Cardamom Mountains

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The Krâvanh Mountains, or literally "Cardamom Mountains" (Khmer regular script: , Chuor Phnom Krâvanh; Thai: เขาบรรทัด, Khao Banthat), is a mountain range in the south-west area of Cambodia, near the border with Thailand. The highest elevation is the 1,813 meters (5,948 feet) high Phnom Aural near Pouthisat, which is also the highest elevation of Cambodia.

The mountain range extends along a southeast-northwest axis, and is continued to the southeast by the Dâmrei Mountains and to the northwest by an extension into Thailand territory (Chanthaburi Province) known as the Soi Dao Mountains (Khao Soi Dao).

The hills formed the last resort of the Khmer Rouge and was thus inaccessible. The inaccessibility of the hills, however, helped to preserve the nature; the mountains now form a well-preserved ecoregion. The mountains contain many "jar sites" scattered around the mountains. The jars are a unique feature to the mountain. They are 60 cm high and carry the bones of deceased Cambodians. Local legends suggest the bones are remains of Cambodian royalty.

The mountain range is home to fourteen endangered and threatened mammal species including Asian elephant, Indochinese_Tiger, Malayan sun bear, Pileated gibbon, Irrawaddy and humpback dolphins, and half of Cambodia’s bird species. It is the last place on earth with Siamese crocodiles and is the only habitat remaining in Cambodia for the nearly extinct batagur baska, or "Royal turtle".

The population of the Cardamom Mountain Range is extremely poor, and threats to the biological diversity of the region include habitat loss due to illegal logging, wildlife poaching, and forest fires caused by slash-and-burn agriculture. Among the international conservation organizations working in the area are WildAid and the WWF (conservation organization).