]] in which several Khmer were killed.<ref name=shattered>Martin, Marie Alexandrine. ''Cambodia: A Shattered Society'' (Mark W. McLeod, translator). [[University of California Press]] (1994), [http://books.google.com/books?id=BN-6Z3WWee4C&pg=PA114&sig=GMAIg_iHwCDn5aFW538bEBuuUHE p. 114]. ISBN 0520070526.</ref><ref name=indochinese>Dommen, Arthur J. ''The Indochinese Experience of the French and the Americans''. [[Indiana University Press]] (2001), [http://books.google.com/books?id=MauWlUjuWNsC&pg=PA618&sig=bVOMs3QhvRR539nC7gEf86L7QfE p. 618]. ISBN 0253338549.</ref><ref name=chandler>[[David P. Chandler|Chandler, David]]. ''The Tragedy of Cambodian History''. [[Yale University Press]] (1991), [http://books.google.com/books?id=vgw2rUEACRkC&pg=PA174&sig=FCBtwhAUR0EkH7Ylj8H9PC9BtGg p. 174]. ISBN 0300057520.</ref> The government responded harshly, torching settlements and killing hundreds of villagers.<ref name=shattered/><ref name=indochinese/><ref name=chandler/> [[Image:Nixon Cambodia.gif|U.S. president [[Richard Nixon]] (shown here discussing Cambodia at a 1970 press conference) authorized the covert 1969–1970 bombing of Vietnamese targets in Ratanakiri.<ref name=troubled>Clymer, Kenton J. ''The United States and Cambodia, 1969–2000: A Troubled Relationship''. [[Routledge]] (2004), [http://books.google.com/books?id=-83fB4bbzuwC&pg=PA10&sig=Ca6GkVaYC4n4GPIBNTUJ_0l5Vjw p. 10]. ISBN 0415326028.</ref>|thumb]] In the 1960s, the ascendant [[Khmer Rouge]] forged an alliance with ethnic minorities in Ratanakiri, exploiting Khmer Loeu resentment of the central government.<ref name=shattered/><ref name=becker>[[Elizabeth Becker|Becker, Elizabeth]]. ''When the War was Over: Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge Revolution''. [[PublicAffairs]] (1998), [http://books.google.com/books?id=mg9QLPuOZvgC&pg=PA107&sig=sAQk5gZb9KbytC6HsCbOJIgMUQ8 p. 107–108]. ISBN 1891620002.</ref><ref name=no1>[[David P. Chandler|Chandler, David P.]] ''Brother Number One: A Political Biography of Pol Pot''. [[Westview Press]] (1999), [http://books.google.com/books?id=6s1OZI1kTPgC&pg=PA76&sig=FaxXfuMPqok7J0_vLbs4J9Nuf5o p. 176]. ISBN 0813335108.</ref> The [[Communist Party of Kampuchea]] headquarters was moved to Ratanakiri in 1966, and hundreds of Khmer Loeu joined CPK units.<ref>Chandler, ''The Tragedy of Cambodian History'', [http://books.google.com/books?id=vgw2rUEACRkC&pg=PA158&sig=D0mFF73rl91OOGOowH0yf4lHyXg p. 158], [http://books.google.com/books?id=vgw2rUEACRkC&pg=PA175&sig=n9lcCGDaV8acKFuqDjBR7mZS48M 175].</ref><ref>Chandler, ''Brother Number One'', [http://books.google.com/books?id=6s1OZI1kTPgC&pg=PA75&sig=8XWRMkdF91zvAhXUVfZMTqGLiYI p. 75].</ref> During this period, there was also extensive Vietnamese activity in Ratanakiri.<ref name=p171/> Vietnamese communists had operated in Ratanakiri since the 1940s;<ref name=p171>[[Philip Short|Short, Philip]]. ''Pol Pot: Anatomy of a Nightmare''. [[Macmillan Publishers|Macmillan]] (2006), [http://books.google.com/books?id=XW24koscGMkC&pg=PA171&sig=xBviy6BIprCB5KYfBWJwiQcxj_A p. 171]. ISBN 0805080066.</ref> at a June 1969 press conference, Sihanouk said that Ratanakiri was "practically North Vietnamese territory".<ref>[[Henry Kissinger|Kissinger, Henry]]. ''Ending the Vietnam War''. [[Simon and Schuster]] (2003), [http://books.google.com/books?id=O9qFpvGmiMcC&pg=PA128&sig=txZ1HXZizueIhXo-cHM8jTxfv84#PPA128,M1 p. 128]. ISBN 0743245776.</ref> Between March 1969 and May 1970, the United States undertook a massive [[Operation Menu|covert bombing campaign]] in the region, aiming to disrupt sanctuaries for communist Vietnamese troops. Villagers were forced outside of main towns to escape the bombings, foraging for food and living on the run with the Khmer Rouge.<ref name=samath353/><ref name=des127>Vajpeyi, ''Deforestation, Environment, and Sustainable Development'', [http://books.google.com/books?id=JWf4X2apWMYC&pg=PA127&sig=TjZ75LdnqrJnhxMRIOZIJ7KhWkQ p. 127].</ref><ref>Clymer, ''The United States and Cambodia, 1969–2000'', [http://books.google.com/books?id=-83fB4bbzuwC&pg=PA11&sig=8mrrUZ6HxCwVcMwcweV2XTzQgq4 p. 11].</ref> In June 1970, the central government withdrew its troops from Ratanakiri, abandoning the area to Khmer Rouge control.<ref name=vnp/><ref name=samath353/> The Khmer Rouge regime, which had not initially been harsh in Ratanakiri, became increasingly oppressive.<ref name=vnp/><ref>Becker, ''When the War was Over'', [http://books.google.com/books?id=mg9QLPuOZvgC&pg=PA108&sig=NrxqaBnf7o-4w4AAhuw4-cfvy8M p. 108], [http://books.google.com/books?id=mg9QLPuOZvgC&pg=PA251&sig=aDyNBX3SmqwBOTiri-sXPd0eBbA 251].</ref> The Khmer Loeu were forbidden from speaking their native languages or practicing their traditional customs and religion, which were seen as incompatible with communism; communal living became compulsory, and the province's few schools were closed.<ref name=samath353/><ref>Thomas, Anne et al. "Empowering Ethnic Minorities in the Cambodian Highlands". ''From Bullets to Blackboards'' (Emily Vargas-Baron & Hernando Bernal Alarcon, editors). [[Inter-American Development Bank]] (2005), [http://books.google.com/books?id=L6aMrw5_FawC&pg=PA239&sig=9tHqWGe13G2KWKhbGSKJZ54rBjY p. 239]. ISBN 1931003998.</ref> Purges of ethnic minorities increased in frequency,<ref>Becker, ''When the War was Over'', [http://books.google.com/books?id=mg9QLPuOZvgC&pg=PA251&sig=aDyNBX3SmqwBOTiri-sXPd0eBbA p. 251].</ref> and thousands of refugees fled to Vietnam and Laos.<ref name=des127/> Preliminary studies indicate that bodies accounting for approximately 5% of Ratanakiri's residents were deposited in mass graves, a significantly lower rate than elsewhere in Cambodia.<ref>Etcheson, Craig. ''After the Killing Fields: Lessons from the Cambodian Genocide''. [[Greenwood Publishing Group]] (2005), [http://books.google.com/books?id=ip3kQNZgkt4C&pg=PA115&sig=T8-PnBC8xzNpVLKS93qR3rLfpnA p. 116]. ISBN 027598513X.</ref> After the [[Cambodian-Vietnamese War|Vietnamese defeated the Khmer Rouge]] in 1979, government policy toward Ratanakiri became one of benign neglect.<ref name=samath353/> The Khmer Loeu were permitted to return to their traditional livelihoods, but the government provided little infrastructure in the province.