Ho Chi Minh (Sai Gon) Overview
Ho Chi Minh City is the biggest city in Vietnam.
Formerly known as Saigon, it was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in honor of the
Vietnamese leader. The city has a metropolitan area with a population of over 9
million people. It was the capital of the state of South Vietnam between 1954
and 1975, and before that, it was the capital of the French colony of
Cochinchina.
Ho Chi Minh City began as a fishing village called
Prey Nokor, inhabited mostly by the Khmer people since the time of antiquity
until the early 17th century, when ethnic Vietnamese migrated and settled
there, elbowing out the Khmers. Under the Khmers, it was an important trading
port. Under the Vietnamese, Prey Nokor became known as Sài Gòn.
The modern Ho Chi Minh City is located on the banks
of the Saigon River. It is 60 km from the coast of the South China Sea, and
1760 km (1094 mi) from Hanoi.
People
By far the largest ethnic group here are the the
Vietnamese (Kinh) who make up over 90% of the population. Chinese Hoa (5%) are
also to be found. Some people can speak English and the number is increasing as
it is now compulsory in schools. Some of the older people still speak some
French.
