Phnom Penh ( Khmer: Khmer pronunciation: [pʰnum peɲ]), formerly known as Krong Chaktomuk or Krong Chaktomuk Serimongkul,[4] is the capital and most populous city of the Southeast Asian country of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Tonlé Sap and Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since French colonization of Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's economic, industrial, and cultural center.Once known as the "Pearl of Asia,"