Battambang Province

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Battambang (Khmer: , IPA: [at m ], "Loss of Staff") is a province (khaet)

of Cambodia located in the far northwest. Bordering provinces are Banteay Meanchey to the north, Pursat to the
east and south, Siem Reap to the northeast, and Pailin to the west. The northern and southern extremes of the
province's western boundaries form part of the international border with Thailand. In addition, Tonle Sap forms part
of the northeastern boundary between Siem Reap and Pursat. Its capital and largest city is Battambang.
With a population of 1,036,523, it ranks as the fourth most populous province. In land area, Battambang is the fifth
largest province of Cambodia. Battambang is one of the provinces included in the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve.
[1]

The province's fertile rice fields have led to a mostly agricultural economy giving rise to the moniker "the Rice

Bowl of Cambodia". The province features a range of cultures as well as natural resources. Seventy five percent
of the area is jungles and mountains. The area has a tropical climate.
Contents
[hide]

1 Etymology

2 Administrative divisions

3 Attractions
3.1 Religious Sites

3.1.1 Wat Ek Phnom

3.1.2 Wat Banan

4 Transportation

5 References

6 External links

Etymology
Battambang literally means "Loss of Staff" in Khmer, referring to the local legend of Preah Bat Dambang
Kranhoung. Stone inscriptions discovered from pre-Angkorian and Angkorian eras have as yet not mentioned any
contemporary villages or districts called "Battambang" but according to the document Mohachun Khmer, "Srok
Battambang" (Battambang district) was used during the Angkor and post-Angkor eras.

Administrative divisions
Battambang is subdivided into 14 districts (srok=Khmer: ), which are further subdivided into 96 subdistricts
(khum=Khmer:) and 799 villages (phum=Khmer: ).
1. Banan (Khmer: )

8. Sangkhae (Khmer: )

2. Thmar Koul (Khmer: )

9. Samlout (Khmer: )

3. Battambang (Khmer: )

10. Sampov Loun (Khmer: )

4. Bavel (Khmer: )

11. Phnom Proek (Khmer: )

5. Aek Phnom (Khmer: )

12. Kamrieng (Khmer: )

6. Moung Russei (Khmer:

13. Koas Krala (Khmer: )

7. Rotanak Mondul (Khmer: )

14. Ruhakiri (Khmer: )

Local government entities within the province are the two towns, and 12 subdistrict municipalities

Attractions

Religious Sites
Wat Ek Phnom
Wat Ek Phnom (Khmer: ) an atmospheric, partly collapsed, 11th-century temple situated 11 km north
of Battambang, measures 52m by 49m and is surrounded by the remains of a laterite wall and an
ancient baray (reservoir). A lintel showing the Churning of the Ocean of Milk can be seen above the east entrance
to the central temple, whose upper flanks hold some fine bas-reliefs. Construction of the giant Buddha statue next
door has been stopped by the government because, they say, it mars the sites timeless beauty. This is a very
popular picnic and pilgrimage destination for Khmers at festival times. [2

Wat Banan
Wat Banan (Khmer: ) located some 25 km south of Battambong City is like a smaller version of

the rather more illustrious Angkor Wat. Built in the 10th century, it is very popular at weekends with Khmer
families out on picnics.

Transportation
The only way to reach Battambang is by bus or private taxi. Both the airport and railway line are not in use. Buses
make the trip from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap almost hourly. It is a 5-6 hour bus ride from Phnom Penh and a 34 hour bus ride from Siem Reap.

References[edit]
1.

Jump up^ http://www.tsbr-ed.org

2.

