Oddar Meanchey is a province in the north of Cambodia

Cambodia

Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...

 located along the border with Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

. The capital is Samraong town.

Etymology

Oddar Meanchey means "Northern Victory. The city's name is of Sanskrit

Sanskrit

Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...

 origin and is derived from the words "uttarā" (उत्तर) and "jaya" (जय) which mean "northern victory" when they are put together.

Administrative divisions

The province is subdivided into 5 districts.

Anlong Veng Banteay Ampil Chong Kal Samraong Samraong District Samraong District is a district in Oddar Meanchey province in northern Cambodia. It is the urban part of Oddar Meanchey province. The provincial capital Samraong is also located in the district. According to the 1998 census of Cambodia, it had a population of 22,361.-References:... Trapeang Prasat

Ecology

The territory of this province is located in the Dângrêk Mountains

Dângrêk Mountains

The Dângrêk Mountains , meaning "Carrying-Pole Mountains" in Khmer, is a mountain range forming a natural border between Cambodia and Thailand....

. There is a serious problem of deforestation

Deforestation

Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....

 in the area.
Forest fires are common in the dry forest and there is much illegal logging

Illegal logging

Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission or from a protected area; the cutting of protected species; or the...

 as a result of economic land concessions and migrant forest encroachment.

History

The mountainous and forested area of Oddar Meancheay Province was used as a base by the Khmer Rouge

Khmer Rouge

The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...

 when they fought against the Khmer Republic

Khmer Republic

The Khmer Republic or République Khmère, was the republican government of Cambodia that was formally declared on October 9, 1970. The Khmer Republic was disestablished in 1975 and was followed by the totalitarian communist state known as Democratic Kampuchea.-Background:Formally declared on October...

 led by general Lon Nol

Lon Nol

Lon Nol was a Cambodian politician and general who served as Prime Minister of Cambodia twice, as well as serving repeatedly as Defense Minister...

 1970-1975.

The Khmer Rouge rebuilt their former bases in the Dangrek mountain range area, along the border with Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

 and made Anlong Veng their main "capital" from 1989 till 1997. Nowadays Oddar Meanchey Province is one of the most landmine-ridden areas in Cambodia.