Buy data    Donate

Samuel Villavicencio sent me a spreadsheet listing the district-level divisions of Vietnam, which he compiled from a number of sources, but principally these two: Source 1  and Source 2 . According to this information, Vietnam is divided at the secondary level into 8 dao (islands), 528 huyen (districts), 43 quan (urban districts), 26 thanh pho (cities), and 58 thi xa (townships). The islands are either unpopulated or have a status equivalent to districts.

These numbers differ slightly from the ones given on the General Statistics Office of Vietnam  website. The discrepancy could be due to a different reference date.

Change history:

According to Samuel Villavicencio, the following changes took place between 1999 and 2004:

1. In Bac Kan province, Na Ri split from Bach Thong; Pac Nam split from Ba Be; additional territory transferred from Bach Thong to Bac Kan.
2. In Bac Lieu province, Dong Hai split from Gia Rai; Hong Dan split from Phuoc Long.
3. In Bac Ninh province, Gia Luong split into Gia Binh and Luong Tai; Tien Son split into Tien Du and Tu Son.
4. In Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, Long Dat split into Dat Do and Long Dien.
5. In Binh Duong province, Dau Tieng split from Ben Cat; Di An split from Thuan An; Phu Giao split from Tan Uyen.
6. In Binh Phuoc province, Bu Dop split from Loc Ninh; Chon Thanh split from Binh Long; Dong Xoai split from Dong Phu.
7. In Ca Mau province, Nam Can split from Ngoc Hien; Phu Tan split from Cai Nuoc.
8. In Can Tho municipality, O Mon district split into Co Do district and O Mon urban district; Vinh Thanh split from Thot Not; Can Tho split into Binh Thuy, Ninh Kieu, Cai Rang (with additional territory annexed from Chau Thanh in Hau Giang province), and Phong Dien (with additional territory annexed from Chau Thanh A in Hau Giang province).
9. In Cao Bang province, Bao Lam split from Bao Lac; Quang Hoa split into Phuc Hoa and Quang Yen.
10. In Dak Nong province, Dak Song formed from parts of Dak Mil and Dak Nong.
11. In Dien Bien province, Muong Lay district split into Muong Cha and Muong Lay township; Muong Nhe formed from the remaining parts of Muong Lay and of Muong Te district in Lai Chau province.
12. In Dong Nai province, Trang Bom split from Thong Nhat; Cam My formed from parts of Xuan Loc and Long Khanh.
13. In Gia Lai province, Dak Doa split from Mang Yang; Dak Po split from An Khe; Ia Pa split from Ayun Pa.
14. In Ha Giang province, Quang Binh split from Bac Quang.
15. In Hanoi municipality, Hoang Mai split from Thanh Tri; Long Bien split from Gia Lam.
16. In Ha Tinh province, Vu Quang formed from parts of Duc Tho and Huong Khe.
17. In Hau Giang province, Chau Thanh A split from Chau Thanh (see also Can Tho province); Vi Thanh district split into Vi Thanh township and Vi Thuy district.
18. In Ho Chi Minh municipality, Binh Tan split from Binh Chanh; Tan Phu split from Tan Binh.
19. In Hung Yen province, Chau Giang split into Khoai Chau and Van Giang; My Van split into My Hao and Van Lam; Yen My formed from the remaining parts of My Van and Chau Giang.
20. In Kien Giang province, Ha Tien district split into Ha Tien township and Kien Luong district.
21. In Kon Tum province, Kon Ray split from Kon Plong
22. In Lai Chau province, Tam Duong split from Phong Tho; Than Uyen annexed from Lao Cai Province; part of Muong Te annexed to Muong Nhe district in Dien Bien province.
23. In Lam Dong province, Dam Rong formed from parts of Lam Ha and Lac Duong.
24. In Lao Cai province, Cam Duong merged with Lao Cai city; Si Ma Cai split from Bac Ha; Than Uyen tranferred to Lai Chau province.
25. In Ninh Thuan province, Bac Ai split from Ninh Son
26. In Phu Tho province, Phong Chau split into Lam Thao and Phu Ninh; Tam Thanh split into Tam Nong and Thanh Thuy.
27. In Phu Yen province, Phu Hoa split from Tuy Hoa
28. In Quang Binh province, territory transferred from Bo Trach to Qaung Ninh.
29. In Quang Nam province, Hien split into Dong Giang and Tay Giang; Tra My split into Bac Tra My and Nam Tra My; Phu Ninh split from Tam Ki township; name of Giang changed to Nam Giang.
30. In Quang Ngai province, Tay Tra split from Tran Bong
31. In Quang Ninh province, Quang Ha split into Dam Ha and Hai Ha.
32. In Soc Trang province, Nga Nam split from Thanh Tri; Cu Lao Dung split from Long Phu.
33. In Son La province, Sop Cop split from Song Ma.
34. In Tay Ninh province, territory transferred from Hoa Thanh to Tay Ninh.
35. In Vinh Phuc province, Binh Xuyen and Tam Duong split from Tam Dao; Phuc Yen split from Me Linh; additional territory transferred from Lap Thach to Tam Dao, and from Tam Dao to Vinh Yen.
36. 2005: In Da Nang province, Cam Le district formed from parts of Hai Chau and Hoa Vang districts.
37. 2008-08-01: Ha Tay province and parts of Hoa Binh and Vinh Phuc provinces merged with Hanoi municipality. As a result of this change, the HASC codes for the following districts, formerly in Ha Tay, changed from VN.HA.xx to VN.HI.xx: Ba Vi, Chuong My, Dan Phuong, Hoai Duc, Ha Dong, My Duc, Phuc Tho, Phu Xuyen, Quoc Oai, Son Tay, Thuong Tin, Thanh Oai, and Ung Hoa. Moreover, the full HASC code for Thach That changed from VN.HA.TH to VN.HI.TC to avoid duplication. The codes for Hanoi changed from VN.HN.xx to VN.HI.xx.