Sihanoukville ក្រុងព្រះសីហនុ | |
|---|---|
 Sihanoukville skyline  Golden Lions Roundabout  Statue of Preah Thong Neang Neak  Jin Bei Casino  Snake Island bridge | |
 Sihanoukville city's urban area (yellow) inSihanoukville Municipality (red) andSihanoukville Province (purple) | |
  Sihanoukville Location in Cambodia | |
| Coordinates:10°37′30″N103°31′07″E / 10.62500°N 103.51861°E /10.62500; 103.51861 | |
| Country | Cambodia |
| Province | Preah Sihanouk |
| Municipality | Preah Sihanouk |
| Established | 22 November 1957[1] |
| Named after | Norodom Sihanouk |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Sar Kackada (CPP) |
| Area | |
• Total | 195.9 km2 (75.6 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 15 m (49 ft) |
| Population (2019)[3] | |
• Total |  73,036 |
| • Rank | 7th |
| • Urban |  66,723 |
| • Urban density | 834/km2 (2,160/sq mi) |
| • Municipality | 89,846 |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (ICT) |
| Postal code | 18000 |
| Area code | 034 |
Sihanoukville (Khmer:ក្រុងព្រះសីហនុ,Krŏng Preăh Seihănŭ[kroŋprĕəhsəjhanuʔ]), also known asKampong Saom (Khmer:កំពង់សោម,Kâmpóng Saôm[kɑmpɔŋsaom]) orPreah Sihanouk (Khmer:ព្រះសីហនុ,Preăh Seihănŭ[prĕəhsəjhanuʔ]), is a coastal port city inCambodia and the capital ofPreah Sihanouk Province, at the tip of an elevatedpeninsula in the country's south-west on theGulf of Thailand. The city has a string of beaches along its coastline and coastal marshlands borderingReam National Park in the east. It has one navigable river, themangrove-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.[4]
The city was named in honor of the former kingNorodom Sihanouk and as of 2008 had a population of around 89,800 and approximately 66,700 in its urban center.[5] It encompasses the greater part of sixcommunes (Sangkats) in Sihanoukville Province. It has evolved parallel to the construction of theSihanoukville Autonomous Port, which commenced in 1955, as the country's gateway to direct and unrestricted international sea trade. Cambodia's only deep-water port, it includes anoil terminal and a transportlogistics facility.[6] The city has grown into Cambodia's main centre for coastaltourism andgambling, but it has also gained notoriety as a base fororganized crime, includinghuman trafficking,romance andpig butchering scams, among other illicit activities.[7][8][9]
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".[10] KingNorodom Sihanouk (reigned 1941–1955, 1993–2004) is revered as the father of the (modern) nation.[11] The nameSihanouk is derived fromSanskrit through twoPali words:siha ('lion'), andhanu ('jaws').
The alternative name,Kompong Saom (also romanized asKompong Som andKampong Som), (Khmer:កំពង់សោម) means 'Port of the Moon' or 'Shiva's Port'.[12]Saom is derived from the Sanskrit wordsaumya, the original (Rig Vedic) meaning of which wasSoma, the 'juice or sacrifice of the moon-god', but evolved into Pali 'moon', 'moonlike' 'name of Shiva'.[13] The wordkampong orkompong is ofMalay origin[14] and means 'village' or 'hamlet'. Its meaning underwent extension towards 'pier' or river 'landing bridge'.[15]
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 andAngkorian history, fromFunan toChenla and during theKhmer Empire, regional trade was centered at O Keo (Vietnamese:Óc Eo) in theMekong Delta, now the Vietnamese province ofRạch Giá. The township of Prei Nokor (Saigon) was a commercial center of the Khmer Empire.[16][17][18]
TheChronicle of Samtec Cauva Vamn Juon, one of the 18th- and 19th-centuryCambodian Royal Chronicles, 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).[19]
At the end of the 17th century, Cambodia lost control of theMekong River 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 atBanteay Meas/Ha Tien.[20] A Cambodian king of the late 18th century,Outey-Reachea III, allied with a Chinese pirate,[21] Mac-Thien-Tu, who had established an autonomous polity based inHa Tien and controlled the maritime network in the eastern part of the Gulf of Thailand.[22]Ha Tien was at a point where a river linking to theBassac River 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.[23]
Alexander Hamilton, who traveled to the Gulf of Thailand in 1720, wrote, "Kompong Som andBanteay Meas (later Ha Tien) belonged to Cambodia, asCochin-China was divided from Cambodia by a river (Bassac River) of three leagues broad" and "KingAng Duong constructed a road from his capital ofOudong toKampot". 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 [Mekong 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."[24]
TheBritish Empire followed a distinct policy by the 1850s, seeking to consolidate its influence. Foreign SecretaryLord 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 theSiam–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 theIndo-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".[25]
UnderFrench rule, Vietnam,Laos, and Cambodia became a single administrative and economic unit. The coastal regionCirconscription Résidentielle, with Kampot as its capital, contained thearrondissements of Kampot, Kompong Som, Trang, and Kong-Pisey. The establishment of another international trading center nearSaigon was considered unnecessary. Focus remained theMekong and establishing analternate route to Chinese and Thai markets along an uninterrupted navigable waterway to theMekong Delta.[26]
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.[24]
One example of this period's infrastructural improvements is the construction of Route Coloniale No. 17, later renamed National Road No. 3, and thenational railway system, although work on the "Southern Line", fromPhnom Penh to Sihanoukville, only began in 1960.
