What is the capital of Cambodia?

Phnom Penh sits at the confluence of the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers in south-central Cambodia, on low-lying land only about 12 metres above sea level.

Phnom Penh is the capital and seat of government of Cambodia, a role it has held since 1865. Cambodia itself has an estimated population of 17,847,982 (2025).

Phnom Penh is also the largest city in Cambodia, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.

According to legend, the city takes its name from a wealthy widow named Penh, who found sacred statues in a tree floating down the Tonle Sap and set up a shrine on a hill (a 'phnom') there.

Phnom Penh has been the capital of Cambodia since 1865, Phnom Penh first served as the Khmer capital from 1434 after the fall of Angkor, was later abandoned for centuries, and was re-established as Cambodia's capital in 1865 during the French colonial era.

Phnom Penh earned the nickname 'Pearl of Asia' for its blend of French colonial, New Khmer and Art Deco architecture.

It is one of only a few capitals in the world set at the meeting point of two major rivers, where the Tonle Sap joins the Mekong.

City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Phnom Penh.

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