<ref name=samath353/> Under the Vietnamese, there was little contact between the provincial government and many local communities.<ref>Samath et al., "Addressing Anarchy", [http://books.google.com/books?id=zvf_BS4zv_AC&pg=PA353&vq=ratanakiri&source=gbs_search_s&sig=UUq7kR3lVKk04xhEEuSJCVNJP88 p. 353–54].</ref> Long after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, however, Khmer Rouge rebels remained in the forests of Ratanakiri.<ref name=waldick>Waldick, Lisa. [http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-5424-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html "Staking a Claim in Cambodia's Highlands"]. [[International Development Research Centre]] ([[March 30]], [[2001]]). Accessed [[June 2]], [[2008]].</ref><ref name=suzuki11>Suzuki, Regan. [http://www.idrc.ca/uploads/user-S/1117113736117Suzuki.pdf "The Intersection of Decentralization and Conflict in Natural Resource Management: Cases from Southeast Asia"] (PDF). [[International Development Research Centre]], Rural Poverty and Environment Working Paper Series, working paper 17 (March 2005), p. 11. Accessed [[June 2]], [[2008]].</ref> Rebels largely surrendered their arms in the 1990s,<ref name=waldick/> though attacks along provincial roads continued until 2002.<ref name=suzuki11/> Ratanakiri's recent history has been characterized by development and attendant challenges to traditional ways of life.<ref name=iw2004/><ref name=seagen/> The national government has built roads, encouraged tourism and agriculture, and facilitated rapid immigration of lowland Khmers into Ratanakiri.<ref name=iw2004/><ref>Stidsen, Sille, editor. ''The Indigenous World 2006''. [[International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs]] (2007), [http://books.google.com/books?id=SdbwzF4k-msC&pg=PA324&sig=b591qEFaL06c9f48CYxe0gPobXo p. 324]. ISBN 8791563186.</ref><ref name=tyler33>Tyler, Stephen R. ''Comanagement of Natural Resources: Local Learning for Poverty Reduction''. [[International Development Research Centre]] (2006), [http://books.google.com/books?id=Pv6QsvDyQvgC&pg=PA33&sig=nQpbC7lLW14bKDmhM0OKOwRO-bg p. 33]. ISBN 1552503461.</ref> Road improvements and political stability have increased land prices, and many Khmer Loeu villagers have been dispossessed of their land.<ref name=iw2004/><ref name=seagen/> (For more information, see [[Ratanakiri Province#Land tenure|Land tenure]], below.) In the 2000s, Ratanakiri also [[Degar refugees in Cambodia|received hundreds of Degar (Montagnard) refugees]] fleeing unrest in neighboring Vietnam; the Cambodian government was criticized for its forced repatriation of many refugees.<ref name=protect>[http://www.hrw.org/press/2002/09/cambodia0925.htm "Cambodia: Protect Montagnard Refugees Fleeing Vietnam"]. [[Human Rights Watch]] ([[September 25]], [[2002]]). Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> ==Geography and climate== [[Image:Yak_Loum.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of [[Yak Loum]] Lake, a [[crater lake]] near [[Banlung]]]] The geography of Ratanakiri Province is diverse, encompassing rolling hills, mountains, plateaus, lowland [[Drainage basin|watershed]]s, [[crater lake]]s, and waterfalls. Two major rivers, [[Tonle San]] and [[Tonle Srepok]], flow from east to west across the province. The far north of the province encompasses mountains of the [[Annamite Range]], with dense [[broadleaf]] [[evergreen forest]]s, relatively poor [[entisol|lithosol]] soil, and abundant wildlife.<ref name=geography115>Fox, Jefferson. "Understanding a Dynamic Landscape: Land Use, Land Cover, and Resource Tenure in Northeastern Cambodia". ''Linking People, Place, and Policy'' (Stephen Joseph Walsh & Kelley A. Crews-Meyer, editors). [[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer]] (2002), [http://books.google.com/books?id=n3FgkLncvMsC&pg=PA115&sig=LcLD_l9LhC3H4I7MuvLbv-lSLIw p. 115]. ISBN 1402070039.</ref><ref name=bann>Bann, Camille. [http://idrinfo.idrc.ca/archive/corpdocs/107390/Economic.htm "An Economic Analysis of Tropical Forest Land Use Options, Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia"]. [[International Development Research Centre]] (1997). Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> South of the Srepok River is a flat area of tropical [[deciduous forests]] with [[clay]] and lithosol soils.<ref name=geography115/><ref name=bann/><ref name=setting/> In the highlands between Tonle San and Tonle Srepok, the home of the vast majority of Ratanakiri's population, an hilly [[basalt]] plateau provides fertile red soils.<ref name=geography115/><ref name=bann/><ref name=setting/> The area is characterized by [[secondary forest]] that has regrown after [[shifting cultivation]] or [[logging]].<ref name=setting/> Along the eastern [[Vietnam]] border and western [[Stung Treng]] border are [[woodlands]] and mixed evergreen and deciduous forests.<ref name=setting/> [[Geography of Cambodia#Climate|Like other areas of Cambodia]], Ratanakiri has a [[monsoon]]al climate with a rainy season from May to October and a dry season from November to April.<ref name=setting/> Ratanakiri tends to be cooler, drier, and sunnier than the rest of Cambodia.<ref name=setting/> The average daily high temperature in the province is {{convert|34.0|°C|°F|1}}, and the average daily low temperature is {{convert|22.1|°C|°F|1}}.<ref>Men Sothy & Chhun Sokunth. [http://www.foodsecurity.gov.kh/FIVIMS/docs/AgrometDec_07.pdf "Crop Monitoring and Forcasting Bulletin"]{{sic}} (PDF). Cambodia Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (December 2007), p. 3. Accessed [[2008-05-08]].</ref> Annual precipitation is approximately {{convert|2000|mm|in}} in the highlands and {{convert|2900|mm|in}} elsewhere.<ref name=setting/> Flooding often occurs during the rainy season and has been exacerbated by the newly-built [[Yali Falls Dam]].<ref name=flooding/><ref>[http://www.mekong.es.usyd.edu.au/case_studies/sesan/yalifallsdam/yali_ratanakiri.htm "Yali Falls Dam: Impacts on Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia"]. Australian Mekong Resource Centre, [[University of Sydney]] ([[March 10]], [[2003]]). Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref><ref>Japan Environmental Council. ''The State of the Environment in Asia 2005/2006''. [[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer]] (2005), [http://books.google.com/books?id=4Mc_UXCTNQcC&pg=PA139&sig=aOS2-VHPYPudoLHh4T2rwbvtsbY p. 139–42]. ISBN 443125028X.</ref> [[Image:KaChoungFalls.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ka Choung]] falls]] Some of the most biologically diverse lowland tropical rainforest and montane forest ecosystems of mainland Southeast Asia are located in Ratanakiri.<ref name=cfi-iv>Brown, Graeme, et al. [http://www.communityforestryinternational.org/publications/research_reports/Rattankiri_Report.pdf "Forest Stewardship in Ratanakiri: Linking Communities and Government"] (PDF). Community Forestry International (2006), p''iv''. Accessed [[June 2]], [[2008]].</ref> One 1996 survey of an area to the northwest of [[Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary]] recorded 44 mammals, 76 birds, and 9 reptile species.<ref name=bann/> [[Wildlife in Ratanakiri]] includes [[Asian elephants]], [[gaur]], and monkeys.<ref name=bann/> Ratanakiri is an important site for the conservation of endangered birds, including the [[giant ibis]] and the [[greater adjutant]].<ref name=bann/> The province's forests contain a wide variety of flora; one half-hectare forest inventory identified 189 species of trees and 320 species of ground flora and saplings.<ref name=bann/> Nearly half of Ratanakiri has been set aside in protected areas,<ref name=geography>Fox, "Understanding a Dynamic Landscape", [http://books.google.com/books?id=n3FgkLncvMsC&pg=PA124&sig=nADh88BqtYxEI_g350WygdnD0bY p. 124].</ref><ref name=communities>Poffenberger, Mark, editor. [http://www.asiaforestnetwork.org/pub/pub30.htm ''Communities and Forest Management in Southeast Asia'']. [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] (1999), ch. 4–5. [[OCLC]] 43102655.</ref> which include Lomphat Wildlife Sanctuary and [[Virachey National Park]]. Though the province has been known for its relatively pristine environment, recent development has spawned numerous environmental problems.<ref>Samath et al., "Addressing Anarchy", [http://books.google.com/books?id=zvf_BS4zv_AC&pg=PA350&sig=sDCZCicVgWLfADfiZkHyjkCGBgw p. 350–51].</ref> Land use patterns are changing as population growth has accelerated and agriculture and logging have intensified.<ref name=samath350>Samath et al., "Addressing Anarchy", [http://books.google.com/books?id=zvf_BS4zv_AC&pg=PA350&sig=sDCZCicVgWLfADfiZkHyjkCGBgw p. 350].</ref> [[Soil erosion]] is increasing, and [[microclimates]] are being altered.<ref name=samath350/> Habitat loss and unsustainable hunting have contributed to the province's decreasing [[biodiversity]].<ref name=communities/><ref name=samath351>Samath et al., "Addressing Anarchy", [http://books.google.com/books?id=zvf_BS4zv_AC&pg=PA351&sig=DIqmEYMoBLicrbrnsDvYJUwKQ3c p. 351].</ref> The province's abundant monsoonal rains, and hence its water supplies, have become less certain.<ref name=samath350/> ==Government and administrative divisions== Government in Ratanakiri is weak, due largely to the province's remoteness, ethnic diversity, and recent history of Khmer Rouge dominance.<ref name=samath356/><ref>Suzuki, "The Intersection of Decentralization and Conflict in Natural Resource Management", p. 12–13.</ref> The provincial legal framework is poor, and the rule of law is even weaker in Ratanakiri than elsewhere in Cambodia.<ref name=samath356>Samath et al., "Addressing Anarchy", [http://books.google.com/books?id=zvf_BS4zv_AC&pg=PA349&sig=2vl2IZgm_HkXcK_K7E5YCybx4Fo p. 349], [http://books.google.com/books?id=zvf_BS4zv_AC&pg=PA356&sig=5XXwA2v49AEiJfeZtnoq2RzyOD8 356].</ref> Furthermore, government services are ineffective and insufficient to meet the needs of the province.<ref name=samath351/> The Cambodian government has traditionally accepted substantial support from NGOs in the region.<ref name=samath351/><ref name=suzuki13>Suzuki, "The Intersection of Decentralization and Conflict in Natural Resource Management", p. 13.</ref> Muong Poy, a member of the [[Cambodian People's Party]] (CPP),<ref name=stats/> is the provincial governor.<ref name=flooding>[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-08/07/content_6487160.htm "Officials: Cambodia's Ratanakiri severely flooded, Mekong may burst banks"]. [[Xinhua News Agency]] ([[August 8]], [[2007]]).</ref> Bou Lam is the deputy governor,<ref>[http://cambodia.unfpa.org/docs/Final%20Report%20on%20IP's%20meetings-Annexes,%2010Apr07.doc "List of Annexes"]. [[United Nations Population Fund]] ([[April 10]], [[2007]]). Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> and Chai Sarouen is the second deputy governor.<ref>[http://www.terraper.org/articles/WS%2012(1)%20NU%20Indigenous%20land%20expropriated.pdf "Indigenous land expropriated for rubber plantation in northeast Cambodia"] (PDF). ''Watershed'' vol. 12 no. 1 (July 2006–February 2007), p. 6.</ref> [[Commune council]]s in Ratanakiri are composed of 219 members representing the CPP, 21 members representing the [[Sam Rainsy Party]], and 13 members representing the [[Funcinpec Party]].<ref name=election>[http://necelect.org.kh/English/ElectionResult/2007/Official%20results/Official%20Results(seast_e).pdf "Official Results of the 2007 Commune Councils Election"] (PDF). Cambodia National Election Committee ([[April 24]], [[2007]]). Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> Political scientist Caroline Hughes has suggested that the CPP's overwhelming dominance in rural areas such as Ratanakiri stems from the central government's ability to suppress collective action, which in urban areas is offset by international donors and [[non-governmental organizations]] (NGOs) that provide support for opposition parties.<ref>Hughes, Caroline. ''The Political Economy of Cambodia's Transition, 1991–2001''. [[Routledge]] (2003), [http://books.google.com/books?id=iSE3S-nJzMoC&pg=PA46&sig=NBdPMtLsjpz3EF_mJenezztDoBg#PPA80,M1 p. 46]. ISBN 0700717374.</ref> Thirty-six commune council members in Ratanakiri (14.2%) are women,<ref>[http://www.necelect.org.kh/English/ElectionResult/2007/Official%20results/Result%20Women%20in%2024%20provinces.pdf "Number of Women elected as Communes Councils’ Members for the 2007 Commune Council elections Nationwide"] (PDF). Cambodia National Election Committee ([[May 4]], [[2007]]). Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> and 98% of Ratanakiri's government staff is Khmer.<ref name=p280>Gonsalves, Julian & Lorelei C. Mendoza. "Creating options for the poor through participatory research". ''Communities, Livelihoods and Natural Resources'' (Stephen R. Tyler, editor). [[International Development Research Centre]] (2006), [http://books.google.com/books?id=vN524v5qXhoC&pg=PA280&sig=7k5l1W8ASmtfgyR4v1u_g3Dpegs p. 280]. ISBN 1552502309.</ref> [[Image:Ratanakiri districts.jpg|220px|right]] The province is subdivided into 9 [[Administrative divisions of Cambodia|districts]], as follows: {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! District name ! Population (1998)<ref name=stats/> ! District code |- |[[Andoung Meas]] (អណ្តូងមាស)||6,896||1601 |- |[[Banlung District|Banlung]] (បានលុង)||16,999||1602 |- |[[Bar Kaev]] (បាគាវ)||11,758||1603 |- |[[Koun Mom]] (កូនមុំ)||8,814||1604 |- |[[Lumphat]] (លំផាត់)||10,301||1605 |- |[[Ou Chum]] (អូរជុំ)||11,863||1606 |- |[[Ou Ya Dav]] (អូរយ៉ាដាវ)||10,898||1607 |- |[[Ta Veaeng]] (តាវែង)||4,325||1608 |- |[[Veun Sai]] (វើនសៃ)||12,389||1609 |} ==Economy and transportation== [[Image:Banlung market2.jpg|Market in Banlung|thumb]] The vast majority of the indigenous peoples of Ratanakiri are [[subsistence farmers]], practicing [[slash and burn]] [[shifting cultivation]]. (See [[Ratanakiri Province#Culture|Culture]] below for more information on traditional subsistence practices.) Many families are beginning to shift production to [[cash crops]] such as [[cashews]], [[mangoes]], and [[tobacco]], a trend that has accelerated in recent years.<ref name=seagen/><ref>Levett, Connie. [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/02/23/1171734021627.html "New world mysteries test Cambodia's lost tribe".] ''[[The Age]]'' ([[February 24]], [[2007]]).</ref><ref name=suzuki10>Suzuki, "The Intersection of Decentralization and Conflict in Natural Resource Management", p. 10.</ref> As of 2005, monetary income in the province averaged US$5 per month per person; purchased possessions such as motorcycles, televisions, and [[karaoke]] sets have become extremely desirable.<ref name=suzuki10/> Larger-scale agriculture occurs on [[palm]], [[maize]], and [[rubber]] plantations.<ref name=setting/> Other economic activities in the province include gem mining, commercial logging, and small-scale trading activities.<ref name=setting/> Gems are generally mined using traditional methods, with individuals digging holes and tunnels and manually removing the gems;<ref name=setting/> recently, however, commercial mining operations have been moving into the province.<ref>"Bleak outlook for Cambodian gem diggers as mining firms move in". [[Agence France Presse]] (August 28, 2004).</ref> Small quantities of locally-made honey and traditional crafts are also exported from the province.<ref name=setting/> [[Image:Ratanakiri2.jpg|Road in Ratanakiri|thumb]] Ratanakiri's tourist industry is rapidly expanding.<ref name=nation>Vater, Tom. [http://www.nationmultimedia.com/explore/20050827/index.php?news=column_18444542.html "Ratanakiri emerges"]. ''[[The Nation (Thailand)|The Nation]]'' (Thailand) ([[August 27]], [[2005]]).</ref> Between 2001 and 2002, annual visitors to Ratanakiri increased from 2,000 to 9,000; in 2003, it was estimated that this figure could grow to 35,000 by 2010.<ref name=i2002-268/> Banlung, with its numerous hotels and guesthouses, is the region's tourist center.<ref name=tourism2/> The region's tourism development strategy focuses on encouraging ecotourism.<ref name=tourism2>[http://www.moc.gov.kh/national_data_resource/Provincial%20Resources/Ratanakiri/Ratanak%20Kiri%20Tourism%20Development%20Policy%20And%20Strategy.htm "Tourism Development Policy And Strategy"] and [http://www.moc.gov.kh/national_data_resource/Provincial%20Resources/Ratanakiri/Ratanak%20Kiri%20Tourism%20SWOT%20Assessment.htm "Ratanak Kiri Tourism SWOT Assessment"]. [[Cambodia National and Provincial Resources Data Bank]]. Cambodia Ministry of Commerce (2003). Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> Increasing tourism in Ratanakiri has been somewhat problematic because local communities receive very little income from tourism and because guides sometimes bring tourists to villages without residents' consent, disrupting traditional ways of life.<ref>[[United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific]]. ''The Contribution of Tourism to Poverty Alleviation''. [[United Nations]] (published 2006; contains papers presented at a 2003 conference), [http://books.google.com/books?id=NYSDBtGasgoC&pg=PA29&sig=u0IBIFGbar_j_05R4VWxxH90W5k p. 29–30]. ISBN 9211204453.</ref> A small number of initiatives have sought to address these problems: a provincial tourism steering committee aims to ensure that tourism is non-destructive, and some programs exist to provide English and tourism skills to indigenous people.<ref name=i2002-268>Vindig, Diana, editor. ''The Indigenous World 2002–2003''. [[International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs]] (2003), [http://books.google.com/books?id=RomJxg75MZMC&pg=RA1-PA268&sig=2Cb3ubv3XKG7J1Hle0dtTB8_cdg p. 268]. ISBN 8790730747.</ref> Ox-cart, motorcycle, and walking are common means of transportation in Ratanakiri.<ref name=setting/><ref>Thomas, Amanda. [http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2004/12/12/long_distance_house_calls/ "Long-distance house calls"]. ''[[Boston Globe]]'' ([[December 12]], [[2004]]).</ref> The province's road system is among the worst in the country; in the wet season, roads are sometimes impassable because of mud.<ref name=resources>[http://www.moc.gov.kh/national_data_resource/Provincial%20Resources/Ratanakiri/Ratanakiri%20Tourism%20Resources.html "Tourism Resources"]. [[Cambodia National and Provincial Resources Data Bank]]. Cambodia Ministry of Commerce (2003). Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref><ref name=rough>Palmer, Beverley. ''The Rough Guide to Cambodia''. [[Rough Guides]] (2002), [http://books.google.com/books?id=oR-Kmnj8wmAC&pg=PA225&sig=_tUkxPtmU_DxByUsnNDLIHQAzYc p. 225]. ISBN 1858288371.