Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam’s largest city and a major economic center in the country’s south. Formerly called Saigon, it became Ho Chi Minh City after the end of the Vietnam War.

Saigon River: A river in southern Vietnam that flows through Ho Chi Minh City and empties into the Soài Rạp estuary. Its banks shaped the city’s port, trade, and settlement patterns.
Prey Nokor: A Khmer settlement and trading port that preceded the Vietnamese expansion into the area of present-day Ho Chi Minh City. It represents the city’s early history before its incorporation into Vietnamese political rule.
Economy of Ho Chi Minh City: The economic system of Vietnam’s largest city, spanning manufacturing, services, trade, and finance. Its concentration of jobs and businesses underpins the city’s national economic influence.
Vietnam War: A conflict from 1955 to 1975 involving North and South Vietnam and their international allies. Its conclusion transformed Saigon’s political status and place in the reunified country.
Ho Chi Minh: A Vietnamese revolutionary leader who headed North Vietnam and became the country’s namesake after reunification. The city was renamed in his honor in 1976.
Mekong Delta: A vast delta in southwestern Vietnam formed by the Mekong River and its distributaries. The city is the delta’s principal commercial gateway, though it lies northeast of the delta itself.
Gia Định: A historical name for the region and settlement that developed around present-day Ho Chi Minh City. The name marks the city’s role as a major southern center before French colonial rule.
Port of Ho Chi Minh City: A port system on the Saigon River serving Ho Chi Minh City and southern Vietnam. River and seaport facilities connect the metropolitan economy with international trade.
Reunification Day: A Vietnamese national holiday on April 30 marking the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. The date commemorates the event that ended Saigon’s role as the capital of South Vietnam.
Independence Palace: A landmark building in Ho Chi Minh City that served as the presidential palace of South Vietnam. Its capture in 1975 became one of the most recognizable images of the war’s end.

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