List of former national capitals
Asia -- Southeast Asia
Table:
Old capital city

Country

Today a part of

From

Until

Change, reason

Yaśodharapura (Angkor)

Khmer Empire

Cambodia

802

1431

Sacked by Ayutthaya

Srey Sorchhor

Cambodia

Cambodia

1431

1434

Move to Chaktomuk (in 1434)

Chaktomuk

Cambodia

Cambodia

1434

1525

Move to Longvek (in 1525)

Longvek

Cambodia

Cambodia

1525

1593

Move to Oudong (in 1618)

Oudong

Cambodia

Cambodia

1620

1863

Move to Phnom Penh (in 1863)

Phnom Penh

Colonial Cambodia

Cambodia

1863

1887

annexed by France; moved to Saigon

Batavia (Jakarta)

Dutch East Indies

Indonesia

1800

1946

Allied invasion, moved to Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta

Dutch East Indies

Indonesia

1946

1947

Allied invasion, moved to Bukittinggi

Bukittinggi

Dutch East Indies

Indonesia

1948

1949

moved to Jakarta

Luang Prabang

Lan Prabang

Laos

1707

?

Luang Prabang was one of three successors states to Lan Xang.

Luang Prabang

Laos, Kingdom of

Laos

1949

1975

abdication of King Savang Vatthana; the second capital

Vientiane

Lan Xang

Laos

1354

?

moved to Luang Prabang

Vientiane

Vientiane Lao

Laos

c. 1707 (?)

1828

incorporated to Siam, then absorbed into French Indochina (in 1893)

Vientiane

Kingdom of Laos

Laos

1949

1975

abdication of King Savang Vatthana

Champasak

Champasak Kingdom

Laos

1713

1946

Became part of Kingdom of Laos.

Pagan (Bagan)

Pagan Kingdom

Myanmar

849

1297

moved to Myinsaing, Mekkhaya and Pinle

Martaban (Mottama)

Hanthawaddy Kingdom

Myanmar

1287

1363

moved to Donwun

Donwun

Hanthawaddy Kingdom

Myanmar

1363

1369

moved to Pegu

Pegu (Bago)

Hanthawaddy Kingdom

Myanmar

1369

1538

Captured by Toungoo forces

Pegu (Bago)

Hanthawaddy Kingdom

Myanmar

1550

1552

Recaptured by Toungoo

Looking at the accompanying table plus the supporting evidence provided.

Answer the following question: Which temple was at the center of the city that was capital of Cambodia from 802 from 1431 ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Do not introduce information beyond the provided sources.

