Lang Son

Lang Son is a northern province of Vietnam which borders Cao Bang Province to the North, Sung Ta Province (China) to the northeast, Bac Giang Province to the south, Quang Ninh  to the east, Bac Kan  to the West and Thai Nguyen Province to the southwest. With two international border gates, Dong Dang and Huu Nghi, Lang Son holds an important position in Vietnam economy. In addition to the two gates, the province also possesses 7 markets along its border with China.

In general, about 80% of the province’s area is mountains. The most popular terrain is low mountains and hills, which usually have an average height of 252m above the sea level. The lowest point in the province is 20m high; it is in the area of Huu Lung district. In contrast, with a height of 1541m, Mau Son Mountain is considered the highest peak in Lang Son. The most mountainous part of the province is Mau Son, which is 30km away to the East of Lang Son City. Mau Son is famous for its spectacular terrain made of many mountains of various sizes. Sometimes, you can even find snow there, a quite rare phenomena in a tropical country like Vietnam.

The seasonal climate of Lang Son is similar to that of other provinces in northern Vietnam. In different seasons, the temperature is distributed pretty disproportionally because of the complex terrain.  However, the annual average temperature is still about 17-22oC and the annual average precipitation is 1200-1600mm. The annual average humidity is from 80 to 85%.

According to the National Demographic Survey in 2009, the population of Lang Son is 831,887 people. There are 7 ethnic groups residing across different districts of the provinces. They include Nung, Tay, Kinh, Dao, Hoa, San Chay, and H’mong. Even though the populations of these groups are not the same, their deeply root cultures and traditions distinguish them clearly from one another.

Nowadays, Lang Son is considered one of the most potential provinces of Vietnam in term of agriculture development, natural resources, trading, and especially tourism. The province takes pride for its many natural and historical sites reflecting the diverse nature of its culture: the Bac Son Culture Site, the Mai Pha Culture Site, etc. Besides, it is hard to miss the province’s famous sights that have gone into Vietnamese literature and music such as Dong Dang, Ky Lua, To Thi, Tam Thanh.