Pursat province

Pursat
ពោធិ៍សាត់
Pursat Province
ខេត្តពោធិ៍សាត់
Official seal of Pursat
Map of Cambodia highlighting Pursat
Map of Cambodia highlighting Pursat
Coordinates: 12°32′N 103°55′E / 12.533°N 103.917°E / 12.533; 103.917
Country Cambodia
Provincial status1907
CapitalPursat
Government
 • GovernorKhoy Rida (CPP)
 • National Assembly
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Area
 • Total12,692 km2 (4,900 sq mi)
 • Rank4th
Population
 (2019)[1]
 • TotalIncrease 461,516
 • Rank15th
 • Density33/km2 (90/sq mi)
  • Rank20th
Time zoneUTC+07:00 (ICT)
Dialing code+855
ISO 3166 codeKH-15
HDI (2017)0.551[2]
medium
Websitepursat.gov.kh

Pursat (Khmer: ពោធិ៍សាត់, UNGEGN: Poŭthĭsăt, ALA-LC: Bodhi ̊sât, IPA: [poːsat]; meaning "Floating Banyan") is a province of Cambodia. It is in the western part of the country and borders clockwise from the north: Battambang province, the Tonlé Sap, Kampong Chhnang province, Kampong Speu province, Koh Kong province, and East Thailand. It lies between the Tonle Sap and the northern end of the Cardamom Mountains. The Pursat River bisects the province, running from the Cardamoms in the west to the Tonle Sap in the east.

The fourth largest province of Cambodia in area, Pursat ranks only 14th in population. The region is accessible by National Highway 5, by boat, rail and by numerous smaller roads. The capital, Pursat town, lies 174 kilometres north west of capital Phnom Penh by road and 106 kilometres south east of Battambang.[3]

Pursat is home to Wat Bakan, considered to be among the oldest active pagodas in Cambodia and revered as one of the most holy sites of Cambodian Buddhism.[4] The province also hosts the annual River Run Race, an event that includes 5 km and 10 km races that generally follow the path of the Pursat River for men and women, including those requiring wheelchairs. Since its inaugural race in 2007, the event has grown to the second largest of its kind in Cambodia[5]

  1. ^ "General Population Census of the Kingdom of Cambodia 2019 – Final Results" (PDF). National Institute of Statistics. Ministry of Planning. 26 January 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
  3. ^ Total Road Atlas of Cambodia, Third Edition, Phnom Penh, 2006
  4. ^ History of Bakan Pagoda, Kambuja Soriya Magazine, Volume 2, 2003, Buddhist Institute, Phnom Penh
  5. ^ HS Manjunath (20 October 2011). "Pursat set for its fifth River run race". Phnom Penh Post. Retrieved 7 December 2013.