Yasodharapura ( Khmer : យសោធរបុរៈ ; Khmer pronunciation : [ jeaʔ sao tʰeaʔ reaʔ boʔ raʔ ] ; Sanskrit : यशोधरपुर Yaśōdharapura ) , also known as Angkor ( Khmer : អង្គរ ) , is a city that was the second capital of the Khmer Empire , established by King Yasovarman I in the late 9th century and centred on the temple of Phnom Bakheng . :103:64 Yasodharapura was referred to in the inscriptions as Phnom Kandal ( Central Mountain ) . Phnom Bakheng was constructed just before the foundation of Yasodharapura due to Yasovarman 's belief that the mountain was among the holiest of places to worship the Hindu deities . Yashodharapura was linked to an earlier capital , Hariharalaya , by a causeway . The urban complex included the Yashodharatataka . :64-65 The succeeding capitals built in the area were called Yasodharapura . One of those is Angkor Thom , centred on the Bayon temple by King Jayavarman VII ( 1181-1218AD ) . In 1352 , King U Thong ( also known as Ramathibodi I of the Ayutthaya Kingdom ) laid siege to it . The Ayutthaya were successful the next year in capturing the city , placing one of their princes on the throne . In 1357 the Khmer regained it . :236 Angkor Thom was raided and abandoned in the 15th century by King Borommarachathirat II of Ayutthaya .
Angkor ( Khmer : អង្គរ pronounced [ ʔɑŋ.ˈkɔː ] , lit . capital city , also known as Yasodharapura ( Khmer : យសោធរបុរៈ ; Sanskrit : यशोधरपुर ) ) was the capital city of the Khmer Empire . The city and empire flourished from approximately the 9th to the 15th centuries . The city houses the magnificent Angkor Wat , one of Cambodia 's most popular tourist attractions . The word Angkor is derived from the Sanskrit nagara ( नगर ) , meaning city . The Angkorian period began in AD 802 , when the Khmer Hindu monarch Jayavarman II declared himself a universal monarch and god-king , and lasted until the late 14th century , first falling under Ayutthayan suzerainty in 1351 . A Khmer rebellion against Siamese authority resulted in the 1431 sacking of Angkor by Ayutthaya , causing its population to migrate south to Longvek . The ruins of Angkor are located amid forests and farmland north of the Great Lake ( Tonlé Sap ) and south of the Kulen Hills , near modern-day Siem Reap city ( 13°24′N , 103°51′E ) , in Siem Reap Province . The temples of the Angkor area number over one thousand , ranging in scale from nondescript piles of brick rubble scattered through rice fields to the Angkor Wat , said to be the world 's largest single religious monument . Many of the temples at Angkor have been restored , and together , they comprise the most significant site of Khmer architecture . Visitors approach two million annually , and the entire expanse , including Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom is collectively protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The popularity of the site among tourists presents multiple challenges to the preservation of the ruins .
The Khmer Empire ( /kəˈmɛər/ ; Khmer : ចក្រភពខ្មែរ : Chakrphup Khmer or អាណាចក្រខ្មែរ Anachak Khmer ) , officially the Angkor Empire ( Khmer : អាណាចក្រអង្គរ : Anachak Angkor ) , the predecessor state to modern Cambodia ( Kampuchea or Srok Khmer to the Khmer people ) , was a Hindu-Buddhist empire in Southeast Asia . The empire , which grew out of the former kingdoms of Funan and Chenla , at times ruled over and/or vassalised most of mainland Southeast Asia and parts of Southern China , stretching from the tip of the Indochinese Peninsula northward to modern Yunnan province , China , and from Vietnam westward to Myanmar . Its greatest legacy is Angkor , in present-day Cambodia , which was the site of the capital city during the empire 's zenith . The majestic monuments of Angkor , such as Angkor Wat and Bayon , bear testimony to the Khmer Empire 's immense power and wealth , impressive art and culture , architectural technique , aesthetics achievements , and the variety of belief systems that it patronised over time . Satellite imaging has revealed that Angkor , during its peak in the 11th to 13th centuries , was the largest pre-industrial urban centre in the world . The beginning of the era of the Khmer Empire is conventionally dated to 802 CE when King Jayavarman II declared himself chakravartin ( king of the world , or king of kings ) on Phnom Kulen . The empire ended with the fall of Angkor in the 15th century .
Cambodia ( /kæmˈboʊdiə/ ( listen ) ; also Kampuchea /ˌkæmpʊˈtʃiːə/ ; Khmer : កម្ពុជា [ kam.pu.ciə ] ; French : Cambodge ) , officially the Kingdom of Cambodia ( Khmer : ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា , prĕəh riəciənaacak kampuciə , IPA : [ prĕəh riə.ciə.naː.caʔ kam.pu.ciə ] ; French : Royaume du Cambodge ) , is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia . It is 181,035 square kilometres ( 69,898 square miles ) in area , bordered by Thailand to the northwest , Laos to the northeast , Vietnam to the east and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest . The sovereign state of Cambodia has a population of over 15 million . The official religion is Theravada Buddhism , practised by approximately 95 percent of the population . Cambodia 's minority groups include Vietnamese , Chinese , Chams and 30 hill tribes . The capital and largest city is Phnom Penh , the political , economic and cultural centre of Cambodia . The kingdom is an elective constitutional monarchy with a monarch , currently Norodom Sihamoni , chosen by the Royal Council of the Throne as head of state . The head of government is the Prime Minister , currently Hun Sen , the longest serving non-royal leader in Southeast Asia , ruling Cambodia since 1985 . In 802 AD , Jayavarman II declared himself king , uniting the warring Khmer princes of Chenla under the name Kambuja . This marked the beginning of the Khmer Empire , which flourished for over 600 years , allowing successive kings to control and exert influence over much of Southeast Asia and accumulate immense power and wealth . The Indianised kingdom facilitated the spread of first Hinduism and then Buddhism to much of Southeast Asia and undertook many religious infrastructural projects throughout the region , including the construction of more than 1,000 temples and monuments in Angkor alone . Angkor Wat is the most famous of these structures and is designated as a World Heritage Site .
