General information

- Geographic location: The province is bounded by Yen Bai and Lao Cai provinces to the North, by Vinh Phu and Hoa Binh to the East, by Lai Chau to the West and by Thanh Hoa province and Lao to the South.

- Area: 14,174,400 km²

- Topographic features: The province has complex topography with big deep and horizontal partitions formed by high mountains, valleys, rivers and spaces of 2 plateaus running in the direction of North-West and South- East.

- Administrative units: The province is divided into Son La town and 9 districts: Moc Chau, Yen Chau, Mai Son, Thuan Chau, Phu Yen, Bac Yen, Muong La, Quynh Nhai and Song Ma. 

- Population: 1,007,500 (statistics of the Year 2006 – General Office of Statistics)

Resources

- Natural resources: The province’s soil is quite rich, diversified, good for developing economically valuable plants and domestic animals. Besides, its forestry land is plentiful (accounting for 73% of the total area of natural land). Many rare and precious animals, plants are found here. There are forests specialized for research and for eco-tourism. It has great potentiality in mineral resources with over 150 mines and mine spots including valuable mineral mines such as niken, copper in Ban Phuc – Muong Khoa (Bac Yen), butan in Tita Phu (Moc Chau), manhezit in Ban Phung (Song Ma); coal in Suoi Bang (Moc Chau) and in Quynh Nhai and others like gold, quicksilver, iron, etc.

- Tourism resources: The province has great potentiality for developing natural and cultural tourism in Hang Doi (Moc Chau district), Tham Ta Toong and Thuong Thien Cave in Son La town; historical monuments like Son La prison with To Hieu peach tree, Ban Heo banian tree in Son La town, Dua Ca fort, Stone bridge in Muong La, etc.

- Human resources: There are 12 ethnic groups living in Son La now. In general, their intellectual and living standards are limited. According to the statistics of the year 2001, the province has 1 professional school which can train 1,000 to 2,000 employees annually.

Infrustructure

- Transportation system: It is quite convenient for traveling in the province  with many national highways (national highways No. 6, 37, 279) running through the province; airway (from Noi Bai airport to Na San), waterway through Hoa Binh – Son La route (Ta Hoc port). There are roads connected Son La to its districts centers and to Hanoi.

- Power supply system: National power system has reached the centers of all districts (106 communes) of the province. Son La hydroelectricity plant invested by the Government which is the ever largest one will help the province develop faster and integrate into the economic development of the whole country.

- Water supply and drainage system: The province has Mai Son water supply plant with the capacity of 4,800 m³/day, and the supply of 20,000m³ in the town; more investment for developing water supply for townlets, communes to reach the total number of 50% of people who can access to clean water in 2002.

- Post and telecommunication system: There are microwave system in the province’s town and districts’ centers which allows telephone calling, information transmission nationwide and worldwide. All communes have telephone system. Mobile phones can be reached in the centers of districts located along national highway No. 6 by the end of 2003.

Development plan up to the year 2010

- GDP growth rate:  It is planned to reach the rate of 10% annually, in which agriculture-forestry-fishery account for 40-42%, industry and small scaled industry account for 21-22% and service account for 37-38%.

- Sectors’ development plan:

            + Services: The province has completed the free trade policy, creating connections between local markets to those of other places nationwide and worldwide, especially Laos. Besides, the province has attracted local and foreign markets to develop tourism zones such as tourism place in Son La town, Moc Chau district, the lake in Da river, eco-tourism, convalesce, historical monuments, cultural tours.

            + Agriculture-Forestry-Fishery: It is planned to increase the area growing key industrial plants such as tea, coffee, sugarcane, soya bean, mulberry, etc. for the processing industries; promoting cattle breeding; promoting forestry protection and management with afforestation projects (including forest growing for economic purposes).

            + Industry: It is planned to reach the average growth rate of 25-30% with the rapid development and improvement of industries in the province with focus on advantaged, key ones; developing industries-small scaled industries that are labour intensive ones; promoting application of modern technology in industries, especially in forestry processing, engineering, construction material production, mineral exploitation industry.