Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Area: 1,503 square km

Population: 1,448,000

One of three largest cities in Vietnam after Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong is situated 102 km east of Hanoi and 20km from the sea. It was officially founded in 1888. The city lies on the bank of the Cam River and is a major international seaport of the North. It was already a commercial port some centuries ago when merchants from China, Japan, France, Spain and Portugal came to trade.

Hai Phong enjoys an excellent position. A railway joins it with the country's capital and puts it in direct communication with the large mountainous region of Viet Bac and southwestern China (Yunnan and Guangxi). Other land roads ensure communication between Hai Phong and Hon Gai - Cam Pha, Vietnam's foremost coal mining area, and with Ha Long Bay, a famous tourist spot of Vietnam. Through Hai Phong, contact is established with other ports of the country and with foreign countries.

In the past, the bed of the Cam River, subject to silting, was not dredged and widened, as it should have been. Therefore, ships of more than 5,000 tonnes had to anchor in Ha Long Bay from where were transported to the shore by barge. The port is now able to accommodate vessels of 10,000 tonnes.

Virtually, the only seaport in North Vietnam through which aid was received, Hai Phong was a major target of the USAF bombardment and US Navy attacks during the US escalation against Vietnam (1965-1973). Yet, Hai Phong has long-standing patriotic traditions. On the Bach Dang River, brilliant victories over the Northern feudal aggressors were gained in 939 by Ngo Quyen and in 1288 by Tran Hung Dao. The Communist Party established grass-roots organizations in the town as early as in 1920-1930. During the first Resistance War, guerrilla caused much damage to the enemy at Nui Voi, Ha Sen and Cat Bi airport, which contributed to the triumphal Dien Bien Phu Campaign (1954).

Hai Phong is also an industrial town. After 1955, former industrial establishments soon resumed normal activities. New factories were set up. The most important among them are the Cement Plant, the Mechanical Engineering Factories of Duyen Hai and Ha Long, the Bach Dang Shipyard, the Woolen Carpet Factory Hang Kenh, the glass works and, especially, the Fish-canning Factory with its associated fishing fleet.

Nowadays, Hai Phong is joining the whole country in the of renovation, speeding up the implementation of its own economic to build export processing and industrial zones to develop the city's local industries.

An international tourist and recreation centre at Do Son is taking shape. In addition, projects to upgrade the facilities of the port and National Road No 5 linking Hai Phong and Hanoi are also under way. Besides its naturally beautiful seascapes, Hai Phong also attracts people keen on its unique traditional festivals, ceremonies, and places of historic and cultural interest.