# Kampot province

Kampot (Khmer: កំពត, lit. 'The Kampot's Fish') is a province in southwestern Cambodia. It borders the provinces of Koh Kong and Kampong Speu to the north, Takéo to the east, Kep and the country of Vietnam (Kiên Giang) or Kampuchea Krom (kramuon Sor) to the south, and Sihanoukville to the west. To its south it has a coastline of around 45 km on the Gulf of Thailand. It is rich in low arable lands and has abundant natural resources. Its capital is the city of Kampot.
Kampot Province had a population of 627,884 in 2010 and consist of eight districts divided into 92 communes with a total of 477 villages. Touk Meas City is located in the province.

## History

In the 19th century, during the French Indochina period, Kampot became a regional administrative center with the status of a state border district as a result of the delimitation of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The Circonscription Résidentielle de Kampot contained the arrondissements of Kampot, Kompong-Som, Trang and Kong-Pisey.
In 1889, French colonial census reports a multi-ethnic community: Kampot town consisted of "Cambodian Kampot" on the Prek-Kampot River and "Chinese Kampot" on the right riverbank of the west branch of the Prek-Thom River. Nearby was also a Vietnamese village, called Tien-Thanh and another Vietnamese village on Traeuy Koh Island. A Malay also existed on Traeuy Koh Island. Additional villages of mixed ethnicity are listed.

### Khmer Rouge era

Destruction and mass murder happened throughout the whole area of Kampot province, as the Cambodian genocide and bloody massacres engulfed Kampot province under the terror of Khmer Rouge rule. A total 90,450 persons were massacred throughout the province. Ta Mok himself massacred 30,000 people in the Angkor Chey District of Kampot.

## Economy
### Agriculture

* Kampot pepper is a specialized product, protected by GI law, totaling 13 ha and a harvesting area of 10.50 ha located in Domnak Kantoul, Kang Tboung Commune, Kompong Trach District.
* Durian, another specialized product totaling 537 ha and yielding 10,657 tons located in Makbrang Commune, Tek Chhou district.
* Rubber, plantation area: 20 ha
* Kampot sea salt is extracted from the seawater through salt evaporation ponds in the coastal areas of Kampot and Kep provinces.

### Forestry and mining

* Forestry area: 227,154 ha
* 48 Mineral production and mining areas

### Tourism

* Historical/cultural areas: 4 places
* Wildlife sanctuaries and protected areas: Preah Monivong National Park at 140,000 hectares

## Districts

The province is subdivided into 7 districts and 2 municipality.
| ISO code | District | Khmer | Population (2019) |
| 07-01 | Angkor Chey | ស្រុកអង្គរជ័យ | 88,263 |
| 07-02 | Banteay Meas | ស្រុកបន្ទាយមាស | 100,299 |
| 07-03 | Chhouk | ស្រុកឈូក | 125,406 |
| 07-04 | Chum Kiri | ស្រុកជុំគិរី | 56,784 |
| 07-05 | Dang Tong | ស្រុកដងទង់ | 63,911 |
| 07-06 | Kampong Trach | ស្រុកកំពង់ត្រាច | 98,683 |
| 07-07 | Tuek Chhou | ស្រុកទឹកឈូ | 126,789 |
| 07-08 | Kampot Municipality | ក្រុងកំពត | 38,950 |
| 07-09 | Bokor City | ក្រុងបូកគោ | |

## Religion

Religion in Kampot (2019 census)
The state religion is Theravada Buddhism. More than 96.9% of the people in Kampot are Buddhists. Chams have been practicing Islam for hundreds of years. A small percentage follow Christianity.

## Gallery

* Map of Kampot province
* View of the coast near Kampot from Bokor mountain (Phnom Bokor).
* The Dâmrei Mountains receives heavy monsoon rainfalls, but keeps the eastern parts of the province in relative rain shadow.
* The highland plateaus in Phnom Bokor National Park
* Farmlands
* Kampot pepper farm
* Fishing boats on Kampot River
* Phnom Chhnork, cave temple near Kampot city
* Caves in Kampong Trach
* Islands and sandy beaches