The royal arms of Cambodia is the symbol of the

Cambodian monarchy The monarchy of Cambodia is the head of state of the Kingdom of Cambodia. In the contemporary period, the King's power has been limited to that of a symbolic figurehead. The monarchy had been in existence since at least 68 AD except during ...

. They have existed in some form close to the one depicted since the establishment of the independent

Kingdom of Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...

1953 Events January * January 6 – The Asian Socialist Conference opens in Rangoon, Burma. * January 12 – Estonian émigrés found a government-in-exile in Oslo. * January 14 ** Marshal Josip Broz Tito is chosen President of Yugosl ...

. It is the symbol on the royal standard of the reigning monarch of

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand ...

, currently King

Norodom Sihamoni Norodom Sihamoni ( km, នរោត្តម សីហមុនី, ; born 14 May 1953) is King of Cambodia. He became King on 14 October 2004, a week after the abdication of his father, Norodom Sihanouk. He is the eldest son of Norodom Sih ...

Description

A light blue shield with an Unalome Sign, the Khmer Version of the Aum Symbol, on top of the sword is placed on two ceremonial pedestalled platters ('' phan'') and the laurel wreath superimposed on the Royal Order of Cambodia on the bottom. The shield is placed on the white mantle with golden fringes and the golden decorations on the bottom and was surmounted by the Royal Crown with the shining diamond emanating from the rays of light at the top of the crown. The shield is supported by the two royal animals are the Gajasingha (the

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus '' Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adu ...

with an

elephant Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantida ...

trunk Trunk may refer to: Biology * Trunk (anatomy), synonym for torso * Trunk (botany), a tree's central superstructure * Trunk of corpus callosum, in neuroanatomy * Elephant trunk, the proboscis of an elephant Computing * Trunk (software), in rev ...

) to the left and the Rajasingha (the royal lion) to the right holding two royal five-tiered

umbrellas An umbrella or parasol is a folding canopy supported by wooden or metal ribs that is usually mounted on a wooden, metal, or plastic pole. It is designed to protect a person against rain or sunlight. The term ''umbrella'' is traditionally used ...

(one on each side) standing on the blue ribbon with the words: "" (In Khmer, "Ruler of the Kingdom of Cambodia"). The two royal animals of the gajasingha and the rajasingha holding two royal five-tiered umbrellas representing the King and the Queen. The Khmer-language phrase on the banner beneath the royal arms translates to: ''preăh chau'' (royal or auspicious ruler) - ''krŏng'' (area, or in this case, kingdom) - ''Kămpŭchéa'' (Cambodia): "Ruler of the Kingdom of Cambodia".

History

The royal arms were discontinued with the overthrow of the monarchy in the

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Era (1970–1975). They were restored for official use in 1993 with the reinstatement of the monarchy under HM

Norodom Sihanouk Norodom Sihanouk (; km, នរោត្តម សីហនុ, ; 31 October 192215 October 2012) was a Cambodian statesman, Sangkum and FUNCINPEC politician, film director, and composer who led Cambodia in various capacities throughout h ...

. Other arms were used during succeeding periods:

Democratic Kampuchea Kampuchea ( km, កម្ពុជា ), officially known as Democratic Kampuchea (DK; km, កម្ពុជាប្រជាធិបតេយ្យ ) from 5 January 1976, was a one-party totalitarian state which encompassed modern-day Camb ...

(i.e.,

Khmer Rouge The Khmer Rouge (; ; km, ខ្មែរក្រហម, ; ) is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK) and by extension to the regime through which the CPK ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979 ...

era: 1975-1979), the

People's Republic of Kampuchea The People's Republic of Kampuchea (PRK), UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ; vi, Cộng hòa Nhân dân Campuchia was a partially recognised state in Southeast Asia supported by Vietnam which existed from 1979 to 1989. It was founded in Cambodia by the Ka ...

(1979–1989), and the State of Cambodia (1989–1993).

References

National symbols of Cambodia Cambodian coats of arms

{{Heraldry-stub

Description

History

See also

References