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.[27]
During theVietnam War the port became a military facility for both sides: in the service ofNational Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, and, after 1970, under the government ofLon Nol, in the service of the United States.[28]
The port was the last place the U.S. Army evacuated, only days beforeKhmer Rouge guerrillas took control of the government in April 1975. The events surrounding the Khmer Rouge's taking of the U.S. container shipSSMayaguez and its crew on 12 May and the subsequent rescue operation byU.S. Marines played out on the waters ofKoh Tang 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, theReam Naval Base, an airfield, the railroad yard, and the petroleum refinery, in addition to strikes and naval gunfire on several islands.[29] After thefall 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.[30]
In 1993,Ream National Park was established per royal decree of former King Sihanouk.[31] The Sihanoukville Municipality was elevated to a regular province on 22 December 2008 after KingNorodom Sihamoni signed a royal decree converting the municipalities ofKep,Pailin, and Sihanoukville into provinces.[32] In the early 21st century, Sihanoukville became a center of trade, commerce, transport, andprocess manufacturing.[33][34][35] Sihanoukville's many beaches and nearby islands make it Cambodia's premierseaside resort.[36]
In 2006, theKoh Puos (Cambodia) Investment Group submitted an application, planning to invest US$276 million in converting the 116-hectareKoh Puos, 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 theCouncil of the Development of Cambodia.[37][38]
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.[39]
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.[40][41] In the 2020s, Sihanoukville emerged as a major hub foronline 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.[42][43] In February 2024, Taiwanese YouTuberGoodnight Chicken, inspired by the scams, claimed he broke into a scam compound and faked his own kidnapping on alive stream. He was later arrested for "incitement to cause chaos to social security", and sentenced to two years in prison.[44]
Sihanoukville town is at the tip of the rolling hills of a peninsula on theGulf of Thailand. To its northwest and at its center it rises up to 15 metres (49 ft)above sea level, whereas the land gently and steadily flattens towards extended coastal plains, marshlands and beaches in the south and southeast. TheGulf of Thailand's shallow depths and the local climate are moderate in contrast to theSouth China Sea to the east and theIndian Ocean to the west.[45]
Established after the period of theFrench Protectorate, bourgeoiscolonial style quarters such as ones seen inKampot,Siem Reap, orPhnom Penh do not exist. CambodianarchitectVann Molyvann designed objects, and public buildings with a distinct function, some still operational. This brief era ofNew Khmer Architecture ended in 1970.[46][47]
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.[48] The area connects with the city center along a single highway via typical irregular successions of residential buildings.[49][50]
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.[51] Due to their proximity to the sea,mangroves line large parts of the rivers.
All the islands listed below fall under the administration of Sihanoukville'sMittakpheap District. The majority is either in the process of or has been assigned for extensive tourism.Koh Rong andKoh Rong Sanloem in particular have so far undergone years of uncoordinated development. Koh Rong has been declared a stop on theBanana Pancake Trail.[52]
The urban area suffers from polluted water supplies. Waste management policies and practices are deficient or lacking altogether.[54]
Sihanoukville lies in theTropical monsoon (Am)climate zone. The city has two seasons: awet season and adry season.
The mean maximum is about 31 °C (88 °F), the mean minimum about 25 °C (77 °F). Maximum temperatures higher than 32 °C (90 °F) are common however and, just before the start of the rainy season, they may rise to more than 38 °C (100 °F). Minimum night temperatures sporadically fall below 20 °C (68 °F)[55] in January, the coolest month. May is the warmest month, although strongly influenced by the beginning of the wet season, as the area constitutes the easternmost fringe of thesouth-west monsoon. Tropical cyclones only rarely cause damage in Cambodia.