The Ayutthaya Kingdom ( /ɑːˈjuːtəjə/ ; Thai : อยุธยา , RTGS : Ayutthaya , pronounced [ ʔā.jút.tʰā.jāː ] ; also spelled Ayudhya or Ayodhya ) was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767 . Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders , including the Chinese , Portuguese , Indians , Japanese , Persians , Pathans , and later Spaniards , Dutch , English , and French , permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the capital , also called Ayutthaya . In the 16th century , it was described by foreign traders as one of the biggest and wealthiest cities in the East . The court of King Narai ( 1656-1688 ) had strong links with that of King Louis XIV of France , whose ambassadors compared the city in size and wealth to Paris . By 1550 , the kingdom 's vassals included some city-states in the Malay Peninsula , Sukhothai , Lan Na and parts of Burma and Cambodia . This part of the kingdom 's history is sometimes referred to as the Ayutthayan Empire . In foreign accounts , Ayutthaya was called Siam , but many sources say the people of Ayutthaya called themselves Tai , and their kingdom Krung Tai ( Thai : กรุงไท ) meaning 'Tai country ' ( กรุงไท ) . It was also referred to as Iudea in a painting requested by the Dutch East India Company . [ note 1 ]
Srey Santhor District ( Khmer : ស្រុកស្រីសន្ធរ ) is a district ( srok ) located in Kampong Cham province , Cambodia . The district capital is Srey Santhor town located on the south bank of the Mekong River around midway between Phnom Penh and the provincial capital of Kampong Cham . Srey Santhor is in south western Kampong Cham and lies on the border with Kandal and Prey Veng provinces . It was briefly the capital of Cambodia during the post-Angkor era from 1431 to 1434 . During the Middle Period , it was then known as Srey Sorchhor ( Khmer : ស្រីសឈរ ) .
The Dark ages of Cambodia , also called the Middle Period , refers to the historical era from the early 15th century to 1863 , the beginning of the French Protectorate of Cambodia . As reliable sources ( for the 15th and 16th centuries , in particular ) are very rare , a defensible and conclusive explanation that relates to concrete events that manifest the decline of the Khmer Empire , recognised unanimously by the scientific community , has so far not been produced . However , most modern historians have approached a consensus in which several distinct and gradual changes of religious , dynastic , administrative and military nature , environmental problems and ecological imbalance coincided with shifts of power in Indochina and must all be taken into account to make an interpretation . In recent years scholars ' focus has shifted increasingly towards human-environment interactions and the ecological consequences , including natural disasters , such as flooding and droughts . Stone epigraphy in temples , which had been the primary source for Khmer history , is already a rarity throughout the 13th century , ends in the third decade of the fourteenth , and does not resume until the mid-16th century . Recording of the Royal Chronology discontinues with King Jayavarman IX Parameshwara ( or Jayavarma-Paramesvara ) , who reigned from 1327 to 1336 . There exists not a single contemporary record of even a kings name for over 200 years . Construction and maintenance of monumental temple architecture had come to a standstill after Jayavarman VII 's reign . According to author Michael Vickery there only exist external sources for Cambodias 15th century , the Chinese Ming Shilu ( engl . veritable records ) annals and the earliest Royal Chronicle of Ayutthaya , which must be interpreted with greatest caution . Wang Shi-zhen ( 王世貞 ) , a Chinese scholar of the 16th century , is noted as having remarked : The official historians are unrestrained and are skillful at concealing the truth ; but the memorials and statutes they record and the documents they copy can not be discarded . The single incident which undoubtedly reflects reality , the central reference point for the entire 15th century , is a Siamese intervention of some undisclosed nature at the capital Yasodharapura ( Angkor Thom ) around the year 1431 .
Phnom Penh ( / ( pə ) ˌnɒm ˈpɛn , ˌpnɒm -/ ; Khmer : ភ្នំពេញ , romanized : phnum pɨñ , IPA : [ pʰnʊm ˈpɨɲ ] ; literally Penh 's Hill ) , formerly known as Krong Chaktomuk Serimongkul ( Khmer : ក្រុងចតុមុខសិរីមង្គល means The City of the Brahma 's Faces ) or shortly known as Krong Chaktomuk ( Khmer : ក្រុងចតុមុខ ) , is the capital and most populous city in Cambodia . Phnom Penh has been the national capital since French colonization of Cambodia , and has grown to become the nation 's economic , industrial , and cultural center . Once known as the Pearl of Asia , it was considered one of the loveliest French-built cities in Indochina in the 1920s . Phnom Penh , along with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville , are significant global and domestic tourist destinations for Cambodia . Founded in 1372 , the city is noted for its historical architecture and attractions . It became the national capital in 1434 following the fall of Angkor , and remained so until 1497 . It regained its capital status during the French colonial era in 1865 . There are a number of surviving French colonial buildings scattered along the grand boulevards . On the banks of the Tonlé Sap , Mekong , and Bassac Rivers , Phnom Penh is home to more than 2 million people , approximately 14% of the Cambodian population .
Phnom Penh ( / ( pə ) ˌnɒm ˈpɛn , ˌpnɒm -/ ; Khmer : ភ្នំពេញ , romanized : phnum pɨñ , IPA : [ pʰnʊm ˈpɨɲ ] ; literally Penh 's Hill ) , formerly known as Krong Chaktomuk Serimongkul ( Khmer : ក្រុងចតុមុខសិរីមង្គល means The City of the Brahma 's Faces ) or shortly known as Krong Chaktomuk ( Khmer : ក្រុងចតុមុខ ) , is the capital and most populous city in Cambodia . Phnom Penh has been the national capital since French colonization of Cambodia , and has grown to become the nation 's economic , industrial , and cultural center . Once known as the Pearl of Asia , it was considered one of the loveliest French-built cities in Indochina in the 1920s . Phnom Penh , along with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville , are significant global and domestic tourist destinations for Cambodia . Founded in 1372 , the city is noted for its historical architecture and attractions . It became the national capital in 1434 following the fall of Angkor , and remained so until 1497 . It regained its capital status during the French colonial era in 1865 . There are a number of surviving French colonial buildings scattered along the grand boulevards . On the banks of the Tonlé Sap , Mekong , and Bassac Rivers , Phnom Penh is home to more than 2 million people , approximately 14% of the Cambodian population .
