General information

- Geographic location: Lao Cai is bounded by Ha Giang province to the East; by Son La and Lai Chau provinces to the West; by Yen Bai province to the South and by Yunnan of China to the North.

- Area: 6,383.9 km².

- Topographic features: Lao Cai is situated in the valley of Red river and Chay river with high mountain ranges, creating strongly partitioned topography. Its average high above sea level level varies from 80m to 3,000, typically the Hoang Lien Son mountain range with Fan xi pan top of 3,143m above sea level.

- Administrative unit: Lao Cai is divided into Lao Cai city and 8 districts: Bao Thang, Bat Xat, Bac ha, Muong Khuong, Sapa, Si Ma Cai and Van Ban.

- Population: over 585,800 người (Year 2006- General Office of Statistics). 

Resources

 - Natural resources: Lao Cai is rich in mineral resources. Up to now 150 mines with more than 30 types of mineral have been discovered here including the largest and the most quality ones like Apatit in Cam Duong with the reserves of 2.5 billion ton, Quy Xa iron mine with the reserves of 124 million ton, Sin Quyen copper mine with the reserves of 53 million ton, O Quy Ho Molipden mine with the reserves of 154,000 ton. Besides the province’s land and forestry resources are plentiful, which are good for developing agriculture-forestry.

- Tourism resources: Lao Cai has great potentiality for developing tourism with various types such as convalesce, eco-tourism, trekking, cultural tours, etc. Lao Cai is endowed with many places of interest such as Sa Pa, Bac Ha, Bat Xat, Muong Khuong, etc of which Sa Pa is the most famous one nationwide and in the world.

- Human resources: The number of people of working age is 296,074 out of the total population of 307,468 in 2004. The number of people who are able to work is 291,028 and the number of people who are not in the working age but are able to work is 16,440. Labour structures are 79.1% in Agriculture-forestry-forestry, 7.5% in construction – industry and 13.4% in service – tourism.

Infrastructure

-Transportation system: Unlike other mountainous provinces, the province’s has a various transportation network including roadway, railway, and waterway. Now there are 4 national highways running through the province with the total length of 356km (National highways No. 70, 4D, 4E, 279). Besides, the rail line Hanoi-Lao Cai is linked to China. Despites of its limitation in waterway, Lao Cai has advantages for economic development thanks to its roadway and railway system.

- Power supply system: The province’s power network has been improved. Lao Cai power authority is in charge of managing 55 km of double-circuit 100 kV, 27 single-circuit 100kV, 1,326 km of 0.4-35 kV including 706km of 35 kV, 2 100 kV transmission stations, 6 intermediary stations and 306 distribution transmission stations of all kinds.

- Water supply and drainage system: Up to the year 2005, Lao Cai has Clean Water Enterprise No. 1, and 7 water supply stations in 6 districts: Bao Thang, Bao Yen, Sa Pa, Van Ban, Si Ma Cai, Bat Xat and in Cam Duong. Besides there are several enterprises operating in consultancy, construction of water drainage system. The total number of local commodity water is 3,393,000 m³ in 2004 supplying water to 60,000 persons 24/24h.

- Post-telecommunication system: Postal services are available in centers of districts/townlets/communes in the province with over 300 post offices, nearly 100 commune cultural postal points. The telecommunication system has been developed with digital microwave and optical cable equipment. Telephones are used in 148/164 communes/wards/townlets. Mobile phones can be reached in 5/8 districts and Lao Cai city.

 - Industrial zones: Lao Cai has 3 industrial zones which are Bac Duyen Hai Industrial zone in Lao Cai city, Tang Loong Industrial zone with the area of 350 hectares in Bao Thang district and Dong Pho Moi Industrial zone in Lao Cai city.

Economic situations

- Growth rate: With the completion of the 5 year Resolutions of 10^th National Party Congress and the 12^th Provincial Party Congress, Lao Cai’s socio-economic situations have been positively changed. It enjoys high growth rate with the average GDP of 11.9% (13% in 2004). Average income per head of 2.3 million VND yearly is increased to 5 million VND yearly.

- Economic structure: it has been changed with decrease in agriculture and increase in service-trade & industry – small scale industry, laying the foundation for sustainable hunger elimination and poverty reduction.

Economic development plan up to the Year 2010

- GDP growth rate: It is planned to reach the rate of 10.5% yearly with the increase of 6% in agriculture-forestry-fishery and 10% in construction-industry.

- Sectors’ development plan:

            + Services: with its strength of a key point in the Northern west economic zone, Lao Cai will continue developing its multi-sectorial trade-service system, trade in urban areas, rural market network, goods specialized zones. In addition to this, Lao Cai will make plan for comprehensive development of tourism services, investing in infrastructure construction, conserving and upgrading places of interest together with diversifying its tourism services, developing unique, specialized ones, investing in human resource development, improving tourism management.

            + Agriculture-Forestry-Fishery: For the period 2006 - 2010, agriculture in Lao Cai will be developed with focus on quality, ensuring sustainable development. Lao Cai’s plan for forestry development will focus on changing forestry exploitation to effective socialization in forestry, developing small and medium size forestry processing industry using proper technology and centred materials zones.

            + Industry: Priorities will be given to developing industry-small scaled industry with focus on mineral exploitation and processing, construction material production, construction of small-medium scaled industry zones, agricultural-forestry processing and preservation, medical plant growing, ensuring product purchasing sources for farmers’ crops, establishing goods centred zones, developing rural power supply network, hydro-electricity and other kinds of energy, restoring traditional professional villages, establishing professional villages producing handicrafts for export.