Sihanoukville
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Sihanoukville (, ), also known as Kampong Saom (, ) or Preah Sihanouk (, ), is a coastal city in
Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
and the capital of
Preah Sihanouk Province Preah Sihanouk (, UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: , ), also Sihanoukville, is a province (''khaet'') in southwest Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand. The provincial capital, also called Sihanoukville, is a deep water port city and a steadily growing and dive ...
, at the tip of an elevated
peninsula A peninsula is a landform that extends from a mainland and is only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula. Etymology The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...
in the country's south-west on the
Gulf of Thailand The Gulf of Thailand (), historically known as the Gulf of Siam (), is a shallow inlet adjacent to the southwestern South China Sea, bounded between the southwestern shores of the Indochinese Peninsula and the northern half of the Malay Peninsula. ...
. The city has a string of beaches along its coastline and coastal marshlands bordering
Ream National Park The Ream National Park (), officially the Preah Sihanouk Ream National Park (), is a national park of Cambodia located from the city of Sihanoukville in the Sihanoukville Municipality of the Sihanoukville Province in southwestern Cambodia. It w ...
in the east. It has one navigable river, the
mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal rivers. They have particular adaptations to take in extra oxygen a ...
-lined Ou Trojak Jet, running from Otres Pagoda to the sea at Otres. Several sparsely inhabited islands under Sihanoukville's administration are near the city. The city was named in honor of the former king
Norodom Sihanouk Norodom Sihanouk (; 31 October 192215 October 2012) was a member of the House of Norodom, Cambodian royal house who led the country as Monarchy of Cambodia, King, List of heads of state of Cambodia, Chief of State and Prime Minister of Cambodi ...
and as of 2008 had a population of around 89,800 and approximately 66,700 in its urban center. It encompasses the greater part of six
communes A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...
(''
Sangkat Administrative divisions of the Kingdom of Cambodia have several levels. Cambodia is divided into 24 provinces (''khaet''; ) and the special administrative unit and capital of Phnom Penh. Though a different administrative unit, Phnom Penh is a ...
s'') in Sihanoukville Province. It has evolved parallel to the construction of the
Sihanoukville Autonomous Port Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (; , PAS) is a government agency and state corporation of Cambodia and Sihanoukville (city), Sihanoukville that operates and governs the country's sole deep water port. In Sihanoukville, on the Bay of Kampong Som ...
, which commenced in 1955, as the country's gateway to direct and unrestricted international sea trade. Cambodia's only deep-water port, it includes an
oil terminal An oil terminal (also called a tank farm, tankfarm, oil installation or oil depot) is an industrial facility for the storage of oil, petroleum and petrochemical products, and from which these Petroleum product, products are transported to end u ...
and a transport
logistics Logistics is the part of supply chain management that deals with the efficient forward and reverse flow of goods, services, and related information from the point of origin to the Consumption (economics), point of consumption according to the ...
facility. The city has developed into the country's primary hub for coastal
tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
, including as a
gambling Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of Value (economics), value ("the stakes") on a Event (probability theory), random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy (ga ...
destination.


Etymology

The official name of the city in Khmer is: ''krong'' ('city'), ''preah'' ('holy') ''Sihanouk'' (name of the former king), which adds up to: "City of the Holy Sihanouk" or "Honorable Sihanouk City". King
Norodom Sihanouk Norodom Sihanouk (; 31 October 192215 October 2012) was a member of the House of Norodom, Cambodian royal house who led the country as Monarchy of Cambodia, King, List of heads of state of Cambodia, Chief of State and Prime Minister of Cambodi ...
(reigned 1941–1955, 1993–2004) is revered as the father of the (modern) nation. The name ''Sihanouk'' is derived from
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
through two
Pali Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a Classical languages of India, classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages, Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pali Canon, Pāli Can ...
words: ''siha'' ('lion'), and ''hanu'' ('jaws'). The alternative name, ''Kompong Saom'' (also romanized as ''Kompong Som'' and ''Kampong Som''), () means 'Port of the Moon' or 'Shiva's Port'.Headly, Robert K.; Chhor, Kylin; Lim, Lam Kheng; Kheang, Lim Hak; Chun, Chen. 1977. ''Cambodian-English Dictionary''. Bureau of Special Research in Modern Languages. The Catholic University of America Press. Washington, D.C. ''Saom'' is derived from the Sanskrit word ''saumya'', the original (
Rig Vedic The ''Rigveda'' or ''Rig Veda'' (, , from ऋच्, "praise" and वेद, "knowledge") is an ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns (''sūktas''). It is one of the four sacred canonical Hindu texts (''śruti'') known as the ...
) meaning of which was ''
Soma Soma may refer to: Businesses and brands * SOMA (architects), a New York–based firm of architects * Soma (company), a company that designs eco-friendly water filtration systems * SOMA Fabrications, a builder of bicycle frames and other bicycle ...
'', the 'juice or sacrifice of the moon-god', but evolved into Pali 'moon', 'moonlike' 'name of Shiva'. The word ''kampong'' or ''kompong'' is of Malay origin and means 'village' or 'hamlet'. Its meaning underwent extension towards 'pier' or river 'landing bridge'.


History


Classical period (before 1700)

Before the ports' and city's foundation works of 1955, the port of Kompong Som must have been only of regional significance due to the lack of navigable waterways connecting it with the kingdom's settlement centers. During the many centuries of pre-Angkorian and
Angkor Angkor ( , 'capital city'), also known as Yasodharapura (; ),Headly, Robert K.; Chhor, Kylin; Lim, Lam Kheng; Kheang, Lim Hak; Chun, Chen. 1977. ''Cambodian-English Dictionary''. Bureau of Special Research in Modern Languages. The Catholic Uni ...
ian history, from
Funan Funan (; , ; , Chữ Hán: ; ) was the name given by Chinese cartographers, geographers and writers to an ancient Khmer-Mon Indianized state—or, rather a loose network of states ''( Mandala)''—located in Mainland Southeast Asia covering ...
to
Chenla Chenla or Zhenla ( zh, t=真臘, s=, 真腊, p=Zhēnlà, w=Chen-la; , ; ) is the Chinese designation for the vassal of the kingdom of Funan preceding the Khmer Empire that existed from around the late 6th to the early 9th century in Indochina. ...
and during the
Khmer Empire The Khmer Empire was an empire in Southeast Asia, centered on Hydraulic empire, hydraulic cities in what is now northern Cambodia. Known as Kambuja (; ) by its inhabitants, it grew out of the former civilization of Chenla and lasted from 802 t ...
, regional trade was centered at O Keo (Vietnamese:
Óc Eo Óc Eo (Vietnamese language, Vietnamese) is an archaeological site in modern-day Óc Eo communes of Vietnam, commune of Thoại Sơn District in An Giang Province of southern Vietnam. Located in the Mekong Delta, Óc Eo was a busy port of the king ...
) in the
Mekong Delta The Mekong Delta ( or simply ), also known as the Western Region () or South-western region (), is the list of regions of Vietnam, region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong, Mekong River River delta, approaches and empties into the sea th ...
, now the Vietnamese province of
Rạch Giá Rạch Giá () is a provincial city and the capital city of Kiên Giang province, Vietnam. It is located on the Eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand, southwest of Ho Chi Minh City. East of city, it borders Tân Hiệp and Châu Thành town, t ...
. The township of Prei Nokor (
Saigon Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...
) was a commercial center of the Khmer Empire. The ''Chronicle of Samtec Cauva Vamn Juon'', one of the 18th- and 19th-century
Cambodian Royal Chronicles The Cambodian Royal Chronicles or Cambodian Chronicles (Rajabansavatar or Rapa Ksatr) are a collection of 18th and 19th century historical manuscripts that focus on the time from around the year 1430 to the beginning of the 16th century. This peri ...
, briefly mentions the region as the country was split into three parts during a civil war from 1476 to 1485: "In 1479, Dhammaraja took on the throne at Chatomuk (Phnom Penh) and controlled the provinces of Samraong Tong, Thbong, Kompong Saom, Kampot up to the Bassak, Preah Trapeang, Kramuon Sah, Koh Slaket and Peam" (mouth of the Mekong).