Longvek or Lavek [ a ] ( Khmer : លង្វែក pronounced [ lŭəŋ.ˈʋɛːk ] or ល្វែក pronounced [ lʋɛːk ] ; meaning intersection or crossroads ) was a city in ancient Cambodia . It was the second capital city during the Cambodia 's Middle Ages which began after the Khmer Empire 's Angkor Era . Longvek was chosen by King Ang Chan I ( Ponhea Chan ) after the sacking of Angkor by the Siamese as a new capital because of its more readily defensible terrain . As a result , there was a time when Cambodia was often referred to as Longvek by foreign travellers . After Ang Chan I defeated Sdach Kon he changed the capital city from Chaktomuk to Longvek in 1528 . This new city was the capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia from 1528 to 1594 . This city was sacked by the Siamese ( Thai ) in 1594 and then the Thai king chose his son to reign over Cambodia in 1594 . Longvek was one of the greatest cities in Cambodia .
Oudong ( Khmer : ឧដុង្គ ) ( also romanized as Udong or Odong ) is a town in Cambodia , situated in the north-western part of Kampong Speu Province . Located at the foothill of the mountain Phnom Oudong , also known as Phnom Preah Reach Troap ( Khmer : ភ្នំព្រះរាជ្យទ្រព្ ) , about 40 km northwest of the modern capital Phnom Penh , Oudong was royal residence and Cambodia 's capital for more than 250 years until 1866 . A monumental royal necropolis of sovereigns of several centuries is scattered on top the prominent bisected mountain , which runs from the southeast to the northeast .
The French Protectorate of Cambodia ( Khmer : ប្រទេសកម្ពុជាក្រោមអាណានិគមបារាំង ; French : Protectorat français du Cambodge ) refers to the Kingdom of Cambodia when it was a French protectorate within French Indochina - a collection of Southeast Asian protectorates within the French Colonial Empire . The protectorate was established in 1867 when the Cambodian King Norodom requested the establishment of a French protectorate over his country , meanwhile Siam ( modern Thailand ) renounced suzerainty over Cambodia and officially recognised the French protectorate on Cambodia . Cambodia was integrated into the French Indochina union in 1887 along with the French colonies and protectorates in Vietnam ( Cochinchina , Annam and Tonkin ) . In 1946 , Cambodia was granted self-rule within the French Union and had its protectorate status abolished in 1949 . Cambodia later gained its independence and the independence day was celebrated on 9 November 1953 .
Ho Chi Minh City ( Vietnamese : Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh ; [ tʰàjŋ̟ fǒ hò cǐ mīŋ̟ ] ( listen ) or [ tʰàn fǒ hò cǐ mɨ̄n ] ) , also known by its former name of Saigon ( Vietnamese : Sài Gòn ; [ sàj ɣɔ̀n ] or [ ʂàj ɣɔ̀ŋ ] ) , is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of 8.4 million ( 13 million in the metropolitan area ) as of 2017 . Located in southeastern Vietnam , the metropolis surrounds the Saigon River and covers about 2,061 square kilometres ( 796 square miles ) . From 1955 to 1975 , Saigon was the capital of the Republic of Vietnam , commonly known as South Vietnam . Ho Chi Minh City is the financial centre of Vietnam and is classified as a Beta+ World City by Globalization and World Cities Research Network . It is home to the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange , the largest stock exchange by total market capitalization in Vietnam and the headquarters of many national and international banks and companies . As a major gateway to Vietnam , the city received over 8.6 million international visitors in 2019 . The main passenger airport serving the metropolitan area is Tan Son Nhat International Airport , the busiest airport in Vietnam handling over 40 million passengers in 2019 .
Batavia , also called Batauia in the city 's Malay vernacular , was the capital of the Dutch East Indies . The area corresponds to present-day Jakarta , Indonesia . Batavia can refer to the city proper or its suburbs and hinterland , the Ommelanden , which included the much-larger area of the Residency of Batavia in the present-day Indonesian provinces of Jakarta , Banten and West Java . The founding of Batavia by the Dutch in 1619 , on the site of the ruins of Jayakarta , led to the establishment of a Dutch colony ; Batavia became the center of the Dutch East India Company 's trading network in Asia . Monopolies on local produce were augmented by non-indigenous cash crops . To safeguard their commercial interests , the company and the colonial administration absorbed surrounding territory . Batavia is on the north coast of Java , in a sheltered bay , on a land of marshland and hills crisscrossed with canals . The city had two centers : Oud Batavia ( the oldest part of the city ) and the relatively-newer city , on higher ground to the south . It was a colonial city for about 320 years until 1942 , when the Dutch East Indies was occupied by Japan during World War II . During the Japanese occupation and after Indonesian nationalists declared independence on 17 August 1945 , the city was known as Jakarta . It was internationally known by its Dutch name until Indonesia achieved full independence in 1949 , when the city was renamed Jakarta .
Jakarta ( /dʒəˈkɑːrtə/ ; Indonesian pronunciation : [ dʒaˈkarta ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( Indonesian : Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta ) , is the capital and largest city of Indonesia . Situated on the northwest coast of the world 's most populous island of Java , it is the centre of economy , culture and politics of Indonesia with a population of more than ten million as of 2014 [ update ] . Although Jakarta only covers 699.5 square kilometres ( 270.1 sq mi ) , the smallest among any Indonesian provinces , its metropolitan area covers 6,392 square kilometres ( 2,468 sq mi ) ; it is the world 's second most populous urban area after Tokyo , with a population of about 30 million as of 2010 [ update ] . Jakarta 's business opportunities , as well as its potential to offer a higher standard of living , have attracted migrants from across the Indonesian archipelago , making it a melting pot of numerous cultures . Jakarta is nicknamed the Big Durian , the thorny strongly-odored fruit native to the region , as the city is seen as the Indonesian equivalent of New York ( Big Apple ) . Established in the fourth century as Sunda Kelapa , the city became an important trading port for the Sunda Kingdom . It was the de facto capital of the Dutch East Indies when it was known as Batavia . Jakarta is officially a province with special capital region status , though it is commonly referred to as a city . Its provincial government consists of five administrative cities and one administrative regency . Jakarta is an alpha world city and is the seat of the ASEAN secretariat , making it an important city for international diplomacy . Financial institutions such as the Bank of Indonesia , Indonesia Stock Exchange , and corporate headquarters of numerous Indonesian companies and multinational corporations are located in the city . Jakarta has grown more rapidly than Kuala Lumpur , Bangkok and Beijing .
