Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City , commonly known as Saigon (Vietnamese: Sài Gòn; IPA: [ʂaːj˨˩ ɣɔŋ˨˩/saːj˨˩ ɣɔŋ˨˩]), is the most populous city in <a href="/facts/Vietnam/0ulfA8Eq">Vietnam</a> with a population of around 14 million in 2025. 
The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is <a href="/facts/Saigon_River/t5gLIwIE">Saigon River</a>. As the largest <a href="/facts/Financial_centre/aGWvLxWC">financial centre</a> in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has the largest <a href="/facts/Gross_regional_domestic_product/9jG2L7PD">gross regional domestic product</a> out of all Vietnam provinces and municipalities, contributing around a quarter of the <a href="/facts/Economy_of_Vietnam/1gxnkuA2">country's total GDP</a>. <a href="/facts/Ho_Chi_Minh_City_metropolitan_area/tR5J3sNm">Ho Chi Minh City's metropolitan area</a> is <a href="/facts/List_of_ASEAN_country_subdivisions_by_GDP/DbgxE0Ln">ASEAN's 5th largest economy</a>, also the biggest outside an <a href="/facts/ASEAN/77wDkXmL">ASEAN</a> country capital.
The area was initially part of <a href="/facts/Cambodia/t1wJd6GU">Cambodian</a> states until it became part of the Vietnamese <a href="/facts/Nguy%25E1%25BB%2585n_lords/REGzX0nX">Nguyễn lords</a> in 1698, due to <a href="/facts/%25C4%2590%25E1%25BA%25A1i_Vi%25E1%25BB%2587t/ksz5RByd">Đại Việt</a>'s expansionist policy of <a href="/facts/Nam_ti%25E1%25BA%25BFn/UvlAlDNW">Nam tiến</a>. It was capital of the Nguyễn lords at the end of their existence before the <a href="/facts/Nguy%25E1%25BB%2585n_dynasty/BUwd9crg">Nguyễn dynasty</a> was formed. After the fall of the <a href="/facts/Citadel_of_Saigon/VjFLP0Iy">Citadel of Saigon</a>, it became the capital of <a href="/facts/French_Cochinchina/XTxNCKc9">French Cochinchina</a> from 1862 to 1949. 
It was also the capital of <a href="/facts/French_Indochina/Sv3okbSs">French Indochina</a> from 1887 to 1902, and again from 1945 until its cessation in 1954. After France <a href="/facts/%25C3%2589lys%25C3%25A9e_Accords/H3HAfgh4">recognized</a> Vietnam's independence and unity, it was the capital of the <a href="/facts/State_of_Vietnam/x16mtSGa">State of Vietnam</a> from 1949 to 1955. Following the <a href="/facts/1954_Geneva_Conference/oBs72jK7">1954 partition</a>, it became the capital of <a href="/facts/South_Vietnam/2QwTFmzd">South Vietnam</a> until it was <a href="/facts/Fall_of_Saigon/9jrBqnvp">captured</a> by <a href="/facts/North_Vietnam/1d0osuEy">North Vietnam</a>, who created a unified <a href="/facts/Communist_state/oYaCr1Av">communist state</a> in 1976 and renamed the city after their former leader <a href="/facts/H%25E1%25BB%2593_Ch%25C3%25AD_Minh/JLRhYPI7">Hồ Chí Minh</a>, though the former name is still widely used in informal usages. Beginning in the 1990s, the city underwent rapid expansion and modernization, which contributed to <a href="/facts/%25C4%2590%25E1%25BB%2595i_M%25E1%25BB%259Bi/T3QkFxW4">Vietnam's post-war economic recovery</a> and helped revive its <a href="/facts/International_trade/jB2m5TGX">international trade</a> hub status.
Ho Chi Minh City has a long tradition of being one of the centers of economy, entertainment and education in <a href="/facts/Southern_Vietnam/7JnxLTvt">Southern Vietnam</a> in particular and Vietnam in general. It is also the busiest international <a href="/facts/Transport_hub/LthX69gf">transport hub</a> in Vietnam, with <a href="/facts/Tan_Son_Nhat_International_Airport/G0erKWEy">Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport</a> accounting for nearly half of all international arrivals to Vietnam and the <a href="/facts/Saigon_Port/LWtc7aef">Port of Saigon</a> among the <a href="/facts/List_of_busiest_container_ports/9l9zxY7M">busiest container ports in Southeast Asia</a>. 
The city is also a tourist attraction; some of its <a href="/facts/List_of_historic_buildings_in_Ho_Chi_Minh_City/RqhqccIr">historic landmarks</a> with modern landmarks, including the <a href="/facts/Independence_Palace/1wupzeTC">Independence Palace</a>, <a href="/facts/Bitexco_Financial_Tower/keqa8dk8">Bitexco Financial Tower</a>, <a href="/facts/Landmark_81/K7mn9KFa">Landmark 81 Tower</a>, the <a href="/facts/War_Remnants_Museum/wRv7uTtP">War Remnants Museum</a>, <a href="/facts/B%25E1%25BA%25BFn_Th%25C3%25A0nh_Market/a0xrkAj6">Bến Thành Market</a>, et cetera. The city is also known for its narrow walkable <a href="/facts/Hem_(alleyway)/lmh00xLb">alleys</a> and bustling <a href="/facts/Nightlife/hSWbTMjx">night life</a>, notable is the <a href="/facts/Ph%25E1%25BA%25A1m_Ng%25C5%25A9_L%25C3%25A3o%2c_District_1/bL91QHMg">Phạm Ngũ Lão Ward</a> and the Bùi Viện street in the ward. Currently, Ho Chi Minh City is facing increasing threats of <a href="/facts/Sea_level_rise/Pb5MGJxb">sea level rise</a> and <a href="/facts/Flood/FDQjJeXW">flooding</a> as well as heavy strains on public infrastructures.

Ho Chi Minh City open-in-new

Ho Chi Minh City