Binh Dinh Overview

Situated in South Central Coast, Binh Dinh has the favorable location and the natural conditions to develop socio-economy. The famous martial land has the abundant natural landscapes and rich cultural history, the land rich tourism potential.

Binh Dinh province is located in the South Central Coast Vietnam. The administrative center of the province is Quy Nhon city located about 1065km far from Hanoi to the North and about 649km away from Ho Chi Minh City the South.

Geography

Geographical location: The territory of Binh Dinh province stretches 110km from the North to South with the average narrow width of 55km (the narrowest place is 50km; the largest place is 60km). The province is adjacent Quang Ngai province to the north with the 63km common boundary (the northernmost point coordinates: 14°42'10 north latitude, 108°55'4 east longitude). The south of the province is Phu Yen province with the 50km common boundary (the southernmost point coordinates: 13 ° 39'10 north latitude, 108°54'00 east longitude). Bordering the Gia Lai province has 130 km common boundary (the westernmost point coordinates: 14 ° 27 ' north latitude, 108 ° 27' east longitude). The East adjacent to the East Sea with a coastline of 134 km, the easternmost point is Nhon Chau commune (Cu Lao Xanh) in the Qui Nhon city (coordinates: 13 ° 36'33 north latitude, 109 ° 21 'east longitude). Binh Dinh is considered as one of the sea gateways to the Central Highlands and the South of Laos.

Terrain: Terrain in Binh Dinh is relatively complex, gradually low from the west to the east. The west of the province is the mountainous eastern edge of Truong Son range, followed by the midland and the coastal zone. The common types of terrain are the high mountains, low hills and narrow valleys around 100m high. The delta basin and coastal plain are divided by the mountain branch crashing into the sea.

Climate: Binh Dinh has the humid tropical monsoon climate. Due to the complexity of terrain, the monsoon coming to the mainland has been changed the direction and the intensity. The average temperature in the mountainous area is from 20,1 - 26,1°C/year, the highest temperature is 31,7°C and the lowest is 16,5°C. In the coastal area, the average temperature is 27,0°C/year. The rainy season starts from September to December and the dry season lasts from January to August.

History

Binh Dinh is the central land of the Central Vietnam with nearly 5 centuries playing the central role of Champa. Although, there are many ups and downs, constant wars, the Cham culture here still developed until the Champa took its historical role. The vestiges of Cham culture exiting in Binh Dinh is very diverse and various in forms and quantity.

During 9 years of the resistance against the French colonists (1945-1954), Binh Dinh is the completely free province and the directly strategic rear of the battlefield in Zone 5, Central Highlands, the southern Laos, and the northeastern Cambodia. In nine – year war, Binh Dinh people under the leadership of Vietnam Communist Party contributed to the victory against the French colonists of the whole country forcing them to sign Geneva Agreement. Since 1989, after the re-establishment of Binh Dinh until now, people of Binh Dinh province continues to promote the revolutionary tradition, hard work and creativity to build the province towards the orientation “wealthy people, strong country, equal, democratic and civilized society”. Currently, the province has become one of 5 provinces located in the key economic zone of the Central region.

Administration

Binh Dinh province consists of 1 city, 2 towns and 9 districts including Quy Nhin city, An Nhon tow, Hoai Nhon town, An Lao, Hoai An, Phu Cat, Phu My, Tuy Phuoc, Tay Son, Van Canh, Vinh Thanh.

People – language

Binh Dinh has the natural area of 6039km2, the population is 1.797.900 people, and the population density is 297people/km2 (the statistics in 2007). Binh Dinh is seen as the miniature picture of nation including many ethnic minorities such as Kinh, Tay, Thai, Hoa, Khme, Muong, Nung, Dao, Ba Na, Cham, Hre, Ragiai…However, the ethnic group covers the majority of province’s population is Kinh people. Thus, the official language of province is Vietnamese. In addition, there are the private languages of ethnic minorities.

Politics

People’s Council in Binh Dinh is the state power in the province, representing for the aspirations and rights of people desire and the rights of people. The People’s Committee elected by the People’s Council is the executive body of the People’s Council, the administrative agency of the state in the city and district which is responsible for the implementation the constitution, laws, documents of the state. After 25 - year building and development, the delegates of Binh Dinh People Committee at all levels has done full functional testing, monitoring and motivating people to successfully implement the socio-economic plan every year of the province.

