Geographic location: Quang Ninh is bounded by Guangxi of China and Lang Son province to the North, by Bac Ninh and Hai Duong province to the West, by Hai Phong city to the South and by Gulf of Tonkin by the East
Quang Ninh is located in the North-East border area of Vietnam, in strategic economic developing area “”two corridors and one belt”” Vietnam-China and in the planned key economic zone of the North. It has an especially important geographical position:
Bordering with China in the North-East with the borderline of over 132 km. Its Mong Cai intl’ border gate adjoining with China and two national border gates that is Hoanh Mo and Bac Phong Sinh.
Adjoining with Haiphong City to the West, 20 km away from Haiphong Port.
Overlooking East Sea to the south and east with the total coastline of 250 km, having favourable conditions to build sea port systems, IZs, EPZs and broaden market towards other countries.
Adjoining with Lang Son, Bac Giang, Hai Duong provinces to the North and North-West.
Located in an important clue of key traffic system of the North of Vietnam. 160 km away from Hanoi.
Area: 6,099 km2
Topographic features: The province has features of mountainous, gradually lower towards the North-West and South-West, midland and coastal area with 3 clear natural areas: Mountainous one with the area of nearly 3,000 km2, accounting for 41%; island with the area of 619 km2, accounting for 10% and the midland
Eastern mountainous area is from Tien Yen District to Binh Lieu, Dam Ha, Hai Ha and Mong Cai. This is the region succeeding Thap Dai Van Son of People Republic of China.
Western mountainous area is from Ba Che to Cam Pha town, Hoanh Bo district, adjoining with Uong Bi in the north and gradually lower to northern of Dong Trieu District.
Midland and coastal area comprise strips of low weathered and eroded hill having created fields in foot of mountain areas gradually lower towards basins of river and seaside.
Quangninh territorial marine and islandish areas are 20 m in depth averagely.
Stream flows conjoint with channels of sea bottom also having created series of rivulets, narrow passages and seaports on the sinuous and airtight coastline thanking to islandish corridors having created a big potentiality for developing seaport and waterway traffic.
Climate
Quang Ninh is located in the tropical and monsoon area, typical for northern weather of Vietnam. There are four seasons in a year: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Annually average temperature is 22.9 degrees Celsius.
Average humidity is 82 percent. Annually average rainfall is about from 1,700 to 2,400 mm. Rain is mainly in summers, especially in July and August.
Hydrography: Average tide level is 2.5 meters; there is no remarkable natural calamity such as earthquake, volcano, etc.
Quangninh overlooks Gulf of Tonkin (or Beibu Bay)- a big and airtight gulf defended by islandish layers, hence wind and waves are not hard as the sea area in central part. Highest tide level in the afternoons of summers and spring tide in the mornings of winters are distinct and typical phenomenon here.
Mineral Recourses: There are abundant natural resources, especially coal, limestone, clay, kaolin, white sand, granite, etc.
Reserves of anthracite coal are large, accounting for over 90 % of coal output of the whole country.
Reserves of limestone is about 3.1 billion ton, favorable for supplying materials for constructional industry and developing large scaled cement producing units.
Reserves of materials to produce constructional material are also large such as: clay to produce cement, tile, brick, fired-brick, kaolin, ceramics and glassy sand.
Minerals have industrial value such as: oil land, phosphoric, titan, angtimon, quartz…
Water resources:
Water resources of Quangninh are relatively plentiful: water surface is mainly river and lake. Big rivers are Ka Long, Ha Coi, Dam Ha, Tien Yen, Ba Che, Dien Vong, Troi and Cam River.
In total of 72 lakes and dams, there are 28 big lakes with total capacity of nearly 195.53 million m3. The biggest lakes are Yen Lap with capacity of 118 million m3 and Khe Che lake (Dong Trieu) with capacity of 6.43 million m3.
Underground water of Quangninh is plentiful. Source of underground water is available right on big islands. At the moment, underground water has not surveyed all; however, in thirteen surveyed urban and industrial areas, possible exploited water capacity estimates 64,388 m3 /day.
There are many places having drinkable mineral water in Quang Hanh (Cam Pha), Khe Lac (Tien Yen) and Dong Long (Binh Lieu).
Land resources: soil in Quangninh includes two main groups: hill and mountainous soil; coastal delta soil.
Forest natural resources
Area of forest is large and plentiful in animal and botany species (botany has 1,027 species belonging 6 phyla, animal has 120 species).
Because impact of marine climate having lots of steam and high rainfall, forest in Quangninh is therefore very favorable for development of plant.
Animal-botany:
Diversified in topography, climate and soil; ecosystem, therefore, develops abundantly in species; these are important sources and a strong point of Quangninh.
Quangninh has over 1,000 species of fish including 800 named species. There are species of arca, oyster, mussel, sai sung, abalone, sea cucumber, squid, prawn and lobster in shore. There are many delicious fishes of Vietnam such as: pomfret, mackerel, threadfin, Chinese herring, garrupa in offshore. Popular fishes are sardine, herring and lizard-fish.
Quangninh also has strong points in forest and forest land. Potentiality in planting fruit-trees, timbers and other industrial crops.
Administrative unit: Quang Ninh is divided into 1 city (Ha Long city); 3 towns: Cam Pha, Mong Cai, Uong Bi and 10 districts: Ba Che, Binh Lieu, Co To, Dam Ha, Dong Trieu, Hai Ha, Hoanh Bo, Tien Yen, Van Don and Yen Hung
“Natural resources: Quang Ninh has a plenty of land resources with the total area of 601,000 hectares including 50,364 hectares of agricultural land, 146,019 hectares of forestry land. The province is rich in mineral, especially coal with the reserves of 3.5 billion tons (the exploitation quantity of 30-40 million ton/year); besides it also has raw materials such as limestone, clay, etc. in various places such as limestone in Hoanh Bo district, clay in Gieng Day, Kaolin in Tan Mai, Mong Cai, glass in Van Hai, etc.