</ref> In January 2007, construction started on National Road 78 between Banlung and the Vietnam border; the road is expected to increase trade between Cambodia and Vietnam.<ref>[[Hun Sen]]. "Selected Comments at Groundbreaking Ceremony to Build NR 78 between Baan Lung and O Yadao in the Province of Ratanakiri." Cambodia New Vision (maintained by the Cabinet of Hun Sen) ([[January 4]], [[2007]]). Accessed [[2008-05-05]].</ref><ref>[http://www.unescap.org/ttdw/common/TIS/AH/files/profiles/cambodia.pdf "Project Profile of Priority Projects along the Asian Highway: Cambodia"] (PDF). [[United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific]], p. 1–4. Accessed [[2008-05-05]].</ref> A small airport in Banlung with a laterite runway offers flights between Phnom Penh and Banlung.<ref name=transport/><ref>Palmer, ''The Rough Guide to Cambodia'', [http://books.google.com/books?id=oR-Kmnj8wmAC&pg=PA242&vq=rattanakiri&dq=rattanakiri&as_brr=3&source=gbs_search_s&sig=DfjzMuEj6IfdvXougNbU1IYCBKQ p. 241].</ref> Though the Cambodian government considers service at the airport to be generally reliable,<ref name=transport>[http://www.moc.gov.kh/national_data_resource/Provincial%20Resources/Ratanakiri/Ratanakiri%20Transportation.htm "Ratanakiri Transportation"]. [[Cambodia National and Provincial Resources Data Bank]] (2003). Cambodia Ministry of Commerce. Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> the US government cautions against flying to or from the airport, citing several safety incidents since 2005.<ref>[http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1080.html "Cambodia Consular Information Sheet"]. [[United States Department of State]] ([[September 14]], [[2007]]). Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> ==Demographics and towns== [[Image:Tampuan_Children.JPG|thumb|Tampuan children from Ratanakiri Province]] As of 2004, Ratanakiri Province had a population of approximately 118,000.<ref>[http://www.methodfinder.com/wfpatlas/index.php?page=0416&lang=e "Provincial Food Security Profile of Rattanakiri"]. [[United Nations]] [[World Food Programme]]. Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> Its population is increasing more quickly than Cambodia's total population, largely due to internal migration.<ref name=on6/> In 1998, when the most recent national census was conducted, Ratanakiri made up 0.8% of Cambodia's total population, with a population density approximately 15% of the national average.<ref name=stats/> The population of Ratanakiri is widely dispersed, with most residents living in villages of 100 to 300 people.<ref name=hu/> About 70% of the province's population lives in the highlands; of the other 30%, approximately half live in more urbanized towns, and half live along rivers and in the lowlands, where they practice wetland rice cultivation and engage in market activities.<ref name=bann/> [[Banlung]], the provincial capital located in the central highlands, is by far the province's largest town, with a population of approximately 17,000 as of 2005.<ref>Ray, Nick. ''Cambodia''. [[Lonely Planet]] (2005), [http://books.google.com/books?id=ostHIul2FJoC&pg=PA258&sig=YHQ8G7rWxhExGWyWV9ojCwU4EBM p. 258]. ISBN 1740595254.</ref> Other significant towns include [[Veun Sai]], which is located in the north on the [[Se San]] river and had a population of 2,500 as of 2003,<ref name=stats/> and [[Lomphat]] (the former provincial capital), which is located in the south on the [[Srepok River]] and had a population of 2,000 as of 2005.<ref>Ray, ''Cambodia'', [http://books.google.com/books?id=ostHIul2FJoC&pg=PA264&sig=srxRuW82YY9TqM5t6nIIi5q7HJw p. 264].</ref> In 1998, 44.4% of Ratanakiri residents were aged 14 or younger, 52.1% were aged 15 to 64, and 3.5% were aged 65 or older; 49.2% of residents were male, and 50.8% were female.<ref name=stats/> Of Ratanakiri residents aged 15 or older, 20.9% were single and had never been married, 71.6% were married, 5.1% were widowed, and 2.4% were divorced or separated.<ref name=stats/> There were 16,646 households in the province, excluding the institutional, homeless, boat, and transient population; each household had an average of 5.6 members.<ref name=stats/> Most households (87.5%) were headed by men; female heads of households were on average older (59.4% aged 40 or above) than male heads of households (48.5% aged 40 or above).<ref name=stats/> {{bar box |title=Ethnic groups in Ratanakiri (1998) |titlebar=#ddd |float=right |bars= {{bar pixel|Tampuan|blue|72.9||24.3%}} {{bar pixel|Khmer|yellow|57.3||19.1%}} {{bar pixel|Jarai|blue|51.3||17.1%}} {{bar pixel|Kreung|blue|48.9||16.3%}} {{bar pixel|Lao|red|28.8||9.6%}} {{bar pixel|Brou|blue|21||7.0%}} {{bar pixel|Kachok|blue|8.1||2.7%}} {{bar pixel|Other Khmer Loeu|blue|7.5||2.5%}} {{bar pixel|Other non-Khmer Loeu|orange|4.8||1.6%}} |caption = ''Note: Khmer Loeu ethnic groups are indicated in blue.'' }} While highland peoples have inhabited Ratanakiri for well over a millennium, lowland peoples have migrated to the province in the last 200 years.<ref name=bann/> As of 1998, various highland groups collectively called [[Khmer Loeu]] made up approximately 70% of Ratanakiri's population.<ref name=on6/> These groups included the [[Tampuan]] (24.3%), [[Jarai]]<!--or Charay--> (17.1%), [[Kreung]]<!--also spelled Krung--> (16.3%), [[Brou people|Brou]]<!--or Prou or Brao--> (7.0%), [[Kachok]] (2.7%), [[Kavet]] (1.9%), [[Kuy]]<!--also called Phnong?--> (0.5%), and [[Lun people|Lun]] (0.1%).<ref name=on6>Van den Berg, Conny & Phat Palith. [https://idl-bnc.idrc.ca/dspace/bitstream/123456789/27747/1/On-People.pdf "On people, roads and land: Immigration and its consequences for Highland communities in Ratanakiri"] (PDF). [[International Development Research Centre]] (October 2000), p. 6. Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> Ethnic [[Khmer people|Khmers]] made up 19.1% of the population, and [[Lao people|Laos]] made up 9.6%.<ref name=on6/> The remainder consisted of [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]] (0.7%), [[Cham people|Cham]] (0.6%), and [[Chinese people|Chinese]] (0.3%).<ref name=on6/> Since the 1998 census, migration to Ratanakiri from elsewhere in Cambodia has accelerated, which has likely increased the proportion of Khmers in the province.