Ninh Binh - following the course of history

Ninh Binh is a coastal province in the southernmost part of the Red River Delta, bordered to the north by Ha Nam, to the east and northeast by Nam Dinh, to the southeast by the Gulf of Tonkin, to the northwest by Hoa Binh, and to the south by Thanh Hoa province.

The province covers an area of ​​1387.5 km2 with a population of nearly 1 million people, comprising 8 administrative units including 2 cities: Ninh Binh City and Tam Diep City, and 6 districts: Nho Quan, Gia Vien, Hoa Lu, Yen Mo, Yen Khanh, and Kim Son district.

During the Qin Dynasty (255-207 BC), this land belonged to Xiang County. During the second period of Chinese rule (207 BC-542 BC), under the Han Dynasty, it belonged to Giao Chi County; under the Wu Dynasty (266-280) and the Jin Dynasty (280-420), it belonged to Giao Chau; and by the end of the Liang Dynasty (502-542), it was Truong Yen Prefecture. When Ly Nam De drove out the Liang army and established the Early Ly Dynasty (542-602), it remained Truong Yen Prefecture of Van Xuan Kingdom. During the third period of Chinese rule (603-905) under the Sui and Tang Dynasties, this land was still Truong Yen Prefecture.

Hoa Lu Ancient Capital Festival

When Đinh Bộ Lĩnh suppressed the 12 warlords and unified the country, establishing the Đinh dynasty (968-980) with its capital in Hoa Lư, this land was called Đại Hoàng Châu of Đại Cồ Việt. During the Early Lê dynasty (981-1009), it was called Trường Yên Châu. During the Lý dynasty (1010-1225), it was called Trường Yên phủ, later Đại Hoàng Châu of Đại Cồ Việt. At the beginning of the Trần dynasty, it was called a lộ, later changed to Trấn Trường Yên. In the 10th year of Quang Thái (1398) during the reign of Trần Thuận Tông, it was changed to Trấn Thiên Quan.

During the Ming dynasty (1407-1428), it was called Truong Yen Prefecture. According to the Dai Thanh Nhat Thong Tri (of China), Kien Binh Prefecture comprised one prefecture, Truong Yen, and six districts: Yen Yen, Dai Loan, Yen Ban, Vong Doanh, Yen Ninh, and Le Binh, which included several districts in present-day Nam Dinh province. According to the Thien Ha Quan Quoc Loi Benh Thu, in the 5th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming dynasty (1407), Truong Yen Prefecture was incorporated into Kien Binh Prefecture, comprising four districts: Yen Mo, Uy Vien, Yen Ninh, and Le Binh. In the 6th year of Yongle (1408), Uy Vien district was incorporated into Truong Yen Prefecture; in 1415, Yen Mo district was incorporated into Yen Ninh district; and in 1419, Le Binh district was incorporated into Truong Yen Prefecture.

The Lê dynasty continued the same system as the Trần dynasty. During the Thiệu Bình period (1434-1440) under Lê Thái Tông (1433-1442), the province was divided into two prefectures, Trường Yên and Thiên Quan, belonging to Thanh Hoa province (present-day Thanh Hóa), ​​comprising six districts. Trường Yên prefecture had three districts: Gia Viễn, Yên Khang, and Yên Mô; Thiên Quan prefecture governed three districts: Phụng Hoá, Ninh Hoá, and Lạc Thổ. During the Hồng Đức period (1470-1498), Lê Thánh Tông incorporated these two prefectures into Sơn Nam province. During the Mạc dynasty (1527-1592), these two prefectures were called Thanh Hoa Outer Province, separated from Thanh Hoa Inner Province by the Tam Điệp mountain range. The Lê Trung Hưng dynasty established its capital in Thanh Hoa. The area north of Trường Yên prefecture was governed by the Mạc dynasty; except for Trường Yên, which, starting in 1533, was governed by the Lê Trung Hưng dynasty. The two place names, Thanh Hoa Inner Province and Thanh Hoa Outer Province, originated from that time. After the Mạc dynasty was overthrown (1592), the Lê dynasty incorporated the two prefectures of Trường Yên and Thiên Quan into Thanh Hoa, calling it Thanh Hoa Outer Garrison. During the Tây Sơn period, it was also called Thanh Hoa Outer Garrison, belonging to the Northern Citadel.

Under the Nguyen dynasty, the system remained the same: Thanh Hoa outer district consisted of two prefectures, Truong Yen and Thien Quan, with six districts: Yen Mo, Yen Khang, Gia Vien, Yen Hoa, Phung Hoa, and Lac Tho.

In the 5th year of Gia Long (1806), Thanh Hoa Outer District was renamed Thanh Binh District, still belonging to Thanh Hoa Province. In the 2nd year of Minh Menh (1821), Truong Yen Prefecture was renamed Yen Khanh Prefecture. In the 3rd year of Minh Menh (1822), Thanh Binh District was renamed Ninh Binh District. The place name Ninh Binh originated from then, but it remained a district belonging to Thanh Hoa Province. It was not until the 10th year of Minh Menh (1829) that it was officially renamed Ninh Binh Province, with the governors appointed as Governor and Deputy Governor of Ninh Binh, similar to other provinces in the Northern Citadel. Also in 1829, Kim Son District was established, founded by the Land Reclamation Commissioner Nguyen Cong Tru who reclaimed wasteland and alluvial land along the coast.

