Hà Giang province

Hà Giang is bordered by Cao Bằng, Tuyên Quang, Lào Cai, and Yên Bái provinces and has a common international border with China in the north. Hà Giang has many high rocky mountains, limestone formations and springs; the important mountains are the Cam and Mỏ Neo. The major rivers of the region are the Lô River (Hà Giang city is located on its left bank) and Miện River.[6]

The topography of the province of Hà Giang is fairly complex: "temperate, but highly localized montane weather patterns create variable conditions among different regions".[12] It has impressive limestone and granite peaks and outcrops. It has three regions. Climatically, it has two seasons, dry and monsoon, dependent on the altitude of the region. The two northern Indochinese climatic zones on the border influence the climate in the northern part of the province. The lower areas in the province comprise low hills, the Lô River Valley and Hà Giang city.[7][10][12][13] In Cao Bồ district, the dry season lasts from mid-September until the end of May, and the monsoon season lasts from the beginning of June until mid-September. However, in Du Già district the wet season sets in one month earlier. The average annual temperature in the provincial capital of Hà Giang is 22.78 °C (73.00 °F); the monthly averages range from a low of 15.48 °C (59.86 °F) in January to a high of 27.88 °C (82.18 °F) in July. The annual rainfall in Hà Giang city is 2,430.1 millimetres (95.67 in); the monthly average varies from a low of 31.5 millimetres (1.24 in) in December to a high of 515.6 millimetres (20.30 in) in July. The average annual humidity level is 84%.[12]

Hà Giang has many mountains, including the two highest peaks, namely the Tây Côn Lĩnh (2,419 metres (7,936 ft)) and the Kiều Liêu Ti (2,402 metres (7,881 ft)), and also has forests that provide lumber. It has about 1,000 species of herbal plants. The fauna includes tigers, peafowl, pheasants, and pangolin.[6] Hà Giang city was heavily damaged during the 1979 war with China but has since been rebuilt.[6]

Cultivated fields and livestock are generally found in elevations below 800 metres (2,600 ft). Between 800 metres (2,600 ft) and 950 metres (3,120 ft), grasses and wood shrubs (with a maximum height of 3 metres (9.8 ft)) are recorded. Patches of forest with trees (30 metres (98 ft) high and 50 centimetres (20 in) in diameter) are found above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) with the canopy covering around 80% of the sky. The forest has dense undergrowth with large vines, tree ferns and rhododendrons. Banana, bamboo and secondary scrub grow on both sides of foot tracks in the forests. The forest also has an abundance of cascading streams, seepage streams from limestone formations, waterfalls, glides, and pools. The stiff limestone vertical rock face is seen above 1,100 metres (3,600 ft) on the northeast face of Mount Muong Cha, while its southwest slope exhibits a much gentler gradient, and is converted into agricultural fields. Above 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), there is a montane mixed semideciduous and evergreen cloud forest. This forest has an understory of Ericaceae with shrubs and epiphytic species of rhododendron and vaccinium. Species of Lauraceae, with Ericaceae and Oleaceae (at higher elevations with taxa in the Fagaceae, Primulaceae (formerly Myrsinaceae) and Araliaceae) are also recorded. Most of the tree trunks are covered with bryophyte mosses in this zone.[12]

16 reptile species (14 genera, five families) and 36 amphibian species (20 genera, seven families) have been recorded in the province.[12]

Small mammals found on Tây Côn Lĩnh II include Cynopterus sphinx, Rousettus leschenaulti, Sphaerias blanfordi, Scaptonyx fusicaudus, Chodsigoa parca, Chodsigoa caovansunga, Blarinella griselda, Crocidura attenuata, Crocidura fuliginosa, Crocidura wuchihensis, Belomys pearsonii, Callosciurus inornatus, Leopoldamys edwardsi, Niviventer fulvescens, Niviventer langbianis, Niviventer tenaster, Chiropodomys gliroides, Ratufa bicolor, and Tamiops sp.[14]

Archaeological excavations carried out near Hà Giang city at Đồi Thông (Pine Hill) have established the region's antiquity to about 30,000 years ago. During the Bronze Age Tày Yu tribes with culturally rich traditions ruled over the region; archaeological findings in the form of bronze drums of that age used for ceremonial purposes are used even to the present day by the Lô Lô and Pu Péo tribes of the region (Mèo Vạc, Hà Giang province).[6]

What was later called Hà Giang province by the French was part of bộ Tân Hưng in ancient times, one of 15 bộ in the nation of Văn Lang. During the Ming dynasty occupation of Vietnam, at the start of the 15th century, it was known as the district of Bình Nguyên, before being later renamed to châu Vị Xuyên.

