Hanoi is the capital of
VietnamVietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam. It was eclipsed by
HuếHue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"...
during the Nguyen dynasty as the capital of Vietnam, but Hanoi served as the capital of
French IndochinaFrench Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
from 1902 to 1954. From 1954 to 1976, it was the capital of
North VietnamThe Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
.
The city is located on the right bank of the
Red RiverThe Red River , also known as the Sông Cái - Mother River , or Yuan River , is a river that flows from southwest China through northern Vietnam to the Gulf of Tonkin...
. Hanoi is located at 1760 km (1,093.6 mi) north of
Ho Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
.
October 2010 officially marked 1000 years since the establishment of the city. On this occasion, Hanoi was named by Frommer's travel guide as one of the world's "Top Destinations 2010".
History
Hanoi has been inhabited since at least 3000 BC. One of the first known permanent settlements is the
Co Loa citadelCổ Loa Citadel is a citadel built near Phong Khe, about 20km to the North of today’s Hanoi, during the end of the Hồng Bàng Dynasty . The fortress is a spiral-shaped complex of the then new capital...
(Cổ Loa) founded around 200 BC.
Hanoi has had many names throughout history, all of them of Sino-Vietnamese origin. During the Chinese domination of Vietnam, it was known first as
Long Biên, then
Tống Bình ' onMouseout='HidePop("54284")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Liu_Song_Dynasty">Song
The Liu Song Dynasty , also known as Song Dynasty , Former Song , or Southern Song , was first of the four Southern Dynasties in China, succeeding the Eastern Jin Dynasty and followed by the Southern Qi Dynasty....
Peace") and
Long Đỗ . In 866, it was turned into a citadel and named
Đại La .
In 1010, Ly Thai To, the first ruler of the
Lý DynastyThe Lý Dynasty , sometimes known as the Later Lý Dynasty , was a Vietnamese dynasty that began in 1009 when Lý Thái Tổ overthrew the Prior Lê Dynasty and ended in 1225 when the queen Lý Chiêu Hoàng was forced to abdicate the throne in favor of her husband, Trần Cảnh. They ruled Vietnam for a...
, moved the capital of Đại Việt to the site of the Đại La Citadel. Claiming to have seen a dragon ascending the Red River, he renamed the site
Thăng Long - a name still used poetically to this day. Thăng Long remained the capital of Đại Việt until 1397, when it was moved to
Thanh HóaThanh Hóa is the capital city of Vietnam's Thanh Hoa province. The population is nearly 200,000 with an area of only 57.9 square kilometers....
, then known as Tây Đô , the "Western Capital". Thăng Long then became
Đông Đô , the "Eastern Capital."
In 1408, the Chinese
Ming DynastyThe Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
attacked and occupied Vietnam, changing Đông Đô's name to "Eastern Gateway" ,
Đông Quan in Vietnamese. In 1428, the Vietnamese overthrew the Chinese under the leadership of Lê Lợi, who later founded the
Lê DynastyThe Later Lê Dynasty , sometimes referred to as the Lê Dynasty was the longest-ruling dynasty of Vietnam, ruling the country from 1428 to 1788, with a brief interruption....
and renamed Đông Quan
Đông Kinh or
TonkinTonkin , also spelled Tongkin, Tonquin or Tongking, is the northernmost part of Vietnam, south of China's Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces, east of northern Laos, and west of the Gulf of Tonkin. Locally, it is known as Bắc Kỳ, meaning "Northern Region"...
. Right after the end of the
Tây Sơn DynastyThe name of Tây Sơn is used in many ways to refer to the period of peasant rebellions and decentralized dynasties established between the eras of the Later Lê and Nguyễn dynasties in the history of Vietnam between 1770 and 1802...
, it was named
Bắc Thành .
In 1802, when the Nguyễn Dynasty was established and moved the capital to
HuếHue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"...
, the old name Thăng Long was modified to become
Thăng Long . In 1831, the Nguyễn emperor
Minh MạngMinh Mạng was the second emperor of the Nguyễn Dynasty of Vietnam, reigning from 14 February 1820 until 20 January 1841. He was a younger son of Emperor Gia Long, whose eldest son, Crown Prince Canh, had died in 1801...
renamed it Hà Nội . Hanoi was occupied by the
FrenchThe French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
in 1873 and passed to them ten years later. As
Hanoï, it became the capital of
French IndochinaFrench Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
after 1887.
