Hai Phong

Hải Phòng
—  Provincial city  —
A street in Hai Phong
A street in Hai Phong
Provincial location in Vietnam
Provincial location in Vietnam
Coordinates:
Country Flag of Vietnam.svg Vietnam
Province Hà Giang Province, Red River Delta
Area
 - Total 1,507.57 km² (582.1 sq mi)
Population
 - Total 1,884,685
Website: www.haiphong.gov.vn

Hai Phong pronunciation (Vietnamese: Hải Phòng; /haɪ˧˩˧ fɔŋ˨˩/; Hán Tự: 海防) meaning "Coastal Defence" is the third most populous city in Vietnam.

Contents

Geography

Hai Phong is located in the center of the Red River. It is approximately 100 kilometres from Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, and serves as the primary seaport for the northern region of the country.

Vietnamese-Buddhist temple in Hai Phong

Hai-Phong

History

Hai Phong has existed as a significant port city for at least several centuries, and was one of Vietnam's principal trading centres. When Vietnam was invaded by the French, the city became France's main naval base in Indochina. After World War II, when Vietnam attempted to regain its independence, Hai Phong was the site of the first military action undertaken by the French, being shelled by the French heavy cruiser Suffren which resulted in more than two thousand casualties. Later, in the Vietnam War, the city was subjected to heavy bombing by US Navy and Air Force strike aircraft due to its status as North Vietnam's only major port. After the war, the city was built up as a significant industrial centre.

Today, known as a port city, it serves the entire northern region of Vietnam and has managed to attract large FDIs that fueled economic rates of growth exceeding 12% per annum over the last decade.

Administration

Administratively, Hai Phong constitutes an independent municipality at the same level as Vietnam's provinces. It is divided into administrative units:

7 urban districts :

8 suburban districts :

Cát Hải and Bạch Long Vĩ are islandish districts in the Gulf of Tonkin - Cát Hải is a larger island just off Hai Phong's coast, while Bạch Long Vĩ is a small island near the centre of the Gulf.

Sister Cities

City Country Sister city since:
Flag of South Korea.png Incheon South Korea July 25, 1997
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Tianjin China January 8, 1999

Places of interest

Cam River

Transport

It is served by Hai Phong Railway Station.

External links