The French occupied this region in 1886, establishing their military garrison on the east bank of the Lô River and which later became one of the four major military establishments in French Indochina in North Vietnam in 1905. The Vietnamese Dao tribes rebelled against French colonial rule, first in 1901 led by Triệu Tiến Kiến and Triệu Tài Lộc, which was quelled, with the former being killed in the war. However, in 1913, Triệu Tài Lộc organized another rebellion with the help of Triệu Tiến Tiến, another member of his clan, which lasted for two years until 1915. Their slogan was "No Corvees, no taxes for the French; drive out the French to recover our country; liberty for the Dao." This revolt was known as the White Hat Revolt since the Vietnamese carried a white flag engraved with "four ideograms to Quốc Bách Kỹ" (meaning "White Flag of the Fatherland"). The rebellion spread to Tuấn Quang, Lào Cai and Yên Bái. In 1915 the French ruthlessly suppressed the rebellion, deporting many Vietnamese and hanging at least 67 "rebels".[6][15]

Before 1975, Hà Giang comprised the districts of Đồng Văn, Vị Xuyên, Xín Mần, Yên Minh, Hoàng Su Phì, Bắc Quang, Thanh Thủy, and Quản Bạ.

The province's name derives from the Sino-Vietnamese 河楊.

H'Mông Lords of Sà Phìn

The history of the H'Mông Lords of the northern region of the province bordering China (Đồng Văn and Mèo Vạc) is also integral to the province as the H'Mông people have dominated the region from the late 18th century. The Vương family of the Huang clan established their rule at Đồng Văn and Mèo Vạc, which was endorsed by the Nguyễn Kings.

During French colonial rule, the French further supported the Lord to keep their hold on the border territory. Vương Chính Đức was recognized as the king of the H'Mông people in 1900. A palace befitting the king was built between 1902 and 1903, at Sà Phìn (16 km west of Đồng Văn town) by inducting Chinese architects. The Lord's loyalty to the French was evident in the support that the French got from him during their campaign to put down a rebellion launched by the local tribes. In recognition, the Lord was given the rank of a General of the French Army (a fully uniformed Lord's picture is seen in the interior rooms of the palace).

The increasing opposition by the Vietnamese to French rule saw the Lord adopting a neutral stance. Vương Chú Sển who succeeded his father after the latter's death in 1944, however, pledged support to Hồ Chí Minh. The historical palace of the Vương Lord was built in the traditional style of Northeast Asian royal palaces. The palace built on the "Geomantic principles" has four double-storied wings planned in 19th-century southern Chinese town house style with "mui luyện" ("yin-yang") tiles. The two wings are linked by three open courtyards. A moat surrounds the palace. Tombs of the royal family members, which are intricately carved in wood, are located outside the palace walls. Only the walls of the buildings are made of bricks, while the other components of the buildings are made of wood.[16]

Hà Giang is subdivided into 11 district-level sub-divisions:

• 1 provincial city:
  • Hà Giang (capital)

They are further subdivided into 9 commune-level towns (or townlets), 181 communes, and 5 wards.[17]

According to the General Statistics Office of the Government of Vietnam, the population of Hà Giang province as of 2019 was 854,679 with a density of 110 people per km² over a total land area of 7,929.48 km² (3,061.59 sq mi). It is one of the least populated provinces in the northern midlands and mountain areas of Vietnam.[19] The male population during this period was 431,771 while the female population was 422,908. The rural population was 719,108 against an urban population of 135,571 (about 19% of the rural population).[2]

There are 43 ethnic groups in Hà Giang recognized by the Vietnamese government. Each ethnicity has their own language, traditions, and subculture. The largest ethnic groups are: Mông (34.25%), Tày (22.55%), Dao (14.88%), Vietnamese[20] (12.32%), Nùng (9.53%), Giáy (2.03%), La Chí (1.62%). Others accounted for the remaining 2.82%.[2]

Languages spoken in Hà Giang province include the following.

