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Banteay Meanchey (Khmer: ážáŸážáŸ’ážáž”ន្ទាយមានជáŸáž™, IPA: [É“É‘ntiÉ™j miÉ™n cɨj] "Fortress of Victory") is a province (khaet) of Cambodia located in the far northwest. It borders the provinces of Oddar Meanchey and Siem Reap to the east, Battambang to the south, and shares an international border with Thailand to the west. Its capital and largest city is Serei Saophoan.
Banteay Meanchey is the 13th largest province in Cambodia. With a population of 678,033, it ranks as the 10th largest in the nation. The town of Poipet in the western part of the province is an international border crossing into Thailand. Banteay Meanchey is one of the nine provinces that is part of the Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve.
Banteay Meanchey means "Fortress of Victory" in Khmer. The Chey part of its name is derived from the Sanskrit word Jaya (जय) meaning Victory, and Banteay meaning Fortress.
The area was part of the extensive Khmer empire. Its most notable remains is the Banteay Chhmar temple in the north of the province, built in 12th century towards the 13th century. Other lesser known temples are the Banteay Neang and Banteay Torp temples.
In the 17th century Siam took control over Cambodia, and made the area of the modern province part of Serei Saophoan Province. In 1907 Siam had to cede control to the French, and it was then included into Battambang Province.
In 1988 the province Banteay Meanchey was split off from Battambang, originally consisting of the five districts Mongkol Borei, Thmar Puok, Serei Saophoan, Preah Net Preah and Phnom Srok