The name Battambang or Batdambang, in a real sense signifies "loss of stick" alluding to a legend of the Preah Bat Dambang Kranhoung (Kranhoung Stick Lord). Today, there are approximately 250,000 people living there. Some of the country's best-preserved French colonial architecture can be found in this riverside town.
Battambang used to be off the radar for road travelers, but its facilities have recently improved, and it is now a great base for visiting nearby villages and nearby temples like Wat Ek Phnom and Phnom Banon.
It is a secondary hub on the road that connects Thailand and Vietnam, and if the National Highway No. 6 from Poipet to Siem Reap ever gets upgraded, it will become even smaller. The organization of beguiling old French shop houses grouped along the riverbank is the genuine feature here, and there are various Wats spread around the town.
Beyond the town, there are a number of hilltop temples, additional Wats, and a fairly large lake, in addition to a collection of Angkorian-era artifacts in the small museum. Phnom Sampeau (Ship Hill), which is home to the infamous killing caves, is one of the most well-known hills.
Battambang didn't give way to the Khmer Rouge development after the fall of Phnom Penh, yet it?s been in the focal point of the continuous government Khmer Rouge struggle since the Vietnamese attack in 1979 pushed the destructive system out of Phnom Penh and toward the Northwest. Battambang was the Khmer Rouge stronghold in the region prior to the surrender of Ieng Sary, the third man in command of the Khmer Rouge who was based in Pailin.
In the previous history Battambang went back and forth to and fro between Thailand (called Siam before their twentieth century renaming) and Cambodia. Since the 15th century, it has been a part of Thailand for the most part. In 1907, Cambodia regained control, specifically thanks to the French. In 1941, with assistance from the Japanese, the Thais regained control of the area and kept it in their camp until 1947, when World War II broke out.
The Allied Forces assisted in convincing the Thais that the area was once part of ancient Cambodia and that the international community would not tolerate the Thais holding on to it any longer. There is still a lot of Thai influence, as in the rest of the Northwest. The Thai Baht is still the primary currency, and many people can speak Thai. However, there are numerous ancient Khmer ruins scattered throughout the region, and even the way of life is significantly more comparable to that of the rest of Cambodia than to that of Thailand.
Nowadays, Battambang city is a peaceful and pleasant location. The city's main areas are close to the Sangker River, a tranquil, small river that runs through Battambang Province. The setting is lovely and picturesque. The city's French architecture is an appealing bonus, as is the case with much of Cambodia.
Geography Battambang, the provincial capital, is Cambodia's second-largest city, with an estimated 1/4 million people in 2007. It is situated in Southeast Asia's largest rice-growing region. The province has an average elevation of about 50 meters. The province shares borders with Banteay Meanchey to the north, Thailand to the west, Pursat to the east and south, and the Tonle Sap great lake to the south.
The country has a total area of roughly 11,702 sq/km and an average height of 67.7 in/sqkm. The city is on both the highway and the railroad that connect Thailand and Phnom Penh; After the civil war in Cambodia broke out in 1970, the Khmer Rouge insurgents made the Battambang-Phnom Penh road a top priority. By taking it, they cut off Phnom Penh's main source of rice. In 1809, Thailand purchased Battambang, which was then returned to Cambodia in 1907. Additionally, the city has a technical university.
Population According to the 2007 population census, the province of Battambang has a population of 1,036,523 people, with 511,378 males and 525,145 females. The population density of 68 people per km2 is slightly higher than the 64 people per km2 national density. This province's inhabitants make up 6.9% of Cambodia's total population. 51 percent of the population is made up of women.
Environment
Cambodia has a tropical rainstorm environment. Between mid-April and mid-October, the rainy season, the Mekong swells and returns to the Tonle Sap (Great Lake), nearly tripling its size. Among November and April winds are areas of strength for less there are higher temperatures (up to 35?C). Information about the climate in general:
Season of rain: June - October (<31c)
- Cool season: November through February (>26 degrees Celsius): Walk May : Temperature: from 28 cents to 35 cents Economy Battambang rice was Cambodia's most important export until the start of the civil war, which forced most of the rubber plantations out of business. By the 1990s, notwithstanding, elastic plantings had been embraced as a component of a public recuperation program. At the point when we discuss tropical fruites, the Battambang orange is the most famouse among individuals. Until recently, the country's vast forests couldn't be used because there wasn't enough transportation, but by the middle of the 1990s, timber was the biggest income from exports.
Important local mining operations are supported by the exploitation of mineral resources like salt, phosphate rock, limestone, and semiprecious stones. In 2002, official unemployment figures were 2.6%, while inflation was 1.6%. Foreign (Thai) investors bring in a lot of money because Thailand is closed.
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