Haiphong

Haiphong, also spelled Hai Phong, is one of the seven cities in Vietnam. It is the third-largest city in the country and covers an area of 3,194.72 km² (1,233.49 mi²). The city includes the islands of Bạch Long Vĩ and Cát Hải in the Gulf of Tonkin. As of 2025, Haiphong is home to 4,664,124 people.

Haiphong is very important in history because it was the first city in both Vietnam and Mainland Southeast Asia to have electric lighting. This made it a leader in technology at the time. Today, Haiphong remains a busy and growing city, playing a big role in the life of Vietnam.

Geography

Haiphong is a coastal city in north-eastern Vietnam, located at the mouth of the Cấm River. The Bính Bridge crosses the river and connects the city with Thủy Nguyên municipal city. The city covers an area of 3,194.72 square kilometres and borders Quảng Ninh Province to the north, Bắc Ninh Province to the northwest, Hưng Yên Province to the southwest, and the Gulf of Tonkin to the east. Islands such as Bach Long Vi, Cat Ba Island, and the Long Châu islands are part of the city.

Haiphong has a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and warm, dry winters. Most of the city's rain falls between April and October, with about 90% of its yearly rainfall—around 1,700 millimetres—occurring during these months. Winters are mild, with average temperatures around 20 °C, while summers are warmer, reaching about 33 °C. Sea temperatures vary from 21 °C in February to 30 °C in July and August.

History

Haiphong has a long and important history. Long ago, it was home to Lê Chân, a brave woman who helped lead a fight against Chinese rulers.

During World War II and the Vietnam War, Haiphong saw many battles. After the war, the city became an important place for industry. Recently, in 2025, Haiphong received big investments to improve its railroads, connecting it better with nearby cities. Also in 2025, another nearby area was merged into Haiphong, making it larger.

Economy

Haiphong is an important economic center in northern Vietnam and the country overall. In the past, during French rule, it was considered one of the top cities, similar to Saigon and Hanoi. Today, Haiphong trades with over 40 countries and aims to become a major commercial hub.

The city has many industries, including food processing, making fish sauce, beer, cigarettes, textiles, paper, plastic pipes, cement, iron, medicines, electric fans, motorbikes, steel pipes, ships, and software services. Some of these industries have grown quickly, especially shipbuilding and making steel and plastic pipes.

Agriculture and fishing are also important. About a third of the city's land is used for farming, mainly growing rice. The fishing industry has grown a lot, with many fish coming from aquaculture, or farming fish in water.

Demographics

Haiphong is the third most populous city in Vietnam. In 2015, the metropolitan area had a population of 2,103,500 people and covered an area of 1,507.57 km² (582.08 sq mi). About half of the people lived in the city parts.

In 2009, Haiphong's population grew by about 4% each year. There were 18.1 births for every 1,000 people, and 7.6 deaths for every 1,000 people. Women could expect to live about 77 years, while men lived about 72 years, making the average life expectancy around 74.5 years. About 12 babies out of every 1,000 born did not survive their first year.

Transport

Haiphong is a key city for travel, sitting where two important roads meet. Route 5 goes west to Hanoi, and Route 10 heads south to Nam Định and connects to National Route 1 at Ninh Bình. Highway 356 runs from west to east through the city to the coast. A road links Route 5 to Route 18, connecting Haiphong to Quảng Ninh Province. In 2015, a new highway was finished, making the trip to Hanoi one hour shorter.

The Port of Haiphong lies on the Cấm River and has three main areas: Hoang Dieu near the city center, and Chua Ve and Dinh Vu further east.

Twin towns

Haiphong has friendly relationships with several cities around the world. These include:

• Da Nang, Vietnam
• Incheon, South Korea
• Kitakyushu, Japan
• Livorno, Italy
• Nanning, China
• Saint Petersburg, Russia
• Seattle, United States
• Tianjin, China