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11 Photo by Sina Brod by Photo URBAN 97 Urban131127.indd 97 1/8/14 7:59 AM URBAN The urban population refers to people living A Brief History of Khmer Cities could easily produce up to three rice yields inhabitants combine multiple occupations such many of the reservoirs and green spaces that in an urban area, classified as communes According to Khmer architect Vann Molyvann, a year. The ancient style Khmer capital lasted as services and farming. Only 6.68% work in were removed had important drainage func- that match the following “Reclassification of the early Mon-Khmer lived in settlements of until the eventual occupation of the Kingdom agricultural occupations such as crop cultivation, tions for the city. This growth is connected to Urban Area in Cambodia” criteria from 2004 circular earthworks and mound settlements, and then changed its location following or fisheries, and only 1.21% are employed in the socio-economic development in the city, (NIS 2010, p.15): set in circles nearby natural irrigation sources several further foreign invasions. In the 19th craft work such as furniture or food production such as housing projects and attempts to 1. Population density exceeding 200 people/ such as the Mekong River, its tributaries and century, King Ang Duong began to develop (NCDD 2010). Many other people who work build satellite cities, as well as other private km2 ponds. Mound settlements were found at the the settlement that is still Cambodia’s capital in informal sectors, such as street vendors or investments that have contributed to massive 2. Percentage of male employment in agri- area of Chamcar Andong in the Southwest of today. Although the structure of settlement those working in the entertainment industry changes in the urban landscape of Phnom culture below 50 percent contemporary Cambodia, and have been dated shows parallels to ancient Khmer style cities, are not listed in the official census of the RGC. Penh in the past decade. 3. Total population of the commune should back to 180 BC (Bong 2003). These areas show the style of architecture changed significantly The following images show the enormous exceed 2000 artifacts in a variety of strata and it is believed when the French protectorate began (1863- increase in size of the capital. The map also that they have been occupied for more than 1000 1953). At that time Phnom Penh had about demonstrates the considerable decrease and In Cambodia there are 23 provinces and 26 years (Vann 2003, pp.3-4). Circular earthworks 25,000 inhabitants, Udong about 10,000 and removal of water bodies such as lakes, canals cities containing about 14, 073 villages. 19.5% were discovered at locations near present day Battambang around 3,000 (Vann 2003, p.16). and rivers, as well as significant changes to the of the total population lives in urban areas (NIS Siem Reap, Angkor Archaeological Park, Phnom green landscape in all areas. The changes have 2010, p.5). The process of rural areas becom- Penh and Angkor Borei near Takeo. URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN resulted in increased flooding events because ing urban areas is called urbanization. The The Funan Empire was established through PHNOM PENH urbanization rate is calculated based on the Mon-Khmer people and immigrants, who The city of Phnom Penh is the largest urban growing proportion of the urban population brought Brahmanic-Buddhist culture to the agglomeration in the Kingdom of Cambodia compared to rural population. Cambodia’s region in the first century AD. Together they and has increased massively in size over the Male Female urbanization rate of 19.8% is slower than in created urban-like settlements with palaces and past ten years. It is located in the south-central neighboring Thailand (33.6 %) and Laos PDR houses, that were well known to neighboring region of the country at the confluence of the Total Population 6,516,054 6,879,628 (32 %) (NIS 2010, p.26). Chinese and Indian polities. Water management Tonle Sap, Mekong and Bassac rivers. These While Cambodia’s urban centers are develop- systems of the Funan Empire such as the “prek” rivers provide freshwater and river ecosystems Urban Population 1,255,570 1,358,457 ing very fast, the capital Phnom Penh can be that managed the annual cycle of flooding and that are important resources for sustainable described as the primate city of the country, made productive use of water rises, became environmental conditions. Phnom Penh’s area Mean Age at Marriage (years old) 28 26 whereas Siem Reap, Sihanoukville and Bat- characteristic of Khmer settlements and are is approximately 678.46km², which accounts for tambang are smaller, secondary cities. Urban still found today (Vann 2003, p.10). 