Koh Kong

Koh Kong is a province of Cambodia. The name means "Kong Island Province". Its capital is Koh Kong. The Province was formerly called Patchanta Khirikhet  from 1855 to 1904. The most south-western province of Cambodia, Koh Kong has a long undeveloped coastline and a mountainous, forested and largely inaccessible interior which embraces part of the Cardamom Mountains, Cambodias largest national park Botum Sakor National Park and a section of the Kirirom National Park. Its tourist attractions include casinos and waterfalls, while an Export Processing Zone and new port facilities are being developed for trade.

Following the Franco-Thai War from 1941-1946 the province, including additional territory to the northwest, was under Siamese administration as Koh Kong Province. The status quo as province of Thailand lasted between the 1941 Tokyo Peace Convention and the Washington Accord of 1946 returning the annexed territories to Cambodia.

After Cambodia’s liberation from the Khmer Rouge in 1979, Koh Kong was still quite unpopulated. After national government policy encouraged people to live in Koh Kong, there has been a net influx of people. It is estimated that the average annual growth rate in Koh Kong is 16 per cent, which has put pressure on the mangrove resources in the province. Koh Kong's towns have developed rapidly partially in response to market pressures from Thailand and because of inmigration from other parts of Cambodia.