Economy

In recent year, Binh Dinh socio-economy constantly develops. The sectors as education, health, culture and society are enhanced; the infrastructure and welfare are invested and developed. Despite influencing the world economic recession during the period from 2006-2010, the growth rate of the province constantly increases, the following year is higher than the last year. The average GDP increases by 10.7%/year. The economic structure has the positive shifts. The services of trade, service, and tourism are more and more developing. The total average export turnover increases by 10.2%/year. The labor structure shifts towards decreasing the proportion in agriculture- forestry – fishery and increasing in the industry and service.

Society

Education-training: Education - training – vocational training strongly develops of the facilities, expands the scale and improves the quality of education. In 2009 – 2010, the number of students in high school reaches 307.300; in the pre- school reaches 46000 students. The training and vocational training are enhanced.

Health: The health care service has much progress. The medical insurance is expanded, the free treatment and cure is enhanced. By the end of 2009, there are 136 among 159 communes recognized the medical national standard, the percentage of the children under 5 year old decreased 3.15%.

Tourism

Binh Dinh is a land having the rich history and ancient culture. It also keeps a lot of the precious tangible and intangible cultural works. Binh Dinh was the capital of the ancient Champa kingdom, the province currently owns and preserves Do Ban ancient citadel along with the Cham unique and mysterious tower system. The province has 234 historical-cultural relics, of which there are more than 60 relics ranked the national and provincial level. Quang Trung museum along with numerous relics of the Tay Son movement is the attractive places of researchers and international visitors. Coming to Binh Dinh, tourists will also know a famous martial spirit, can witness exquisite martial arts performances and beautiful and subtle Tay Son drum performances that only see on this land.

The terrain of Binh Dinh is diversified including mountains, rivers, lakes and nearly 150,000 ha of natural forest. They have created a colorful natural painting with many wonderful natural scenery as Ham Ho landscape, Nui Mot lake, Nui Ba ... These are ideal conditions for the development of tourism forms including eco-tourism, trekking, resort ... Binh Dinh has 134 km coastline along the eastern province is endowed countless beaches and beautiful scenery, many islands, large and small beaches ... Most of the beaches are relatively flat, white sand, blue water sea, sunny and beautiful scenery. The beautiful beach is mainly distributed in Quy Nhon and vicinity. This is very favorable for investment planning and building of the clusters and uninterrupted marine tourism route.

Currently, there are 74 hotels in Binh Dinh with 1900 rooms, including more than 1000 international standard rooms. Some resorts, four and five star standard hotels are planned to build. With the big tourism potential, Binh Dinh tourism has taken the solutions for the long-term tourism development in the 10-year period (2010-2020); including planning solutions for traditional villages: wooden handicraft, Bau Da wine brewery, Song Than noodle... to serve tourists.

Festivals

For long time, Binh Dinh has known as the martial land and rich cultural tradition. In the traditional festival treasure of Vietnam, Binh Dinh has a lot of unique traditional festival mainly held in the spring. Binh Dinh festivals reflect the harmony between the nature and the human such as Dong Da –Tay Son festival, Do Gian festival, Cho Go festival, boat race festival…

Dong Da – Tay Son Festival is the large festival to commemorate the leader of Tay Son movement, especially the hero Quang Trung – Nguyen Hue and celebrate the Ngoc Hoi – Dong Da victory (1789). The festival s held solemnly and monumentally on January 5th in the lunar calendar every year in Phu Phong town, Tay Son district. In addition to the traditional ceremonies, the festival also organizes many folk cultural activities as Tay Son martial arts performances, Tay Son drum battle shows,  boat races, folk games, hat boi…attracting tens od thousands of tourists.

Binh Dinh will continue organizing large cultural events - tourism as: Festival Tay Son - Binh Dinh, International Traditional Martial Arts Festival, Binh Dinh Forest Product Festival ... to create attractive tourism brands, leaving the strong impression on tourists. Binh Dinh tourism is currently focused on building specific tourism products promoting the value of beach tourism resources, human resources. The province also promotes tourism development associated with culture and based on the cultural factors to develop tourism products.