Country Vietnam Capital Hòa Bình Area codes 218 Area 4,662 km² Area code 218 | Region Northwest Time zone ICT (UTC+7) Website www.hoabinh.gov.vn Population 808,200 (1 Jul 2013) ISO 3166 code Vietnam | |
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Points of interest Cúc Phương National, Đền Chúa Thác Bờ, Chùa Tiên, Thác Thăng Thiên, Chieu Cave Destinations Mai Châu District, Cúc Phương National, Kim Bôi District, Ba Vì National Park, Hòa Bình | ||
Hòa Bình ([hwâː ɓîŋ]) is a mountainous province of Vietnam, located in the nation's Northwest region. It borders Phú Thọ Province and Sơn La Province to the northwest, Hanoi to the northeast, Hà Nam Province to the east, Ninh Bình Province to the southeast and Thanh Hóa Province to the south. In 2004, the GDP per capita of the province was estimated to be $228 (equivalent to 3.6 million Vietnamese đồng).
Contents
Map of Hoa Binh, Vietnam
Administrative divisions
Hòa Bình is subdivided into 11 district-level sub-divisions:
They are further subdivided into 11 commune-level towns (or townlets), 191 communes, and 8 wards.
The People's Council of Hòa Bình Province decided in February 2006 making Hòa Bình the capital of the province.
History
Hòa Bình Province was created on June 22, 1886 following the decree of Tonkin with the name Mường Province, splitting Muong majority areas from Hung Hoa Province, Sơn Tây Province, Hanoi and Ninh Bình Province. Its name derives from the Sino-Vietnamese 和平, meaning "peace."
The province was administered from Chợ Bờ (in Đà Bắc District) hence it was also known as Chợ Bờ Province, until it November of the same year, it was relocated to Phương Lâm District (today in Bất Bạt District, Hà Tây Province). In April 1888 it was renamed to "Phuong Lam Province", by the French colonial authorities.
On March 18, 1891 the Governor-General of French Indochina decreed that the name of the province would change to Hòa Bình Province with six districts: Lương Sơn, Kỳ Sơn, Lạc Sơn, Lạc Thủy, Mai Châu and Đà Bắc.
Demographics
Muong (63.4%) is the major ethnic group of the Hòa Bình Province, followed by Kinh (27.7%).