Early modern period (c. 1700–1863)

At the end of the 17th century, Cambodia lost control of the
Mekong River The Mekong or Mekong River ( , ) is a transboundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's List of rivers by length, twelfth-longest river and List of longest rivers of Asia, the third-longest in Asia with an estimated l ...
route as Vietnamese power expanded into the lower Mekong. During the Nguyen-Siamese War (1717–1718) a Siamese fleet burned the port of Kompong Som in 1717 but was defeated by the Vietnamese at
Banteay Meas Banteay Meas District ( ) is a district located in Kampot Province, in southern Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered b ...
/
Ha Tien Ha may refer to: Agencies and organizations * Health authority, a former type of administrative organisation of the NHS in England and Wales * Hells Angels Motorcycle Club * Highways Agency (renamed ''Highways England'', now ''National Highways'' ...
. A Cambodian king of the late 18th century, Outey-Reachea III, allied with a Chinese pirate, Mac-Thien-Tu, who had established an autonomous polity based in
Ha Tien Ha may refer to: Agencies and organizations * Health authority, a former type of administrative organisation of the NHS in England and Wales * Hells Angels Motorcycle Club * Highways Agency (renamed ''Highways England'', now ''National Highways'' ...
and controlled the maritime network in the eastern part of the Gulf of Thailand.
Ha Tien Ha may refer to: Agencies and organizations * Health authority, a former type of administrative organisation of the NHS in England and Wales * Hells Angels Motorcycle Club * Highways Agency (renamed ''Highways England'', now ''National Highways'' ...
was at a point where a river linking to the
Bassac River The Bassac River (; Tonlé Bassac) or Hậu River ( 瀧後 or 後江) is a distributary of the Tonlé Sap and Mekong River. The river starts in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and flows southerly, crossing the border into Vietnam near Châu Đốc. Th ...
flows into the Gulf of Thailand. Landlocked Cambodia tried to keep its access to maritime trade through Ha Tien. In 1757, Ha Tien acquired the ports of Kampot and Kompong Som as a reward for Mac's military support to the king of Cambodia. Until its destruction in 1771 the port developed into an independent duty-free entrepôt linked with several Chinese trading networks.
Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the first U.S. secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795 dur ...
, who traveled to the Gulf of Thailand in 1720, wrote, "Kompong Som and
Banteay Meas Banteay Meas District ( ) is a district located in Kampot Province, in southern Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered b ...
(later Ha Tien) belonged to Cambodia, as
Cochin-China Cochinchina or Cochin-China (, ; ; ; ; ) is a historical exonym for part of Vietnam, depending on the contexts, usually for Southern Vietnam. Sometimes it referred to the whole of Vietnam, but it was commonly used to refer to the region south o ...
was divided from Cambodia by a river (Bassac River) of three leagues broad" and "King
Ang Duong Ang Duong ( ; 12 June 1796 – 18 October 1860) was the King of Cambodia from 1848 to his death in 1860. Formally invested in 1848, his rule benefited a kingdom that had suffered from several centuries of royal dissent and decline. His politics f ...
constructed a road from his capital of
Oudong Oudong (; also romanized as Udong or Odong) is a former town of the post-Angkorian period (1618–1863) situated in present-day ''Phsar Daek'' Commune, Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia, near the border between Kandal Province and Kampong Chhnang Pr ...
to
Kampot Kampot () is a city in southern Cambodia and the capital of Kampot province. It is situated on the Praek Tuek Chhu River, southeast of the Elephant Mountains, and around from the Gulf of Thailand. Kampot was the capital of the ''Circonscrip ...
". Kampot remained Cambodia's only international seaport. "The traveling time between Udong and Kampot was eight days by oxcart and four days by elephants." French Résident Adhemard Leclère wrote: "Until 1840s, the Vietnamese governed Kampot and Péam ekong Delta but Kompong Som belonged to Cambodia. The Vietnamese constructed a road from Ha Tien to Svai village, on the border with Kompong-Som, via Kampot." The
British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...
followed a distinct policy by the 1850s, seeking to consolidate its influence. Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston's agent John Crawfurd reported: "Cambodia was...the Keystone of our policy in these countries, - the King of that ancient Kingdom is ready to throw himself under the protection of any European nation...The Vietnamese were interfering with the trade at Kampot, and this would be the basis of an approach". Palmerston concluded: "The trade at Kampot—one of the few remaining ports, could never be considerable, in consequence of the main entrance to the country, the Mekong, with all its feeders flowing into the Sea through the territory of Cochin China . The country, too, had been devastated by recent Siam–Vietnam wars. Thus, without the aid of Great Britain, Kampot or any other port in Cambodia, can never become a commercial Emporium." Crawfurd later wrote: "The Cambodians...sought to use intervals of peace in the Siam–Vietnam wars to develop intercourse with outside nations. The trade at Kampot which they sought to foster was imperiled by pirates. Here is a point where the wedge might be inserted, that would open the interior of the Indo-Chinese Peninsula to British Commerce, as the great River of the Cambodians traverses its entire length and even affords communication into the heart of Siam".