The total annual rainfall averages around 2,200 mm (87 in). The highest amounts fall in July, August, and September. Relative humidity is high throughout the year, usually exceeding 90 percent. During the dry season daytime humidity rates average around 50 percent or 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.
| Climate data for Sihanoukville, Cambodia | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.3 (88.3) | 31.2 (88.2) | 32.1 (89.8) | 33.7 (92.7) | 32.3 (90.1) | 31.2 (88.2) | 30.0 (86.0) | 30.8 (87.4) | 30.8 (87.4) | 30.8 (87.4) | 31.2 (88.2) | 31.7 (89.1) | 31.4 (88.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 23.9 (75.0) | 24.6 (76.3) | 25.4 (77.7) | 25.0 (77.0) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.3 (79.3) | 25.9 (78.6) | 25.1 (77.2) | 25.2 (77.4) | 24.7 (76.5) | 24.4 (75.9) | 23.5 (74.3) | 25.1 (77.1) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 28.3 (1.11) | 25.2 (0.99) | 50.3 (1.98) | 124.8 (4.91) | 207.3 (8.16) | 252.7 (9.95) | 341.4 (13.44) | 377.2 (14.85) | 320.6 (12.62) | 290.4 (11.43) | 138.2 (5.44) | 54.4 (2.14) | 2,210.8 (87.02) |
| Source: world weather online[56] | |||||||||||||
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 nearbyoil terminal. Attached is a regularly modernized cargo storage andlogistics facility which serves numerous shipping companies, freight forwarders, suppliers, and maintenance contractors.[57] All of these are based in the port's vicinity.[58] The Phnom Penh–Sihanoukville transport corridor is the premier national trade route, accounting for about 75 percent of Cambodia's trade traffic.[59]
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.[60][61] In 2023, it was reported that Sihanoukville had become a major centre forfraud factories, where thousands ofhuman trafficking victims forced to work as "pig butchering" scammers afterCOVID-19 led to the closure of many of the city's casinos.[62][63]
The SihanoukvilleSpecial Economic Zone (SSEZ) is an overseas economic and trade cooperation zone designed to promote favorable market conditions.[64] It began with a focus on manufacturing consumer goods with the goal of transitioning to producing machinery, photovoltaic materials, and chemicals.[65]: 132–133 The SSEZ received support from China'sMinistry of Commerce and theExport-Import Bank of China.[65]: 132 A sizable industrial center, exclusively composed of Chinese companies, has been developed since 2010.[66][67] As of March 2020, the SSEZ had 174 factories employing more than 30,000 people.[65]: 133
The city's main export is garments, but it also produces and exports timber, logs, and rubber.[68][69]
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.[70][71]
An industrial zone has been established that includes petrochemical production and food processing based on local fisheries and other elements.[72]
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.[70] Chinese investments have since modified the city's character, partly destroying its Cambodian aesthetics and culture.The Diplomat reported that "unchecked development by Chinese investors has come at a cost, freezing out locals and changing the city’s character."[73] Evictions of native Cambodians due to economic investments by the Chinese has led to ethnic conflicts, with the government supporting the Chinese investors.[74][75]
TheSihanoukville Autonomous Port 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 290 metres (950 feet) long by 28 metres (92 feet) wide and can accommodate four vessels with mediumgross register tonnage (GRT) at both sides. The exterior berth is −8.50 to −13 metres (−27.9 to −42.7 feet) depth, while the interior berth is −7.50 to −8.50 metres (−24.6 to −27.9 feet) depth.
