WHY is Siem Reap famous?

Siem Reap is a cheerful city that embraces travelers like old friends. This region was the site of successive capitals of the Khmer Empire from the ninth to the 15th centuries. The ruins, collectively known as the Angkor Archaeological Park, are located about four miles north of the city center.

Is Siem Reap poor?

Strikingly, despite the huge numbers of tourists visiting Siem Reap, the province still remains one of the poorest in the country. According to World Bank research, 45% of the population under the poverty line, which, for rural areas is approximately 3,200 riel per day – roughly equivalent to $0.75USD.

What does Siem mean in Khmer?

defeat of Siam
The name “Siem Reap” can be translated to mean ‘defeat of Siam’ (siem in Khmer), and is commonly taken as a reference to an incident in the centuries-old conflict between the Siamese and Khmer kingdoms, although this is probably apocryphal.

How many communitys are there in Siem Reap?

100 communes
The province is divided into 1 municipality and 11 districts, and further subdivided into 100 communes and 907 villages.

Who built Siem Reap?

Emperor Suryavarman II
Its name, which translates to “temple city” in the Khmer language of the region, references the fact it was built by Emperor Suryavarman II, who ruled the region from 1113 to 1150, as the state temple and political center of his empire.

Is Siem Reap urban or rural?

urban
The town of Siem Reap has a unique vernacular urban heritage and a traditional urban culture and identity. It is situated within an Angkorian cultural landscape that transcends the “box” of the archaeological park.

What is the population density of Cambodia?

95 per Km2
Cambodia ranks number 71 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population. The population density in Cambodia is 95 per Km2 (245 people per mi2). The median age in Cambodia is 25.6 years.

What does Phum mean in Khmer?

villages
A commune is further divided into “villages” (ភូមិ, phum).

Who discovered Angkor?

explorer Henri Mouhot
It was “rediscovered” in 1840s by the French explorer Henri Mouhot, who wrote that the site was “grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome.”