French rule (1863–1954)

Under French rule, Vietnam,
Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...
, and Cambodia became a single administrative and economic unit. The coastal region ''Circonscription Résidentielle'', with Kampot as its capital, contained the
arrondissements An arrondissement (, , ) is any of various administrative divisions of France, Belgium, Haiti, and certain other Francophone countries, as well as the Netherlands. Europe France The 101 French departments are divided into 342 ''arrondissemen ...
of Kampot, Kompong Som, Trang, and Kong-Pisey. The establishment of another international trading center near
Saigon Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...
was considered unnecessary. Focus remained the
Mekong The Mekong or Mekong River ( , ) is a transboundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is the world's twelfth-longest river and the third-longest in Asia with an estimated length of and a drainage area of , discharging of wat ...
and establishing an
alternate route An official alternate route is a special route in the United States that provides an alternate alignment for a highway. They are loop roads and found in many road systems in the United States including the U.S. Highway system and various stat ...
to Chinese and Thai markets along an uninterrupted navigable waterway to the
Mekong Delta The Mekong Delta ( or simply ), also known as the Western Region () or South-western region (), is the list of regions of Vietnam, region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong, Mekong River River delta, approaches and empties into the sea th ...
.


Insurrection

An insurrection that took place from 1885 to 1887 further discouraged French ambition. It started in Kampot and quickly spread to Veal Rinh, Kampong Seila, and Kompong Som, where the insurgents were led by a Chinese pirate named Quan-Khiem. He managed to control the northern part of Preah Sihanouk for some time until he—an old man—was arrested by the local governor. One example of this period's infrastructural improvements is the construction of Route Coloniale No. 17, later renamed National Road No. 3, and the national railway system, although work on the "Southern Line", from
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since 1865 and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its political, economic, industr ...
to Sihanoukville, only began in 1960.


After independence (since 1954)

The city's and province's alternative name, ''Kampong som'' (Kampong Som), was adopted from the local indigenous community. After the dissolution of French Indochina in 1954, Vietnam's steadily tightening control of the Mekong Delta required a solution to gain unrestricted access to the seas. Plans were made to construct an entirely new deep-water port. Kompong Saom (Kampong Som) was selected for its water depth and ease of access. In August 1955, a French/Cambodian construction team cut a base camp into the unoccupied jungle in the area now known as Hawaii Beach. Funds for construction of the port came from France and the road was financed by the United States. During the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
the port became a military facility for both sides: in the service of
National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam The Viet Cong (VC) was an epithet and umbrella term to refer to the communist-driven armed movement and united front organization in South Vietnam. It was formally organized as and led by the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam, and ...
, and, after 1970, under the government of
Lon Nol Marshal Lon Nol (, also ; 13 November 1913 – 17 November 1985) was a Cambodian military officer and politician who served as Prime Minister of Cambodia twice (1966–67; 1969–71), as well as serving repeatedly as defence minister and provi ...
, in the service of the United States. The port was the last place the U.S. Army evacuated, only days before
Khmer Rouge The Khmer Rouge is the name that was popularly given to members of the Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), and by extension to Democratic Kampuchea, which ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979. The name was coined in the 1960s by Norodom Sihano ...
guerrillas took control of the government in April 1975. The events surrounding the Khmer Rouge's taking of the U.S. container ship SS ''Mayaguez'' and its crew on 12 May and the subsequent rescue operation by U.S. Marines played out on the waters of
Koh Tang Koh Tang (), also known as Tang Island, is the biggest of a group of Cambodian islands off the coast of Sihanoukville Province in the Gulf of Thailand. The island is situated approximately off the southwest coast of Cambodia. There are no perm ...
off the coast of Sihanoukville. During the two days of action, the U.S. commenced air strikes on targets on the mainland of Sihanoukville, including the port, the
Ream Naval Base Ream Naval Base is a facility operated by the Royal Cambodian Navy on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand in the province of Sihanoukville, Cambodia. The base, which covers approximately 190 acres, is located on a peninsula just southeast of the ...
, an airfield, the railroad yard, and the petroleum refinery, in addition to strikes and naval gunfire on several islands.US Department of Defense documen
"History of the Pacific Air Forces 1 July 1974-31 Dec 1975"
. p 426. accessed 24 Nov 2013
After the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1979 and the subsequent opening of the economy, the port of Sihanoukville resumed its importance in the country's development and recovery. With the further opening of new markets in 1999, the city regained its role in Cambodia's economic growth. In 1993,
Ream National Park The Ream National Park (), officially the Preah Sihanouk Ream National Park (), is a national park of Cambodia located from the city of Sihanoukville in the Sihanoukville Municipality of the Sihanoukville Province in southwestern Cambodia. It w ...
was established per royal decree of former King Sihanouk. The Sihanoukville Municipality was elevated to a regular province on 22 December 2008 after King
Norodom Sihamoni Norodom Sihamoni (, ; born 14 May 1953) is King of Cambodia. He became King on 14 October 2004, a week after the abdication of his father, Norodom Sihanouk. He is the eldest son of King Sihanouk and former Queen consort Norodom Monineath and ...
signed a royal decree converting the municipalities of Kep,
Pailin Pailin (, ) is a province in western Cambodia at the northern edge of the Cardamom Mountains near the border of Thailand. This province is surrounded by Battambang province, and was officially carved out of Battambang to become a separate admi ...
, and Sihanoukville into provinces. In the early 21st century, Sihanoukville became a center of trade, commerce, transport, and
process manufacturing Process manufacturing is a branch of manufacturing that is associated with formulas and manufacturing recipes,
. Sihanoukville's many beaches and nearby islands make it Cambodia's premier
seaside resort A seaside resort is a city, resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requi ...
. In 2006, the
Koh Puos Koh Puos or Kaoh Puos (), ''Snake Island'' - named "Île Coudée" (Elbow Island) during the French colonial period) is a small island in the Gulf of Thailand, located about off the coast of Sihanoukville city in southern Cambodia. It is administe ...
(Cambodia) Investment Group submitted an application, planning to invest US$276 million in converting the 116-hectare
Koh Puos Koh Puos or Kaoh Puos (), ''Snake Island'' - named "Île Coudée" (Elbow Island) during the French colonial period) is a small island in the Gulf of Thailand, located about off the coast of Sihanoukville city in southern Cambodia. It is administe ...
, Snake Island, into a luxury residential and resort complex. After the completion of certain elements of the infrastructure, the investor announced alterations of the original blueprints, as "Reapplying for permission will happen in 2014", according to the Council of the Development of Cambodia. On 26 May 2011, the Preah Sihanouk area joined the Paris-based club Les Plus Belles Baies Du Monde ('the most beautiful bays in the world'). The organization accepted the Bay of Cambodia as a member at its 7th General Assembly. By 2019, Chinese investment had transformed the city, so that more than 90% of businesses were owned by Chinese nationals. Over 100 casinos were planned to be built in Sihanoukville in an effort to transform it into a gambling hub, which coincided with an increase in crime. In the 2020s, Sihanoukville emerged as a major hub for online scam operations associated with Chinese criminal gangs in which victims, who were Southeast Asian, Chinese, and Taiwanese nationals, were held forcefully in call centers, and were forced to conduct the scam operations or risk facing torture.