The Dutch East Indies ( or Netherlands East-Indies ; Dutch : Nederlands ( ch ) -Indië ; Indonesian : Hindia Belanda ) was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia . It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company , which came under the administration of the Dutch government in 1800 . During the 19th century , the Dutch possessions and hegemony were expanded , reaching their greatest territorial extent in the early 20th century . This colony was one of the most valuable colonies under the Dutch Empire 's rule , and contributed to Dutch global prominence in spice and cash crop trade in the 19th to early 20th century . The colonial social order was based on rigid racial and social structures with a Dutch elite living separate from but linked to their native subjects . The term Indonesia came into use for the geographical location after 1880 . In the early 20th century , local intellectuals began developing the concept of Indonesia as a nation state , and set the stage for an independence movement . Japan 's World War II occupation dismantled much of the Dutch colonial state and economy . Following the Japanese surrender in August 1945 , Indonesian nationalists declared independence which they fought to secure during the subsequent Indonesian National Revolution . The Netherlands formally recognized sovereignty of the United States of Indonesia at the 1949 Dutch-Indonesian Round Table Conference with the exception of the Netherlands New Guinea ( Western New Guinea ) , whose administration was transferred under authority of Resolution 1752 ( XVII ) to the United Nations 13 years later in 1962 ( also see New York Agreement ) .
Indonesia ( /ˌɪndəˈniːʒə/ ( listen ) IN-də-NEE-zhə ) , officially the Republic of Indonesia ( Indonesian : Republik Indonesia [ reˈpublik ɪndoˈnesia ] ( listen ) ) , [ a ] is a country in Southeast Asia , between the Indian and Pacific oceans . It is the world 's largest island country , with more than seventeen thousand islands , and at 1,904,569 square kilometres ( 735,358 square miles ) , the 14th largest by land area and 7th in the combined sea and land area . With over 267 million people , it is the world 's 4th most populous country as well as the most populous Muslim-majority country . Java , the world 's most populous island , is home to more than half of the country 's population . The country 's capital , Jakarta , is the second-most populous urban area in the world . The sovereign state is a presidential , constitutional republic with an elected legislature . It has 34 provinces , of which five have special status . The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea , East Timor , and the eastern part of Malaysia . Other neighbouring countries include Singapore , Vietnam , the Philippines , Australia , Palau , and India 's Andaman and Nicobar Islands . Despite its large population and densely populated regions , Indonesia has vast areas of wilderness that support a high level of biodiversity . The country has abundant natural resources like oil and natural gas , coal , tin , copper , gold , and nickel , while agriculture mainly produces rice , palm oil , tea , coffee , cacao , medicinal plants , spices , and rubber . China , the United States , Japan , Singapore , and India are Indonesia 's major trading partners .
Yogyakarta ( /ˌdʒɒɡjəˈkɑːrtə , ˌjɒɡ-/ ; also Jogjakarta or Jogja ; Javanese : ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ , Ngayogyakarta ) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia . As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy , Yogyakarta is regarded as an important centre for classical Javanese fine arts and culture such as ballet , batik textiles , drama , literature , music , poetry , silversmithing , visual arts , and wayang puppetry . Renowned as a centre of Indonesian education , Yogyakarta is home to a large student population and dozens of schools and universities , including Gadjah Mada University , the country 's largest institute of higher education and one of its most prestigious . Yogyakarta is the capital of the Yogyakarta Sultanate and served as the Indonesian capital from 1946 to 1948 during the Indonesian National Revolution , with Gedung Agung as the president 's office . One of the districts in southeastern Yogyakarta , Kotagede , was the capital of the Mataram Sultanate between 1587 and 1613 . The city 's population was 422,732 inhabitants at the 2017 census . Its built-up area was home to 4,010,436 inhabitants , which includes Magelang and 65 districts across Sleman , Klaten , Bantul , Kulon Progo , and Magelang regencies . At 0.837 , Yogyakarta has one of the highest HDI within Indonesia , with which it is considered a developed city .
The Allies of World War II , called the United Nations from the 1 January 1942 declaration , were the countries that together opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War ( 1939-1945 ) . The Allies promoted the alliance as a means to control German , Japanese and Italian aggression . At the start of the war on 1 September 1939 , the Allies consisted of France , Poland and the United Kingdom , as well as their dependent states , such as British India . Within days they were joined by the independent Dominions of the British Commonwealth : Australia , Canada , New Zealand and South Africa . After the start of the German invasion of North Europe until the Balkan Campaign , the Netherlands , Belgium , Greece , and Yugoslavia joined the Allies . After first having cooperated with Germany in invading Poland whilst remaining neutral in the Allied-Axis conflict , the Soviet Union perforce joined the Allies in June 1941 after being invaded by Germany . The United States provided war materiel and money all along , and officially joined in December 1941 after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor . China had already been in a prolonged war with Japan since the Marco Polo Bridge Incident of 1937 , but officially joined the Allies in 1941 . The alliance was formalised by the Declaration by United Nations , from 1 January 1942 . However , the name United Nations was rarely used to describe the Allies during the war . The leaders of the Big Three - the Soviet Union , the United Kingdom , and the United States - controlled Allied strategy ; relations between the United Kingdom and the United States were especially close . The Big Three together with China were referred as a trusteeship of the powerful , then were recognized as the Allied Big Four in the Declaration by United Nations and later as the Four Policemen of the United Nations .