In the 12th year of Minh Mệnh's reign (1831), Ninh Bình province was changed to Ninh Bình province, and the Northern Citadel Governor-General was abolished as part of Minh Mệnh's administrative reform program. Under the Nguyễn dynasty, Ninh Bình province had 2 prefectures comprising 7 districts. Yên Khánh prefecture included 4 districts: Yên Khánh, Yên Mô, Gia Viễn (at that time including the present-day Gia Viễn and Hoa Lư districts) and Kim Sơn. Thiên Quan prefecture (renamed Nho Quan prefecture in the 15th year of Tự Đức's reign, i.e., 1862), Yên Hoà prefecture (called Ninh Hoá during the Lê dynasty, comprising part of present-day Nho Quan district and part of present-day Gia Viễn district), and Yên Lạc district (formerly Lạc Thổ, later Lạc Yên, and today Lạc Sơn district in Hòa Bình province).

During the French colonial period, there were several changes, such as the separation of Yen Lac district into Hoa Binh province, the renaming of Phung Hoa district to Nho Quan district, and the establishment of Gia Khanh district, comprising parts of Gia Vien district and Yen Khanh district.

In 1930, the Communist Party of Vietnam was founded, and Ninh Binh was one of the provinces that early established Party bases and revolutionary movements. The Quynh Luu base was one of the three centers of the Quang Trung War Zone during the pre-insurrection period. The Khanh Trung and Khanh Thien guerrilla zones were strong bases for resistance against the French. During the war against the Americans, Ninh Binh maintained the North-South transportation route. The people and soldiers of Ninh Binh shot down 90 American aircraft. The province of Ninh Binh was awarded the title of Heroic Unit of the People's Armed Forces by the State...

Before the August Revolution (1945), Ninh Binh had 6 independent prefectures and districts (prefectures without districts included the two prefectures of Nho Quan and Yen Khanh, the districts of Gia Vien, Gia Khanh, Kim Son and Yen Mo along with Ninh Binh town).

After the August Revolution (1945), while some provinces and cities were named after historical figures or places, Ninh Binh was briefly named Hoa Lu Province. The prefectures and districts were collectively called districts, comprising six districts and one town. However, on October 9, 1945, the Government Council decided that the provinces would revert to their old names, and Hoa Lu was again called Ninh Binh Province, belonging to Northern Vietnam, later known as the Northern Region.

During the resistance war against the French (1946-1954), Ninh Binh province belonged to Zone 3. On January 25, 1948, Zones 2, 3, and 11 were merged into Inter-zone, and Ninh Binh became part of Inter-zone 3.

After the reunification of the country, in 1976 Ninh Binh merged with Ha Nam province (comprising Nam Dinh and Ha Nam) to form Ha Nam Ninh province. In 1977, Nho Quan and Gia Vien districts were merged into Hoang Long district; Yen Mo district and 10 communes of Yen Khanh district were merged into Tam Diep district; Kim Son district and 9 communes of Yen Khanh district were merged into Kiem Son district; and Gia Khanh district and Ninh Binh town were merged into Hoa Lu district. During this period, the former Ninh Binh territory consisted of only 4 districts within Ha Nam Ninh province, and Ninh Binh town was downgraded to a town within Hoa Lu district.

On April 9, 1981, Hoang Long district was again divided into two districts: Hoang Long and Gia Vien. In December 1991, the 10th session of the 8th National Assembly decided to separate Ninh Binh province from Ha Nam Ninh province. Ninh Binh reverted to its old province, which now comprised 7 administrative units: Ninh Binh town, Tam Diep town, and 5 districts: Hoang Long, Hoa Lu, Gia Vien, Tam Diep, and Kim Son.

On April 1, 1992, Ninh Binh province was officially re-established and began operating. Following the reform policies initiated and led by the Party, over the past 30 years, the Party Committee, government, and people of Ninh Binh, with strong will and great aspirations, have upheld the spirit of unity, proactiveness, and creativity, leveraging their potential and advantages, overcoming difficulties and challenges, and achieving significant and comprehensive achievements in all fields.

Party building and the construction of the political system have been implemented synchronously and comprehensively. The implementation of the Central Committee's Resolutions, Directives, and Conclusions on strengthening Party building and rectification and the political system has yielded good results with many breakthroughs. Party inspection and supervision, and the fight against corruption and negative phenomena, have been carried out decisively. The leadership capacity and fighting strength of Party organizations have been enhanced. The Fatherland Front and political and social organizations have made many innovations in their content and methods of operation, and the national unity and religious unity have been firmly consolidated.

The economy has experienced consistent and significant growth; the economic structure has shifted in a positive direction, and through persistent efforts, the industrial and service sectors now account for 88.5%. Budget revenue reached nearly 22,100 billion VND, with domestic revenue ranking 16th out of 63 provinces and cities, laying the groundwork for Ninh Binh to become a self-sufficient province in 2022. Industrial production value exceeded 100 trillion VND, led by the Hyundai Thanh Cong automobile joint venture. Agriculture is developing towards sustainable commodity production linked to the market. The national target program for building new rural areas has achieved outstanding results, with 98.3% of communes in the province meeting the new rural area standards, completely transforming the face of agriculture, farmers, and rural areas in Ninh Binh.

Tourism has undergone a strong transformation, especially since the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site, creating a breakthrough and opening up great opportunities, propelling Ninh Binh tourism to become a key economic sector. Cultural and social fields have received attention and investment. The quality of comprehensive education has continuously improved; for five consecutive years, Ninh Binh ranked 3rd nationwide in average scores across subjects in the high school graduation exam. The work of protecting, caring for, and improving the health of the people, and the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic, have been implemented synchronously and effectively; social security is ensured, and the poverty rate has decreased to only 1.44%...

With its achievements, Ninh Binh has been honored with many prestigious titles: Hero of the People's Armed Forces; awarded the First-Class Independence Order three times; 79 collectives and 29 individuals have been awarded the titles of Hero of the People's Armed Forces and Hero of Labor; and 1,274 mothers have been awarded and posthumously awarded the title of "Heroic Vietnamese Mother".

Ninh Binh Provincial E-Government Portal