Geography


Topography

Sihanoukville town is at the tip of the rolling hills of a peninsula on the
Gulf of Thailand The Gulf of Thailand (), historically known as the Gulf of Siam (), is a shallow inlet adjacent to the southwestern South China Sea, bounded between the southwestern shores of the Indochinese Peninsula and the northern half of the Malay Peninsula. ...
. To its northwest and at its center it rises up to
above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...
, whereas the land gently and steadily flattens towards extended coastal plains, marshlands and beaches in the south and southeast. The
Gulf of Thailand The Gulf of Thailand (), historically known as the Gulf of Siam (), is a shallow inlet adjacent to the southwestern South China Sea, bounded between the southwestern shores of the Indochinese Peninsula and the northern half of the Malay Peninsula. ...
's shallow depths and the local climate are moderate in contrast to the
South China Sea The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...
to the east and the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
to the west.


Architecture and cityscape

Established after the period of the French Protectorate, bourgeois
colonial style American colonial architecture includes several building design styles associated with the colonial period of the United States, including First Period English (late-medieval), Spanish Colonial, French Colonial, Dutch Colonial, and Georgian ...
quarters such as ones seen in
Kampot Kampot () is a city in southern Cambodia and the capital of Kampot province. It is situated on the Praek Tuek Chhu River, southeast of the Elephant Mountains, and around from the Gulf of Thailand. Kampot was the capital of the ''Circonscrip ...
,
Siem Reap Siem Reap (, ) is the second-largest city of Cambodia, as well as the capital and largest city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia. Siem Reap possesses French-colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter ...
, or
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since 1865 and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its political, economic, industr ...
do not exist. Cambodian
architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
Vann Molyvann Vann Molyvann (; 23 November 1926 – 28 September 2017) was a Cambodian architect and urban planner. Molyvann is best known as pioneering the style known as New Khmer Architecture, which combined Modernist architect, modernism and Khmer archite ...
designed objects, and public buildings with a distinct function, some still operational. This brief era of
New Khmer Architecture New Khmer Architecture () was an architectural movement in Cambodia during the 1950s and 1960s. The style blended elements of the Modern movement with two distinctly Cambodian traditions: the great Khmer tradition of Angkor and the vernacular arc ...
ended in 1970. In 1959, the first urban plan for the city was completed for a population of 55,000 residents; it included cycle paths and green spaces. The plan also marked out the zoning for the port, the railway network, the town center with municipal offices, business and residential housing, and a tourist zone to the south along the beaches. A feasibility study by the United States Operations Mission (USOM) looked at drawing on a new water supply from the Prek Tuk Sap and existing lagoons; these were subsequently cut off from the sea and used as the initial source for town supply. The reservoirs are still operational but insufficient for today's demands. The area connects with the city center along a single highway via typical irregular successions of residential buildings.


Rivers

The mangrove-lined Ou Trojak Jet River, which runs from Otres Pagoda to Otres Beach, is Sihanoukville's longest river. In the tidal mangrove area Barramundi, mangrove jacks and barracuda are the prize targets for sport anglers; the lower section harbors a marina. Restaurants along the south bank of the river serve fresh seafood supplied by the local inshore fishing boats. Due to their proximity to the sea,
mangrove A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows mainly in coastal saline water, saline or brackish water. Mangroves grow in an equatorial climate, typically along coastlines and tidal rivers. They have particular adaptations to take in extra oxygen a ...
s line large parts of the rivers.


Islands

All the islands listed below fall under the administration of Sihanoukville's Mittakpheap District. The majority is either in the process of or has been assigned for extensive tourism.
Koh Rong Koh Rong (, ) is an island in Preah Sihanouk province, Cambodia. It is the second largest island of Cambodia. The word ''Rong'' might refer to an old term for "cave" or "tunnel" (, ). It can also refer to the Old Khmer word for shelter, ad ...
and
Koh Rong Sanloem Koh Rong Sanloem (, ) is an island off the coast of Sihanoukville, Cambodia, south of Koh Rong. It is around long (north to south), wide (east to west) and wide at its narrowest point. Its distance from the local port of Sihanoukville is ...
in particular have so far undergone years of uncoordinated development. Koh Rong has been declared a stop on the Banana Pancake Trail. *
Koh Rong Koh Rong (, ) is an island in Preah Sihanouk province, Cambodia. It is the second largest island of Cambodia. The word ''Rong'' might refer to an old term for "cave" or "tunnel" (, ). It can also refer to the Old Khmer word for shelter, ad ...
, កោះរ៉ុង: Koh Rong, west of Sihanoukville, is the biggest island in Sihanoukville Province, with an area of . The terrain is predominantly hilly, with a mountain at the island's northwest. The island's interior is almost completely forested. , there is a ferry network between Sihanoukville and Koh Rong. *
Koh Rong Sanloem Koh Rong Sanloem (, ) is an island off the coast of Sihanoukville, Cambodia, south of Koh Rong. It is around long (north to south), wide (east to west) and wide at its narrowest point. Its distance from the local port of Sihanoukville is ...
: South of Koh Rong and smaller
beaches A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from Rock (geology), rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle beach, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological s ...
are on the west and east coast. It is covered in dense forest, generally flatter (though there are sizable hills), and has noticeably less landmass in relation to its coastline. , there is a ferry network between Sihanoukville and Koh Rong Sanloem. * Koh Kaong Kang/Thass: Mangrove Island, Ile des Paletuviers (old French name), Koh Kaong Kang/Thass – one of the inner islands. * Koh Koun: 'Child Island', 'Ile de Cone' (old French name), a small island between Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem, has no beach and is uninhabited. * Koh Tuich: 'Small Island', a tiny island off Koh Rong's Koh Tuich village. There is a little pagoda on it in service since around 2010. *
Koh Puos Koh Puos or Kaoh Puos (), ''Snake Island'' - named "Île Coudée" (Elbow Island) during the French colonial period) is a small island in the Gulf of Thailand, located about off the coast of Sihanoukville city in southern Cambodia. It is administe ...
: also known as 'Snake Island' or 'Morakot Island'. This island lies off Sihanoukville's Victory Beach. It is under development by Russian investors and converted into a luxury holiday destination. Snake Island is linked to the mainland via a regular road bridge since around July 2011. The bridge is not open to public traffic. * Koh Dek Koul: This small island lies off Victory Beach and only a further few hundred meters off Snake Island. * Koh Bong Po-oun/Song Saa: – 'Siblings/Lovers Islands' – Les Frères (old French name), renamed Koh Song Saa. Two tiny islets off Koh Rong's north-east.


