Hoa Binh Province:
Hoa Binh Province, located in the Northwestern region of Vietnam, is a mountainous province. It ranks 29th in terms of area among the 63 provinces and municipalities in Vietnam. In 2018, it was the 49th most populous administrative unit in Vietnam.
During that year, Hoa Binh Province ranked 47th in terms of Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), 30th in terms of per capita GRDP, and 20th in terms of GRDP growth rate. With a population of 846.1 thousand, its GRDP reached 40,867 billion Vietnamese Dong (equivalent to 1.7749 billion USD). The per capita GRDP was 48.3 million Vietnamese Dong (equivalent to 2,098 USD), and the GRDP growth rate was 8.36%.
Coordinates 20°19′ – 21°08′ north latitude and 104°48′ – 105°40′ east longitude define the boundaries of Hoa Binh Province, situated in the southern part of the Northern region.. Its capital city, Hoa Binh City, is located 73 km from the center of the capital city, Hanoi.
Geography of Hoa Binh Province:
Similar to Ninh Binh and Thanh Hoa, Hoa Binh province is located at the border of three regions: Northwest, Red River Delta, and North Central Coast of Vietnam.
The geographical position of Hoa Binh province is as follows:
- The north borders Phu Tho province.
- The east borders Ha Nam province, Ninh Binh province, and the capital city, Hanoi.
- The west borders Son La province.
- The south borders Thanh Hoa province.
The extreme points of Hoa Binh province are as follows:
- The northernmost point is located in Nanh Nghê hamlet, Đà Bắc district.
- The westernmost point is located in Cun Pheo commune, Mai Chau district.
- The easternmost point is located in Đồng Tâm hamlet, Đồng Mối village, Lạc Thủy district.
- The southernmost point is located in Hổ hamlet, Ngọc Lương commune, Yên Thủy district.
The province’s natural area covers 4,662.5 km², accounting for 1.41% of Vietnam’s total natural area.
Hoa Binh is a mountainous province that borders the western region of the Red River Delta. It has a moderately mountainous terrain, complex and rugged, with steep slopes in the northwest-southeast direction. The province is divided into two regions: the high mountainous region in the northwest with an average elevation of 600-700 meters, covering an area of 212,740 hectares (44.8% of the total area), and the low mountainous region in the southeast with an area of 262,202 hectares (55.2% of the total area). The low mountainous region consists of low mountain ranges with minimal fragmentation, with average slopes ranging from 20-250 and average elevations ranging from 100-200 meters.
In addition, the province has a relatively evenly distributed system of rivers and streams, including major rivers such as the Da River, Ma River, Buoi River, Lang River, and Bui River.
Economy:
Hoa Binh province had a successful year in 2022, with positive outcomes across various sectors. Economic indicators showed notable improvements compared to 2021. Specifically, the province’s total product surpassed 32,680 billion dong, with the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) growing at a rate of 9.03%. Within this growth, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries experienced a 4.57% increase, while industry and construction saw a remarkable growth of 11.44% (with industry alone expanding by 13.69%). Additionally, services flourished with an 11.08% increase, while product taxes declined by 2.01%. The economic structure within the GRDP was characterized by agriculture, forestry, and fisheries contributing 22.71%, industry and construction accounting for 38.97%, services comprising 33.18%, and product taxes representing 5.14%.
Agriculture, forestry, fishery:
The agricultural, forestry, and fisheries production value reached 12,483 billion VND, representing a 4.5% increase compared to the previous year. Additionally, 8 more communes have achieved the new rural development standards, bringing the total number of standardized communes in the province to 73, with an average of 16 criteria per commune. Moreover, the construction and development of 23 OCOP products have raised the province’s total number of OCOP products to 123. The industrial production index is estimated to have increased by 16% compared to the same period last year, with a production value of 42,036 billion VND, marking a 15.04% increase compared to the previous year.
Retail sales of goods and services revenue:
The total retail sales of goods and revenue from services reached 53,485 billion VND, indicating a 20.27% increase compared to the same period last year. Furthermore, the export turnover is projected to reach 1,437.2 million USD, reflecting an 18% increase, while the import turnover is estimated at 1,097.7 million USD, representing a 12% increase compared to the previous year. Moreover, the estimated total state budget revenue in the area is 6,410 billion VND, with a growth rate of over 14%. Additionally, the local budget revenue is expected to reach 17,378 billion VND, showing a 21% increase compared to the same period last year.
Business activities:
The total capital of credit institutions reached 38,950 billion VND, marking a 16.1% increase. The investment capital implemented in the area reached 18,410 billion VND. The consumer price index in December decreased by 0.31% compared to the previous month but increased by 2.55% compared to the same period last year. There were 75 domestic investment projects approved for investment proposals, with a total registered capital of approximately 35,000 billion VND. As of the end of 2022, the province had a total of 729 active projects. Moreover, there were 465 newly registered businesses with a total registered capital of around 10,000 billion VND.
Social:
Residential:
In 1999, Hoa Binh province in Vietnam had a population of 854,131 people. It was home to six main ethnic groups: the Muong, accounting for 63.3%; the Kinh, accounting for 27.73%; the Thai, accounting for 3.9%; the Dao, accounting for 1.7%; the Tay, accounting for 2.7%; and the Mong, accounting for 0.52%. Additionally, there were also ethnic Chinese and other minority groups living in the province.
The Muong people consider Hoa Binh, one of the nine provinces in Vietnam where the Kinh people are not the majority, as their capital. The Muong are culturally and socially closely related to the Kinh. They live alongside the Kinh and other ethnic groups in the province.
The Kinh:
The Kinh people are scattered throughout the province, with many migrating to Hoa Binh since the 1960s. In recent years, cultural and economic exchanges have attracted many Kinh people from other provinces to settle and do business in Hoa Binh.
The Thai
The Thai people mainly reside in Mai Chau district. Despite the long-standing influence of the Muong people, the Thai have preserved their unique cultural characteristics. This is a valuable asset for developing tourism and preserving traditional culture. Ban Lac tourist area is an attractive destination in the province.
The Tay
The Tay people mainly live in Da Bac district, coexisting with the Muong and Dao people. And the Tay have many customs and cultural similarities to the Thai, especially in language. However, in terms of attire, the Tay in Da Bac resemble the White Thai people in Phu Yen and Bac Yen districts of Son La province.
The Dao
The Dao people live in Da Bac, Luong Son, Kim Boi, Cao Phong, and Hoa Binh City. The Hmong people predominantly reside in Hang Kia and Pa Co villages in Mai Chau district. These two ethnic groups used to be nomadic, but have transitioned to a settled lifestyle and achieved significant socioeconomic development.
With its ethnic diversity and proximity to the Red River Delta, only about 80-100 km from Hanoi, combined with beautiful landscapes, Hoa Binh province has great potential for tourism development.
Religion:
As of April 1, 2019, the province had a total of 35,836 people practicing seven different religions. Catholicism was the most common religion with 27,660 followers, followed by Buddhism with 2,120 followers. The remaining religions include Islam, Protestantism, Hoa Hao Buddhism, Caodaism, and Buu Son Ky Huong.