Jump up^ Wat Ek Phnom at Lonely Planet

External links[edit]

Battambang - The Rice Bowl of Cambodia (Official Website of the Provincial Town Battambang on
www.battambang-town.gov.kh) (Khmer) (English)

Battambang Provincial Resources

Cambodia portal

Coordinates:

13143N 1025922E

Categories:

Battambang Province

Provinces of Cambodia

Banteay Meanchey Province

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Banteay Meanchey (Khmer: , IPA: [ntij min cj] "Fortress of Victory") is a province (khaet)
of Cambodialocated in the far northwest. It borders the provinces of Oddar Meanchey and Siem Reap to the
east, Battambang to the south, and shares an international border with Thailand to the west. Its capital and largest
city is Serei Saophoan.
Banteay Meanchey is the 13th largest province in Cambodia. With a population of 678,033, it ranks as the 10th
largest in the nation. The town of Poipet in the western part of the province is an international border crossing into
Thailand. Banteay Meanchey is one of the nine provinces that is part of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve.[2]
Contents
[hide]

1 Etymology

2 History

3 Geography

4 Administration

5 References

6 External links

Etymology
Banteay Meanchey means "Fortress of Victory" in Khmer. The Chey part of its name is derived from
the Sanskrit word Jaya () meaning Victory, and Banteay meaning Fortress.[citation needed]

History
The area was part of the extensive Khmer empire. Its most notable remains is the Banteay Chhmar temple in the
north of the province, built in 12th century towards the 13th century. Other lesser known temples are the Banteay
Neang and Banteay Torptemples.[citation needed]
In the 1795 Siam took control over Western Cambodia, and made the area into Siamese province of Inner
Cambodia with the administration capital in Phra Tabong (Battambang). This province lasted until 1907 when Siam
traded Inner Cambodia for the return of Trat and Dan Sai. In the same year, King Sisowath decided to split the
return Inner Cambodian Province into Battambang Province (which included Sisophon) and Siem Reap Province.
When Thailand re annexed western Cambodia 1941, Sisophon was split off Battambang Province and was an
administration capital of Phibunsongkram Province which lasted until 1946 when the whole region was return to
the French control.[citation needed]
In 1988 the province Banteay Meanchey was split off from Battambang, originally consisting of the five districts
Mongkol Borei, Thmar Puok, Serei Saophoan, Preah Net Preah and Phnom Srok. [3]
During the Cambodian Civil Wars of the 1970s and 1980s Banteay Meanchey Province was on the frontlines of
much of fighting and as a result it is one of the three most heavily mined provinces in Cambodia along with Pailin
and Battambang.[4]

Geography
Banteay Meanchey is mostly covered by extensive lowlands, with a few uplands to the north and east. The main
rivers are theMongkol Borei and the Sisophon Rivers.

Administration
The province is subdivided into 8 districts (srok), which are further subdivided in 64 communes (khum) and 634
villages (phum).[5]
ISO Code

District

Romanization

Population

0102

Mongkol Borey

138,190

0103

Phnom Srok

45,251

0104

Preah Net Preah

70,673

0105

Ou Chrov

100,590

0106

Serei Saophoan

98,848

0107

Thmar Puok

53,536

0108

Svay Chek

47,960

0109

Malai

22,724

Geocodes are from the National Institute of Statistics.[6]

References
1.

"General Population Census of Cambodia 2008 - Provisional population totals" (PDF). National Institute of Statistics,
Ministry of Planning. 3 September 2008.

2. Jump up^ http://www.tsbr-ed.org

3. Jump up^ "Background of Battambang In the past and the present". Battambang town.
4. Jump up^ Flooding unearths Cambodias landmines, IRIN, PHNOM PENH, 21 October 2013
(IRIN), http://www.irinnews.org/report/98976/flooding-unearths-cambodia-s-landmines
5. Jump up^ Royal Government of Cambodia
6. Jump up^ "Districts of Banteay Meanchey". National Institute of Statistics, Cambodia.