Environment

The urban area suffers from polluted water supplies. Waste management policies and practices are deficient or lacking altogether.


Climate

Sihanoukville lies in the Tropical monsoon (Am)
climate zone Climate zones are systems that categorize the world's climates. A climate classification may correlate closely with a biome classification, as climate is a major influence on life in a region. The most used is the Köppen climate classification ...
. The city has two seasons: a
wet season The wet season (sometimes called the rainy season or monsoon season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term ''green season'' is also sometimes used a ...
and a
dry season The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The t ...
. The maximum mean is about ; the minimum mean, about . Maximum temperatures higher than , however, are common and, just before the start of the rainy season, they may rise to more than . Minimum night temperatures sporadically fall below . in January, the coldest month. May is the warmest month – although strongly influenced by the beginning of the wet season, as the area constitutes the easternmost fringe of the
south-west monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscill ...
. Tropical cyclones only rarely cause damage in Cambodia. The total annual rainfall averages around 2,200 millimeters (86.6 inches). The maximal amounts fall in July, August, and September. Relative humidity is high throughout the entire year; usually exceeding 90 percent. During the dry season daytime humidity rates average around 50 percent or slightly lower, climbing to about 90 percent during the rainy season. The wet season runs from April to November, and the dry season from December to March. However, as is common in places with this climate type, the dry season still sees some rainfall.


Economy

Sihanoukville was established as an international marine gateway and as a result the local economy is largely defined by its deep water port and the nearby
oil terminal An oil terminal (also called a tank farm, tankfarm, oil installation or oil depot) is an industrial facility for the storage of oil, petroleum and petrochemical products, and from which these Petroleum product, products are transported to end u ...
. Attached is a regularly modernized cargo storage and
logistics Logistics is the part of supply chain management that deals with the efficient forward and reverse flow of goods, services, and related information from the point of origin to the Consumption (economics), point of consumption according to the ...
facility which serves numerous shipping companies, freight forwarders, suppliers, and maintenance contractors. All of these are based in the port's vicinity. The Phnom Penh–Sihanoukville transport corridor is the premier national trade route, accounting for about 75 percent of Cambodia's trade traffic. Other sizable economic sectors of the city are fisheries, aqua-culture, and frozen shrimp processing, the garment industry, food production, and processing, the constantly growing tourism industry with a noticeably developed service branch and the associated real estate market. In 2023, it was reported that Sihanoukville had become a major centre for
fraud factories A scam center, fraud factory, fraud park, scam factory, scam compound, scam hub, scam park, fraud center, fraud compound, or fraud hub is a collection of large fraud organizations usually involved in human trafficking operations, generally found ...
, where thousands of
human trafficking Human trafficking is the act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring, or receiving individuals through force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of exploitation. This exploitation may include forced labor, sexual slavery, or oth ...
victims forced to work as " pig butchering" scammers after
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
led to the closure of many of the city's casinos.


Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone

The Sihanoukville
Special Economic Zone A special economic zone (SEZ) is an area in which the business and trade laws are different from the rest of the country. SEZs are located within a country's national borders, and their aims include increasing trade balance, employment, increas ...
(SSEZ) is an overseas economic and trade cooperation zone designed to promote favorable market conditions. It began with a focus on manufacturing consumer goods with the goal of transitioning to producing machinery, photovoltaic materials, and chemicals. The SSEZ received support from China's
Ministry of Commerce A ministry of trade and industry, ministry of commerce, ministry of commerce and industry or variations is a ministry that is concerned with a nation's trade, industry and commerce. Notable examples are: List *Algeria: Ministry of Industry and ...
and the Export-Import Bank of China. A sizable industrial center, exclusively composed of Chinese companies, has been developed since 2010. As of March 2020, the SSEZ had 174 factories employing more than 30,000 people.


Trade

The city's main export is garments, but it also produces and exports timber, logs, and rubber. Cambodia is one of the few least developed countries (LDCs) to export over US$2 billion. Since it became the first LDC to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2004, trade has steadily increased, and the U.S. has been its largest trading partner. Compared to $2.3 billion of exports to the U.S. and $153 million of exports to Cambodia in 2010, from January to October 2011, Cambodia's exports to the U.S. were $2.29 billion and U.S. exports to Cambodia were $152.6 million.


Economic prospects

An industrial zone has been established that includes petrochemical production and food processing based on local fisheries and other elements. Foreign investment in Cambodia has increased significantly since 2004 led by Asian investors from countries such as Malaysia, China, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. Approved investment proposals by the Council for the Development of Cambodia totaled around US$500 million in 2011. Chinese investments have since modified the city's character, partly destroying its Cambodian aesthetics and culture. ''
The Diplomat A diplomat is someone who represents a government in its relations with other governments. It may also refer to: Diplomat, the Diplomat or the Diplomats may refer to: Media * ''The Diplomat'' (magazine), a Washington, D.C. online foreign affa ...
'' reported that "unchecked development by Chinese investors has come at a cost, freezing out locals and changing the city’s character." Evictions of native Cambodians due to economic investments by the Chinese has led to ethnic conflicts, with the government supporting the Chinese investors.


Sihanoukville Port Special Economic Zone

The
Sihanoukville Autonomous Port Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (; , PAS) is a government agency and state corporation of Cambodia and Sihanoukville (city), Sihanoukville that operates and governs the country's sole deep water port. In Sihanoukville, on the Bay of Kampong Som ...
has an independent administration. In combination with the related logistics and transport sector, it is the city's economic backbone. At present, the total operational land area of the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port is around 124.76 ha. The Old Jetty was constructed in 1956 and became operational in 1960. It is long by wide and can accommodate four vessels with medium gross register tonnage (GRT) at both sides. The exterior berth is depth, while the interior berth is depth. The Government of Cambodia had constructed a long new quay with maximum draft in 1966. At present, this new quay can accommodate three vessels with draft medium GRT. The construction of the container terminal, long by depth and a container yard was completed in 2007. The primary destinations of Sihanoukville Autonomous Port are:
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
,
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
,
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
,
Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...
,
Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...
,
Laem Chabang Laem Chabang (, ) is a port city municipality (''thesaban nakhon'') in Si Racha and Bang Lamung districts of Chonburi Province, Thailand. It includes Thung Sukhla subdistrict (''tambon'') and parts of subdistricts Bueng, Nong Kham and Surasak o ...
,
Yantian Yantian District () is one of the nine districts of the city of Shenzhen, Guangdong, China. It is adjacent to Shenzhen River and Hong Kong to the south, and is surrounded by Luohu, Longgang District, Shenzhen, Longgang and Pingshan District, Shen ...
and
Kaohsiung Kaohsiung, officially Kaohsiung City, is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsiung City has a population of approximately 2.73 million p ...
. It has a frequency of scheduled services of 38 per week.


