A new aerial Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) survey has mapped thousands of previously unknown structures, roads, and water management systems surrounding the Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia. The data reveals that the city was far larger and more densely populated than earlier estimates, functioning as a vast 'forest city'.
The survey identified an intricate grid of neighborhoods and secondary temples that were once obscured by thick vegetation. This research provides a new understanding of the Khmer Empire's urban planning and its ability to sustain a population of over a million people through highly sophisticated hydraulic engineering.