The city was occupied by the Japanese in 1940 and liberated in 1945, when it briefly became the seat of the
Viet MinhViệt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
government after
Ho Chi MinhHồ Chí Minh , born Nguyễn Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam...
proclaimed the independence of Vietnam. However, the French returned and reoccupied the city in 1946. After nine years of fighting between the French and Viet Minh forces, Hanoi became the capital of an independent North Vietnam in 1954.
During the
Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, Hanoi's transportation facilities were disrupted by the bombing of bridges and railways. These were all, however, promptly repaired. Following the end of the war, Hanoi became the capital of a reunified Vietnam when North and
South VietnamSouth Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
were reunited on July 2, 1976.
On May 29, 2008, it was decided that
Ha Tay ProvinceHà Tây is a former province of Vietnam, in the Red River Delta, now part of Hanoi. On May 29, 2008, it was decided that Ha Tay would merge with Hanoi province on August 1, 2008.- Geography :...
,
Vĩnh PhúcVĩnh Phúc is a province in the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam. It is divided into one city , one town , and seven districts:#Bình Xuyên#Lập Thạch#Tam Đảo#Tam Dương#Vĩnh Tường#Yên Lạc- Etymology :...
's
Mê LinhMê Linh is a rural district of Hanoi, formerly of Vinh Phuc province in the Red River Delta region of northern Vietnam....
district and 4 communes of Lương Sơn District,
Hoa BinhHòa Bình is a city in Vietnam. It is the capital of Hoa Binh province and is located 76 kilometres from Hanoi, a 5 kilometres from the Da River. The Battle of Hoa Binh was fought around the city in 1951-52 during the First Indochina War.-References:...
be merged into the metropolitan area of Hanoi from August 1, 2008. Hanoi's total area then increased to 334,470 hectares in 29 subdivisions with the new population being 6,232,940., effectively tripling its size. The Hanoi Capital Region , a metropolitan area covering Hanoi and 6 surrounding provinces under its administration, will have an area of 13,436 square kilometers with a population of 15 million by 2020.
Climate
Hanoi features a warm
humid subtropical climateA humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(
KöppenThe Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cwa) with plentiful precipitation. The city experiences the typical climate of northern Vietnam, where summers are hot and humid, and winters are, by national standards, relatively cool and dry. Summers, lasting from May to September, are hot and humid, receiving the majority of the annual 1680 millimetres (66.1 in) of rainfall. The winters are short, relatively dry, and mild, while spring can bring light rains.
Education
Hanoi, as the capital of French Indochina, was home to the first Western-style universities in Indochina, including:
Indochina Medical College (1902) - now
Hanoi Medical UniversityHanoi Medical University is the oldest university of Vietnam located in Hanoi. HMU was found in 1902 by French during the French colonisation under the name Indochina Medical College...
,
Indochina University (1904) - now Hanoi National University, and
École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts de L'Indochine (1925) - now
Hanoi University of Fine ArtHanoi University of Fine Arts is an art school in Hanoi, Vietnam. It was established under the French rule in 1925...
.
After the Communist Party took control over Hanoi in 1954 with support from the Soviet Union, many new universities were built, among them,
Hanoi University of TechnologyHanoi University of Science and Technology , founded 1956, is the first and largest technical university in Vietnam.- History :...
remains the largest technical university in Vietnam.
Hanoi is the largest centre of education in Vietnam. It is estimated that 62% of the scientists in the whole country are living and working in Hanoi. Admissions to undergraduate study are through entrance examinations, which are conducted annually and open for everyone (who has successfully completed his/her secondary education) in the country. The majority of universities in Hanoi are public, although in recent years a number of private universities have started their operation. Thăng Long University, founded in 1988, by some Vietnamese mathematics professors in Hanoi and France is the first private university in Vietnam.
Because many of Vietnam's major universities are located in Hanoi, students from other provinces (especially in the northern part of the country) wishing to enter university often travel to Hanoi for the annual entrance examination. Such events often take place in June and July, during which a large number of students and their families converge on the city for several weeks around this intense examination period. In recent years, these entrance exams have been centrally coordinated by the Ministry of Education, but passing marks are decided independently by each university.