Transport


Roads and streets

* : A major new expressway linking Sihanoukville and
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since 1865 and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its political, economic, industr ...
became operational in October 2022. China built the expressway, which has a significant role in Cambodia's infrastructure development through the Belt and Road Initiative. * National Highway 4 (NH4): Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville are connected by National Road 4. The United States built and financed the road to accommodate heavy freight containers and gasoline tank trucks connecting the deep-water port with Phnom Penh. There were three toll stations along its length of around . It is considered Cambodia's most dangerous road. Residential areas and the attached local traffic merges with the speeding traffic. * National Highway 3: Connects Sihanoukville with Kampot Province. The road joins NR4 at Prey Nob District at the junction town of Veal Rinh. It is sealed but lacks traffic signs. Free-roaming cattle and other livestock regularly block traffic. The road underwent significant refurbishment in 2008 and forms part of an international "north-south economic corridor" from
Kunming Kunming is the capital and largest city of the province of Yunnan in China. The political, economic, communications and cultural centre of the province, Kunming is also the seat of the provincial government. During World War II, Kunming was a Ch ...
to
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
. * National Highway 48: Connects Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh with
Koh Kong Province Koh Kong (, , ) is a province (''khaet'') of Cambodia. Its capital is Khemarak Phoumin (Koh Kong). Geography The most southwestern province of Cambodia, Koh Kong has a long undeveloped coastline and a mountainous, forested, and largely inac ...
to the southwest. The road ends at the Thai-Cambodian border.


Urban traffic

Cambodia's official driving side is the right side of the road. There is no formally adopted road and road transport policy. Cambodia's traffic laws are like those of any other country, but with respect to the country's membership in the
ASEAN The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly abbreviated as ASEAN, is a regional grouping of 10 states in Southeast Asia "that aims to promote economic and security cooperation among its ten members." Together, its member states r ...
, that requires recognition of ratified agreements. Regular traffic functions on only a basic level and in times of low density. Conduct is still traditional as smaller and slower vehicles are expected to yield to big ones. The city's law enforcement has been accused of failing to enforce international norms. A habit of running predictable checkpoints has developed. Tourists on rental bikes and common people are often stopped and forced to pay, often based on mere assumptions and unsupported claims. Drivers of vehicles with perceived social status remain generally unmolested. Consequently, the deterrent effect of these activities is very low. In urban and residential areas, there is an overabundance of motorbikes due to the lack of any form of public transportation or taxi cars. Motorbike drivers often do not wear helmets, drive indiscriminately on any side of the street, and often have more than two passengers or are driven by children. Traffic lights are often ignored. In 2008, the government ordered the use of helmets, but the order was not thoroughly enforced. The central long-distance bus station for all transport business operators is on National Highway 4 in the city's north-east near the Autonomous Port. Transport business operators maintain booking offices in the urban centers. Many companies compete with its buses' daily scheduled services. Buses operate from the early morning until the afternoon plus a daily night-bus/sleeper. Privately operated taxi stands for long-distance transportation are found at the central bus station, in the commercial urban center and the tourist center in the South. The city has no public transportation. Local administration issues transport licenses for the informal urban system of motor-taxis (''moto-dups'') and tuk-tuks. The system is not administered by authorities, as anybody can become a motor-taxi or tuk-tuk driver. The overwhelming majority of drivers do not know street names or numbers.


Airport

Sihanouk International Airport Sihanouk International Airport (formerly Sihanoukville International Airport; ; ) , located east of Sihanoukville City in Sihanoukville Province, is Cambodia's third largest international airport. It is named, like the province itself, after K ...
(
International Air Transport Association The International Air Transport Association (IATA ) is an airline trade association founded in 1945. IATA has been described as a cartel since, in addition to setting technical standards for airlines, IATA also organized tariff conferences tha ...
code KOS) was formerly called Kang Keng Airport (ព្រលានយន្តហោះ កង កេង), named after the Minister of Health of the Khmer Republican regime during the 1970s. The airport is in Ream Commune in central Sihanoukville Province. It is near National Highway 4, around from Ream beach atop a former mangrove
lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') an ...
, about from Sihanoukville City. , there were close to 200 flights from China to Sihanoukville every week.


Marine transport

The last daily national official Sihanoukville city–Krong Koh Kong marine ferry ceased operation with the completion of National Highway 48 in 2007. Koh Rong Island and Koh Rong Sanloem Island have daily ferry services. Marina Oceania, the first
marina A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : "related to the sea") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats. A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo ...
in Cambodia operational and fully equipped since 2013 for yachts and boats up to with berths for 20 boats. It is at the local port's pier, near
Koh Preab Koh Preab, , "Dove Island", named "Île du Départ" during the French colonial period is an island of Cambodia, situated in the Bay of Kompong Saom Sihanoukville Province near its south-eastern coast. This small island has been integrated into ...
Island. (coordinates: 10°39'59"N / 103°30'41"E).


Rail transport

Cambodia's railway network was reconstructed for freight transport during the last years by
Toll Holdings The Toll Group is an Australian freight company that operates a logistics and global freight forwarding network spanning 150 countries, with over 20,000 customers. Toll has more than 16,000 workers across 500 sites. Toll Holdings Pty Limited ( ...
, which obtained a building and maintenance concession from the Royal Cambodian Railway. The "Southern line", constructed from 1960 to 1969 with a length of , connects Sihanoukville Port Special Economic Zone with
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since 1865 and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its political, economic, industr ...
. A daily passenger train service runs from the station near the Autonomous Port used to manage passenger train transportation to
Phnom Penh Phnom Penh is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Cambodia, most populous city of Cambodia. It has been the national capital since 1865 and has grown to become the nation's primate city and its political, economic, industr ...
via
Kampot Kampot () is a city in southern Cambodia and the capital of Kampot province. It is situated on the Praek Tuek Chhu River, southeast of the Elephant Mountains, and around from the Gulf of Thailand. Kampot was the capital of the ''Circonscrip ...
.


