Cambodia is divided into 25 provinces (Khmer: ខេត្ត, khétt [kʰaet]). The capital Phnom Penh is not a province but an "autonomous municipality" (Khmer: រាជធានី, réachthéani [riəceaʔtʰiəniː]; lit. 'capital'), equivalent to a province governmentally and administered at the same level as the other 24 provinces.

Phnom Penh has both the highest population and the highest population density of all provinces, but is the second smallest in land area. The largest province by area is Mondulkiri and the smallest is Kep which is also the least populated province. Mondulkiri has the lowest population density.

Each province is administered by a governor, who is nominated by the Ministry of Interior, subject to approval by the Prime Minister.

Provinces are divided into districts (ស្រុក, srŏk). The districts in Phnom Penh are called khan (ខណ្ឌ), normally written as for addresses in English followed by the districts' names (Ex: Khan Chamkar Mon; lit. 'Chamkar Mon District'). The number of districts in each province varies, from two in the smallest provinces to 14 in Battambang, Prey Veng, and Siem Reap. Provinces are subdivided into communes (ឃុំ khum), which are further subdivided into villages (ភូមិ, phum). In Phnom Penh, sangkat (សង្កាត់) is used in the place of khum and, similar to khan, normally preferred for writing addresses in English (Ex: Sangkat Mittapheap; lit. 'Mittapheap Commune').

List of provinces

SealNameKhmerUNGEGNCapital (seat)Population (2024)Area (km2)DensityISO
Banteay Meancheyបន្ទាយមានជ័យBântéay MéanchoăySerei Saophoan Municipality, Poipet Municipality898,4846,679135KH-1
Battambangបាត់ដំបងBătdâmbângBattambang Municipality1,132,01711,70297KH-2
Kampong Chamកំពង់ចាមKâmpóng ChamKampong Cham Municipality1,062,9144,549234KH-3
Kampong Chhnangកំពង់ឆ្នាំងKâmpóng ChhnăngKampong Chhnang Municipality604,8955,521110KH-4
Kampong Speuកំពង់ស្ពឺKâmpóng SpœChbar Mon Municipality, Oudong Me Chey Municipality924,1757,017132KH-5
Kampong Thomកំពង់ធំKâmpóng ThumSteung Saen Municipality807,25413,81458KH-6
KampotកំពតKâmpótKampot Municipality, Bokor Municipality682,9874,873140KH-7
Kandalកណ្តាលKândalTa Khmau Municipality, Sampov Poun Municipality, Arey Ksat Municipality1,352,1983,179425KH-8
KepកែបKêbKep Municipality48,772336145KH-23
Koh KongកោះកុងKaôh KŏngKhemarak Phoumin Municipality140,96210,09014KH-9
Kratiéក្រចេះKrâchéhKratié Municipality441,07811,09440KH-10
Mondulkiriមណ្ឌលគិរីMôndôlkĭriSenmonorom Municipality93,65714,2887KH-11
Oddar Meancheyឧត្តរមានជ័យŎttâr MéanchoăySamraong Municipality267,7036,15843KH-22
Pailinប៉ៃលិនPailĭnPailin Municipality79,44580399KH-24
Phnom Penhភ្នំពេញPhnum PénhDoun Penh Section2,352,8516793,465KH-12
Preah Sihanoukព្រះសីហនុPreăh SeihânŭSihanoukville Municipality, Kampong Soam Municipality, Koh Rong Municipality234,7021,938121KH-18
Preah Vihearព្រះវិហារPreăh VĭharPreah Vihear Municipality249,97313,78818KH-13
Prey Vengព្រៃវែងPreý VŭngPrey Veng Municipality1,277,8674,883273KH-14
Pursatពោធិ៍សាត់PoŭthĭsătPursat Municipality516,07212,69241KH-15
RatanakiriរតនគិរីRôtânôkĭriBanlung Municipality235,85210,78222KH-16
Siem ReapសៀមរាបSiĕm RéabSiem Reap Municipality, Run Ta Ek Municipality1,099,82510,299107KH-17
Stung Trengស្ទឹងត្រែងStœ̆ng TrêngStung Treng Municipality176,48811,09216KH-19
Svay Riengស្វាយរៀងSvay RiĕngSvay Rieng Municipality, Bavet Municipality613,1592,966207KH-20
TakéoតាកែវTakêvDoun Kaev Municipality1,097,2433,563308KH-21
Tboung Khmumត្បូងឃ្មុំTbong KhmumSuong Municipality889,9705,250170KH-25

History

  • 1974: The Khmer Rouge government did away with the former Cambodian traditional administrative divisions. Instead of provinces, Democratic Kampuchea was divided into seven geographic zones (Khmer: តំបន់, tâmbán): the Northwest, the North, the Northeast, the East, the Southwest, the West, and the Centre. These zones were derived from divisions established by the Khmer Rouge when they fought against the Khmer Republic during the Cambodian Civil War.
  • 2008: On 22 December 2008, King Norodom Sihamoni signed a decree that changed the municipalities of Kep, Pailin and Sihanoukville into provincial municipalities, as well as adjusting several provincial borders.
  • 2013: On 31 December 2013, King Norodom Sihamoni signed a decree that split Kampong Cham into two provinces: Kampong Cham (west of the Mekong River) and Tboung Khmum (east of the Mekong River).
  • 2018: In September 2018, Interior Minister Sar Kheng proposed establishing two more provinces, with areas taken from Kandal, Mondulkiri, and Ratanakiri. Prime Minister Hun Sen rejected the plan.

See also

External links