Although there are state owned
kindergartenA kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
s, there are also many private ventures that serve both local and international needs. Pre-tertiary (elementary and secondary) schools in Hanoi are generally state run although there are some independent schools. Education is equivalent to the K–12 system in the US, with
elementary schoolA primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
between grades 1 and 5,
middle schoolMiddle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
(or junior high) between grades 6 and 9, and
high schoolHigh school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
from grades 10 to 12.
Landmarks
As the capital of Vietnam for almost a thousand years, Hanoi is considered one of the main cultural centres of Vietnam, where most Vietnamese dynasties have left their imprint. Even though some relics have not survived through wars and time, the city still has many interesting cultural and historic monuments for visitors and residents alike. Even when the nation's capital moved to Huế under the Nguyễn Dynasty in 1802, the city of Hanoi continued to flourish, especially after the French took control in 1888 and modeled the city's architecture to their tastes, lending an important aesthetic to the city's rich stylistic heritage. The city hosts more cultural sites than any city in Vietnam, and boasts more than 1,000 years of history, and that of the past few hundred years has been well preserved.
Old Quarter
The Old Quarter, near Hoan Kiem lake, has the original street layout and architecture of old Hanoi. At the beginning of the 20th century the city consisted of only about 36 streets, most of which are now part of the old quarter. Each street then had merchants and households specialized in a particular trade, such as silk traders, jewellery, etc. The street names nowadays still reflect these specializations, although few of them remain exclusively in their original commerce. The area is famous for its small artisans and merchants, including many silk shops. Local cuisine specialties as well as several clubs and bars can be found here also. A night market (near Đồng Xuân market) in the heart of the district opens for business every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening with a variety of clothing, souvenirs and food.
Some others prominent places are: The Temple of Literature (
Văn Miếu), site of the oldest university in Vietnam 1010;
One Pillar PagodaThe One Pillar Pagoda is a historic Buddhist temple in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. It is regarded alongside the Perfume Temple, as one of Vietnam's two most iconic temples.The temple was built by Emperor Lý Thái Tông, who ruled from 1028 to 1054...
(
Chùa Một Cột);
Flag Tower of HanoiThe Flag Tower of Hanoi is a tower in Hanoi, Vietnam, which is one of the symbols of the city and part of the Hanoi Citadel, a World Heritage Site...
(
Cột cờ Hà Nội). In 2004, a massive part of the 900 year old
Hanoi CitadelThe central old citadel of Hanoi was the former residence of Vietnamese monarchs dating back to Đại Việt, when the city was known as Thăng Long.- History :...
was discovered in central Hanoi, near the site of Ba Dinh Square.
Lakes
A city between the rivers, built from lowland, Hanoi has many scenic lakes and sometime is called "city of lakes". Among its lakes, the most famous are Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake, Halais Lake (
Hồ Thiền Quang in Vietnamese), and Bay Mau Lake. Hoan Kiem Lake, also known as Sword Lake, is the historical and cultural center of Hanoi, and is linked to the legend of the magic sword. West Lake (Hồ Tây) is a popular place for people to spend time. It is the largest lake in Hanoi and there are many temples in the area. There are small boats for hire and a floating restaurant.
Colonial Hanoi
Under French rule, as an administrative centre for the French colony of Indochina, the French colonial architecture style became dominant, many examples remain today: the tree-lined boulevards (e.g. Phan Dinh Phung street) and its many villas and mansions,
Grand Opera HouseThe Hanoi Opera House is an opera house in central Hanoi, Vietnam. It was erected by the French colonial administration between 1901 and 1911. It was modeled on the Palais Garnier, the older of Paris's two opera houses, and is considered to be one of the architectural landmarks of Hanoi.The Hanoi...
,
State Bank of VietnamThe State Bank of Vietnam is the central bank of Vietnam.-History:When French Indochina was under French rule, the colonial government governed the Indochinese monetary system through Indochinese Bank, which also acted as a commercial bank in French Indochina...
(formerly The Bank of Indochina),
Presidential PalaceThe Presidential Palace of Vietnam, located in the city of Hanoi, was built between 1900 and 1906 to house the French Governor-General of Indochina.- History :...
(formerly Palace of the Governor-General of French Indochina),
Saint Joseph CathedralSaint Joseph Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Hanoi, Vietnam. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hanoi. The church was built in 1886 in the neo-gothic style. It holds several masses throughout the day and is usually crowded on weekends and religious holidays. On...
