Kampot is a city located in southern Cambodia and serves as the capital of Kampot province. It is situated on the Praek Tuek Chhu River, southeast of the Elephant Mountains, and lies approximately five kilometres from the Gulf of Thailand.
Historically, Kampot was the capital of the Circonscription Résidentielle de Kampot under French rule and functioned as Cambodia's most significant seaport following the loss of the Mekong Delta and prior to the establishment of Sihanoukville. The city center is distinguished from other Cambodian provincial capitals by its 19th-century French colonial architecture.
The region is widely recognized for producing high-quality pepper, which is exported globally. Additionally, the area is known for its fish sauce, sea salt, and durian. Since 2017, the government and the Ministry of Culture and Fine Art have been preparing documentation to nominate Kampot's Old Town for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.