Bukittinggi , is the third largest city in West Sumatra , Indonesia , with a population of over 124,000 people and an area of 25.24 km² . It is in the Minangkabau Highlands , 90 km by road from the West Sumatran capital city of Padang . The whole area is directly adjacent to the Agam Regency , and is located at 0°18′20″S 100°22′9″E / 0.30556°S 100.36917°E / -0.30556 ; 100.36917 , near the volcanoes Mount Singgalang ( inactive ) and Mount Marapi ( still active ) . At 930 m above sea level , the city has a cool climate with temperatures between 16.1° to 24.9°C . Bukittinggi was formerly known as Fort de Kock and was once dubbed Parijs van Sumatera . The city was the capital of Indonesia during the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia ( PDRI ) . Before it became the capital of PDRI , the city was a centre of government , both at the time of the Dutch East Indies and during the Japanese colonial period . Bukittinggi is also known as a leading tourist city in West Sumatra . It is twinned with Seremban in Negeri Sembilan , Malaysia . The Jam Gadang , a clock tower located in the heart of the city , is a symbol for the city and a well-visited tourist spot . The city is the birthplace of Mohammad Hatta , Indonesian co-proclamator and Assaat , then Indonesian ( acting ) president . Koto Gadang village in the southwest of city produces an abundance of statesmen , ministers , doctors , economist , artist and scholars who make great contribution to Indonesia , namely Sutan Sjahrir , Agus Salim , Bahder Djohan , Rohana Kudus , Emil Salim , Dr. Syahrir , etc .
Louangphabang , ( Lao : ຫລວງພະບາງ ) or Luang Phabang ( pronounced [ lǔaŋ pʰa.bàːŋ ] ) , commonly transliterated into Western languages from the pre-1975 Lao spelling ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ ( ຣ = silent r ) as Luang Prabang , literally meaning Royal Buddha Image , is a city in north central Laos , consisting of 58 adjacent villages , of which 33 comprise the UNESCO Town Of Luang Prabang World Heritage Site . It was listed in 1995 for unique and remarkably well preserved architectural , religious and cultural heritage , a blend of the rural and urban developments over several centuries , including the French colonial influences during the 19th and 20th centuries . The centre of the city consists of four main roads and is located on a peninsula at the confluence of the Nam Khan and Mekong River . Luang Prabang is well known for its numerous Buddhist temples and monasteries . Every morning , hundreds of monks from the various monasteries walk through the streets collecting alms . One of the city 's major landmarks is Mount Phou Si ; a large steep hill which despite the constrained scale of the city , is 150 metres ( 490 ft ) high ; a steep staircase leads to Wat Chom Si shrine and an overlook of the city and the rivers . The city was formerly the capital of a kingdom of the same name . It had also been known by the ancient name of Xieng Thong . It was the royal capital and seat of government of the Kingdom of Laos , until the Pathet Lao takeover in 1975 . The city is part of Luang Prabang District of Luang Prabang Province and is the capital and administrative centre of the province . It lies approximately 300 km ( 190 mi ) north of the capital Vientiane . Currently , the population of the city as a whole is roughly 56,000 inhabitants with the UNESCO protected site being inhabited by around 24,000 .
Laos ( /ˈlɑːoʊs/ ( listen ) , /laʊs , ˈlɑːɒs , ˈleɪɒs/ ; Lao : ລາວ , Lāo [ láːw ] ) , officially the Lao People 's Democratic Republic ( Lao : ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ , romanized : Saþalanalat Paxaþipatai Paxaxōn Lao ; French : République démocratique populaire lao ) , commonly referred to by its colloquial name of Muang Lao ( Lao : ເມືອງລາວ , Muang Lao ) , is a socialist state and the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia . Located at the heart of the Indochinese peninsula , Laos is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest , Vietnam to the east , Cambodia to the southeast and Thailand to the west and southwest . Present Laos traces historic and cultural identity to the kingdom of Lan Xang Hom Khao ( Kingdom of a Million Elephants Under the White Parasol ) , which existed from the mid-fourteenth century to early eighteenth century as one of the largest kingdoms in Southeast Asia . Due to its central geographical location in Southeast Asia , the kingdom became a hub for overland trade , turned wealthy economically and culturally . After a period of internal conflict , Lan Xang broke off into three separate kingdoms - Luang Phrabang , Vientiane , and Champasak . In 1893 , the three territories came under French protectorate and were united to form what is now known as Laos . It briefly gained independence in 1945 after Japanese occupation , but was recolonised by France until it won autonomy in 1949 . Laos became independent in 1953 , with a constitutional monarchy under Sisavang Vong . A post-independence civil war began , which saw the communist resistance , supported by the Soviet Union and North Vietnam , fight against the monarchy that later came under influence of military regimes supported by the United States . After the Vietnam War ended in 1975 , the communist Pathet Lao movement came to power , ending the civil war and establishing a one-party state . Laos was then dependent on military and economic aid from the Soviet Union until its dissolution in 1991 . In 2018 , the country had the fourth highest GDP ( PPP ) per capita in Southeast Asia , after Singapore , Malaysia , and Thailand .
The Lao Kingdom of Lan Xang Hom Khao ( Lao : ລ້ານຊ້າງຮົ່ມຂາວ lān sāng hom khāo , pronounced [ lâːn sâːŋ hōm kʰǎːw ] ; Million Elephants and White Parasols ) [ a ] existed as a unified kingdom from 1353 to 1707 . For three and a half centuries , Lan Xang was one of the largest kingdoms in Southeast Asia . The meaning of the kingdom 's name alludes to the power of the kingship and formidable war machine of the early kingdom . The kingdom is the precursor for the country of Laos and the basis for its national historic and cultural identity .
