Hoa Binh Province

Infobox province of Vietnam
Name = Hòa Bình
Meaning = Peace


Council Chair = Bùi Văn Tỉnh
Committee Chair = Trần Lưu Hải
Capital = Hòa Bình
Region = Northwest
Area = 4,662.5
Population = 803,300
Population year = 2004
Population density = 172.3
Ethnicities = Vietnamese, Mường, Thai, Tày, Dao
Calling code = 18
ISO code = VN-14
Website =www.hoabinh.gov.vn

Hòa Bình is a mountainous province of Vietnam, located in the nation's northwestern region. It borders Phu Tho Province and Son La Province to the northwest, Ha Noi city to the north and northeast, Ha Nam Province to the southeast, Ninh Binh Province to the south and Thanh Hoa Province to the south. In 2004, the GDP per capita of the province was estimated to be US$228 (equivalent to 3.6 million Vietnamese dong).

Districts

Hòa Bình is divided into one city (Hòa Bình) and ten districts:

*Cao Phong
*Đà Bắc
*Kim Bôi
*Kỳ Sơn
*Lạc Sơn
*Lạc Thủy
*Lương Sơn
*Mai Châu
*Tân Lạc
*Yên Thủy

The People's Council of Hòa Bình Province decided in February 2006 making Hoa Binh the capital of the province.

History

Hòa Bình Province was created in June 22, 1886 following the decree of Tonkin with the name "Mường Province", splitting Muong majority areas from Hung Hoa Province, Sơn Tây Province, Hà Nội Province and Ninh Binh Province. Its name derives from the Sino-Vietnamese , meaning "peace."

The province was administered from Chợ Bờ (in Đà Bắc) 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 "Phương Lâm 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.

External links

* [http://www.activetravelvietnam.com/city/hoabinh_maichau.html Hoa Binh information]