<ref name=samath350/> Though the official language of Ratanakiri (like all of Cambodia) is [[Khmer language|Khmer]],<ref>Article 5, [http://www.cambodia.gov.kh/unisql1/egov/english/organ.constitution.html Constitution of Cambodia] (1999).</ref> each indigenous group speaks its own language.<ref name=setting/> Less than 10% of Ratanakiri's indigenous population can speak Khmer fluently.<ref name=clayton/> ==Health, education, and development== [[Health in Ratanakiri|Health indicators in Ratanakiri]] are the worst in Cambodia.<ref name=jrsh>Riddell, Ebony. [http://rsh.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/126/6/258.pdf "Community-led safe motherhood advocacy, Ratanakiri, Cambodia"] (PDF). ''Journal of the [[Royal Society for the Promotion of Health]]'' vol. 126 no. 6 (November 2006): 258–59.</ref> [[Malaria]], [[tuberculosis]], [[intestinal parasites]], [[cholera]], [[diarrhea]], and [[vaccine]]-preventable diseases such as [[measles]] are endemic.<ref name=hu>[http://www.healthunlimited.org/cambodia/ratt_index.htm "Improving Access to Healthcare for Indigenous Women and Children in Rattanakiri"]. [[Health Unlimited]] (2007). Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref><ref name=jrsh/> Rattanakiri has Cambodia's highest rates of [[maternal mortality|maternal]] and [[child mortality]],<ref name=hu/> with 22.9% of children dying before the age of five.<ref>[http://www.methodfinder.com/wfpatlas/index.php?page=03&lang=e "National Child Mortality and Malnutrition (Food Insecurity Outcome) Maps"]. [[United Nations]] [[World Food Programme]]. Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> Ratanakiri also has the country's highest rates of severe [[malnutrition]].<ref name=hu/> Ratanakiri residents' poor health can be attributed to a variety of factors, including poverty, physical remoteness, language and cultural barriers that prevent Khmer Loeu from obtaining medical care, poor infrastructure and access to water, lack of accountability in the medical community, and exacerbating environmental factors such as natural resource degradation, decreasing food production, and internal migration.<ref name=hu/><ref name=jrsh/> The province has one referral hospital, 10 health centers, and 17 health posts.<ref name=arai/> Medical equipment and supplies are minimal, and most health facilities are staffed by nurses or midwifes, who are often poorly trained and irregularly paid.<ref name=arai/><ref>Brown, Ian. ''Cambodia''. [[Oxfam]] (2000), [http://books.google.com/books?id=bK11j2IdbC0C&pg=PA59&sig=ej6QqW6vDJeraV9-LlD1LdeQiZY#PPA59,M1 p. 59–60].</ref> [[Image:Ratanakiri tribal village school.jpg|Village school in Ratanakiri|thumb]] Education levels in Ratanakiri, particularly among Khmer Loeu, are very low. A 2002 survey of residents in six villages found that fewer than 10% of respondents had attended any primary school.<ref>Chey Cham et al. [http://gamma.sil.org/asia/ldc/parallel_papers/he_chey_chap.pdf "Bilingual Education in Cambodia"] (PDF). Conference on Language Development, Language Revitalization, and Multilingual Education in Minority Communities in Asia, Bangkok, Thailand (November 6–8, 2003), p. 7. Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> Only 23.5% of Ratanakiri residents are [[literate]] (compared to 67.3% in Cambodia overall), with lower rates among those living outside Banlung District (15.7%) and among women (15.3%).<ref>[http://www.stats.nis.gov.kh/CENSUSES/Census1998/literacy.htm "1998 Population Census of Cambodia: Adult Literacy"]. [[Cambodia National Institute of Statistics]]. Accessed [[2008-06-01]].</ref><ref name=stats>[http://www.moc.gov.kh/national_data_resource/Provincial%20Resources/Ratanakiri/Index.htm "Rotanak Kiri Provincial Resources"]. [[Cambodia National and Provincial Resources Data Bank]] (2003). Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> Poor education in the province is largely caused by difficulties recruiting teachers, a need for children to contribute economically to the family, and the inability of most children to speak Khmer, which has long been the language of instruction.<ref name=setting>[http://www.moc.gov.kh/national_data_resource/Provincial%20Resources/Ratanakiri/Ratanak%20Kiri%20General%20Settings.htm "Rotanak Kiri General Setting"]. [[Cambodia National and Provincial Resources Data Bank]] (2003). Cambodia Ministry of Commerce. Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> Bilingual education initiatives, in which students begin instruction in native languages and gradually transition to instruction in Khmer, began in Ratanakiri in 2002 and appear to have been successful.<ref name=clayton>Clayton, Thomas. "Transition, Culture, and Language in Cambodia". ''Language Policy, Culture, and Identity in Asian Contexts'' (Amy B.M. Tsui & James W. Tollefson, editors). [[Routledge]] (2006), [http://books.google.com/books?id=0iJD7lZR8WYC&pg=PA104&sig=YTh1gI-nAE7xcG8ojwLINWoBY_A p. 104]. ISBN 0805856935.</ref><ref>Kosonen, Kimmo. "Vernaculars in Literacy and Basic Education in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand." ''Language Planning and Policy: Issues in Language Planning and Literacy'' (Anthony J. Liddicoat, editor). Multilingual Matters (2007), [http://books.google.com/books?id=aP3iylRYWywC&pg=PT135&sig=J0AYF5cX2kGR6QZ4AXxO2I98gQw p. 125]. ISBN 1853599778.</ref> The programs aim to make education more accessible to speakers of indigenous languages, as well as to give Khmer Loeu access to national political and economic affairs by providing Khmer language skills.<ref name=clayton/> Ratanakiri is one of the least developed provinces in Cambodia, and living conditions are generally poor.<ref name=samath351/><ref>[http://dg.travelnow.com/index.jsp?cid=27583&action=viewLocation&locationId=27205 "Rattanakiri"]. [[Rough Guides]]. Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> Most Ratanakiri residents (61.1%) obtain water from springs, streams, ponds, or rain; much of the remainder (32.2%) obtains water from dug [[water well|wells]].<ref name=water>[http://statsnis.org/CENSUSES/Census1998/Water.htm "1998 Population Census of Cambodia: Main source of drinking water"]. [[Cambodia National Institute of Statistics]]. Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> Only 5.5% of Ratanakiri residents obtain water from sources that are considered safe (purchased water, piped water, or tube/piped wells).<ref name=water/> Most households use [[kerosene lamp]]s and other sources such as [[oil lamp]]s for lighting,<ref name=light>[http://statsnis.org/CENSUSES/Census1998/Water.htm "1998 Population Census of Cambodia: Main source of light"]. [[Cambodia National Institute of Statistics]]. Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> and few (39.5% in Banlung District and 2.1% elsewhere) have toilet facilities.<ref name=stats/> Almost all households (96.2%) use firewood as the main fuel for cooking.<ref name=stats/> A variety of [[non-governmental organizations in Ratanakiri Province|non-governmental organizations in Ratanakiri]], including [[Oxfam]] and [[Health Unlimited]], work to improve health and living conditions in the province. ==Culture== {{seealso|Khmer Loeu|Culture of Cambodia}} Each of the province's Khmer Loeu ethnic groups has a distinct set of customs and form of social organization,<ref name=setting/> but some generalizations may be made. Khmer Loeu typically practice [[Subsistence agriculture|subsistence]] [[slash and burn]] [[shifting cultivation]] in small villages of between 30 and 70 [[nuclear families]].<ref name=samath354>Samath et al., "Addressing Anarchy", [http://books.google.com/books?id=zvf_BS4zv_AC&pg=PA354&sig=aE8nXKRPYI-RaMjo0ea-jKfLuyg p. 354].</ref><ref name=setting/> Each village [[Common ownership|collectively owns]] and governs a forest territory whose boundaries are known though not marked.<ref name=samath354/><ref name=setting/><ref name=seagen>[http://www.adb.org/Documents/Periodicals/SEA-GEN/vol02-01/untangling.asp "Untangling the Web of Human Trafficking and Unsafe Migration in Cambodia and Lao PDR"]. ''Seagen Waves'' vol. 1 no. 1 (February 2008). [[Asian Development Bank]]. Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> Within this land, each family is allocated, on average, 1–2 [[hectares]] (2.5–5 [[acres]]) of actively cultivated land and 5–6 hectares (12.5–15 acres) of fallow land.<ref name=montagnards>Jones, Sidney et al., editors. ''Repression of Montagnards: Conflicts Over Land and Religion in Vietnam's Central Highlands''. [[Human Rights Watch]] (2002), [http://books.google.com/books?id=oKSIm4CreP8C&printsec=frontcover&cad=0#PPA44,M1 p. 44]. ISBN 1564322726.</ref> The ecologically sustainable cultivation cycle practiced by the Khmer Loeu generally lasts 10 to 15 years.<ref name=samath354/> Villagers supplement their agricultural livelihood with a low-intensity system of hunting, fishing, and gathering over a large area.<ref name=samath354/><ref name=setting/> Khmer Loeu diets in Ratanakiri are largely dictated by the food that is available for harvesting or gathering.<ref name=food>Hamade, Prudence. [http://www.foodsecurity.gov.kh/docs/ENG/Indigenous%20Food%20Diary%20Ratanakiri-ENG.pdf "Indigenous Peoples Food Diary": Ratanakiri, Cambodia, 2002-2003] (PDF). [[Health Unlimited]] (2003). Accessed [[2008-05-05]].</ref><ref name=taboo>[http://www.foodsecurity.gov.kh/docs/ENG/fulldoc-Food%20Taboos%20and%20Eating%20Ratanakiri-Eng.pdf "Food Taboos and Eating Habits amongst Indigenous People in Ratanakiri, Cambodia"] (PDF). [[Health Unlimited]] (February–April 2002), p. 3. Accessed [[2008-05-07]].</ref> Numerous food taboos also limit food choices, particularly among pregnant women, children, and the sick.<ref>"Food Taboos and Eating Habits...".</ref> The primary staple grain is [[rice]], though most families experience rice shortages during the six months before harvest time.<ref name=food14>Hamade, "Indigenous Peoples Food Diary", p. 14.</ref> Some families have begun to plant [[maize]] to alleviate this problem; other sources of grain include [[potatoes]], [[cassava]], and [[taro]].<ref name=food14/> Most Khmer Loeu diets are low in [[Protein in nutrition|protein]], which is limited in availability.<ref name=food13>Hamade, "Indigenous Peoples Food Diary", p. 13.</ref> [[Wild game]] and fish are major protein sources, and smaller animals such as rats, wild chickens, and insects are also sometimes eaten.<ref name=food13/> Domestic animals such as pigs, cows, and [[Domestic buffalo|buffaloes]] are only eaten when sacrifices are made.<ref name=food13/> In the rainy season, many varieties of vegetables and leaves are gathered from the forest.<ref name=food14/> (Vegetables are generally not cultivated.<ref name=food14/>) Commonly-eaten fruits include bananas, [[jackfruit]], [[papayas]], and [[mangoes]].<ref name=food16>Hamade, "Indigenous Peoples Food Diary", p. 16.</ref> [[Image:Kreung meeting house.jpg|Meeting house in a Kreung village near Banlung|thumb]] Traditional indigenous crafts include textiles, baskets, mats, pipes, [[gourds]] (used as water containers), musical instruments, body ornaments, and [[amulets]].<ref name=setting/> Houses in rural Ratanakiri are made from [[bamboo]], [[rattan]], wood, [[saek (plant)|saek]], and [[kanma]] leaves, all of which are collected from nearby forests; they typically last for around three years.<ref name=bann/> Village spatial organization varies by ethnic group.<ref name=cfi12>Brown, "Forest Stewardship in Ratanakiri", p. 12.</ref> Kreung villages are constructed in a circular manner, with houses facing inwards toward a central meeting house.<ref name=cfi12/> In Jarai villages, vast longhouses are inhabited by all extended families, with the inner house divided into smaller compartments.<ref name=cfi12/> Tampuan villages may follow either pattern.<ref name=cfi12/> Nearly all Khmer Loeu are [[animist]], and their cosmologies are intertwined with the natural world.<ref name=samath354/><ref name=setting/><ref name=arai>[http://www.healthunlimited.org/aboutus/ARAIreport.pdf "Indigenous women working towards improved maternal health"] (PDF). [[Health Unlimited]] (May 2006), p. 9. Accessed [[2008-05-04]].</ref> Some forests are believed to be inhabited by local spirits, and local taboos forbid cutting in these areas.<ref name=communities/><ref name=cfi9>Brown, "Forest Stewardship in Ratanakiri", p. 9.</ref> Within spirit forests, certain natural features such as rock formations, waterfalls, pools, and vegetation are sacred.