Introduction to Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is a marriage of oriental culture and European influence. The city has been the capital of Cambodia since the French protectorate in the 1860s. Today, Phnom Penh is home to a little over two million people, representing 14 per cent of the total national population. Residents experience a tropical wet and dry climate. The wet season usually runs from May to October while the dry period starts from November and ends in April.

Khmer, Cambodia’s official language, is predominant in the capital. French-Cambodian, English, Chinese and other Cambodian regional tongues are also spoken by some locals. Surprisingly, the cost of living in the city is not as cheap as in other capitals in the region. The rent is generally reasonable but food and transportation can be expensive. It all depends on one’s lifestyle.

Phnom Penh is the centre of commerce and entertainment in Cambodia. It houses business districts, premier hotels and restaurants and high-end residential areas.

When you visit Phnom Penh, there are four sites that you shouldn’t miss: the National Museum of Cambodia and the Toul Museum of Genocidal Crimes. The National Museum offers an overview of the rich Angkor history dating back in the 4th century. Be mesmerised by the world’s finest collection of Khmer sculpture and Angkor statues housed in a majestic terracotta structure.

The period of 1975 to 1978 was considered Cambodia’s dark ages. The Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot’s security forces, tortured and murdered thousands of people in Security Prison 21 (S-21). A visit in the Toul Museum of Genocidal Crimes can be a depressing experience, yet it helps you understand how the society has emerged from the ashes of the Khmer Rouge’s reign. 

Know more about this beautiful world capital from the information below:

• Moving to Phnom Penh
• Living in Phnom Penh
• Working in Phnom Penh
• Useful information in Phnom Penh

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