 
General information
- Geographic location: bounded by Guangxi province of China to the North ahnd North-East, by Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang provinces to the West, by Bac Kan and Lang Son to the South.
- Area: 6,724.6 km2.
- Topographic features: Cao Bang has a topographic feature of limestone highland mixed with soil mountain with an average height of more than 200m and up to 600-1,300m above sea level. It has row on row of mountains. 90% of the province’s area is moutain and forests.
- Administrative units: include Cao Bang town and 12 districts: Hoa An, Quang Uyen, Phuc Hoa, Tra Linh, Thach An, Nguyen Binh, Bao Lac, Bao Lam, Trung Khanh, Ha Lang, Thong Nong, Ha Quang
- Population: 518,900 (Year 2006- General Office of Statistics).
Resources
- Natural resources: Soil is a valuable resource to develop the economy of Cao Bang province. The province has 140,942 hectares of soils which can be used for agriculture, 408/705 hectares of soils which can be used for forestry. Many precious kinds of wood (bassia, sapan-wood, etc) and animals (bear, deer, stag, etc) can be found in Cao Bang’s forests. Cao Bang has plentiful and diversifies mineral resources with 142 mines and ore points including 22 different types of minerals such as tin, vonfram, gold, lead, zinc, uran, etc in which large mines of good quality can be found in Tra Linh, Trung Khanh, Ha Lang districts.
- Tourism resources: Cao Bang has great potentiality for developing tourism with both natural and cultural, historic tours such as tours to Pac Bo, Lam Son monuments, Tran Hung Dao forest, Dong Khe historical monument, the basement of the fort in Cao Bang town, Ban Doc waterfall, Nguom Ngao cavern, Thang Hen lake and border gates. Besides, in Cao Bang there are quite many ethnic groups with their own special traditions, customs and festivals, which is also good for developing tourism.
- Human resources: the population of working age was 260,000 out of the total population of 508,168 in 2004. Trained employees accounted for approx. 14.6%, which is rather low compared to the demands for industrialization and modernisation.
Infrastructure
- Transportation: Cao Bang has rather complicated topography. It has only 1 way of transportation which is road one with 4 national lines: National highways No. 3, 4A, 34 and 4C. These roads have been improved and are now of good condition serving the province’s goods and passengers transportation
- Power supply system: Cao Bang’s power authority is currently in charge of managing approx. 85km of 110kV power network, more than 600km of 35kV power network serving 13/ 13 town & districts. Besides national power network, Cao Bang has developed its own such as Cun stream hydroelectricity plant in Cao Bang town, Na Tau hydroelectricity plant in Quang Hoa district, etc. The province is constructing Na Loa hydroelectricity plant which is the ever largest hydroelectricity plant of the province to serve local household and production needs.
- Post and telecommunication: Cao Bang’s post and telecommunication system has been gradually developed with total 32 post offices in 1 town & 12 districts. All telecommunication stations are equipped with digital electronic switchboards. There are an inte-provincial optical cable line among Cao Bang, Lang Son, Bac Kan, Tuyen Quang and 5 internal optical cable lines. Digital microware transmission is used in all telecommunication stations. There are 3 mobile information station installed in the Town, Hoa An and Phuc Hoa districts. Besides, the number of internet subscribers are on increase.
- Industrial zones: Detailed plans have been made for projects of industrial clusters No. 1&2 in Ta Lung townlet of Phuc Hoa district and De Tham Industrial Zone in Cao Bang town.
Development plan up to Year 2010
- GDP growth rate: planned to reach the average rate of 15% yearly
- Sectors’ development plan:
+ Services: priorities given to infrastructure upgrade in the town and other districts to be ranked town in the near future and border gates, especially Ta Lung border gate and other centers of trade, service; Attract investment, promote goods exchanges between Cao Bang and the rest of the country and China; Develop tourism including historical, cultural tours, eco-tourism, etc.
+ Agriculture-Forestry- Fishery : Planned to reach the rate of 5.5% in the period 2006-2010
Agriculture: develop intensive cultivation with the introduction of new high yield, good quality varieties; develop cow breeding for meat in semi-industrial ways; develop buffalo, goat, pig breeding for lean meat; develop big scaled domestic fowl farms.
Forestry: Develop forests for special use, protection forests, newly growing forests, production forests for woods, paper materials, anise, cardamom, bitter tea, etc.
Fishery : Exploit the existing water surface, build more irrigation lakes together with centered fishery for processing; build baby fish production units serving local needs and other neighbouring provinces’ needs.
+ Industry: Planned to reach the rate of 26% of the province’s GDP in the period 2006-2010 with focus on onmineral exploitation and production; ensure environmental protection; use mineral in an effective and economical way; develop hydroelectricity and construction material production; develop De Tham industrial zone, prepare to build Chu Trinh and Phuc Hoa industrial zones; promote domestic and foreign investment for industrial development.
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