<ref name=cfi9/> Major [[sacrificial]] festivals in Ratanakiri occur during March and April, when fields are selected and prepared for the new planting season.<ref name=food5>Hamade, "Indigenous Peoples Food Diary", p. 5.</ref> [[Mission (Christian)|Christian missionaries]] are present in the province, and some Khmer Loeu have converted to [[Christianity]].<ref name=aipp/><ref>Kim Sovann. [http://www.mekonginfo.org/mrc_en/contact.nsf/0/20E8529FB36F6E8447256ADF00277CF7/$FILE/virak.html "Biodiversity and Protected Area Management Project"]. Information Management Unit, Department of Natural Resources Assessment and Environmental Data Management, Cambodia Ministry of Environment. Accessed [[2008-05-05]].</ref> Indigenous community representatives have described the missionaries as a major threat to their society.<ref name=aipp>G. Chin Khan Muan. [http://www.aippfoundation.org/R&ID/IndigenousPeoplesandHumanRights,%20Cambodia%20Dec2006FINAL1.pdf "Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights, Cambodia"] (PDF). Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact Foundation ([[May 3]], [[2007]]), p. 2. Accessed [[2008-05-05]]</ref> The region's ethnic Khmer are [[Buddhist]].<ref name=p171/><ref name=p280/> Because of the provinces's high prevalence of malaria and its distance from regional centers, Ratanakiri remained isolated from Western influences until the late 20th century.<ref name=geography115/> Major cultural shifts have occurred in recent years, however, particularly in villages near roads and district towns; these changes have been attributed to contact with internal immigrants, government officials, and NGO workers.<ref name=on19>Van den Berg & Palith, "On people, roads and land", p. 19.</ref> Clothing and diets are becoming more standardized, and traditional music is being displaced by Khmer music.<ref name=on19/> Many villagers have also observed a loss of respect for elders and a growing divide between the young and the old.<ref name=on19/> Young people have begun to refuse to abide by traditional rules and have stopped believing in spirits.<ref name=on19/> ==Land tenure== Despite a 2001 law allowing indigenous communities to obtain collective title to traditional lands, land alienation has been a major problem in Ratanakiri; some villages have been left nearly landless.<ref name=iw2004>''The Indigenous World 2004'' (Diana Vinding, editor). [[International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs]] (2004), [http://books.google.com/books?id=0t_CU9gmi8cC&pg=PA256&sig=F3jx4forc-BV5f1JaHL9xqEHWsY p. 256]. ISBN 8790730836.</ref> The national government has granted [[Concession (contract)|concessions]] over land traditionally possessed by Ratanakiri's indigenous peoples,<ref name=iw2004/><ref>Stidsen, Sille, editor. ''The Indigenous World 2006''. [[International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs]] (2007), [http://books.google.com/books?id=SdbwzF4k-msC&pg=PA324&sig=b591qEFaL06c9f48CYxe0gPobXo p. 324]. ISBN 8791563186.</ref><ref name=tyler33/> and even land "sales" have often involved bribes to officials, coercion, threats, or misinformation.<ref name=iw2004/> Following the involvement of several international NGOs, land alienation has decreased in frequency.<ref name=p53>Ashish Joshia Ingty John & Chea Phalla. "Community-based natural resource management and decentralized governance in Ratanakiri, Cambodia." ''Communities, Livelihoods and Natural Resources'' (Stephen R. Tyler, editor). [[International Development Research Centre]] (2006), [http://books.google.com/books?id=vN524v5qXhoC&pg=PA53&sig=TFxk6swexCshIiQF7AKlWJIC_BE p. 53]. ISBN 1552502309.</ref> These NGOs have assisted in the training of provincial government officials, promoting understanding of indigenous community concerns as well as encouraging dialog between the provincial and national governments.<ref name=p53/> Pilot communal land titling projects have aimed to give legal force to traditional land ownership.<ref>Vindig, Diana, editor. ''The Indigenous World 2005''. [[International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs]] (2005), [http://books.google.com/books?id=P3DjdPS8w1MC&pg=PA338&sig=uCdjgOKgL3YdNZ-hDvhLLVDAvtY p. 338]. ISBN 8791563054.</ref> Community natural resource management initiatives in Ratanakiri have been successful and have served as models for similar programs on a national level.<ref>Tyler, ''Comanagement of Natural Resources'', [http://books.google.com/books?id=Pv6QsvDyQvgC&pg=PA36&sig=Hn2eVLKtQPqVniAhBoUCCcKqWbo p. 36–37].</ref><ref name=p53/><ref name=i2002> Vindig, ''The Indigenous World 2002–2003'', [http://books.google.com/books?id=RomJxg75MZMC&pg=RA1-PA264&sig=xyph8LCOJ2ReS_lOsj1MBo8kTio p. 264].</ref> ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== {{externalvideo | align =right | width = 260px | video1 = [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amXya7BkDls View of Ratanakiri from a motorbike] | video2 = [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JclqU26b4E Villages in rural Ratanakiri] | video3 = [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK04mw_hWAo Road in Ratanakiri] | video4 = [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsWHYf0gXhI Gem mining near Banlung] | video5 = [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEyX-UV2RpI Slideshow about health in Ratanakiri] | video6 = [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5KRInxfOKE Market in Banlung] }} *[http://www.tourismcambodia.com/TravelGuides/images/Rattanakiri_Map.jpg Map of Ratanakiri] *[http://www.methodfinder.com/wfpatlas/userimages/map146a.gif Alternate map of Ratanakiri] *[http://www.moc.gov.kh/national_data_resource/Provincial%20Resources/Ratanakiri/Index.htm Ratanakiri provincial resources] *[http://www.tourismcambodia.com/TravelGuides/provinces.asp?ProvinceID=20 Official tourism site] *{{commonscat-inline|Ratanakiri}} {{RatanakiriProvince}} {{Provinces of Cambodia}} [[Category:Ratanakiri Province| ]] [[Category:Provinces of Cambodia]] [[de:Ratanakkiri]] [[es:Provincia de Ratanak Kirí]] [[fr:Rotanah Kiri]] [[id:Ratanakiri]] [[pam:Ratanakiri]] [[nl:Khett Ratanakiri]] [[ja:ラタナキリ州]] [[km:ខេត្តរតនៈគិរី]] [[pl:Prowincja Rotanah Kiri]] [[pt:Ratanakiri]] [[th:จังหวัดรัตนคีรี]] [[vi:Ratanakiri (tỉnh)]] [[zh:腊塔纳基里省]]