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Table of Contents
Siem Reap, the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, is the gateway to the ruins of Angkor Wat, the millennium-old temple ruins of the Khmer Empire. Siem Reap boasts hundreds of sightseeing opportunities such as well-preserved colonial buildings, museums, traditional markets, and cultural performances.
See the fact file below for more information on the Siem Reap or alternatively, you can download our 19-page Siem Reap worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
ETYMOLOGY
- The name Siem Reap is literally translated to mean ‘Siam defeated,’ a reminder of the centuries-old conflict between the Siamese and the Khmer. In Siam, the province and its capital were called Siemmarat, which literally means ‘Siam’s territory.β
HISTORY
- Siem Reap came under the control of the Thai kingdom of Siam in 1795.
- In 1907, the province was later returned to Cambodia after the French made a treaty with Siam for exchange of Trat and Dan Sai for the Siamese province of Inner Cambodia including Phra Tabong (Battambang), Siemmarat (Siem Reap), and Nakhon Wat (Angkor Wat).
- The Inner Cambodia province was divided into Battambang and Siem Reap by the royal decree of King Sisowath the same year.
- Still, in the same year, the French began to restore the temples and promote tourism to the archeological site at Angkor, which received about 200 visitors in the first three months after its opening.
- This region became part of a disputed territory between France and Siam (now Thailand) which led to the Franco-Thai War in 1941. The war resulted in a victory for Thailand and a return to Thai control (with exception of Siem Reap and Angkor Wat).
- The province reverted again to Cambodia in 1946, after the end of World War II with French and UN international pressure.
PEOPLE
- The population of Siem Reap is 139, 458 as of 2018.
- The official religion of Cambodia is Theravada Buddhism, which accounts for about 95% of the population, and it has remained so since the 13th century (barring the period of Khmer Rouge).
- However, people from other religious faiths such as Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity also reside there.
- The locals of Cambodia prefer to dress modestly. Men prefer to wear shirts and long trousers while women are often seen in knee-high skirts, sarongs, and blouses instead of t-shirts.
- Cambodia’s official language is Khmer, which is significantly influenced by Pali and Sanskrit. Most of the local population of Siem Reap speaks this language. Aside from Khmer, French is also spoken by the Cambodian people. English, nowadays, is considered as the international language and is spoken by a significant amount of the population in Siem Reap.
TRANSPORTATION
- Local buses are accessible from the bus station to travel to the different tourist spots in Siem Reap. Buses only stop at the bus station and from there you need to take tuk-tuks, and therefore, buses are not the preferred mode of transportation.
ATTRACTIONS
- Angkor Wat (Wat temple) is the central highlight of the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site containing the magnificent remains of the Khmer civilization. Angkor Wat’s rising series of 5 towers culminates in an impressive central tower that symbolizes mythical Mount Meru.
- There are thousands of feet of wall space in Angkor Wat that are covered with intricate carvings portraying scenes from Hindu mythology. The most notable is the carved bas reliefs of the Hindu narratives which tell a story about gods fighting demons in order to reclaim order which can only be obtained by recovering the elixir of life known as amrita.
- Angkor Thom, built by Jayavarman VII, is an inner royal city, the Empire’s famed ‘Warrior King,’ at the end of the 12th century. Angkor Thom is renowned for its temples, in particular the Bayon.
- Other important sites are Baphuon, Phimeanakas, and the Terrace of the Elephants, including the Terrace of the Leper King.
- The city can be accessed by the five city gates, one at each cardinal point and the Victory Gate on the eastern wall.
- The Angkor National Museum offers guests a better understanding of the area’s archaeological treasures. The Golden Era of the Khmer Kingdom is presented using of state-of-the-art multimedia technology.
CLIMATE AND BEST TIME TO VISIT
- Siem Reap experiences a tropical wet and dry climate. Since Siem Reap is located on the equator, it is palpably warm to hot around the year.
- The best suited time for planning to visit Siem Reap and other parts of Cambodia is from November through April.
- These months are relatively cooler and drier, thus serving to be perfect for sightseeing and other outdoor activities in Siem Reap.
Siem Reap Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Siem Reap across 19 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Siem Reap worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Siem Reap, the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia, which is the gateway to the ruins of Angkor Wat, the millennium-old temple ruins of the Khmer Empire. Siem Reap boasts hundreds of sightseeing opportunities such as well-preserved colonial buildings, museums, traditional markets, and cultural performances.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Siem Reap Facts
- Acrostics
- Timeline of Events
- General Facts
- Differentiate
- What is this?
- The Temple Town
- Celebrations in Siem Reap
- Cultural Cooking
- Tourist Spots
- Fun Activities for Siem Reap
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Link will appear as Siem Reap Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, August 20, 2020
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.