The Government of Cambodia had constructed a 350 m (1,148 ft) long new quay with −10.5 m (−34 ft) maximum draft in 1966. At present, this new quay can accommodate three vessels with −7 m (−23 ft) draft medium GRT.[76]The construction of the container terminal, 400 m (1,312 ft) long by −10.5 m (−34 ft) depth and a 6.5 ha (16 acres) container yard was completed in 2007.[77]
| Sihanoukville Autonomous Port Traffic Rates[78] | |||||||||||||||
| Item | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Throughput (Tons) | 2,659,785 | 3,012,217 | 3,423,919 | 3,763,296 | 4,040,155 | - | 5,328,348 | 6,547,756 | 6,601,804 | ||||||
| Not Included Fuel | 1,874,750 | 2,088,274 | 2,436,933 | 2,638,043 | 2,881,378 | - | - | - | - | ||||||
| General Cargo | 302,463 | 272,463 | 310,261 | 258,274 | 379,292 | - | 356,776 | 520,683 | 349,820 | ||||||
| Cargo Containerized | 1,572,287 | 1,815,811 | 2,126,672 | 2,379,969 | 2,502,086 | - | 3,388,923 | 4,148,729 | 4,363,820 | ||||||
| Container Throughput (TEUs) | 255,378 | 286,450 | 333,904 | 391,819 | 400,187 | - | 541,228 | 639,211 | 641,842 | ||||||
The primary destinations of Sihanoukville Autonomous Port are:Singapore,Hong Kong,Bangkok,Ho Chi Minh City,Shanghai,Laem Chabang,Yantian andKaohsiung. It has a frequency of scheduled services of 38 per week.[79][80]
Cambodia's official driving side is theright side of the road. There is no formally adopted road and road transport policy.[84] Cambodia's traffic laws[85] are like those of any other country, but with respect to the country's membership in theASEAN, that requires recognition of ratified agreements.[86] 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.[87][88] 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.[89]
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.[90][91] In 2008, the government ordered the use of helmets, but the order was not thoroughly enforced.[92][93][94]
The central long-distance bus station for all transport business operators[95] 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.[96] Buses operate from the early morning until the afternoon plus a daily night-bus/sleeper.[97] 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 ofmotor-taxis (moto-dups) andtuk-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.[98]
Sihanouk International Airport (International Air Transport Association 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 500 metres (1,600 feet) from Ream beach atop a former mangrovelagoon, about 18 kilometres (11 miles) from Sihanoukville City.
As of July 2019[update], there were close to 200 flights from China to Sihanoukville every week.[99]
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.[100]
Marina Oceania, the firstmarina in Cambodia operational and fully equipped since 2013 for yachts and boats up to 25 metres (82 feet) with 4-to-5-metre-deep (13-to-16-foot) berths for 20 boats. It is at the local port's pier, nearKoh Preab Island. (coordinates: 10°39'59"N / 103°30'41"E).[101]
Cambodia's railway network was reconstructed for freight transport during the last years byToll Holdings, which obtained a building and maintenance concession from the Royal Cambodian Railway.[102] The "Southern line", constructed from 1960 to 1969 with a length of 264 km (164 mi), connects Sihanoukville Port Special Economic Zone withPhnom Penh.
A daily passenger train service runs from the station near the Autonomous Port used to manage passenger train transportation toPhnom Penh viaKampot.
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 andCambodian humanitarian crisis of and after thePol Pot era. With the arrival of displaced refugees in subsequent decades and centuries, a non-Khmer, mixed Asian population grew to a high proportion[quantify] 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.[103]
| Year | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 229,205 | 235,095 | 241,154 | 247,355 | 253,654 | 260,034 | 266,470 | 272,933 | 279,419 |
| Male | 114,680 | 117,735 | 120,872 | 124,076 | 127,324 | 130,607 | 133,913 | 137,227 | 140,545 |
| Female | 114,525 | 117,360 | 120,282 | 123,279 | 126,330 | 129,427 | 132,557 | 135,706 | 138,874 |
| Annual growth | 2.57 | 2.58 | 2.57 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.47 | 2.43 | 2.38 | |
| Sex ratio | 100.1 | 100.3 | 100.5 | 100.6 | 100.9 | 101.0 | 101.1 | 101.2 | 101.3 |
| Median age | 21.8 | 22.3 | 22.8 | 23.3 | 23.7 | 24.2 | 24.7 | 25.1 | 25.6 |
In addition toKhmer, ethnic groups likeVietnamese,Chinese,Cham,Thai,Korean,French,British, Europeans, Australians, and Americans live in the urban area. Krong Preah Sihanouk has a relatively highHuman Development Index (HDI) of 0.750, compared to the national average HDI of 0.523.[105]
In late 2018,Channel News Asia estimated that the province's Chinese resident population had risen to 78,000.[106]
Nearly 80,000mainland Chinese workers, developers, and investors accounted for 90% of the city's expat population as of 2019.[107][108][99] Sihanoukville is one of the major cities on China'sOne Belt One Road Initiative.[107]
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[quantify] and competing with state-owned hospitals.[109]
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.[110]
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.[111][112] The city police, especially the traffic police, have often been shown to be corrupt and ineffective,[113] and investigations have uncovered connections to organized crime and drug trafficking.[114]
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.[115][116][117]
Russian tycoonSergei Polonsky was deported from Cambodia in 2015[118][119] to face embezzlement charges in Russia after years spent clashing with other Russians on the streets of Sihanoukville.[120]
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.[121] 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.[122][123][124] TheUnited Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 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.[125]
Most municipal inhabitants are of East Asian descent, which characterizes the pan-East Asian beliefs and ideas.Cambodian culture is of distinct ancientKhmer origin, accompanied by century-old moderate Chinese and Vietnamese cultural influences.[126] Sihanoukville citizens celebrateCambodian New Year (April),Chinese New Year (between January and February),Water Festival (November),Pchum Ben (honor to theancestors in October), Kathen Ceremony (offerings to the monks), and 8 January (Day of Cambodian – Vietnamese Friendship), among others under the rulingCambodian People's Party (CPP).