, and the historic
Hotel MetropoleSofitel Metropole is a 5 star historic luxury hotel built in 1901 in the French colonial style. It is located at 15 Ngo Quyen Street in Hanoi, Vietnam. The hotel has a rich history and a century long tradition of welcoming ambassadors, writers, heads of state and entrepreneurs including Charlie...
. Many of the colonial structures are an eclectic mixture of French and traditional Vietnamese architectural styles, such as the National Museum of Vietnamese History, the Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts and the old Indochina Medical College.
Museums
Hanoi is also home to a number of museums:
- National Museum of Vietnamese History
The National Museum of Vietnamese History is located in the Hoan Kiem district of Hanoi, Vietnam.- History :...
- Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts
The Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts is located in Hanoi, Vietnam. It is a museum showcasing Vietnam's fine arts from every historical period.- External links :* *...
- Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is a museum in Hanoi, Vietnam, which focuses on the 54 officially recognized ethnic groups in Vietnam. It is located on a property in the Cầu Giấy District, about 8 km from the city center....
- Vietnam Museum of Revolution
The Vietnam Museum of Revolution is a museum in Hanoi, Vietnam.Located in the Tong Dan area of the city, it was established in August 1959 in a two-storey building, formerly used by the Trade Department of Vietnam...
- Hanoi Hilton
Hỏa Lò Prison, later sarcastically known to American prisoners of war as the "Hanoi Hilton", was a prison used by the French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners and later by North Vietnam for prisoners of war during the Vietnam War....
(Hoa Lo Prison)
- Ho Chi Minh Museum
The Ho Chi Minh Museum is located in Hanoi, Vietnam. It is a museum dedicated to the late Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam's revolutionary struggle against foreign powers. It was constructed in the 1990s.- External links :* *...
- Contemporary Arts Centre
The Contemporary Arts Centre is located in Hanoi, Vietnam that showcases modern Vietnamese art.- External links :*...
- Vietnam Military History Museum
The Viet Nam Military History Museum, set up on July 17, 1956, is one of seven national museums in Vietnam. It covers 12,800 m2. It is situated in central Hanoi, opposite the Lenin Park and near the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.Entrance is 20,000 VND....
- The Hanoi Museum (currently under construction until 2010)
Entertainment
A variety of options for entertainment in Hanoi can be found throughout the city. Modern and traditional theaters, cinemas, karaoke bars, dance clubs, bowling alleys, and an abundance of opportunities for shopping provide leisure activity for both locals and tourists. Hanoi has been named as one of the top 10 cities for shopping in Asia by Smart Travel Asia. The number of art galleries exhibiting Vietnamese art has dramatically increased in recent years, including galleries such as "Nhat Huy" of Huynh Thong Nhat.
A popular traditional form of entertainment is water puppetry, which is shown for example at the
Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre.
Shopping
With its rapid growth and extremely high
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
, several modern shopping centers have been built in Hanoi.
Major centers include:
- Trang Tien Plaza
Trang Tien plaza is a shopping center located in the downtown of Hanoi, Vietnam. The complex's construction began on April 30, 2000 when Vietnamese people celebrated 25th anniversary of The liberation of the south of Vietnam...
, Hoan KiemHoàn Kiếm is an urban district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, named after the scenic Hoan Kiem Lake.Hoan Kiem district is the downtown and commercial centre of Hanoi...
District
- Vincom City Towers, Ba Trieu Street, Hai Ba Trung District
- Ruby Plaza, 44 Le Ngoc Han Street, Hai Ba Trung District
- Parkson
Parkson is a popular department store company in Malaysia which offers items at a medium rate. Parkson was established in 1987 as one of the largest retail chains in Malaysia at that time...
Department Store, Tây Sơn Street, Viet Tower, Dong DaĐống Đa literally Banyan Heap is an urban district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam.-Administrative divisions:The district is divided into 21 wards .-Streets:...
District
- Big C Thăng Long Supercenter, Cau Giay
Cầu Giấy is an urban district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. The Battle of Cầu Giấy occurred here. Many urban areas are located in Cau Giay. Among them, Trung Hoa Nhan Chinh emerges as the new city's commercial center lying partly in the Southern part of the district...
District
- Metro AG
Metro AG is a diversified retail and wholesale/cash and carry group based in Düsseldorf, Germany. It has the largest market share in its home market, and is one of the most globalised retail and wholesale corporations. It is the fourth-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues . In English...
, Tu LiemTừ Liêm is a rural district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam....
