Ninh Binh has Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, which was once the capital of three dynasties: the Dinh, the Early Le, and the Ly dynasties. It was only merged with Nam Ha province once, in 1975, before being re-established as Ninh Binh province in 1992, a status it maintains to this day.
Ninh Binh province is renowned for its rich history and long-standing culture, having served as the capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1010 under three dynasties: Dinh, Early Le, and Ly. It has also been an important military location throughout various periods.
This region is blessed with many scenic spots and unique historical and cultural relics; it has strong potential for socio -economic development and is planned to become a centrally-governed city by 2035.
Geographical location of Ninh Binh province (before the merger of the former provinces of Nam Dinh, Ha Nam, and Ninh Binh)
Ninh Binh province is located in the southernmost part of the Red River Delta, more than 90km south of the capital Hanoi. It has a natural area of nearly 1,386.8km2 and a population of 1,027,030 as of April 1, 2024.
Ninh Binh province enjoys a very favorable geographical location and transportation links. To the north, it borders Ha Nam province; to the east and northeast, it borders Nam Dinh province; to the northwest, it borders Hoa Binh province; and to the south, it borders Thanh Hoa province and the East Sea (Gulf of Tonkin) with a coastline of 18km (Ninh Binh has the shortest coastline in Vietnam).
Ninh Binh is also strategically located at the boundary between three geographical regions: Northwest Vietnam, the Red River Delta, and North Central Vietnam, and lies between three economic regions: the Hanoi region, the Northern coastal region, and the Central coastal region.
The land of Ninh Binh through different historical periods.
Throughout the dynasties, the administrative divisions of Ninh Binh province changed many times before it was given its name and boundaries.
Prehistory and early periods
According to archaeological studies, Ninh Binh is home to traces of ancient Vietnamese habitation dating back tens of thousands of years. The Dang Cave, Bai Son, Kenh Ga, Doi Thuy, and especially the Ancient People (Tam Diep) sites have yielded numerous Hoa Binh and Bac Son cultural relics, providing evidence of human existence since prehistoric times.
Period of nation-building and Northern domination
During the Văn Lang-Âu Lạc period: Ninh Bình belonged to the Vũ Ninh region, one of the 15 regions of the Văn Lang kingdom under King Hùng.
Map of Ninh Binh province in 1891 during the French colonial period under the Nguyen dynasty. (Image: Wikipedia)
During the period of Northern domination: Ninh Binh belonged to the districts of Giao Chi, Cuu Chan, and later Giao Chau, ruled by the Northern dynasties.
The Ninh Binh region during the period of independence and self-governance (10th-14th centuries)
In 968, Dinh Bo Linh unified the 12 warlords, ascended the throne as Emperor, named the country Dai Co Viet, and chose Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh) as the capital. This was a significant milestone in history as Ninh Binh became the political, economic, and military center of the entire country.
This land has witnessed the glorious nation-building and defense of the 12 years of the Dinh Dynasty (968-980), the 29 years of the Early Le Dynasty (980-1009), and the beginning of the Ly Dynasty (1009-1010), with historical milestones such as: unifying the country, defeating the Song and Champa, and the beginning of the process of establishing the capital in Thang Long-Hanoi.
During the Ly-Tran dynasties, after the capital was moved to Thang Long, Hoa Lu still played an important role and was known as Truong Yen prefecture.
Ninh Binh land during the Later Le Dynasty - Nguyen Dynasty period (15th-19th centuries)
During the early Le Dynasty (15th century): Ninh Binh belonged to Thanh Hoa province.
During the Le Trung Hung period (17th century): Thanh Hoa province was divided into Thanh Hoa outer province and Thanh Hoa inner province.
Ninh Binh province (before the merger with Nam Dinh, Ha Nam, and Ninh Binh provinces) is an ancient land dating back tens of thousands of years, possessing picturesque natural landscapes. The place name Ninh Binh dates back to the 3rd year of Minh Mang's reign (1822) of the Nguyen dynasty. (Photo: Minh Duc/TTXVN)
During the Tay Son period (late 18th century): The Ninh Binh region belonged to the Northern region.
During the Nguyen Dynasty: In the 5th year of Gia Long (1806), Thanh Hoa outer district was changed to 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 third year of Minh Mệnh's reign (1822), the Thanh Bình district was renamed Ninh Bình district.
The place name Ninh Binh originated from that time, but it remained a district belonging to Thanh Hoa province.
It was not until the 10th year of Minh Mệnh (1829) that it was officially changed to Ninh Bình province, with the governors appointed as Governor and Deputy Governor of Ninh Bình, and the governors appointed as Governor, Deputy Governor and Deputy Governor, just like other provinces in Bắc Thành.
Also in 1829, Kim Son district was established, founded by the land reclamation commissioner Nguyen Cong Tru, who reclaimed barren land and alluvial soil along the coast.