Many urban families of Chinese orSino-Khmer descent in Sihanoukville city have for most of Cambodia's history constituted the commercial elite and urban upper classes.[127][128] There is a dedication toConfucian work ethics.[129][130]
The city has around 150 regular hotels in all price categories among an undisclosed number of guest houses.[131]
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.[132][133]
Sihanoukville is the capital city ofSihanoukville province and is governed by itsdeputy governor. It occupies the greater part of four of the fivecommunes orSangkat (Sangkat Muoy Commune, Sangkat Pi Commune, Sangkat Bei Commune, Sangkat Buon Commune) of Sihanoukville provinces'Mittakpheap District. Theport has its own autonomous administration.[134] The Sangkats are divided into 19 villages.
| The communes of Mittakpheap District[135] | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO Code | Commune | Romanization | Population | Sections | Urban | ||||||||||||||||
| 1801-1 | សង្កាត់ មួយ | Sangkat 1 | 37,440 | 3 | Yes | ||||||||||||||||
| 1801-2 | សង្កាត់ ពីរ | Sangkat 2 | 25,142 | 3 | Yes | ||||||||||||||||
| 1801-3 | ស្ទឹងហាវ បី | Sangkat 3 | 13,108 | 3 | Majority | ||||||||||||||||
| 1801-4 | សង្កាត់ បួន | Sangkat 4 | 13,108 | 6 | Majority | ||||||||||||||||
| 1801-5 | សង្កាត់ កោះរ៉ុង | Sangkat Koh Rong | 1,108 | 4 | No | ||||||||||||||||
Sihanoukville Autonomous Port lies within Sangkat 1 with an area of around 124.76hectares (308.3acres). The port is 18 kilometres (11 mi) from the Kaong Kang Airport and 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) 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 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.[136] TheNational Institute of Statistics of Cambodia refers in its most recent and preliminary studies to a successful integration of the district, including maps,[137][138] although official statistics and numbers are expected to come with the next full report.[needs update] Preah Sihanouk Province's new official domain has incorporated Kompong Seila District.[139]
Theravada Buddhism is the state religion inCambodia, with thepagoda.[140] The most prominent pagodas in the city:
Sihanoukville city is also home to minor communities of other religions such as:Catholics,Muslims,Protestants andTaoists. Places of worship include:
| Religion | percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Theravada Buddhism | 92% | |||
| Mahayana Buddhism | 3% | |||
| Islam | 1.6% | |||
| Christianity | 0.2% | |||
| Others | 3.2% | |||
Public spending on education in Cambodia totaled 2.6% (of GDP) as of 2010[update].[141] Cambodian general education is based on the national school curriculum that consists of:
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.[142]
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.[142]
The adult literacy rate in Sihanoukville is 95.37%.[143]
The city has experienced shortages of teachers[144] 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, 52primary schools with 34,863 students, fivecolleges with 4,794 students; twohigh schools with 1,449 students; 10vocational training schools with 961 students; and 13,728 students in private schools.
| Sihanoukville Educational Statistics 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Institution | Schools | Classes | Classrooms | Students | Teachers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool | 33 | 1670 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Primary school | 52 | 34863 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | 5 | 4794 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lycee | 2 | 1449 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vocational training | 10 | 961 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Private schools | 27 | 13,728 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sihanoukville Educational Statistics 2014[145] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Institution | Schools | Classes | Classrooms | Students | Teachers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool | 44 | 64 | 60 | 1715 | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Primary school | 73 | 800 | 532 | 26212 | 778 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Secondary school | 27 | 260 | 269 | 11889 | 725 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | 20 | 114 | 107 | 4577 | 318 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lycee | 7 | 155 | 153 | 7312 | 407 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lycees with grade 10–12 only | 1 | 31 | 31 | 1366 | 87 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sihanoukville istwinned with:
Oh Chang-soo, head of the Sihanoukville Korean community and a missionary who helps rescue South Koreans held captive, described the situation starkly: "The entire city of Sihanoukville is practically a prison.
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