The Kingdom of Laos was a constitutional monarchy that served Laos beginning with its independence on 9 November 1953 . The monarchy survived until December 1975 , when its last king , Savang Vatthana , surrendered the throne to the Pathet Lao , who abolished the monarchy in favor of a Marxist state called the Lao People 's Democratic Republic , which has controlled Laos since . Given self-rule with the new Constitution in 1947 as part of the French Union and a federation with the rest of French Indochina , the 1953 Franco-Lao Treaty finally established a sovereign , independent Laos , but did not stipulate who would rule the country . In the years that followed , three groups led by the so-called Three Princes , contended for power : the neutralists under Prince Souvanna Phouma , the right-wing party under Prince Boun Oum of Champassak , and the left-wing , North Vietnamese-backed Pathet Lao under Prince Souphanouvong and future Prime Minister Kaysone Phomvihane . The Pathet Lao would eventually emerge victorious in the Laotian Civil War and establish the Lao People 's Democratic Republic in 1975 .
Sisavang Vatthana ( Lao : ພຣະບາທສົມເດັຈພຣະເຈົ້າມະຫາຊີວິຕສີສວ່າງວັດທະນາ ) or sometimes Savang Vatthana ( full title : Samdach Brhat Chao Mavattaha Sri Vitha Lan Xang Hom Khao Phra Rajanachakra Lao Parama Sidha Khattiya Suriya Varman Brhat Maha Sri Savangsa Vadhana ; 13 November 1907 - 13 May 1978 or 1984 ) was the last king of the Kingdom of Laos and the 6th Prime Minister of Laos serving from 15 October to 21 November 1951 . He ruled from 1959 after his father 's death until his forced abdication in 1975 . His rule ended with the takeover by the Pathet Lao in 1975 , after which he and his family were sent to a re-education camp by the new government .
Vientiane ( /viˌɛntiˈɑːn/ vi-EN-ti-AHN , French : [ vjɛ̃tjan ] ; Lao : ວຽງຈັນ , Thai : เวียงจันทน์ , romanized : Wīang chan , pronounced [ wíəŋ tɕàn ] ) is the capital and largest city of Laos , on the banks of the Mekong River near the border with Thailand . Vientiane became the capital in 1573 due to fears of a Burmese invasion but was later looted then razed to the ground in 1827 by the Siamese ( Thai ) . Vientiane was the administrative capital during French rule and , due to economic growth in recent times , is now the economic center of Laos . The city had a population of 820,000 as at the 2015 Census . Vientiane is noted as the home of the most significant national monument in Laos : That Luang , which is a known symbol of Laos and an icon of Buddhism in Laos . Other significant Buddhist temples in Laos can be found there as well , such as Haw Phra Kaew , which formerly housed the Emerald Buddha . The city hosted the 25th Southeast Asian Games in December 2009 , celebrating 50 years of the Southeast Asian Games .
Thailand , [ a ] officially the Kingdom of Thailand and formerly known as Siam , [ b ] is a country at the centre of the Southeast Asian Indochinese Peninsula composed of 76 provinces . At 513,120 km2 ( 198,120 sq mi ) and over 68 million people , Thailand is the world 's 50th-largest country by total area and the 21st-most-populous country . The capital and largest city is Bangkok , a special administrative area . Thailand is bordered to the north by Myanmar and Laos , to the east by Laos and Cambodia , to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia , and to the west by the Andaman Sea and the southern extremity of Myanmar . Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast , and Indonesia and India on the Andaman Sea to the southwest . It is a unitary state . Although nominally the country is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy , the most recent coup , in 2014 , established a de facto military dictatorship under a junta . Tai peoples migrated from southwestern China to mainland Southeast Asia from the 11th century ; the oldest known mention of their presence in the region by the exonym Siamese dates to the 12th century . Various Indianised kingdoms such as the Mon kingdoms , Khmer Empire and Malay states ruled the region , competing with Thai states such as the Kingdoms of Ngoenyang , Sukhothai , Lan Na and Ayutthaya , which rivaled each other . Documented European contact began in 1511 with a Portuguese diplomatic mission to Ayutthaya , now one of the great powers in the region . Ayutthaya reached its peak during cosmopolitan Narai 's reign ( 1656-1688 ) , gradually declining thereafter until being ultimately destroyed in the 1767 Burmese-Siamese War . Taksin ( r. 1767-1782 ) quickly reunified the fragmented territory and established the short-lived Thonburi Kingdom .
French Indochina ( previously spelled as French Indo-China ) [ a ] ( French : Indochine française ; Vietnamese : Đông Dương thuộc Pháp ) , officially known as the Indochinese Union ( French : Union indochinoise ; Vietnamese : Liên bang Đông Dương ) [ b ] from 1887 and the Indochinese Federation ( French : Fédération indochinoise ) after 1947 , was a grouping of French colonial territories in Southeast Asia . A grouping of the three Vietnamese regions of Tonkin ( north ) , Annam ( centre ) , and Cochinchina ( south ) with Cambodia was formed in 1887 . Laos came under French control in 1893 and became part of Indochina in 1899 . Finally , the leased Chinese territory of Guangzhouwan was added in 1898 . The capital was moved from Saigon ( in Cochinchina ) to Hanoi ( Tonkin ) in 1902 and again to Da Lat ( Annam ) in 1939 . In 1945 it was moved back to Hanoi . After the Fall of France during World War II , the colony was administered by the Vichy government and was under Japanese occupation until March 1945 , when the Japanese overthrew the colonial regime . After the Japanese surrender , the Viet Minh , a communist organization led by Hồ Chí Minh , declared Vietnamese independence , but France subsequently took back control of French Indochina . An all-out independence war , known as the First Indochina War , broke out in late 1946 between French and Viet Minh forces . In order to create a political alternative to the Viet Minh , the State of Vietnam , led by former Emperor Bảo Đại , was proclaimed in 1949 . On 22 October and 9 November 1953 , the Kingdom of Laos and Kingdom of Cambodia proclaimed their respective independence . Following the Geneva Accord of 1954 , the French evacuated Vietnam and French Indochina came to an end .
Champasak ( Lao : ຈຳປາສັກ [ càmpàːsák ] ) is a small town in southern Laos , on the west bank of the Mekong River about 40 km south of Pakse , the capital of Champasak Province . The town was once the seat of the Kingdom of Champasak , an independent Lao state which was abolished by the French in 1945 when they created the Kingdom of Laos , but the last King of Champasak had his palace in Pakse . Today the town is very small , consisting mostly of guesthouses along the riverbank , catering to tourists visiting the Wat Phu temple ruins some 10 km away .
