Natural conditions of Ha Giang

Việt Nam•24/06/2023

1. Geographical location

Ha Giang is a mountainous border province in the far north of Vietnam, with a particularly important strategic location. To the north and west, it shares a 274 km border with the People's Republic of China; to the east, it borders Cao Bang province; to the south, it borders Tuyen Quang province; and to the west and southwest, it borders Lao Cai and Yen Bai provinces.

Ha Giang has a natural area of 7,929.5 km².

At the northernmost point of Ha Giang province, which is also the northernmost point of the country, about 3 km east of Lung Cu, the latitude is 23°13'00"; the westernmost point is about 10 km southwest of Xin Man, with longitude 104°24'05"; the easternmost point is 16 km east-southeast of Meo Vac, with longitude 105°30'04".

To date, Ha Giang has 1 city, 10 districts, 5 wards, 13 towns, and 177 communes.

Ha Giang City has 5 wards and 3 communes.

Bac Me District has 1 town and 12 communes.

Bac Quang District has 2 towns and 21 communes.

Dong Van District has 2 towns and 17 communes.

Hoang Su Phi District has 1 town and 24 communes.

Meo Vac District has 1 town and 17 communes.

Quan Ba District has 1 town and 12 communes.

Quang Binh District has 1 town and 14 communes.

Vi Xuyen District has 2 towns and 22 communes.

Xín Mần District has 1 town and 18 communes.

Yen Minh District has 1 town and 17 communes.

The average population of the province in 2021 was estimated at 887,086 people, of which: 438,715 were female, accounting for 49.46%; the urban population was 140,327, accounting for 15.82%. The sex ratio of the province's population in 2021 was 102.2 males/100 females, with 98.12 males/100 females in urban areas and 102.99 males/100 females in rural areas.

2. Topography

Located in the high mountainous region of northern Vietnam, Ha Giang is a majestic mountain range with rugged terrain, averaging 800m to 1,200m above sea level. It is a region with a high concentration of peaks. According to statistics, within the less than 8,000 km2 area of Ha Giang, there are 49 peaks ranging from 500m to 2,500m in height (10 peaks 500-1,000m, 24 peaks 1,000-1,500m, 10 peaks 1,500-2,000m, and 5 peaks 2,000-2,500m). However, the topography of Ha Giang can basically be divided into the following three regions:

- The northern highlands, also known as the Dong Van Karst Plateau, include the districts of Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van, and Meo Vac, with 90% of its area being limestone mountains, characteristic of karst topography. Here, you'll find sharp, jagged limestone mountains, deep and narrow gorges, and many sheer cliffs. On October 3, 2010, the Dong Van Karst Plateau joined the Global Geopark Network under the name: Dong Van Karst Plateau Global Geopark.

- The western highlands, comprising Hoang Su Phi and Xin Man districts, are part of the Bac Ha plateau, often referred to as the Chay River uplift, with altitudes ranging from 1,000m to over 2,000m. The terrain here is predominantly dome or semi-dome, pear-shaped, saddle-shaped, interspersed with steep, sometimes sharp or jagged, heavily dissected, and folded landforms.

- The low mountainous region includes the remaining districts and towns, extending from Bac Me, Ha Giang city, through Vi Xuyen to Bac Quang. This area has strips of old-growth forest interspersed with relatively flat valleys along rivers and streams.

3. Hydrology

The major rivers in Ha Giang belong to the Red River system. The area has a relatively high density of rivers and streams. Most of the rivers have uneven depths, steep slopes, and many rapids and waterfalls, making them unsuitable for waterway transportation.

The Lo River is a major river in Ha Giang province, originating in Liulong, Yunnan (China), flowing across the Vietnam-China border (Thanh Thuy area), through Ha Giang city, Bac Quang, and into Tuyen Quang . It is the main water source for the central region of the province.

The Chay River originates from the southwestern slope of Tay Con Linh peak and the northeastern slope of Kieu Lien Ti peak. It has a high density of tributaries (1.1 km/km2) and a water concentration coefficient of 2.0 km/km2. Although only the headwaters are within the province, it is the main water source for the western part of Ha Giang.

The Gâm River originates in Nghiêm Sơn, Tây Trù (China), flows through Lũng Cú commune, Mèo Vạc district, and near Tuyên Quang city before joining the Lô River. This is the main water source for the eastern part of the province.

In addition, Ha Giang province also has shorter and smaller rivers such as the Nho Que River, Mien River, Bac River, and Chung River, as well as many large and small streams that provide water for production and daily life of the local population.

4. Climate

Located in the tropical monsoon region and being a high mountainous area, Ha Giang's climate basically shares the characteristics of the Viet Bac - Hoang Lien Son mountain range, but also has its own unique features: cooler and colder than the provinces in the Northeast, but warmer than the provinces in the Northwest.

Ha Giang province has a fairly abundant rainfall pattern. The province receives an average annual rainfall of approximately 2,300-2,400 mm, with Bac Quang district alone receiving over 4,000 mm, making it one of the areas with the highest rainfall in Vietnam. Rainfall varies considerably between regions, years, and months of the year.

The average annual humidity in Ha Giang is 85%, and the fluctuations are not significant. The highest humidity (June, July, August) is around 87-88%, while the lowest (January, February, March) is around 81%. Notably, the boundary between the dry and rainy seasons is not clearly defined. Ha Giang is a province with many clouds (average cloud cover of about 7.5/10, reaching 8-9/10 in late winter) and relatively little sunshine (1,427 hours of sunshine per year, with 181 hours in the busiest month and only 74 hours in the least busy month).

Wind directions in Ha Giang depend on the valley's topography. The Lo River valley experiences almost exclusively southeasterly winds year-round, with a frequency exceeding 50%. Generally, the wind is weak, with an average speed of about 1-1.5 m/s. This area also has a high number of thunderstorm days, up to 103 days per year, with frequent drizzle and fog, but notably little frost. A prominent feature of Ha Giang's climate is its high humidity throughout the year, heavy and prolonged rainfall, and cool to cold temperatures, all of which affect production and daily life.