– Tourism resources: Quang Ninh has the most valuable tourism potentiality in Vietnam with many beautiful beaches, Halong bay, Bai Tu Long and other islands which are recognized as the World’s cultural heritage by UNESCO and hundreds of historical monuments with beautiful arts, architecture located along the sea.
– Human resources: The number of people of working age is 48,337 out of the total area of 365,000 including 33,338 professional school graduation diploma holders, 12,642 higher education degree holders. Like other parts of the country, human resources of the province which are young, plentiful, hard-working, skillful are considered its strength
Road:
·National Road No.18, No. 10 connects Quangninh with Hanoi, Haiphong and Northern provinces have been upgraded and widen in conformity with level 3 delta road standard.
·National Road 4B connects with Lang Son and Cao Bang will be invested and upgraded reaching road standard level 1 crossing with National Road No. 18.
·Highway project from Noi Bai International Airport to Mong Cai International Border Gate is conducting with total length of 288 km. Standard of vehicle highway is TCVN 5729-93; designed velocity is 120 km/h, loading capacity is H30-XB80; four-lane highway, 28 m in width, proposed to be widen to six to eight lanes in future.
· Bai Chay bridge- single plain cable stayed bridge with the longest span in the world put into operation in December, 2006 shortens remarkable time from Hanoi to centre of Halong City. Bang Bridge connects Hoanh Bo industrial cluster/group with Halong City; Van Don bridge connecting Van Don economic zone with Halong City was also completed and put into operation. These bridges create uninterrupted connection among Halong City and surroundings.
·Road and bridge systems from Halong to trade centers, Mong Cai International Border Gate and centers of district capital are favorable for transportation.
2. Railway
·Hanoi-Halong (Cai Lan port) railroad reaching speed of 120km/h with respect to passenger train and 80 km/h with respect to goods train is improving.
Besides, there are overü 64 km railroad serving for provincial industry.
3. Airway
·150 km away from Noi Bai International Airport
At the moment, there are landing lots forü helicopter in Halong City and Mong Cai.
·A new airport will be built in Van Don, 40 km away from center of Halong City in the near future.
4. Port systems
·There are many river and sea ports favorable for transporting cargo and passengers
·Cai Lan port is the largest deep seaport in northern Vietnam, can receive 50,000 DWT ship, designed capacity when completing is 7-10 million ton/year.
· Specialized Cua ong port can receive 65,000-70,000 DWT ship
·Besides, there are ports such as: Hoanh Bo, Cau Trang, B12, Mui Chua, Dien Cong, Bach Thai Buoi, Tien Yen, Dan Tien… creating favorable water traffic among Quangninh and neighbor provinces.
5. Post and telecommunication
·The existing post and telecommunication system of the province has been reaching the international standard and can satisfy any customers’ needs.
• Post: guaranteeing communes in the province are able to receive letters in the day. Other new post services are widely applied such as Post’s Saving Services, Price Stating Services…
• Telecommunications: Telecommunication system has been equipped with advanced, modern and multi-service digital equipment; mobile phone system has reached 14/14 villages, towns and city of the province. Broadband internet system is available.
Power supply
6. Electricity
·At present, the national power network has reached all the districts, towns and city of the province. There are 8 substations 110 KV with total generator capacity of 176 MVA and two substations 220 KV with total generator capacity of 250 KV. Besides, there are distributing power network at voltage level of 35KV, 10 KV and 6 KV (mainly 35KV and 6 KV).
·According to the provincial master plan, the biggest thermo-electricity of the country shall be built at Uong Bi, Ha Long, Cam Pha with total generator capacity of over 5,000 MW. Estimated, 3,500 MW of power will be put into operation in 2010.
7. Water supply system:
·At present, Quangninh has six large waterworks with total designed capacity of 170,000 m3/ day. According with approved plan of PPC, total water supply in 2010 shall reach 277,900 m3/ day and in 2020 shall be 489,500 m3/ day.
·Dong Ho waterworks, designed capacity 20,000 m3/d
·Dien Vong waterworks, designed capacity 120,000 m3/d
·Mao Khe waterworks, designed capacity 12,000 m3/d
·Mong Cai waterworks, designed capacity 5,000 m3/d, stage 1
·Uong Bi waterworks, designed capacity 8,000 m3/d
·Quang Yen waterworks, designed capacity 5,000 m3/d
+ Services: It is planned to develop the province into tourism center recognized in the region in 2015. Sustainable development of tourism sectors will go in parallel with development of other services. Four key tourism centers will be built in Ha Long, Mong Cai – Tra Co, Uong Bi-Dong Trieu-Yen Hung, Van Don (in the comprehensive tourism plan for the period 2001-2010). Especially, the Van Don economic zone will be developed to be a big eco-tourism centre, development of Bai Chay, Mong Cai (border tours), etc
+ Industry: It is planned to reach the growth rate of 15% annually for the period 2006-2010, accounting for 48% of the total province’s GDP in 2010. Coal exploitation, construction material, shipbuilding will be developed. Attention will also paid to investing in industries serving tourism such as foodstuff, soft drink processing, etc., centered industrial zones such as Cai Lan and Hoanh Bo.
In general, Quang Ninh is abundant and diversified in natural condition. These are big potentiality for Quangninh to develop comprehensive economy including industrial, agricultural, fishery manufacture, trade and service development; located in northern economic triangle: Hanoi-Haiphong-Quangninh. As the result, Quangninh is becoming a center, a key point in economic development strategy of the country.”