External links

Banteay Meanchey at Royal Government of Cambodia website

Banteay Meanchey at Ministry of Commerce website

Cambodia portal

Categories:
Provinces of Cambodia
Banteay Meanchey Province

Kampong Cham Province

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kampong Cham (Khmer: , IPA: [kmp cam] "Port of the Chams" ) is a province (khaet)
of Cambodia located on the central lowlands of the Mekong River. It borders the provinces of Kampong
Chhnang to the west, Kampong Thom and Kratito the north, Tbong Khmum to the east, and Prey
Veng and Kandal to the south. Kampong Cham was officially divided into two provinces on 31 December 2013 in
what was seen by many as a political move by the ruling party.[2][3] All land west of the Mekong remained Kampong
Cham while land east of the river became Tbong Khmum province. Prior to this division, Kampong Cham
extended eastward to the international border with Vietnam, was the 11th largest province in Cambodia and had a
population of 1,680,694, ranked as the second most populated province in the nation. Its capital and largest city
is Kampong Cham. Kampong Cham is home to the current Prime Minister, Hun Sen.
Contents
[hide]

1 Etymology

2 Geography

3 Administration

4 Politics
o

4.1 Provincial council

5 People

6 See also

7 References

8 External links

Etymology
Kampong Cham means "Port of the Chams" in Khmer. Kampong means port, harbor. Cham refers to the
ethnic Cham people living in the province. The word Kampong in Cham is shared in other Austronesian language,
the Malaysian and Indonesian, both mean village.

Geography
Kampong Cham is primarily lowlands. The main river is the Mekong River which forms the eastern border of the
province, separating it from Tbong Khmum province.

Administration

Kampong Cham is subdivided into 10 districts (srok) which in turn are subdivided into communes (khum)
which are further divided into villages (phum).[4] The province formerly consisted of 16 districts, however a
request by Hun Sen's government to split the province in two was made after his ruling Cambodian People's
Party (CPP) lost the province to the opposition in the July 2013 elections. [3] The CPP won only eight of the
available 18 National Assembly seats in Hun Sen's home province. The request, which was ostensibly made
in order to improve administrative efficiency in the large province, was approved by King Sihamoni on 31
December 2013. The 10 districts that remain in Khampong Cham province overwhelmingly voted for the
opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, led by Sam Rainsy, while five of the six districts cut out from
Kampong Cham to form Tbong Khmum Province were won solidly by the CPP.[2]

0301 Batheay ()

0302 Chamkar Leu ( )

0303 Cheung Prey ()

0305 Kampong Cham ()

0306 Kampong Siem ()

0307 Kang Meas ()

0308 Koh Sotin ()

0313 Prey Chhor ()

0314 Srey Santhor ()

0315 Stueng Trang ( )

Politics
The last General elections were held on 28 July 2013, where the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) won a
majority with 51.88% (457,819) of the popular vote, compared to the CPP with (376,182). The CNRP won 10
seats, while the CPP won 8 seats in Parliament. Kampong Cham was one of the five provinces that supported the
opposition CNRP in 2013, despite the province being Hun Sen's birthplace.

Provincial council

Party

Parliament

Cambodian People's Party

Cambodia National Rescue Party

Provincial council

12

10

People

Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia

Bun Rany, wife of Hun Sen (born in Krouch Chhmar District now located in Tbong Khmum Province)

Heng Samrin, speaker of the National Assembly

That Rotana

See also

Champa

Kampong Cham, the capital of Kampong Cham province.

Khmer people

References
1.

"General Population Census of Cambodia 2008 - Provisional population totals" (PDF). National Institute of Statistics,
Ministry of Planning. 3 September 2008.

2. ^ Jump up to:a b Mom, Kunthear; Kevin Ponniah (10 January 2014). "Kampong Chams great divide". The Phnom
Penh Post. Retrieved 29 January 2014.

3. ^ Jump up to:a b Phorn, Bopha; Alex Willemyns (10 January 2014). "Government Creates New CPP-Majority
Province". The Cambodia Daily. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
4. Jump up^ "Kampong Cham Administration". Royal Government of Cambodia. Retrieved 2009-01-20.

External links
Cambodia portal