Demographics

Apart from descendants of the indigenous inhabitants, the city's population is no older than three generations as the product of recent history, such as the Cambodian diaspora and
Cambodian humanitarian crisis The Cambodian humanitarian crisis from 1969 to 1993 consisted of a series of related events which resulted in the death, displacement, or resettlement abroad of millions of Cambodians. The crisis had several phases. First was the Cambodian Civil ...
of and after the
Pol Pot Pol Pot (born Saloth Sâr; 19 May 1925 – 15 April 1998) was a Cambodian politician, revolutionary, and dictator who ruled the communist state of Democratic Kampuchea from 1976 until Cambodian–Vietnamese War, his overthrow in 1979. During ...
era. With the arrival of displaced refugees in subsequent decades and centuries, a non-Khmer, mixed Asian population grew to a high proportion of the total population in the core urban areas. The 2008 Cambodian census counted 89,846 inhabitants of Sihanoukville and approximately 66,700 in its urban center.
In addition to Khmer, ethnic groups like
Vietnamese Vietnamese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia * Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam ** Overseas Vietnamese, Vietnamese people living outside Vietna ...
,
Chinese Chinese may refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people identified with China, through nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **Han Chinese, East Asian ethnic group native to China. **'' Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic ...
,
Cham Cham or CHAM may refer to: Ethnicities and languages *Chams, people in Vietnam and Cambodia **Cham language, the language of the Cham people ***Cham script *** Cham (Unicode block), a block of Unicode characters of the Cham script * Cham Albani ...
, Thai,
Korean Korean may refer to: People and culture * Koreans, people from the Korean peninsula or of Korean descent * Korean culture * Korean language **Korean alphabet, known as Hangul or Korean **Korean dialects **See also: North–South differences in t ...
,
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
,
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
, Europeans, Australians, and Americans live in the urban area. Krong Preah Sihanouk has a relatively high
Human Development Index The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistical composite index of life expectancy, Education Index, education (mean years of schooling completed and expected years of schooling upon entering the education system), and per capita income i ...
(HDI) of 0.750, compared to the national average HDI of 0.523. In late 2018, ''
Channel News Asia CNA (an initialism of Channel NewsAsia) is a Singapore-based multinational news channel owned by Mediacorp, the country's state-owned media conglomerate. The network is broadcast in Singapore on free-to-air terrestrial television and Mediacorp ...
'' estimated that the province's Chinese resident population had risen to 78,000. Nearly 80,000
mainland Chinese Mainland Chinese or mainlanders are Chinese people who live in or have recently emigrated from mainland China, defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (PRC) except for Hong Kong ( SAR of the PRC), Macau (SAR of the PRC) ...
workers, developers, and investors accounted for 90% of the city's expat population as of 2019. Sihanoukville is one of the major cities on China's
One Belt One Road Initiative The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI or B&R), known in China as the One Belt One Road and sometimes referred to as the New Silk Road, is a global infrastructure economic development, development strategy adopted by the government of China in 20 ...
.


Health

Some government hospitals and other health units have been rehabilitated so that they are autonomous entities, staffed with qualified personnel. At the same time, modern standard private clinics, including local and foreign service providers, are increasing in number and competing with state-owned hospitals. Sanitation practices in rural Cambodia are often primitive. Water sources are often the same ones used for bathing, washing clothes, and disposing of waste products. Sewage disposal is nonexistent in most rural and suburban areas.


Security

Sihanoukville faces challenges related to crime, security, and safety. It is often the focus of scandals linked to serious organized crime, petty crime, and corruption. The city police, especially the traffic police, have often been shown to be corrupt and ineffective, and investigations have uncovered connections to organized crime and drug trafficking. Embassies and consular officials have issued cautionary statements about travel to Sihanoukville following gang disputes and several high-profile murders, rapes, and robberies as well as several unexplained deaths of foreigners. Russian tycoon Sergei Polonsky was deported from Cambodia in 2015 to face embezzlement charges in Russia after years spent clashing with other Russians on the streets of Sihanoukville.


Expansion of organised crime

Sihanoukville’s casino industry expanded rapidly from the early 2010s, with new venues built to cater mostly to the growing Chinese tourist market. In the mid-2010s, online gambling operations became established, and alongside them online fraud operations. These industries quickly boomed, leading to a ban on online gambling in 2019, which did not eradicate illegal online operations from the city. A series of major raids on online crime sites occurred in 2022, and since then there has been sporadic law enforcement action against specific sites. The
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC; French language, French: ''Office des Nations unies contre la drogue et le crime'') is a United Nations office that was established in 1997 as the Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention ...
has documented how as casinos in Cambodia and other countries across the region have developed, associated organized crime and money laundering have become an increasingly severe threat to the rule of law and sustainable development of the region.


Culture

Most municipal inhabitants are of East Asian descent, which characterizes the pan-East Asian beliefs and ideas.
Cambodian culture Throughout Cambodia's long history, religion has been a major source of cultural inspiration. Over nearly two millennia, Cambodians have developed a unique Cambodians, Cambodian culture and belief system from the syncreticism of indigenous animi ...
is of distinct ancient Khmer origin, accompanied by century-old moderate Chinese and Vietnamese cultural influences. Sihanoukville citizens celebrate
Cambodian New Year Cambodian New Year (or Khmer New Year; ), also known as Choul Chnam Thmey (, UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ; ), Moha Sangkran (, UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: ; ) or Sangkran, is the traditional celebration of the solar new year in Cambodia. A three-day public ho ...
(April),
Chinese New Year Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival (see also #Names, § Names), is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a New Year, new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar, lunisolar Chinese calendar. It is one of the most important holi ...
(between January and February),
Water Festival Water festivals are vibrant celebrations that occur across the globe, often marking the start of a new year or season. These festivals are deeply rooted in cultural and religious traditions, and they showcase the importance of water as a life ...
(November), Pchum Ben (honor to the
ancestor An ancestor, also known as a forefather, fore-elder, or a forebear, is a parent or ( recursively) the parent of an antecedent (i.e., a grandparent, great-grandparent, great-great-grandparent and so forth). ''Ancestor'' is "any person from ...
s in October), Kathen Ceremony (offerings to the monks), and 8January (Day of Cambodian – Vietnamese Friendship), among others under the ruling
Cambodian People's Party The Cambodian People's Party (CPP; , UNGEGN: ) is a Cambodian political party which has ruled the country since 1979. Founded in 1951, it was originally known as the Kampuchean People's Revolutionary Party (KPRP). During the Cold War it allied ...
(CPP). Many urban families of Chinese or Sino-Khmer descent in Sihanoukville city have for most of Cambodia's history constituted the commercial elite and urban upper classes. There is a dedication to
Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, religion, theory of government, or way of life. Founded by Confucius ...
work ethics.


Tourism

The city has around 150 regular hotels in all price categories among an undisclosed number of guest houses. As a tropical seaside resort, Sihanoukville's nightlife is heavily influenced and characterized by the city's large number of beaches along the central tourist area between the Golden Lion Plaza and the Ochheuteal/Serendipity Beaches.


Notable people

* Vannda - musician. * Jordan Windle - Olympic diver, banned by
SafeSport The United States Center for SafeSport is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization set up to reduce sexual abuse of minors and athletes in Olympic sports in the United States. Established in 2017 under the Safe Sport Authorization Act, Prot ...


