Phnom Penh

Etymology

Phnom Penh (lit. 'Penh's hill') takes its name from the Wat Phnom (lit. 'hill temple'), or from the Funan Kingdom, which existed from the 1st to the 7th century AD in Southeast Asia and was the forerunner of the Cambodian monarchy. Legend has it that in 1372, a wealthy widow named Penh found a Koki tree floating down the Tonlé Sap River after a storm.

Phnom Penh's former official name is Krong Chaktomuk Serei Mongkol (Khmer: ក្រុងចតុមុខសិរីមង្គល, lit. "city of Brahma's faces"), in its short form as Krong Chaktomuk (lit. 'city of four faces'). Krong Chaktomuk is an abbreviation of the full name, given to it by King Ponhea Yat: Krong Chaktomuk Mongkol Sakal Kampuchea Thipadei Serei Theakreak Bavar Intabat Borei Roat Reach Seima Moha Nokor (Khmer: ក្រុងចតុមុខមង្គលសកលកម្ពុជាធិបតី សិរីធរបវរ ឥន្ទបត្តបុរី រដ្ឋរាជសីមាមហានគរ [kɾoŋ catomuk mɔŋkɔl sakɑl kampuciətʰəpaɗəj serəj tʰeareaɓɑːʋɑː ʔenteapat ɓorəj rɔətʰariəcsəjmaː mɔhaːnɔkɔː]). This loosely translates as "the place of four rivers that gives the happiness and success of the Khmer Kingdom, the highest leader as well as impregnable city of the God Indra of the great kingdom".

History

The initial settlement of Phnom Penh is believed to have been established since the 5th century AD, according to the discovery of kiln site in Choeung Ek commune of Dangkao district, southern part of central Phnom Penh in the 2000s. Choeung Ek archaeological site was one of the largest kiln pottery center in Cambodia and the earliest known kiln sites in Southeast Asia to produce the ceremonial vessels known as kendi from 5th to 13th century. Archaeologists stated that a large community is surrounded by a circular earthwork structure that is 740 metres in diameter and 4 metres high, built in the 11th century. There are remnants of other village infrastructure, irrigation system, inscription, Shiva linga and a brick temple foundation and its ornate remains which dated back to Funan era.

First recorded a century after it is said to have taken place, the legend of the founding of Phnom Penh tells of a local woman, Penh (also referred to as Daun Penh (Lady Penh in Khmer), living at Chaktomuk, the future Phnom Penh. It was the 14th century, and the Khmer capital was still at Angkor near Siem Reap 350 km (217 mi) to the north. Gathering firewood along the banks of the river, Lady Penh spied a floating koki tree in the river and fished it from the water. Inside the tree she found four Buddha statues and one of Vishnu.

The discovery was taken as a divine blessing, and to some a sign that the Khmer capital was to be brought to Phnom Penh from Angkor. To house the new-found sacred objects, Penh raised a hill on the west bank of the Tonle Sap River and crowned it with a shrine, later known as Wat Phnom at the north end of central Phnom Penh. "Phnom" is Khmer for "hill" and Penh's hill took on the name of the founder, and the area around it became known after the hill.

Phnom Penh first became the capital of Cambodia after Ponhea Yat (c. 1390 – 1463), king of the Khmer Empire, moved the capital from Angkor Thom after it was captured and destroyed by Siam years earlier. There is a stupa. In the 17th century, Japanese immigrants settled on the outskirts of what later is Phnom Penh. A Portuguese community survived in Phnom Penh until the 17th century, undertaking commercial and religious activity in the country.

Phnom Penh remained the royal capital for 73 years, from 1432 to 1505. It was abandoned for 360 years (from 1505 to 1865) by subsequent kings due to internal fighting between the royal pretenders. Later kings moved the capital several times and established their royal capitals at locations in Tuol Basan (Srey Santhor), Pursat, Longvek, Lavear Em and Oudong. From 1673 to 1674, Phnom Penh was the stronghold of rebel king Kaev Hua II.

Geography

Phnom Penh is in the south-central region of Cambodia, and is fully surrounded by the Kandal province. The municipality is on the banks of the Tonlé Sap, Mekong, and Bassac Rivers. These rivers provide freshwater and other natural resources to the city. Phnom Penh and the surrounding areas consist of a typical flood plain area for Cambodia. While Phnom Penh is at 11.89 metres (39 ft) above the river, monsoon season flooding is a problem, and the river sometimes overflows its banks. Boeung Kak, Phnom Penh's largest freshwater lake, was controversially filled in 2010 to make way for property development.

Climate

Phnom Penh has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen climate classification Aw). The climate is hot year-round with only minor variations. Temperatures typically range from 22 to 35 °C (72 to 95 °F) and weather is subject to the tropical monsoons. The southwest monsoon blows inland bringing moisture-laden winds from the Gulf of Thailand and Indian Ocean from May to November, sees high temperatures accompanied by high humidity. The dry season lasts from December to April; when overnight temperatures can drop to 22 °C (72 °F).

