Major events involving Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge:
1949-52: Saloth Sar, later known as Pol Pot, studies ideology of Mao Zedong in Paris, becomes absorbed by communist ideology.
1953: Cambodia receives independence from France. Pol Pot works on setting up a communist party.
1960-63: Pol Pot becomes party's general secretary. Flees into the jungle to escape repression by Cambodia's ruler, Prince Norodom Sihanouk.
1967: Khmer Rouge takes up arms against the government.
1970: Right-wing coup topples Sihanouk. US invades Cambodia to dislodge Vietnamese from border sanctuaries, but drives them deeper into Cambodia where they join with the Khmer Rouge.
1975: The Khmer Rouge marches into Phnom Penh on April 17th. Cambodia is sealed off from the world, capital's population is forced into countryside, doomed experiment in agrarian communism begins.
Purges begin among leadership. Extend to population over next four years.
An estimated 1.7 million people die of starvation, overwork and execution.
1978: Vietnam invades on December 25th to stop Khmer Rouge border attacks. Phnom Penh falls two weeks later. Regime of Khmer Rouge defectors, including the current Cambodian Prime Minister, Mr Hun Sen, installed. Khmer Rouge retreats to Thai border and join forces with other resistance groups. Guerrilla war begins.
1991: All Cambodian factions, including Khmer Rouge, sign peace agreement providing for UN peacekeeping force and democratic elections.
1993: Khmer Rouge boycotts UN-supervised election, which proceeds with high turnout despite threat of violence from guerrillas. Coalition government headed by Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Mr Hun Sen takes power.
1996: Rumours circulate in April that Pol Pot has died. On August 8th, the government announces split in Khmer Rouge. Pol Pot's brother-in-law, Mr Ieng Sary, leads defections eventually totalling 10,000 guerrillas.
1997: Tensions between parties in coalition government worsen, partly over wooing support from Khmer Rouge defectors for elections in 1998.
June: Pol Pot orders murder of his defence minister, Son Sen, his wife and nine children. Hard-liners revolt, Pol Pot is taken prisoner by Gen Ta Mok, known as the butcher.
Pol Pot sentenced to life imprisonment in Khmer Rouge show trial. In first interview to western journalist in 18 years, he says he is ailing, near death. Shows no regret for genocidal policies.