Cambodia restored “Nokor Reach” as its national anthem in 1993. The title is commonly translated as “Majestic Kingdom” or “Royal Kingdom.”
The anthem was first adopted during the era of the Kingdom of Cambodia and was used when Cambodia gained independence from France in 1953. After political changes in the 1970s, different regimes used different anthems. “Nokor Reach” returned when the monarchy was restored and the modern Kingdom of Cambodia was re-established in 1993.
The melody is based on a Cambodian folk tune, while the lyrics are attributed to Chuon Nath, a major Cambodian Buddhist scholar and cultural figure. The anthem is closely associated with the country’s royal tradition. It is sometimes confused with “Our Country,” the anthem used by the Khmer Republic, or with revolutionary songs used during the Democratic Kampuchea period.