Administration

Sihanoukville is the capital city of
Sihanoukville province Preah Sihanouk (, UNGEGN: , ALA-LC: , ), also Sihanoukville, is a province (''khaet'') in southwest Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand. The provincial capital, also called Sihanoukville, is a deep water port city and a steadily growing and div ...
and is governed by its deputy governor. It occupies the greater part of four of the five
communes A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...
or
Sangkat Administrative divisions of the Kingdom of Cambodia have several levels. Cambodia is divided into 24 provinces (''khaet''; ) and the special administrative unit and capital of Phnom Penh. Though a different administrative unit, Phnom Penh is a ...
(Sangkat Muoy Commune, Sangkat Pi Commune, Sangkat Bei Commune, Sangkat Buon Commune) of Sihanoukville provinces' Mittakpheap District. The
port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...
has its own autonomous administration. The Sangkats are divided into 19 villages.


Autonomous Port

Sihanoukville Autonomous Port lies within Sangkat 1 with an area of around . The port is from the Kaong Kang Airport and from Sihanoukville town center. Ships' passengers are allowed to visit Sihanoukville town. The terminal itself offers toilets, restaurants, food booths, ATMs, and convenience stores.


Kampong Seila

Kampong Seila district, which belonged to Koh Kong Province, was transferred to Sihanoukville Province in January 2009: "The administrative boundaries of Preah Sihanouk municipality and Koh Kong Province shall be adjusted by sub-dividing land from Kampong Seila District in whole and partial land of Sre Ambil District in Koh Kong Province to Preah Sihanouk municipality." Officials were assigned to create a national workshop—also in relation to other provinces—and perform administrative tasks. The
National Institute of Statistics of Cambodia The National Institute of Statistics is the branch of the Cambodian Ministry of Planning responsible for the collection, processing, and dissemination of official national statistics. It oversees the Social Statistics Department, the Census and S ...
refers in its most recent and preliminary studies to a successful integration of the district, including maps, although official statistics and numbers are expected to come with the next full report. Preah Sihanouk Province's new official domain has incorporated Kompong Seila District.


Religion

Theravada Buddhism ''Theravāda'' (; 'School of the Elders'; ) is Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school's adherents, termed ''Theravādins'' ( anglicized from Pali ''theravādī''), have preserved their version of the Buddha's teaching or '' Dhamma'' in ...
is the state religion in
Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
, with the
pagoda A pagoda is a tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist, but some ...
. The most prominent pagodas in the city: * Upper Pagoda, "Wat Chotynieng", or "Wat Leu"; on a hill, overlooking Sihanoukville bay and dedicated to Samdech Preah Sangareach Chhoun Nath, a Cambodian Buddhist leader, who lived before the Khmer Rouge rule (1975). * Lower Pagoda, "Wat Krom", in Sihanoukville town. It is dedicated to Yeay Mao, a popular southern Cambodian ancestral spirit surrounded by an illustrious legend. Both - Wat Leu and Wat Krom - are named according to their local geographic location, on top of the hill and down at the bottom of the hill. * O'tres Pagoda, "Wat Otres", in Otres village. It is by the Ou Tro Jet River, it features a river water garden and sculptures of ancestral spirits in the form of animals both real and legendary. Sihanoukville city is also home to minor communities of other religions such as:
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
s,
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
s,
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
s and
Taoists Taoism or Daoism (, ) is a diverse philosophical and religious tradition indigenous to China, emphasizing harmony with the Tao ( zh, p=dào, w=tao4). With a range of meaning in Chinese philosophy, translations of Tao include 'way', 'road', ' ...
. Places of worship include: * St. Michael's Church: It is the center of the Catholic communities. The church was built in 1960 by sailors, it is on the same hill as the Upper Pagoda, facing the sea. * Iber Bikhalifah Mosque: It is the religious center of the local Muslim community. It is in Sihanoukville town, just in the populous, central Psah Leu (upper market) area. File:Geisterhaus Sihanoukville.jpg, A shrine for the ancestor's spirits. File:Mary Help of Christians.JPG, Statue of Mary at Saint Francis de Sales Chapel File:Buddha_statue_Sihanoukville_October_2014.jpg, Big Buddha on Victory Hill, October 2014 File:Yeay_Mao_shrine_Sihanoukville_October_2014.jpg, Shrine to Yeay Mao at Independence Beach, October 2014 File:St_Michael_Catholic_Church_Sihanoukville_October_2014.jpg, St. Michael
Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...


Education

Public spending on education in Cambodia totaled 2.6% (of GDP) . Cambodian general education is based on the national school curriculum that consists of: ;Basic education The basic education curriculum is divided into three cycles of three years each. The first cycle (grades 1–3) consists of 27–30 lessons per week lasting 40 minutes, which are allocated to five main subjects. The second cycle (grades 4–6) consists of the same number of lessons but is slightly different. The third cycle (grades 7–9) consists of 32–35 lessons, which are allocated to seven major subjects. ;Upper secondary education The upper secondary education curriculum consists of two different phases. The curriculum for the first phase (grade 10) is identical to the curriculum for the third cycle of primary education. The second phase (grades 11–12) has two main components: compulsory and electives. The adult literacy rate in Sihanoukville is 95.37%. The city has experienced shortages of teachers but the situation has improved during the last decade. The 2004 statistics show the following centers of education: 33 pre-schools with 1,670 children, 52
primary school A primary school (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore), elementary school, or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ...
s with 34,863 students, five
college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') may be a tertiary educational institution (sometimes awarding degrees), part of a collegiate university, an institution offering vocational education, a further education institution, or a secondary sc ...
s with 4,794 students; two
high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...
s with 1,449 students; 10
vocational training Vocational education is education that prepares people for a Skilled worker, skilled craft. Vocational education can also be seen as that type of education given to an individual to prepare that individual to be gainfully employed or self em ...
schools with 961 students; and 13,728 students in private schools.


International relations

Sihanoukville is twinned with: *
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
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Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
, United States *
Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
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Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...
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Tampa Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
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Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
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References


Further reading

* * * * Kitagawa, T. 2005, "'Kampot' of the belle époque: from the outlet of Cambodia to a colonial rule", in Southeast Asian Studies = Tonan Ajia kenkyu, vol. 42, no. 4, * Kampot of the Belle Epoque: From the Outlet of Cambodia to a Colonial Resort - Bus To Cambodia - Thai Duong Airbus Limousine *
Henri Mouhot Alexandre Henri Mouhot (15 May 1826 – 10 November 1861) was a French naturalist and explorer of the mid-19th century. He was born in Montbéliard, Doubs, France, near the Swiss border. He died near Luang-Prabang, Laos. He is remembered mostly ...
: ''Travels in Siam, Cambodia, Laos, and Annam'', White Lotus Co, Ltd., *


External links

*
Preah Sihanouk Province official homepage
{{Authority control Provincial capitals in Cambodia Cities in Cambodia Populated places in Sihanoukville province Gulf of Thailand Articles containing video clips Socialist planned cities Scam centers