District
- The Garden Mall, Me Tri - My Dinh
My Dinh is a commune in Tu Liem district, about north-west of central Hanoi, Vietnam. The area can be described as a middle class suburb with a population that includes many expatriate teachers who work in the local schools.-Sports:...
, Tu LiemTừ Liêm is a rural district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam....
District
- Vincom Shopping Galleries, Vincom Park Place, Hai Ba Trung District
- Ciputra Mall, Ciputra
Ciputra is an Indonesian businessman who owns Ciputra Development, a property companies in Indonesia, and Ciputra Group. Ciputra was the 30th richest Indonesian according to GlobeAsia Magazine, with a total of US$350 million...
urban area, Tay HoTây Hồ is an urban district of Hanoi the capital city of Vietnam, named after the West Lake nearby. VietJet AirAsia, a planned airline, has its headquarters on the fourth floor of the Flower Mansion in Tay Ho. Air Mekong maintains its Hanoi branch on the third floor of the Syrena Tower in Tay...
District (currently under construction)
- Yen So Shopping Mall, Hoang Mai
Hoang Mai is an urban district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam....
District (currently under construction)
Cuisine
Hanoi has rich food traditions and many of Vietnam's most famous dishes, such as
phởPHO may refer to:* Primary Health Organisation* Potentially hazardous object, an asteroid or comet that could potentially collide with Earth...
, chả cá, bánh cuốn and
cốmCOM is the original, yet still common, name of the serial port interface on IBM PC-compatible computers. It might not only refer to physical ports, but also to virtual ports, such as ports created by bluetooth or USB-to-Serial adapters....
are thought to come from Hanoi. Perhaps most widely known is Phở, a simple rice noodle soup often eaten as a breakfast dish in the home or at streetside cafes, but also served in restaurants as a meal. Two varieties dominate the Hanoi scene: Phở Bò, containing beef, and Phở Gà, containing chicken.
Hanoi has been selected as one of the top 10 cities for food in the world by Shermans Travel. Vietnam's national dish
PhởPHO may refer to:* Primary Health Organisation* Potentially hazardous object, an asteroid or comet that could potentially collide with Earth...
has been also named as one of the Top5 streetfood in the world by globalpost.
Hanoi has a restaurant about the insect food, in Khuong Thuong village, Hanoi. The most special cuisines at his restaurant are those processed from ant-eggs, in the styles of Thai people or Muong and Tay ethnic people in Vietnam.
Population
Hanoi's population is constantly growing (about 3.5% per year), a reflection of the fact that the city is both a major metropolitan area of Northern Vietnam, and also the country's political centre. This population growth also puts a lot of pressure onto the
infrastructureInfrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
, some of which is antiquated and dates back from the early 20th century.
The number of Hanoians who settled down for more than three generations is likely to be very small as compared to the overall population of the city. Even in the Old Quarter, where commerce started hundreds years ago and was mostly a family business, many of the street-front stores nowadays are owned by merchants and retailers from other provinces. The original owner family may have either rented out the store and moved to live further inside the house, or just moved out of the neighbourhood altogether. The pace of change has especially escalated after the abandonment of central-planning economic policies, and relaxing of the district-based household registrar system.
Hanoi's telephone numbers have been increased to 8 digits to cope with demand (October 2008). Subscribers telephone numbers have been changed in a haphazard way.
Transport
Hanoi is served by
Noi Bai International AirportNoi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is the largest in the north of the country. It is 28 miles from the city centre. The travel time from the city centre is 30–45 minutes.-Facilities:...
, located in the Soc Son District, approximately 40 km (24.9 mi) north of Hanoi. Noi Bai is the only international airport for the northern regions of Vietnam.
Hanoi will have additionally another international airport, which will cost $8 billion, being the highest foreign investment so far in the history of Vietnam. The construction will be carried out in three stages,the first phase will start in 2011 until 2015.
There are two main highways linking the airport and city. The route to the city via Thăng Long Bridge is more direct than Highway 1, which runs along the outskirts of the city. The main highways are shared by cars, motor scooters, with separate lanes by the side for bicycles. Taxis are plentiful and usually have trip meters, although it is also common to agree on the trip price before taking a taxi from airport to the city centre. Tourists also sometimes tour the city on
cyclosThe cycle rickshaw is a small-scale local means of transport; it is also known by a variety of other names such as velotaxi, pedicab, bikecab, cyclo, becak, trisikad, or trishaw or, simply, rickshaw which also refers to auto rickshaws, and the, now uncommon, rickshaws pulled by a person on foot...
especially in the Old Quarter.
Hanoi is also the origin departure point for many
Vietnam RailwaysThe railway system in Vietnam is operated by the state-owned Vietnam Railways . The principal route is the thousand-mile single track North-South Railway line, running between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. This was built at the metre gauge in the 1880s during the French colonial rule...
train routes in the country. The
Reunification ExpressThe Vietnam North-South Railway, also known as the Reunification Express, is a railway that runs from Ha Noi to Ho Chi Minh City. The total length of this railway is , with a gauge of metre gauge...
(tàu Thống Nhất) runs from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City from Hanoi station (formerly Hang Co station), with stops at cities and provinces along the line. Trains also depart Hanoi frequently for Hai Phong and other northern cities.
The main means of transport within the city are motorbikes, buses, taxis, and bicycles. Motorbikes remain the most common way to move around the city. Public buses run on many routes and fare can be purchased on the bus. For short trips, "xe ôm" (literally, "hug vehicle") motorcycle taxis are available where the passenger sits at the rear of a motorbike.
Economy
Hanoi has the highest
Human Development IndexThe Human Development Index is a composite statistic used to rank countries by level of "human development" and separate "very high human development", "high human development", "medium human development", and "low human development" countries...
among the cities in Vietnam.
According to a recent ranking by
PricewaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms....
, Hanoi will be the fastest growing city in the world in term of GDP growth from 2008 to 2025.
Industrial production in the city has experienced a rapid boom since the 1990s, with average annual growth of 19.1 percent from 1991–95, 15.9 percent from 1996–2000, and 20.9 percent during 2001–2003. In addition to eight existing industrial parks, Hanoi is building five new large-scale industrial parks and 16 small- and medium-sized industrial clusters. The non-state economic sector is expanding fast, with more than 48,000 businesses currently operating under the Enterprise Law (as of 3/2007).
Trade is another strong sector of the city. In 2003, Hanoi had 2,000 businesses engaged in foreign trade, having established ties with 161 countries and territories. The city's export value grew by an average 11.6 percent each year from 1996–2000 and 9.1 percent during 2001–2003. The economic structure also underwent important shifts, with
tourismTourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
,
finance"Finance" is often defined simply as the management of money or “funds” management Modern finance, however, is a family of business activity that includes the origination, marketing, and management of cash and money surrogates through a variety of capital accounts, instruments, and markets created...
, and banking now playing an increasingly important role.
Hanoi's business districts are traditionally
Hoan KiemHoàn Kiếm is an urban district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, named after the scenic Hoan Kiem Lake.Hoan Kiem district is the downtown and commercial centre of Hanoi...
and the neighborhood; and a newly developing
Trung Hoa Nhan ChinhTrung Hoà - Nhân Chính is an urban area in South Western Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. This borough is located in Trung Hoa ward, Cau Giay district and Nhan Chinh ward, Thanh Xuan district ,...
in the southwestern part.
Similar to
Ho Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
, Hanoi enjoys a rapidly developing
real estateIn general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
market. The metropolis's economy growth does not seem correlative to its infrastructure. Overloading population requires a much larger supply of accommodations, while the constructing celerities of both transport system and new urban areas are too low. Not surprisingly, as an effect of this problem, the
apartment and real estate fever occur severely during the time. More widespread, the fever even influences Ha Tay, the neighboring province, considered the future development space of the capital. The current most notable new urban areas are central Trung Hoa Nhan Chinh,
My DinhMy Dinh is a commune in Tu Liem district, about north-west of central Hanoi, Vietnam. The area can be described as a middle class suburb with a population that includes many expatriate teachers who work in the local schools.-Sports:...
, the luxurious zones of The Manor and Ciputra.
Agriculture, previously a pillar in Hanoi's economy, has striven to reform itself, introducing new high-yield plant varieties and livestock, and applying modern farming techniques.
Together with economic growth, Hanoi's appearance has also changed significantly, especially in recent years. Infrastructure is constantly being upgraded, with new roads and an improved public transportation system.
Sport centers
There are several gymnasiums and stadiums throughout the city of Ha Noi. The biggest ones are
My Dinh National StadiumMy Dinh National Stadium is a stadium in My Dinh commune, Tu Liem District, Hanoi, Vietnam, has a capacity of 40,192 seats and is the centerpiece of Vietnam's National Sports Complex...
(
Le Duc ThoLê Đức Thọ , born Phan Đình Khải in Ha Nam province, was a Vietnamese revolutionary, general, diplomat, and politician, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize jointly with United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in 1973, although he declined it....
Boulevard), Quan Ngua Sporting Palace (
Van CaoVăn Cao was a Vietnamese composer whose works include Tiến Quân Ca, which became the national anthem of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. He, along with Pham Duy and Trinh Cong Son, is widely considered one of the three most salient figures of modern Vietnamese music...
Avenue), Hanoi Water Sport Complex and My Dinh Indoor Athletics Gymnasium. The others include Ha Noi stadium (as known as Hang Day stadium).
The third Asian Indoor GamesThe 3rd Asian Indoor Games were held in Vietnam on 30 October – 8 November, 2009.-Emblem:The logo is the logical, scientific and proper combination of the features, both strong and flexible, of the typical motifs of sports games in Vietnam like the torch, the lotus and the symbol of the...
was held at Hanoi in 2009.
Health care and other facilities
Some medical facilities in Hanoi:
- Bach Mai Hospital
Bach Mai Hospital is a multi-field medical facility in Hanoi and is considered one of the largest in Vietnam. The hospital was established in 1911 during the French colonial rule. It played important role in the health system of Vietnam and is one of three high specialized medical centers,...
- Viet Duc Hospital
Viet Duc Hospital is the largest surgical center of Vietnam, situated at Trang Thi Street, Hanoi....
- Saint Paul Hospital
Saint Paul Hospital is a large multi-field medical complex situated in the central part of Hanoi - the capital of Vietnam. The hospital was founded during the French colonial rule in Indochina...
- 108 Hospital
108 Hospital, also known in many variations as Army Medical Institute 108, or Army Central Hospital 108 , is a hospital located at 1 Trần Hưng Đạo Street, in the Hoan Kiem district of Hanoi, Vietnam...
- L'Hôpital Français De Hanoï
The Hôpital Français de Hanoi , known in Vietnam under the name Bệnh viện Việt Pháp, formerly the Viet Nam International Hospital, is a privatised hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam, sold to a French company in September 2000. It is located at 1 Phuong Mai, Dong Da, Hanoi...
- International SOS
International SOS provides integrated medical, clinical, and security services to organisations with international operations. Services include planning and preventative programs, in-country expertise, and emergency response. It has 9,000 employees, led by 1,100 full-time physicians and 200...
Districts
Hanoi is divided into 10 inner districts, 1 town and 18 outer districts. ( Hà Đông has been transform to an inner district, and
Sơn TâySơn Tây is an urban district and city in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. It was the capital of Son Tay province before merging with Ha Dong province in 1965...
has been degraded to a town)
| Subdivisions of Hanoi |
| Provincial Cities/Districts | Wards | Area (km2) | Population |
| 1 town |
| Sơn Tây Sơn Tây is an urban district and city in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. It was the capital of Son Tay province before merging with Ha Dong province in 1965...
|
15 |
113.474 |
181,831 |
| 10 Urban Districts (Quận) |
| Ba Đình |
14 |
9.224 |
228,352 |
| Cầu Giấy Cầu Giấy is an urban district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. The Battle of Cầu Giấy occurred here. Many urban areas are located in Cau Giay. Among them, Trung Hoa Nhan Chinh emerges as the new city's commercial center lying partly in the Southern part of the district...
|
8 |
12.04 |
147,000 |
| Đống Đa Đống Đa literally Banyan Heap is an urban district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam.-Administrative divisions:The district is divided into 21 wards .-Streets:...
|
21 |
9.96 |
352,000 |
| Hai Bà Trưng |
20 |
14.6 |
378,000 |
| Hà Đông |
17 |
47.917 |
198,687 |
| Hoàn Kiếm Hoàn Kiếm is an urban district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, named after the scenic Hoan Kiem Lake.Hoan Kiem district is the downtown and commercial centre of Hanoi...
|
18 |
5.29 |
178,073 |
| Hoàng Mai Hoang Mai is an urban district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam....
|
14 |
41.04 |
216,277 |
| Long Biên Long Biên is an urban district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam.Vietnam Airlines has its headquarters in Long Bien....
|
14 |
60.38 |
170,706 |
| Tây Hồ Tây Hồ is an urban district of Hanoi the capital city of Vietnam, named after the West Lake nearby. VietJet AirAsia, a planned airline, has its headquarters on the fourth floor of the Flower Mansion in Tay Ho. Air Mekong maintains its Hanoi branch on the third floor of the Syrena Tower in Tay...
(West Lake) |
8 |
24 |
115,163 |
| Thanh Xuân Thanh Xuan is an urban district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam....
|
11 |
9.11 |
185,000 |
| Subtotal |
145 |
233.56 |
2,178,258 |
| 18 Rural Districts (Huyện) |
| Ba Vì Ba Vì is a rural district of Hanoi in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam....
|
31 + 1 town |
428.0 |
242,600 (1999) |
| Chương Mỹ Chương Mỹ is a district of Ha Noi in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam....
|
30 + 2 towns |
232.9 |
261,000 (1999) |
| Đan Phượng Đan Phượng is a district of Hanoi in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam....
|
15 + 1 town |
76.8 |
124,900 |
| Đông Anh Dong Anh is a district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam....
|
23 + 1 town |
182.3 |
276,750 |
| Gia Lâm Gia Lâm is a district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. Gia Lam Airport is located in the district. At one time Vietnam Airlines's headquarters were on the airport property....
|
20 + 2 towns |
114.0 |
205,275 |
| Hoài Đức Hoài Đức is a district huyện of Hanoi in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam....
|
19 + 1 town |
95.3 |
188,800 |
| Mê Linh Mê Linh is a rural district of Hanoi, formerly of Vinh Phuc province in the Red River Delta region of northern Vietnam....
|
16 + 2 towns |
141.26 |
187,536 (2008) |
| Mỹ Đức Mỹ Đức is a district of Hanoi in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam....
|
21 + 1 town |
230.0 |
167,700 (1999) |
| Phú Xuyên Phú Xuyên is a district of Ha Tay province in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam....
|
26 + 2 towns |
171.1 |
181,500 |
| Phúc Thọ Phúc Thọ is a district huyện of Hanoi, formerly of Ha Tay province in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam....
|
25 + 1 town |
113.2 |
154,800 (2001) |
| Quốc Oai Quốc Oai is a district of Hanoi in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam....
|
20 + 1 town |
136.0 (2001) |
146,700 (2001) |
| Sóc Sơn Sóc Sơn is a district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam.Noi Bai International Airport is located in this district....
|
25 + 1 town |
306.51 |
254,000 |
| Thạch Thất Thạch Thất is a district of Hanoi in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam....
|
22 + 1 town |
128.1 |
149,000 (2003) |
| Thanh Oai Thanh Oai is a rural district of Hanoi in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam.The village of Ước Lễ is famous for its chả lụa....
|
20 + 1 town |
129.6 |
142,600 (1999) |
| Thanh Trì (Green Ponds) |
15 + 1 town |
98.22 |
241,000 |
| Thường Tín Thường Tín is a district of Hanoi in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam....
|
28 + 1 town |
127.7 |
208,000 |
| Từ Liêm Từ Liêm is a rural district of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam....
|
15 + 1 town |
75.32 |
240,000 |
| Ứng Hòa Ứng Hòa is a district of Hanoi in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam....
|
28 + 1 town |
183.72 |
193,731 (2005) |
| Subtotal |
399 + 22 towns |
3,266.186 |
3,872,851 |
| Total |
559 + 22 towns |
3,344.47 |
6,232,940 |
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Hanoi is twinned with:
Hong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
AnkaraAnkara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
,
TurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
WarsawWarsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland
ToulouseToulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, France
BangkokBangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
,
ThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
Fukuoka Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....
, Japan
MoscowMoscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia
BeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
,
People's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
ManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
,
PhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
SeoulSeoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
,
South KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
Phnom PenhPhnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
,
CambodiaCambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
JakartaJakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
,
IndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
,(Start Since August 2011) Isfahan,
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
,(Start Since 4 August 2011)
See also
- Gioi Market
Giời Markets, or Trời Markets, is the name of the site of the Hoa Binh Fair, Hanoi, Việt Nam. This is where a full range of trade goods are sold, from the smallest such as nails and batteries to large items such as motors, electronic goods and refrigeration equipment.-History:According to some...
- Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
- List of historical capitals of Vietnam
External links