Siem Reap Province


Siem Reap, officially Siemreap, is a province 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 is the 10th largest province in Cambodia. Having reached a population of 1 million in 2019, it ranks as the nation's fourth largest. A large portion of Siem Reap'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, UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also the home of Banteay Srei, Roluos, UNESCO tentative site of Beng Mealea, and UNESCO tentative site of Phnom Kulen National Park.

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, literally meaning 'Siam's territory'.

History

The province came under the control of the Thai kingdom of Siam in 1795 and was later returned to Cambodia in 1907 after French made a treaty with Siam for exchange of Trat and Dan Sai for the Siamese province of Inner Cambodia which included Phra Tabong, Siemmarat, and Nakhon 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 which led to the Franco-Thai War in 1941, resulting in victory for Thailand and a return to Thai control. The province again reverted to Cambodia in 1946, after the end of World War II with French and UN international pressure.

Subdivisions

The province is divided into 12 districts, 100 communes and 907 villages.
ISO CodeDistrictKhmer
17-01Angkor Chumស្រុកអង្គរជុំ
17-02Angkor Thomស្រុកអង្គរធំ
17-03Banteay Sreiស្រុកបន្ទាយស្រី
17-04Chi Kraengស្រុកជីក្រែង
17-06Kralanhស្រុកក្រឡាញ់
17-07Puokស្រុកពួក
17-09Prasat Bakongស្រុកប្រាសាទបាគង
17-10Siem Reap Municipalityក្រុងសៀមរាប
17-11Sout Nikomស្រុកសូទ្រនិគម
17-12Srei Snamស្រុកស្រីស្នំ
17-13Svay Leuស្រុកស្វាយលើ
17-14Varinស្រុកវ៉ារិន