Cambodia

Phnom Penh is Cambodia’s capital and largest city, home to the Royal Palace, the main government institutions, and the country’s economic hub. It sits at the strategic confluence of the Mekong, Tonlé Sap, and Bassac rivers and became the capital in 1866 under King Norodom, later serving as the colonial center of French Indochina’s Cambodian protectorate. To remember it: Phnom Penh means “Penh’s Hill,” from the legend of Lady Penh who founded a hilltop shrine (Wat Phnom). The other options are key cities but not capitals: Siem Reap is the gateway to Angkor Wat, Battambang is a major agricultural center, and Sihanoukville is a coastal port and beach destination.