Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, lies on the banks of the Red River,
some 100 kilometres from its mouth. Human settlements at the place
date back as far as the 3rd century B.C.
In 1010 Hanoi, at that time known by the name of Thang
Long, became capital of the first Vietnamese dynasty independent
from the Chinese. The city received its present name, Hanoi, only
in 1831. However, at that time not Hanoi but Hué
was the capital of the Vietnamese empire.
In 1882 Hanoi was conquered by a French expedition. In
1883 France forced the then uncolonialized North of the Vietnamese
empire to accept the status of a French protectorate. The
French administratively divided the country into the colony
Cochin China (in the South) and the protectorates
Annam (central Vietnam) and Tonkin (North
Vietnam). Hanoi became the capital of the protectorate Tonkin.
Vast parts of present-day Hanoi were built during the French colonial
occupation. With its broad boulevards and a French-inspired
architecture the city has a noticeable structural charm.
The French abandoned Hanoi after their defeat at Dien Bien
Phu and the division of Vietnam into two separate states
according to the Geneva Treaty signed on July 20, 1954.
Ho Chi Minh made Hanoi the capital of North Vietnam and initially
concentrated on the expansion of the city's industry.
During the US bombardments of North Vietnam from March
1965 to October 1968 the authorities evacuated 75 % of Hanoi's
population. After the end of the bombardments the city again grew
rapidly. Today the population of Hanoi counts more than 3 million.
Nevertheless, the city does not seem as crowded as Ho Chi Minh
City, the former Saigon. And even though Hanoi is the political
capital of the country, Ho Chi Minh City definitely is ahead economically.
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