The Kingdom of Champasak ( Lao : ຈຳປາສັກ [ càmpàːsák ] ) or Bassac , ( 1713-1904 ) was a Lao kingdom under Nokasad , a grandson of King Sourigna Vongsa , the last king of Lan Xang ; and son-in-law of the Cambodian King Chey Chettha IV . Bassac and the neighboring principalities of Attapeu and Stung Treng , emerged as power centers under what was later to be described as the Mandala Southeast Asian political model .
Bagan is an ancient city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar . From the 9th to 13th centuries , the city was the capital of the Pagan Kingdom , the first kingdom that unified the regions that would later constitute modern Myanmar . During the kingdom 's height between the 11th and 13th centuries , 4,446 Buddhist temples , pagodas and monasteries were constructed in the Bagan plains alone , of which the remains of 3822 temples and pagodas still survive to the present day . The Bagan Archaeological Zone is a main attraction for the country 's nascent tourism industry .
The Kingdom of Pagan ( Burmese : ပုဂံခေတ် , pronounced [ bəɡàɴ kʰɪʔ ] , lit . Pagan Period ; also commonly known as the Pagan Dynasty and the Pagan Empire ) was the first kingdom to unify the regions that would later constitute modern-day Burma ( Myanmar ) . Pagan 's 250-year rule over the Irrawaddy valley and its periphery laid the foundation for the ascent of Burmese language and culture , the spread of Burman ethnicity in Upper Burma , and the growth of Theravada Buddhism in Burma and in mainland Southeast Asia . The kingdom grew out of a small 9th-century settlement at Pagan ( Bagan ) by the Mranma ( Burmans ) , who had recently entered the Irrawaddy valley from the Kingdom of Nanzhao . Over the next two hundred years , the small principality gradually grew to absorb its surrounding regions until the 1050s and 1060s when King Anawrahta founded the Pagan Empire , for the first time unifying under one polity the Irrawaddy valley and its periphery . By the late 12th century Anawrahta 's successors had extended their influence farther to the south into the upper Malay peninsula , to the east at least to the Salween river , in the farther north to below the current China border , and to the west , in northern Arakan and the Chin Hills . In the 12th and 13th centuries , Pagan , alongside the Khmer Empire , was one of two main empires in mainland Southeast Asia . The Burmese language and culture gradually became dominant in the upper Irrawaddy valley , eclipsing the Pyu , Mon and Pali norms by the late 12th century . Theravada Buddhism slowly began to spread to the village level although Tantric , Mahayana , Brahmanic , and animist practices remained heavily entrenched at all social strata . Pagan 's rulers built over 10,000 Buddhist temples in the Pagan capital zone of which over 2000 remain . The wealthy donated tax-free land to religious authorities . The kingdom went into decline in the mid-13th century as the continuous growth of tax-free religious wealth by the 1280s had severely affected the crown 's ability to retain the loyalty of courtiers and military servicemen .
Myanmar ( English pronunciation below ; Burmese : မြန်မာ , [ mjəmà ] ) [ nb 1 ] or Burma ( see §Etymology ) , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar [ nb 2 ] , is a country in Southeast Asia . Myanmar is bordered by Bangladesh and India to its northwest , China to its northeast , Laos and Thailand to its east and southeast , and the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal to its south and southwest . With a size of 676,578 square kilometres ( 261,228 square miles ) , Myanmar is the largest of the Mainland Southeast Asian states by area . As of 2017 , the population is about 54 million . Its capital city is Naypyidaw , and its largest city is Yangon ( Rangoon ) . Myanmar has been a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN ) since 1997 . Early civilisations in Myanmar included the Tibeto-Burman-speaking Pyu city-states in Upper Burma and the Mon kingdoms in Lower Burma . In the 9th century , the Bamar people entered the upper Irrawaddy valley and , following the establishment of the Pagan Kingdom in the 1050s , the Burmese language , culture and Theravada Buddhism slowly became dominant in the country . The Pagan Kingdom fell due to the Mongol invasions and several warring states emerged . In the 16th century , reunified by the Taungoo dynasty , the country was for a brief period the largest empire in the history of Mainland Southeast Asia . The early 19th century Konbaung dynasty ruled over an area that included modern Myanmar and briefly controlled Manipur and Assam as well . The British East India Company seized control of the administration of Myanmar after three Anglo-Burmese Wars in the 19th century and the country became a British colony .
Mottama ( Burmese : မုတ္တမမြို့ , pronounced [ moʊʔtəma̰ mjo̰ ] ; Mon : မိုဟ် တၟံ , [ mùh mɔˀ ] ; formerly Martaban ) is a small town in the Thaton district of Mon State , Myanmar . Located on the west bank of the Thanlwin river ( Salween ) , on the opposite side of Mawlamyaing , Mottama was the capital of the Martaban Kingdom ( later known as Hanthawaddy Kingdom ) from 1287 to 1364 , and an entrepôt of international repute until the mid-16th century .
The Hanthawaddy Kingdom ( Burmese : ဟံသာဝတီ နေပြည်တော် ; Mon : ဟံသာဝတဳ , [ hɔŋsawətɔe ] ; also Hanthawaddy Pegu or simply Pegu ) was the Mon kingdom that ruled lower Burma ( Myanmar ) from 1287 to 1539 and from 1550 to 1552 . The Mon-speaking kingdom was founded as Ramaññadesa ( Burmese : ရာမညဒေသ , Mon : ရးမည ) by King Wareru following the collapse of the Pagan Kingdom in 1287:205-206,209 as a nominal vassal state of the Sukhothai Kingdom and of the Mongol Yuan dynasty . The kingdom became formally independent of Sukhothai in 1330 but remained a loose federation of three major regional power centres : the Irrawaddy Delta , Bago , and Mottama . Its kings had little or no authority over the vassals . Mottama was in open rebellion from 1363 to 1388 .
Donwun ( Burmese : ဒုန်ဝန်းမြို့ , pronounced [ dòʊɴ wʊ́ɴ mjo̰ ] ; also spelled Don Wun ; also known as Wun ) , located 16km north of Thaton , is a former capital of Hanthawaddy . It was the capital for over five years between 1364 and 1369 .
Bago , formerly known as Hanthawaddy ( Burmese : ဟံသာဝတီ ; Mon : ဟံသာဝတဳ Hongsawatoi ; Pali : Haṃsāvatī ; meaning She Who Has Sheldrake ) , is a city and the capital of the Bago Region in Myanmar . It is located 91 kilometres ( 57 mi ) north-east of Yangon .