រតនគិរី The Ratanakiri Ratanakiri (Khmer: រតនគិរី, pronounced [rŏətanakiriː]; lit. "Gem Mountains") is a province of northeast Cambodia. It borders the provinces of Mondulkiri to the south and Stung Treng to the west and the countries of Laos and Vietnam to the north and east, respectively. The province extends from the mountains of the Annamite Range in the north, across a hilly plateau between the Tonlé San and Tonlé Srepok rivers, to tropical deciduous forests in the south. In recent years, logging and mining have scarred Ratanakiri's environment, long known for its beauty. The province has a population of 72,000 people of which 75 per cent belong to eight indigenous groups. In addition the province is inhabited by ethnic Lao, Khmer, Vietnamese, and Chinese. The cultural complexity and diversity are illustrated in the range of linguistic types found in the province. |
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