Administration

Phnom Penh is an autonomous municipality of area 678.46 square kilometres (261.95 sq mi) with a government status equal to that of the provinces. The autonomous municipality is subdivided into 14 administrative divisions called khans (sections). The districts are subdivided into 105 sangkats (quarters), and further subdivided into 953 phums (villages).

Phnom Penh is governed by the governor who acts as the top executive of the city and overseeing the Municipal Military Police, Municipal Police, and Bureau of Urban Affairs. Below the governor is the first vice governor and five vice governors. The chief of cabinet, who holds the same status as the vice governors, heads the cabinet consisting of eight deputy chiefs of cabinet who in turn are in charge of the 27 administrative departments. Every khans has a chief.

Demographics

As of 2019, Phnom Penh had a population of 2,129,371 people, with a total population density of 3,136 inhabitants per square kilometre in a 679 square kilometres (262 sq mi) city area. A survey by the National Institute of Statistics in 2017 showed that 95.3% of the population in Phnom Penh are Khmer, 4% Chams, and 0.7% others, predominantly Chinese, Vietnamese, and other ethnic groups who are Thai, Budong, Mnong Preh, Kuy and Chong.

The official language is Khmer, and English and French are also used in the city. The number of slum-inhabitants at the end of 2012 was 105,771, compared with 85,807 at the start of 2012.

Note: As stated in the "History" paragraph (The 1998 Census put Phnom Penh's population at 862,000; and the 2008 census was 1.3 million.) the information collides with the information provided in the "Historical population" table. Needs editing.

Politics

Phnom Penh is allocated 12 seats in the National Assembly, making it the largest constituency.

Economy

The economy is based on commercial interests such as garments, trading, and small and medium enterprises. In some years the property business has been booming, with increasing real estate prices. Tourism is also a contributor in the capital as more shopping and commercial centres open. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, tourism made up 19.2% (US$2,053 million) of Cambodia's GDP in 2009 and accounts for 13.7% of total employment. One of the areas in Phnom Penh for tourists is Sisowath Quay, alongside the Tonle Sap River. Sisowath Quay is a five kilometre strip of road that includes restaurants, bars, and hotels.

The US$2.6 billion new urban development, Camko City, is meant to bolster the city landscape. The Bureau of Urban Affairs of Phnom Penh Municipality has plans to expand and construct new infrastructure to accommodate the growing population and economy. High rise buildings will be constructed at the entrance of the city and near the lakes and riverbanks. New roads, canals, and a railway system will be used to connect Camko City and Phnom Penh.

Other projects include:

Grand Phnom Penh International City (under construction)

Gold Tower 42 (On hold 32 floors construction begins again in the mid of 2018)

Kokling super second floor house

Vattanac Capital Tower

The Peak

The tallest skyscraper in Phnom Penh is Vattanac Capital Tower at a height of 188 metres (617 ft), dominating Phnom Penh's skyline with its neighbour skyscraper Canadia Tower (OCIC Tower).

Education

Supplementary and extra schools

The Japanese Supplementary School of Phnom Penh, formerly known in English as the Phnom Penh Japanese School, is a part-time Japanese School, operated by the Japanese Association of Cambodia (JACAM;カンボジア日本人会 Kambojia Nihonjin-kai). It is in Sangkat Toek Thla in Sen Sok. It was established in 2002. It had 60 students in June 2011.

Rodwell Learning Center is a tutoring center in Phnom Penh that provides students with extra support in core subjects including math and sciences to help them excel in their regular schoolwork and exams. The school uses practical, structured teaching methods to help learners master difficult concepts and build confidence in their academic abilities. It plays a key role in the city's local education community by offering families a reliable resource for supplementary learning and skill development.

Culture

The city hosts a number of music events throughout the city. Indie bands have grown in number due also in part to the emergence of private music schools such as SoundsKool Music (also operating in the city of Siem Reap), and Music Arts School (registered as a non-governmental organization). The Cambodian fishing dance originated in Phnom Penh at the Royal University of Fine Arts in the 1960s.

Water Festival

The largest annual festival in Phnom Penh, this lively gathering celebrates the reversing of the flow of the Tonlé Sap River. The holiday lasts three days as people flood into the city to enjoy the fireworks, boat races, live concerts, eating and partying. The boat racing dates back to times marking the strengths of the Khmer marine forces during the Khmer Empire.

On 22 November 2010, at least 348 people were crushed to death in a bridge stampede at the festival.

Cityscape and architecture

Starting with independence from the French in the 1950s and lasting until the era of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s, Phnom Penh underwent growth as the capital city of a newly independent country. King Sihanouk was eager to present a new style of architecture and thus invigorate the process of nation building. A new era of architecture took off, with projects and architects, some of whom educated in France, given opportunities to design and construct. This movement was called "New Khmer Architecture" and was characterised by a fusion of Bauhaus, European post-modern architecture, and traditional elements from Angkor. An architect was Vann Molyvann, who was nominated chief national architect by the king himself in 1956. Molyvann created landmark buildings such as the Preah Suramarit National Theatre or the Vann Molyvann House. Other architects helped construct the Royal Khmer University, the Institute of Foreign Languages, and the National Sports Centre. With the growth of the upper and entrepreneurial middle classes, new suburbs were built in the 1950s and 1960s. While these buildings survived the Khmer Rouge era and the civil war, later on they are under threat due to economic development and financial speculation.

