Siem Reap province

Siem Reap
សៀមរាប
Siem Reap Province
ខេត្តសៀមរាប
From top: Angkor Wat,
South Gate of Angkor Thom, Phnom Kulen waterfall, moat of Angkor
Official seal of Siem Reap
Nickname: 
Gateway to Angkor
Map of Cambodia highlighting Siem Reap
Map of Cambodia highlighting Siem Reap
Coordinates: 13°21′N 103°51′E / 13.350°N 103.850°E / 13.350; 103.850
Country Cambodia
Settled802
Provincial status23 December 1907[1]
CapitalSiem Reap
Subdivisions1 municipality; 13 districts
Government
 • GovernorPrak Sophoan (CPP)
 • National Assembly
6 / 125
Area
 • Total10,299 km2 (3,976 sq mi)
 • Rank10th
Population
 (2019)[2]
 • TotalIncrease 1,014,234
 • Rank4th
 • Density98/km2 (250/sq mi)
  • Rank13th
Time zoneUTC+07:00 (ICT)
ISO 3166 codeKH-17
Websitewww.siemreap.gov.kh

Siem Reap, officially Siemreap[3] (Khmer: សៀមរាប [siəm riəp], lit.'Siam's Defeated'), is a province (khaet) of Cambodia. It borders the provinces of Oddar Meanchey to the north, Preah Vihear and Kampong Thom to the east, Battambang to the south, and Banteay Meanchey to the west. Its capital and largest city is Siem Reap.

Siem Reap province is the tenth largest province in Cambodia. Having reached a population of one million in 2019, it ranks as the nation's fourth most populous province.[2] A large portion of Siem Reap province's southern border is demarcated by the Tonle Sap and as such, it is one of the nine provinces that making up the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. In modern times the province is best known as the site of Angkor and the Angkor Wat temple ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also the home of Banteay Srei, Roluos (temples), the UNESCO tentative site of Beng Mealea, and the UNESCO tentative site of Phnom Kulen National Park, home to the country's largest reclining Buddha.

Etymology

The name Siem Reap literally means 'Siam defeated', a reminder of the centuries-old conflict between the Siamese and the Khmer. In Siam, the province and its capital were called Siemmarat (Thai: เสียมราฐ), literally meaning 'Siam's territory'.[4]

History

The province came under the control of the Thai kingdom of Siam in 1795 and was later returned to Cambodia in 1907 after the French colonist authority made a treaty with Siam for the exchange of Trat and Dan Sai for the Siamese province of Inner Cambodia which included Phra Tabong (Battambang), Siemmarat (Siem Reap), and Nakhon Wat (Angkor Wat). The Inner Cambodia province was split into Battambang and Siem Reap by the royal decree of King Sisowath the same year. This area became part of a disputed territory between France and Siam (now Thailand) which led to the Franco-Thai War in 1941, resulting in victory for Thailand and a return to Thai control (with exception of Siem Reap and Angkor Wat). The province again reverted to Cambodia in 1946, after the end of World War II with French and UN international pressure.

Religion

Religion in Siem Reap province (2019 census)[5]

  Buddhism (99.3%)
  Christianity (0.4%)
  Islam (0.2%)
  Animism and Other religions (0.1%)

The state religion is Theravada Buddhism. More than 99.3% of the people in Siem Reap province are Buddhists. About 0.4% population of Siem Reap province follow Christianity. Islam which is mostly followed by Chams is 0.2% in the province.

Subdivisions

The province is divided into 1 municipality and 11 districts, and further subdivided into 100 communes and 907 villages.[6]

ISO
code
Name Khmer Subdivisions
Municipality
17-10 Siem Reap សៀមរាប 12 sangkat
District
17-01 Angkor Chum អង្គរជុំ 7 khum
17-02 Angkor Thom អង្គរធំ 4 khum
17-03 Banteay Srei បន្ទាយស្រី 6 khum
17-04 Chi Kraeng ជីក្រែង 12 khum
17-06 Kralanh ក្រឡាញ់ 10 khum
17-07 Puok ពួក 14 khum
17-09 Prasat Bakong ប្រាសាទបាគង 9 khum
17-11 Soutr Nikom សូត្រនិគម 10 khum
17-12 Srei Snam ស្រីស្នម 6 khum
17-13 Svay Leu ស្វាយលើ 5 khum
17-14 Varin វ៉ារិន 5 khum

Gallery

References

  1. ^ "History of Siem Reap". siemreap.gov.kh. Archived from the original on 18 July 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  2. ^ a b "General Population Census of the Kingdom of Cambodia 2019 – Final Results" (PDF). National Institute of Statistics. Ministry of Planning. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  3. ^ "Geographical Names of the Kingdom of Cambodia" (PDF). UNSTATS. Eighth United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names. 29 August 2002. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  4. ^ Article 6 of the "Convention between France and Siam Amending the Stipulations of the Treaty of 8 October 1904, Concerning the Territories and the Other Arrangements, Signed at Paris, the 13th February 1904."
  5. ^ "General Population census of the Kingdom of Cambodia 2019" (PDF). National Institute of Statistics Ministry of planning. October 2020.
  6. ^ "Administration; Siem Reap". Kingdom of Cambodia. Archived from the original on 27 May 2009. Retrieved 27 June 2010.

External links

  • Official website
  • Siem Reap - The Gate to Angkor (Official Website of the Provincial Town Siem Reap on www.rithyrineangkorresidence.com
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