Quang Tri province lies on the North Central Coast of Viet Nam, north of the former royal capital of Hue
Located in North Central Vietnam, Quang Tri Province is bounded by Quang Binh Province to the north, Thua Thien-Hue Province to the south, Savannakhet Province of Laos to the west, and the East Sea to the east, with 75km of seaside. Except for the narrow piedmont coastal plains, the terrain is dominated
by hills and the Annamite Mountains. The highlands, characterized by steep slopes, sharp crests, and narrow valleys, are covered mainly by a dense broadleaf evergreen forest. Most of the peaks are from 4,000 to 7,000 feet high, but some rise above 8,000 feet. The narrow coastal plains flanking the highlands on the east are compartmented by rocky headlands and consist of belts of sand dunes and, in areas where the soil is suitable, rice fields.
From the crests that mark the drainage divide in the highlands, streams flow either east towards the South China Sea or west into Laos or Cambodia. Those flowing eastward are swift and following short courses through deep narrow valleys over rocky bottoms until they reach the coastal plains, where they slow down and disperse over silty and sandy bottoms. The westward flowing streams follow longer traces, sometimes through deep canyons, other times through poorly drained valleys that, like the coastal plains in the east, are subject to seasonal flooding. Its topography consists of mountains, hills, plains, sand dunes and beaches. The long coast and complex network of rivers includes the Ben Hai, Cam Lo, Quang Tri, and Thach Han rivers offering a good potential for hydroelectricity production and aquaculture.
