About Siem Reap

With a population of 16.72 million, Cambodia is a nation in Southeast Asia’s southern region of Indochina. It has an area of 181,035 square kilometers (2020). The shape of the nation is a nearly square polygon with the province of Kompong Thom at its center. The country is 560 kilometers long from west to east and 440 kilometers long from north to south. The country’s shape makes it simple for travelers to get about and has no negative effects on the growth of tourism. Cambodia is the seventh most populous and the eighth largest country in terms of land area among ASEAN’s 10 members. Because of its location, Cambodia is a popular ecotourism destination for visitors from nearby nations and around the world.

Cambodia’s province of Siem Reap. It shares boundaries with Battambang to the south, Banteay Meanchey to the west, Preah Vihear and Kampong Thom to the east, and Oddar Meanchey to the north. Siem Reap is the country’s capital and largest city.

The province of Siem Reap is the tenth largest in all of Cambodia. As of 2019, it had a million residents, making it the fourth most populous province in the country. The Tonle Sap marks a significant chunk of Siem Reap province’s southern boundary, making it one of the nine provinces that make up the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. The province is well recognized today for being the location of Angkor and the Angkor Wat temple ruins, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Additionally, it is the location of Banteay Srei, Roluos (temples), Beng Melea’s potential UNESCO site, and Phnom Kulen National Park, which is home to the largest reclining Buddha in the country.

History

The name Siem Reap, which serves as a reminder of the long-running battle between the Siamese and the Khmer, literally translates as “Siam vanquished.” The province and its capital were known as Siemmarat in Siam, which is Thai.

After the French signed a treaty with Siam exchanging Trat and Dan Sai for the Siamese province of Inner Cambodia, which included Phra Tabong (Battambang), Siemmarat (Siem Reap), and Nakhon Wat, the province came under the control of the Thai kingdom of Siam in 1795. It was later returned to Cambodia in 1907 after this exchange (Angkor Wat). By royal proclamation that same year, King Sisowath divided the province of Inner Cambodia into Battambang and Siem Reap.

This region was included in the disputed territory between France and Siam (current-day Thailand), which sparked the Franco-Thai War in 1941 and led to Thailand’s triumph and a return to Thai rule (with exception of Siem Reap and Angkor Wat). After the end of World War II, under pressure from France and the UN, the province was once more annexed by Cambodia.