2035 master plan

Originally intended to be completed by 2020, the 2035 master plan is a French-funded project for the development of Phnom Penh. While the plan was approved by the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction in 2005, it has yet to be ratified by the Cabinet of Cambodia. The original plan details five edge-city projects connected to the historical city centre by waterways and tree-lined corridors.

Media

Dailies

Sralagn' Khmer (Love Khmer)

Chakraval Daily (Universe)

Kampuchea Thmei Daily (New Cambodia)

Kampuchea Tgnai Nis (Cambodia Today)

Kanychok Sangkhum (Social Reflection)

Koh Santepheap (Island of Peace)

Moneaksekar Khmer (Khmer Conscience) – Published by the Sam Rainsy Party.

Rasmei Kampuchea (Light of Kampuchea) – Cambodia's largest daily, it circulates about 18,000 copies.

Samleng Yuvachun (Voice of Khmer Youth)

Udomkate Khmer (Khmer Ideal)

Wat Phnom Daily (Mount Temple)

Phnom Penh Post, a daily English-language newspaper published in Phnom Penh.

The Cambodia Daily, an English-language daily newspaper (fled from Cambodia in 2017, still operating online).

Khmer Times, an English-language daily newspaper.

《柬華日報》(Jianhua Daily), a daily Chinese-language newspaper published in Phnom Penh.

《星洲日報》(Sin Chew Daily), a Chinese-language daily newspaper, the Cambodian edition of the Malaysian Chinese daily of the same name.

《華商日報》(Huashang Daily), a Chinese-language daily newspaper.

Magazines

AsiaLIFE Guide Phnom Penh, a monthly English-language lifestyle magazine published in Phnom Penh. (Ceased in 2018)

F Magazine, the first fashion-forward magazine in Cambodia. Bi-lingual, written in English and Khmer.

SOVRIN Magazine, is the fashion glossy magazine in Cambodia which written in khmer language.

Online news

Thmey Thmey Phnom Penh

Sabay News Phnom Penh

Fresh News Phnom Penh

Sport

Sporting venues in the city include the Morodok Techo National Stadium with a capacity of 60,000, which opened in 2021, and the Phnom Penh National Olympic Stadium with a capacity of 30,000 — while the country never hosted the Olympic Games due to disruption by the civil war and the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s, which built in 1964 as the co-home to the Cambodia national association football team. Volleyball, basketball, and Tai-Kwon-Do games are hosted at the stadium. The stadium closed in 2000.

Transport

Techo International Airport, which opened on the 9th of September 2025, is the largest and busiest airport in Cambodia. It is located 20 km south of Phnom Penh. It replaced Phnom Penh International Airport as the city's main aviation hub. The airport is connected to the city center by taxi, train, and shuttle bus. Cambodia's national flag carrier, Cambodia Angkor Air (later rebranched as Air Cambodia in 2025), launched in 2009, is headquartered in Phnom Penh and has its main hub there, with an additional hub at the Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport. Air France used to serve Phnom Penh from Paris-Charles de Gaulle and this service has since stopped. Qatar Airways flies to and from Phnom Penh, via Saigon. Taxis, pick-ups, and minibuses leave the city for destinations all over the country, and are losing ground to cheaper and more comfortable buses. Phnom Penh has a rail service. There are bus companies, including Phnom Penh Public Transport and GST Express, running services to most provincial capitals, including Sihanoukville, Kampong Chhnang, Oudong and Takéo. Phnom Penh Sorya Transport Co. offers bus service to provincial destinations along the National Routes and to Saigon.

Public transport

Phnom Penh is served by air conditioned public buses. Initial attempts by the Japanese government to develop a Phnom Penh bus service began in 2001. An update of the JICA urban transport master plan for Phnom Penh was completed and implemented in 2014. The city is later served by 21 bus lines, operated by the Phnom Penh municipal government. Private transportation within the city include the cycle rickshaw, known in Khmer as "cyclo", the motorcycle taxi known in Khmer as "moto", the auto rickshaw known locally as "tuk-tuk", the trailer attached to a motorcycle taxi known in Khmer as "remorque", and the standard automobile taxicab known in Khmer as "taxi".

Railway

Scheduled passenger train services between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville resumed in May 2016 after having been suspended for 14 years.

Highways

As the capital of Cambodia, a number of national highways connect the city with parts of the country:

In 2023, a new expressway linking Phnom Penh with Sihanoukville came into operation. The expressway was built by China, which has a role in infrastructure development in Cambodia through the Belt and Road Initiative.

Water supply

Water supply in Phnom Penh has improved in terms of access, service quality, efficiency, cost recovery and governance between 1993 and 2006. The number of customers has increased ninefold, service quality has improved from intermittent to continuous supply, water losses have been cut and the city's water utility went from being bankrupt to making a profit. These achievements were recognized through international awards such as the 2006 Ramon Magsaysay Award and the 2010 Stockholm Industry Water Award.

Twin towns – sister cities

Phnom Penh is twinned with: