Quang Tri Province
Encyclopedia
Quảng Trị is a province
on the North Central Coast
of Vietnam
, north of the former imperial capital of Huế
.
on the west, and the East Sea on the east, with 75 kilometres (46.6 mi) of seaside. Except for the narrow piedmont coastal plains, the terrain is dominated by hills and the Annamite Mountains. The highlands, characterized by steep slopes, sharp crests, and narrow valleys, are covered mainly by a dense broadleaf evergreen forest. Most of the peaks are from 4000 feet (1,219.2 m) to 7000 feet (2,133.6 m) feet high, but some rise above 8000 feet (2,438.4 m). The narrow coastal plains flanking the highlands on the east are compartmented by rocky headlands and consist of belts of sand dunes and, in areas where the soil is suitable, rice fields.
From the crests that mark the drainage divide in the highlands, streams flow either east towards the South China Sea or west into Laos or Cambodia. Those flowing eastward are swift and follow short courses through deep narrow valleys over rocky bottoms until they reach the coastal plains, where they slow down and disperse over silty and sandy bottoms. The westward flowing streams follow longer traces, sometimes through deep canyons, other times through poorly drained valleys that, like the coastal plains in the east, are subject to seasonal flooding. Its topography consists of mountains, hills, plains, sand dunes and beaches. The long coast and complex network of rivers includes the Ben Hai, Cam Lo, Quang Tri, and Thach Han rivers offering a good potential for hydroelectricity production and aquaculture. The weather features a wide range of temperatures and rainfall, with hot and dry south-west winds during the Southwest Monsoon (May through September), and much cooler wet weather during the rainy season (November to mid-March). Annual average temperature is 24 °C (75.2 °F), but temperatures can drop as low as 7 °C (44.6 °F) during the rainy season.
Area
4760.1 square kilometres (1,837.9 sq mi)
Population
625,800 inhabitants (2006)
Capital
Dong Ha Town.
Administrative divisions
), speaking a Malayo-Polynesian language, and culturally distinct from the Vietnamese to the north along the Red River. The Qin conquered parts of present day Central Vietnam at the end of the 3rd century BCE, and administered the indigenous peoples of the area through a commandery, Rinan, for several centuries. A rebellion by the Cham in the 2nd century CE overthrew Chinese control and reestablished local government. 136 Beginning in the 14th and 15th centuries, the Chams were defeated in the area by Vietnamese armies, and ethnic Vietnamese gradually displaced or absorbed those Chams
who had not fled. Over time a distinct Vietnamese dialectical and cultural subgroup developed in the area. The region was seized by the French by 1874 and became part of French Indochina in 1887 as the Annam protectorate.
Upon the division of Vietnam in 1954 into North and South, Quang Tri became the northernmost province of the Republic of Vietnam. Starting in 1964, the province gradually became a center for American bases, particularly after October 1966, when the 3rd Marine Division moved to bases just south of the demilitarized zone. In 1966, North Vietnamese forces also began occupying the northern region and pushing deeper into the province. The provincial capital, Quang Tri City, was overrun and occupied briefly by Communist troops in April, 1967, and was a principle battleground during the 1968 Tet Offensive when it was again overrun by North Vietnamese troops and held for a short period before being recaptured by South Vietnamese government and U.S. forces. The well known Battle of Khe Sanh
(1968) was a part of the North's steady efforts to occupy the whole of the province.
After Khe Sanh was evacuated in July 1968, the North Vietnamese continued their efforts to take the entire province. The most notable achievement of the North Vietnamese offensive in 1972 was capturing Quang Tri (First Battle of Quảng Trị), though they lost much of the territory gained during the South Vietnamese counteroffensive June through September, 1972 (Second Battle of Quang Tri). With South Vietnamese forces unable to hold the province during the final North Vietnamese offensive of the war (Ho Chi Minh Campaign
), the entire province fell to North Vietnamese forces in March, 1975.
After Quang Tri fell, the North Vietnamese Provisional Revolutionary Government laid its authority over the province. Collective farms were set up and strict rules instilled by the Viet Cong were forced on the villagers, many of whom eventually fled. According to Gary D. Murfin, one of the lead writers to have done a survey on Vietnamese refugees after 1975, the province was an area of particularly dense Catholic concentration, many of whom were anti-communist. He estimated that 41% fled the area in fear of Viet Cong reprisals, 37% feared fighting, shelling, and bombing, and others fled because they were a family related to a Nationalist soldier, or were at one point landowners. Today, the province is largely agricultural and rural.
The provincial capital of Quang Tri is Dong Ha
. Another notable town is Quang Tri, a new settlement built across the Thach Han River from the former provincial capital, Quang Tri City, which was destroyed during the war.
In 2000, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) paid the first visit to Quang Tri and in 2001, VVMF cooperated with Quang Tri Province People’s Committee (PPC) to embark on a comprehensive and integrated approach to address the problem of ERW. As a result, in August 2001, Project RENEW, Restoring the Environment and Neutralizing the Effects of the War - was established. This effort harnesses the resources and good will of international NGOs and donors to bring skills and technology needed by the Vietnamese. The urgency and the dedication shown by the citizens of Quang Tri Province merit generous support from a concerned international community. Since its inception, Project RENEW has received positive appreciation from the local people, Vietnamese government authorities and the international Mine Action through an effective implementation of a combination of programs: Mine Risk Education, Mine Victims Assistance, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) clearance teams, Information Coordination and Post-Clearance Support.
In 2000, Clear Path International
(CPI) was still working to remove unexploded ordnance
left by the United States
in Quang Tri Province. This was at the time the largest unexploded ordnance removal effort by an NGO in Vietnam's history. CPI continues to operate in Quang Tri, providing victim assistance to those injured by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO).
In 2006, Mines Advisory Group
(MAG) continues to operate in Quang Tri (and neighbouring Quang Binh) province, providing the only civilian staffed demining and UXO clearance operations in Vietnam.
The city of Đông Hà and the town of Quảng Trị
are also separate municipalities.
also runs west-east of this province and has a junction with national road 1A. Hanoi-Saigon Railway
goes through Quang Tri. Quang Tri Airport
will be built 7 km north of Dong Ha
.
Provinces of Vietnam
Vietnam is divided into 58 provinces and five centrally governed cities existing at the same level as provinces ....
on the North Central Coast
Bac Trung Bo
Bắc Trung Bộ is one of the regions of Vietnam. It consists of six provinces: Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên-Huế...
of Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – 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 –...
, north of the former imperial capital of Huế
Hue
Hue 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,"...
.
Geography
Located in North Central Vietnam, Quang Tri Province is surrounded by Quang Binh Province on the north, Thua Thien-Hue Province on the south, Savannakhet Province of LaosLaos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
on the west, and the East Sea on the east, with 75 kilometres (46.6 mi) of seaside. Except for the narrow piedmont coastal plains, the terrain is dominated by hills and the Annamite Mountains. The highlands, characterized by steep slopes, sharp crests, and narrow valleys, are covered mainly by a dense broadleaf evergreen forest. Most of the peaks are from 4000 feet (1,219.2 m) to 7000 feet (2,133.6 m) feet high, but some rise above 8000 feet (2,438.4 m). The narrow coastal plains flanking the highlands on the east are compartmented by rocky headlands and consist of belts of sand dunes and, in areas where the soil is suitable, rice fields.
From the crests that mark the drainage divide in the highlands, streams flow either east towards the South China Sea or west into Laos or Cambodia. Those flowing eastward are swift and follow short courses through deep narrow valleys over rocky bottoms until they reach the coastal plains, where they slow down and disperse over silty and sandy bottoms. The westward flowing streams follow longer traces, sometimes through deep canyons, other times through poorly drained valleys that, like the coastal plains in the east, are subject to seasonal flooding. Its topography consists of mountains, hills, plains, sand dunes and beaches. The long coast and complex network of rivers includes the Ben Hai, Cam Lo, Quang Tri, and Thach Han rivers offering a good potential for hydroelectricity production and aquaculture. The weather features a wide range of temperatures and rainfall, with hot and dry south-west winds during the Southwest Monsoon (May through September), and much cooler wet weather during the rainy season (November to mid-March). Annual average temperature is 24 °C (75.2 °F), but temperatures can drop as low as 7 °C (44.6 °F) during the rainy season.
Area
4760.1 square kilometres (1,837.9 sq mi)
Population
625,800 inhabitants (2006)
Capital
Dong Ha Town.
Administrative divisions
- Town: Quang Tri
- Districts: Vinh Linh, Gio Linh, Cam Lo, Trieu Phong, Hai Lang, Huong Hoa, Da Krong, Con Co.
History
In the immediate prehistorical period, the lowlands of Quang Tri and Central Vietnam as a whole were occupied by Cham peoples (ChampaChampa
The kingdom of Champa was an Indianized kingdom that controlled what is now southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.The Cham people are remnants...
), speaking a Malayo-Polynesian language, and culturally distinct from the Vietnamese to the north along the Red River. The Qin conquered parts of present day Central Vietnam at the end of the 3rd century BCE, and administered the indigenous peoples of the area through a commandery, Rinan, for several centuries. A rebellion by the Cham in the 2nd century CE overthrew Chinese control and reestablished local government. 136 Beginning in the 14th and 15th centuries, the Chams were defeated in the area by Vietnamese armies, and ethnic Vietnamese gradually displaced or absorbed those Chams
Champa
The kingdom of Champa was an Indianized kingdom that controlled what is now southern and central Vietnam from approximately the 7th century through to 1832.The Cham people are remnants...
who had not fled. Over time a distinct Vietnamese dialectical and cultural subgroup developed in the area. The region was seized by the French by 1874 and became part of French Indochina in 1887 as the Annam protectorate.
Upon the division of Vietnam in 1954 into North and South, Quang Tri became the northernmost province of the Republic of Vietnam. Starting in 1964, the province gradually became a center for American bases, particularly after October 1966, when the 3rd Marine Division moved to bases just south of the demilitarized zone. In 1966, North Vietnamese forces also began occupying the northern region and pushing deeper into the province. The provincial capital, Quang Tri City, was overrun and occupied briefly by Communist troops in April, 1967, and was a principle battleground during the 1968 Tet Offensive when it was again overrun by North Vietnamese troops and held for a short period before being recaptured by South Vietnamese government and U.S. forces. The well known Battle of Khe Sanh
Battle of Khe Sanh
The Battle of Khe Sanh was conducted in northwestern Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam , between 21 January and 9 July 1968 during the Vietnam War...
(1968) was a part of the North's steady efforts to occupy the whole of the province.
After Khe Sanh was evacuated in July 1968, the North Vietnamese continued their efforts to take the entire province. The most notable achievement of the North Vietnamese offensive in 1972 was capturing Quang Tri (First Battle of Quảng Trị), though they lost much of the territory gained during the South Vietnamese counteroffensive June through September, 1972 (Second Battle of Quang Tri). With South Vietnamese forces unable to hold the province during the final North Vietnamese offensive of the war (Ho Chi Minh Campaign
Ho Chi Minh Campaign
The Hồ Chí Minh Campaign was the final title applied to a series of increasingly large-scale and ambitious offensive operations by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam which began on 13 December 1974...
), the entire province fell to North Vietnamese forces in March, 1975.
After Quang Tri fell, the North Vietnamese Provisional Revolutionary Government laid its authority over the province. Collective farms were set up and strict rules instilled by the Viet Cong were forced on the villagers, many of whom eventually fled. According to Gary D. Murfin, one of the lead writers to have done a survey on Vietnamese refugees after 1975, the province was an area of particularly dense Catholic concentration, many of whom were anti-communist. He estimated that 41% fled the area in fear of Viet Cong reprisals, 37% feared fighting, shelling, and bombing, and others fled because they were a family related to a Nationalist soldier, or were at one point landowners. Today, the province is largely agricultural and rural.
The provincial capital of Quang Tri is Dong Ha
Dong Ha
Đông Hà is the capital town of Quang Tri province, Vietnam. It is located at around . Dong Ha is situated at the crossroads of National Highway 1A and Route 9, part of the East-West Economic Corridor . It lies on the Reunification Express Railway and is served by Dong Ha Railway Station...
. Another notable town is Quang Tri, a new settlement built across the Thach Han River from the former provincial capital, Quang Tri City, which was destroyed during the war.
Aftermath of the war
Over three decades after the war ended, Quang Tri Province is still affected by explosive remnants of war (ERW) which has killed and injured over 7,000 people (1.2% of its total population) since 1975. Recently released was a final report of ERW and landmine contamination based on results of an impact assessment and rapid technical response project known as the Landmine Impact Survey (LIS), conducted by the Technology Centre for Bomb and Mine Disposal (BOMICEN) of the Ministry of Defense, and the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF). The survey results indicated that out of six provinces in central Vietnam, Quang Tri Province has the highest levels of ERW contamination: approximately 83.8% of the total land area is affected by ERW. These and many other findings indicate that more than three decades after the war ended, ERW still remain a major threat to the safety of local people in their daily activities, and an obstacle to socio-economic development.In 2000, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) paid the first visit to Quang Tri and in 2001, VVMF cooperated with Quang Tri Province People’s Committee (PPC) to embark on a comprehensive and integrated approach to address the problem of ERW. As a result, in August 2001, Project RENEW, Restoring the Environment and Neutralizing the Effects of the War - was established. This effort harnesses the resources and good will of international NGOs and donors to bring skills and technology needed by the Vietnamese. The urgency and the dedication shown by the citizens of Quang Tri Province merit generous support from a concerned international community. Since its inception, Project RENEW has received positive appreciation from the local people, Vietnamese government authorities and the international Mine Action through an effective implementation of a combination of programs: Mine Risk Education, Mine Victims Assistance, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) clearance teams, Information Coordination and Post-Clearance Support.
In 2000, Clear Path International
Clear Path International
Clear Path International is a non-profit organization based in the United States. The organization assists civilian victims of war in post-conflict zones. This assistance takes the form of direct medical and social services to survivors and their families as well as equipment support to hospitals...
(CPI) was still working to remove unexploded ordnance
Unexploded ordnance
Unexploded ordnance are explosive weapons that did not explode when they were employed and still pose a risk of detonation, potentially many decades after they were used or discarded.While "UXO" is widely and informally used, munitions and explosives of...
left by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in Quang Tri Province. This was at the time the largest unexploded ordnance removal effort by an NGO in Vietnam's history. CPI continues to operate in Quang Tri, providing victim assistance to those injured by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO).
In 2006, Mines Advisory Group
Mines Advisory Group
The Mines Advisory Group is a Non-Governmental Organisation , which assists people affected by landmines, unexploded ordnance and SALW ....
(MAG) continues to operate in Quang Tri (and neighbouring Quang Binh) province, providing the only civilian staffed demining and UXO clearance operations in Vietnam.
Administrative divisions
Quảng Trị is divided into eight districts:- Cam LộCam LoCam Lộ is a rural district of Quang Tri province in the North Central Coastal region of Vietnam. As of 2003 the district had a population of 46,231. The district covers an area of 347 km²...
- Cồn CỏCon CoCồn Cỏ is a rural district of Quang Tri province in the North Central Coastal region of Vietnam.It is an island and is located 27 km to the east of Mũi Lay 27 km, at 17°10' North and 107°21' East of Greenwich...
- Đa Krông
- Gio LinhGio LinhGio Linh is a rural district of Quang Tri province in the North Central Coastal region of Vietnam. Gio Linh borders Vinh Linh to the north, Dong Ha to the south. The planned Quang Tri Airport will be constructed in this district. As of 2003 the district had a population of . The district covers...
- Hải LăngHai LangHải Lăng is a rural district of Quang Tri province in the North Central Coastal region of Vietnam. As of 2003 the district had a population of 100,854. The district covers an area of 491 km². The district capital lies at Hai Lang....
- Hướng HóaHuong HoaHướng Hóa is a rural district of Quang Tri province in the North Central Coastal region of Vietnam. As of 2003 the district had a population of 69,003. The district covers an area of 1,145 km². The district capital lies at Khe Sanh...
- Triệu PhongTrieu PhongTriệu Phong is a district of Quang Tri Province in the North Central Coastal region of Vietnam. As of 2003 the district had a population of 106,507. The district covers an area of 355 km². The district capital lies at Ai Tu....
- Vĩnh LinhVinh LinhVĩnh Linh is a rural district of Quang Tri province in the North Central Coastal region of Vietnam. A coastal district, it is bordered to the east by the South China Sea, to the north by Lệ Thủy District and Quang Binh province and Gio Linh to the north.-Administrative divisions:The district is...
The city of Đông Hà and the town of Quảng Trị
Quang Tri
Quảng Trị is a town district of Quang Tri province in the North Central Coastal region of Vietnam. Significantly, it was the only South Vietnamese provincial capital to be captured by the North Vietnamese forces for a limited period in the 1972 offensive....
are also separate municipalities.
Non-Governmental Organizations
Currently, there are many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in Quang Tri. One of the biggest problems which they are focusing on is the explosive remnants of war (ERW). Below is the list of NGOs who are very active in helping Quang Tri Province to deal with this problem:- Project RENEW "Restoring the Environment and Neutralizing the Effects of the War"
- Clear Path InternationalClear Path InternationalClear Path International is a non-profit organization based in the United States. The organization assists civilian victims of war in post-conflict zones. This assistance takes the form of direct medical and social services to survivors and their families as well as equipment support to hospitals...
(CPI) - PeaceTrees Vietnam (PTVN)
- Mine Advisory Group (MAG)
Transportation
The National Road 1A runs north-south of this province. Vietnam-Laos roadNational Road 9 (Vietnam)
National Route 9 runs across Vietnam roughly in line with the 17th Parallel. The route includes two segments. The segment called National Route 9A begins at Dong Ha and ends at Lao Bảo on the Vietnam-Laos border and is entirely within Quang Tri Province...
also runs west-east of this province and has a junction with national road 1A. Hanoi-Saigon Railway
North-South Railway, Vietnam
The 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...
goes through Quang Tri. Quang Tri Airport
Quang Tri Airport
Quang Tri Airport is a military/civil planned to be constructed in the province of Quảng Trị, Vietnam, around 560 km south of Hanoi....
will be built 7 km north of Dong Ha
Dong Ha
Đông Hà is the capital town of Quang Tri province, Vietnam. It is located at around . Dong Ha is situated at the crossroads of National Highway 1A and Route 9, part of the East-West Economic Corridor . It lies on the Reunification Express Railway and is served by Dong Ha Railway Station...
.