In the 12th year of Minh Mệnh (1831), Ninh Bình district was changed to Ninh Bình province and the Northern Citadel Governor-General was abolished according to Minh Mệnh's administrative reform program.
Under the Nguyen Dynasty, Ninh Binh Province had two prefectures comprising seven districts. The Yen Khanh prefecture included four districts: Yen Khanh, Yen Mo, Gia Vien (which at that time included the present-day Gia Vien and Hoa Lu districts, and Kim Son). The Thien Quan prefecture (renamed Nho Quan prefecture in the 15th year of Tu Duc's reign, 1862), Yen Hoa (called Ninh Hoa during the Le Dynasty, comprising parts of present-day Nho Quan and Gia Vien districts), and Yen Lac district (formerly Lac Tho, later Lac Yen, and now Lac Son district in Hoa Binh province).
The French colonial period (1884-1945)
In 1891, the French divided Ninh Binh province into smaller administrative units, including districts such as Gia Vien, Hoa Lu, Yen Mo, Kim Son, and Tam Diep, while simultaneously building administrative and economic infrastructure to serve colonial exploitation.
During this period, Ninh Binh was one of the centers of the patriotic movement with uprisings such as the Can Vuong Movement, the Dong Du Movement, and the Viet Minh Movement.
Ninh Binh Province during the period of independence (from 1945 to the present)
In 1953, Tam Diep district was merged into Thanh Hoa province.
In 1975, after the reunification of the country, Ninh Binh province was merged with Nam Ha province (formerly Nam Dinh and Ha Nam), forming Ha Nam Ninh province.
On December 26, 1991, the 10th session of the 8th National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam passed a resolution to split Ha Nam Ninh province into Nam Ha province and re-establish Ninh Binh province.
On April 1, 1992, Ninh Binh province officially came into operation as a newly re-established province with administrative boundaries comprising Ninh Binh city, Tam Diep town, and 6 districts: Gia Vien, Hoa Lu, Yen Khanh, Yen Mo, Kim Son, and Nho Quan.
On January 1, 2025, Hoa Lu City was established by merging the entire area and population of Hoa Lu District and the entire area and population of Ninh Binh City.
After its establishment, Hoa Lu city had a natural area of 150.24 km2 and a population of 238,209 people, meeting the criteria for a type I urban area and serving as the central urban area of Ninh Binh province.
Ninh Binh province aims to build Hoa Lu city into a global city with a strong Vietnamese identity. The development plan for Hoa Lu city ensures spatial connectivity and development, and builds symbolic institutions befitting the ancient capital of Hoa Lu.
Resolution No. 60-NQ/TW, dated April 12, 2025, of the 11th Conference of the Central Committee of the 13th Party Congress decided to merge Ha Nam province, Ninh Binh province, and Nam Dinh province; naming it Ninh Binh province, with the political and administrative center located in the current Ninh Binh province.
Potential and strengths of Ninh Binh province
When it was re-established in 1992, Ninh Binh was a poor province, with its economy primarily based on agriculture; industrial production was underdeveloped.
To date, industry and services account for more than 80% of the province's economic structure; the industrial sector's contribution accounts for over 50% of Ninh Binh province's total budget revenue.
The industrial structure is shifting towards an increasing proportion of the processing and manufacturing sector and a decreasing proportion of the mining sector.
Ninh Binh has emerged as one of the three largest automobile assembly centers in the country, gradually increasing the localization rate, better meeting the needs of the domestic market and aiming for export.
Ninh Binh is also known as one of the most famous tourist destinations in the country, with important historical sites, the Trang An scenic complex - a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and many other attractive destinations such as Cuc Phuong National Park, Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve, and the majestic and poetic system of limestone mountains and rivers...
These factors have attracted a large number of domestic and foreign tourists to Ninh Binh, placing the province among the top 10 provinces with the highest number of tourists in the country.
Ninh Binh is making the most of its heritage and natural landscapes to develop in a modern and sustainable direction, becoming a model heritage city of the 21st century.
A distinctive feature of Ninh Binh's development strategy is the combination of heritage preservation and urban modernization.
Preserving natural landscapes, developing sustainable tourism, and conserving historical structures play a crucial role in this transformation process.
The merger of the three provinces of Nam Dinh, Ninh Binh, and Ha Nam was carried out in accordance with the policy outlined in Resolution No. 60-NQ/TW of 2025 by the Central Committee of the 13th Party Congress.
Following the merger, the new province will be named Ninh Binh province, with its administrative center located in present-day Ninh Binh, and will officially begin operations on July 1, 2025.
Source: https://danviet.vn/vuong-trieu-nha-dinh-le-ly-lay-ninh-binh-lam-kinh-do-sap-nhap-nam-dinh-ha-nam-mo-rong-khong-gian-di-tich-nha-tran-d1402163.html
![[Photo] New recruits happily exercise their right to vote at their unit.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2026/03/14/1773473286544_stug0337-6388-jpg.webp)
Comment (0)