Hai Duong

Area: 1,656.0 sq. km.
Population: 1,735.1 thousand habitants (2012).
Capital: Hai Duong City.
Administrative divisions:
- Town: Chi Linh.
- Districts: Nam Sach, Thanh Ha, Kinh Mon, Kim Thanh, Gia Loc, Tu Ky, Cam Giang, Binh Giang, Thanh Mien, Ninh Giang.
Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Hoa, San Diu, Muong.

Kiep Bac Temple (Hai Duong Province)

Geography

Hai Duong is on the Red River Delta. It borders with Bac Ninh, Bac Giang provinces on the north, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh provinces on the east, HungYen Province on the west, Thai Binh Province on the south. The network of rivers includes Thai Binh, Rang, Kinh Thay, and Dao rivers' giving good condition for agriculture and water transportation.

Climate: Hai Duong lies in tropical monsoon climate. The annual average rainfall is 1300 - 1700mm. The average temperature is 23.4⁰C.

Tourism

Long-standing history bequeaths hundreds of cultural, historic relics. They are Phuong Hoang, Kinh Chu An Phu sites, Con Son, Thanh Mai, Hun pagodas, Nguyen Trai, Cao, Kiep Bac temples, Gieng Ngoc (Pearl Well), Thach Ban (Flagstone), of which Con Son- Kiep Bac are most popular ones.

Hai Duong is close related with many celebrities such as Le Huu Trac, Tran Nguyen Dan, Nguyen Trai, Mac Dinh Chi, and Pham Su Manh.

The province is proud of traditional handicraft villages like Chu Dau Pottery, Chau Khe Gold, Dong Dao Carving, Ke Sat Dry Pancake and Hai Duong Green Bean Cake. Folk songs like ca tru, cheo, xam are commonly here.

In addition of these, tourists also take interest in Chi Lang Nam StorkVillage, home of thousands of white, black, fiery stocks, herons and egrets.

Transportation

The network of road, railway and river-way transportation is convenient. The province lies on railway and National Highway No.5: Hanoi- Hai Duong-Haiphong, on National Highway No.18: Bac Ninh- Hai Duong- Quang Ninh. Cong Cau river- port has a total capacity of 300,000 tons per year.

Hai Duong is 58km from Hanoi, 45km from Hai Phong, and 80km from Ha Long Bay.