General information

- Geographic location: it is bounded by China (Yunnan, Guangxi provinces) to the North; by Tuyen Quang province to the South, by Cao Bang to the East and by Yen Bai and Lao Cai provinces to the West.

- Area: 7,884.7 km².

- Topographic features: it is divided into 3 regions: stone mountain plateau include 4 districts: Dong Van, Meo Vac, Yen Minh and Quan Ba; Western soil high mountainous area include 2 districts: Hoang Su Phi and Xin Man; Low mountainous area include 4 districts of Bac Quang, Vi Xuyen, Bac Me, Quang Binh and Ha Giang town.

- Administrative units: include Ha Giang town and 9 districts: Dong Van, Meo Vac, Yen Minh, Quan Ba, Vi Xuyen, Bac Me, Hoang Su Phi, Xi Man and Bac Quang

 - Population: over 680,000

Resources

- Natural resources: There are 9 groups of soil found in Ha Giang but most of them are grey soil suitable for developing industrial, medical and fruit trees. The province has a large area of forests with 345,860 hectares of natural forests; primeval forests having many valuable medical, wood trees and animals. The province also has 28 mineral types, many mines with high mineral deposits such as antimon ore in Yen Minh, Dong Van, Bac Me, iron ore in Vi Xuyen, Quan Ba, etc.

- Tourism resources: Ha Giang has great potentiality for developing tourism with plentiful natural resources and valuable cultural and historical monuments such as Dong Van stone plateau, Khau Van love market, Tay Con Linh Top, Thi waterfall, Bay waterfall, Twin stalactite, Quan Ba heaven gate, Ma Pi Leng top, pine tree hill, brick kiln, famous ancient Viet’s archaelogical site in Bac Me, Na Chao.

- Human resources: According to the statistics of 2001, the province has 1 vocational center where 1,000 to 2,000 employees of various professions are trained every year.

Infrustructure

- Transportation: Ha Giang is facing difficulties in transportation due to its mountainous topographic features. Despite of its difficulties, Ha Giang has 7,146km roadway system which has been developed with more transportation vehicles meeting local needs for passenger and goods transportation.

- Power supply system: Ha Giang invested much in developing its power supply system. Up to now, there is one 110kV transmission station with the capacity of 30,00 KVA, 8 hydroelectricity stations with the capacity of more than 6,000 kW and several diesel electricity generators with the capacity of more than 2,200 kW, which are capable of supply electricity to all local 10 districts and town, 100/191 (50%) wards/communes.

- Water supply and drainage: Up to now hundreds of self regulating water works, 23,895 water tanks for people living in mountainous areas; there are water supply systems in the centers of all town/districts. 80% of households living in mountainous areas can have water supplied in dry reason, 41% of households in the province can have access to clean water.

- Industrial zones: There are 2 industrial zones in the province namely Phuong Tien processing and industrial zone with the area of 100-150 hectares situated in the transportation point between Ha Giang and Thanh Thuy district and Tan Quang Industrial zone with the area of 150 hectares situated in the center of the province’s economic main point; There is another industrial zone which will be included in the province’s development plan provided it gets the Government’s approval.

Development plan up to the year 2010

- GDP growth rate: It is planned to reach the rate of 11% yearly.

- Sectors’ development plan:

            + Services: Ha Giang has potentiality and strength for developing trade, service, tourism, business with China. In the coming years, trade should be further developed, ensuring goods circulation, sufficiently meeting the production and consumers’ needs; eco-tourism should be strongly developed; entertainment areas should be built; all economic actors are encouraged to invest in trade, service, tourism which are planned to have a clear mechanism.  

            + Agriculture – Forestry – Fishery : The province focuses on developing comprehensive, sustainable agriculture with large-scale production, high productivity, quality and effectiveness; the sector’s structure will be changed with more increase in breeding and industrial plant growing; attentions will be paid to food and agricultural products to ensure food safety and stability and the development of these products should base on market needs; Further development of forest land assignment to local people, tree planting for new green coverage of treeless land and bare hills; increase in economic values of forests, developing forests together with soil protection, house construction materials sufficient for local people and environmental protection.

              + Industry: it is planned to reach the average growth rate of industry-construction of 15-20% yearly, accounting for 30% in the GDP in 2010. In the coming years, priorities will be given to develop industry – small scaled industry, focusing in construction material production, mineral exploitation and processing, tea processing, small/medium scaled processing factories of fruits, cattle food and other agricultural and forestry products meeting the needs of local consumption and for export.