• Hmong-Mien languages
  • Hmong
  • Iu Mien
  • Kim Mun
  • Pa-Hng (Bắc Quang, Quang Bình)
• Tai languages
  • Nùng
  • Tày
  • Giáy (Yên Minh, Đồng Văn)
  • Buyei (Quan Ba)
• Kra languages
  • Red Gelao (Yên Minh)
  • White Gelao (Đồng Văn)
  • Green Gelao (Đồng Văn
  • Qabiao (Pupeo) (Đồng Văn)
  • Lachi (Hoàng Su Phì, Xín Mần, Bắc Quang)
• Tibeto-Burman languages
  • Red Lolo (Mèo Vạc, Yên Minh)
  • Flowery Lolo (Mèo Vạc, Đồng Văn)
  • Yi (Lolo) (Mèo Vạc, Đồng Văn)

Hà Giang is a highly mountainous region, and travel around the province can be difficult. Much of the province is too mountainous for agriculture, leaving much of the land covered by forests. Hà Giang's central plateau is good for growing plums, peaches, and persimmons, which the province exports. Tea is also grown there.[6][10] The farming economy is also getting a boost with growing orange and mandarin trees as it sustains many households with an income in the range of VND 150 to 200 million a year. The cultivated area of soybean cultivation (which has a high yield with a yield of 750 kg per ha) has increased to 7,900 hectares (20,000 acres).[11]

Hà Giang is one of the poorest provinces of Vietnam. Traditionally, the vast majority of its economic activity revolved around agriculture and forestry. However, in recent years, there have been attempts to establish a manufacturing industry. Infrastructure in Hà Giang has seen improvement, but remains poor and roads, schools, and health services are underdeveloped compared to many other parts of Vietnam.[6][10]

Hà Giang province has particularly assisted locals in developing their tea industry with financial (soft loans) and technical support in operations (sowing, tending, gathering and processing). This resulted in an increase in the yield from 9,625 tonnes (1995) to 20,394 tonnes (2002). Particular tea plantations of quality tea are the Shan Tuyết strain in Cao Bồ (Vị Xuyên District), Lũng Phìn (Đồng Văn District) and in Ngam La (Yên Minh District). Hà Giang tea is also popular in foreign markets.[11]

The province is rich in minerals; 149 mines with 28 categories of minerals are spread in all districts of the province. Mineral deposits mined in the province are: antimony, iron ore, manganese, ferrite, zinc, tin, copper, bauxite, gold, gemstones, kaolin and mineral water. These are contributing to industrial development in the province. Plans have been put in place, with appropriate policies, to attract direct foreign investments in the province; China, South Korea, Thailand and other countries have already chipped in with investments in the mining and processing industries. The Asian Development Bank provided loans of US$3,000,000 to promote the tea industry in the province.[11]

As Hà Giang is a mountainous region, the population is not large, and the majority of inhabitants are ethnic Vietnamese. The remainder are H'Mông, Tày, Dao, Mán, Nùng, Giấy, Lô Lô and Thổ; the majority engage in ancestor and spirit worship.[6][10]

Of the national figure of 7,592 agriculture, forestry and fishery cooperatives, there are only 32 cooperatives in the province, of which 22 are agricultural and eight are fisheries.[17][21] There are only 169 known farms in the province against the national number of 120,699.[22]

The output value of agriculture produce at constant 1994 prices in the province was 838.4 billion dongs against the national value of 156,681.9 billion dongs.[23] The province produced 280,300 tonnes of cereals against the national production of 43.58 million tonnes.[24]

The per capita production of cereals in the district was 397.5 kg against the national figure of 501.8 kg in 2007.[25] In 2007, the industrial output of the province was 526.1 billion dongs against the national output of 1,469,272.3 billion dongs.[26] There is a recently established cement plant with a 300,000 tonne annual capacity.

Traditional female clothing of the Yi (Lô Lô) people

Hà Giang has many cultural festivals due to the presence of more than 20 ethnic minority groups. Many of these groups are noted for their artistic abilities, especially their weaving and hand-made textile products. The Spring Festival is celebrated by the H'Mông and Dao people, usually shortly after the Lunar New Year and lasts between three and seven days. The people celebrate with singing and feasting and drinking alcohol.

• Hà Giang municipal government website