National Anthem of Cambodia

Song Title : 'Nokoreach' (Royal Kingdom)

Lyrics : Chuo Nat

Music : F. Perruchot and J.Jekyll

This song was adopted as the official anthem of Cambodia in 1941. The song was written based on the Cambodian folk tune and the Nation's motto ; 'Nation, Religion, King', as well as to remind the people of Cambodia about the mighty past of the Khmer Nation. However, when the communist (the Cambodian People's Party), ruled the country in 1975, the anthem was then replaced with 'Dap Prampi Mesa Chokchey' or 'Glorious Seventeenth of April'. In 1993, when the communists were defeated in the elections, the anthem 'Nokoreach' was restored.

Translation of the Lyrics in English

Heaven protects our King,

And gives him happiness and glory,

To reign over our souls and our destinies,

The one being, heir of the Sovereign builders,

Guiding the proud of old kingdom.

Temples are asleep in the forest,

Remembering the splendour of Moha Nokor,

Like a rock the Khmer race is eternal,

Let us trust in the fate of Cambodia,

The Empire which challenges the ages

Song rise up from the pagodas,

To the glory of the Buddhist faith,

Let us be faithful to our ancestor's belief,

Thus heaven will lavish its bounty,

Towards the ancient Khmer country, the Moha Nokor.