0.37% of the country’s total area (Phnom Penh Literacy Rate in Phnom Penh (per 97 89 density refers to the number of people inhabit- Present urban areas in the Kingdom of Municipality 2013b). In 2013, Phnom Penh’s 100 persons, aged 15 and over) ing a given urban area. The map here clearly Cambodia are rooted in the ancient Khmer population was estimated to be 1,501,725 shows Phnom Penh as the most populated cities that arose with the establishment of the inhabitants (Phnom Penh Municipality 2013b). Literacy Rate in other urban areas 93 80 urban area in Cambodia. Infrastructure such Angkor Empire in the 9th century. Significant The city includes eight districts/municipalities (per 100 persons, aged 15 and over) as roads and water supply, as well as access are the so-called hydraulic cities of Angkor with 96 communes in total. The district of to education and health facilities have been that were built by Jayavarman II and located Mean Chey has the largest population with Fertility rate of women aged 15-49 2.1 enhanced considerably in order to respond in the Tonle Sap Lake’s basin. These settle- 205,761 people. years urban areas to the needs of ever increasing populations ments included water reservoirs, known as 32.4% of Phnom Penh citizens are aged 0 in these urban areas. Very often this develop- “baray”, that linked water to economic, social to 17, with 60.1% aged 18 to 60 and 8% aged Fertility rate of women aged 15-49 3.3 ment is driven by economic factors and private and religious systems (Vann 2003, p.13). Due over 61 (NCDD 2010). The most common formal years rural areas investors, and thus a pragmatic, though not to the great irrigation system made possible occupation of families living in Phnom Penh always sustainable approach, underlies these by the close proximity to the Tonle Sap Lake is within the service sector, which accounts improvements (STT 2012). basin and the water reservoirs, inhabitants for 57.87%, although 34.24% of the capital’s Cambodian Urban Population at a Glance (NIS 2011) 98 Urban131127.indd 98 1/8/14 7:59 AM Urban Density Data Source: United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): Reclassification of Urban Areas in Camboidia 2011 http://arunatechnology.com (Aruna Technology Ltd.) Department of Geography (DoG), 2005 99 Urban131127.indd 99 1/8/14 7:59 AM Phnom Penh (May 2003) LEGEND Water Shallow water, high sediment content High density settlement areas Predominantly industry area (factories, big buildings, construction sotes) Dense vegetation Agriculture, mixed use, sparse vegetation This image was aquired by the landsat 7 satellite in May 2003. The image data is shown as a so-called false colour composite of the channels 7 (shortwave infrared) in red, 5 (near infrared) in green and 3 (green) in blue. This combina- tion of image bands and colours is often used because it makes it easy to differentiate water, vegetation and human settlements with naked eye. 100 Urban131127.indd 100 1/8/14 7:59 AM Phnom Penh (May 2003) Phnom Penh (May 2013) LEGEND Water Shallow water, high sediment content Sandy, barren soils, often indicating barking of earth High density settlement areas Predominantly industry area (factories or other buildings) Dense vegetation Agriculture, mixed use, sparse vegetation This image was aquired by the landsat 8 satellite in May 2013. The image data is shown as a so-called false colour composite of the channels 7 (shortwave infrared) in red, 5 (near infrared) in green and 3 (green) in blue. This combina- tion of image bands and colours is often used because it makes it easy to differentiate water, vegetation and human settlements with naked eye. 101 Urban131127.indd 101 1/8/14 7:59 AM Beginning in the early 2000s, the pace of Phnom Penh’s Foundation construction sped up tremendously, leading The Royal chronicles state that after the Siamese The Founding Myth of to new aesthetic standards being adopted, invasion of Angkor (1431), King Ponhea Yat Phnom Penh such as those found in neighboring countries (1405-1467) moved eastward to establish a like Vietnam, Thailand and China. It has also new capital in the area of Srey Santhor. When meant the loss of some important heritage the capital flooded, the new King’s palace was According to myth, Phnom Penh was sites, such as the former Phnom Penh tourist constructed around the rivers in Phnom Penh founded in the 15th century. “A rich office on Sisowath Quay (Vann 2003 p.121). in around 1434 and named Krong Chaktomuk. lady named Penh had her house built Phnom Penh’s recent urban development According to Khmer Historian and Linguist Dr. not far from the bank of the river, on has also seen Cambodia follow the worldwide Jean-Michel Filipi, Krong Chaktomuk is the a hillock with a cone-shaped mound trend towards the development of satellite short version of “Krong Chaktomuk Mongkol at its side.