"HANOI" a Hanoi Travel Page by Umea6

Vietnam is a remarkable country. My favourite, for many reasons....
Signs of a horrible war and destruciton are never far away. Yet they know they live in the present and for the future which shows from their smiling faces.

Hanoi is Vietnam's political capital nad lies on the banks of the Red River. The city of Hanoi doesn't seem as crowded (3 million people) as Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon which is definetly more economically developed than Hanoi.

Hanoi received its name only in 1831, before than it was know under the name of Thang Long.

In 1882 Hanoi was conquered by a French expedition and was forced to accept the status of a French protectorate. The French divided the country into three protectorates:
- Cochin China (in the South)
- Annam (central Vietnam)
- Tonkin (North Vietnam).
Hanoi became the capital of the protectorate Tonkin.

Most parts of today's Hanoi were built during the French colonial occupation - don't be surprised to see broad boulevards, French architecture and excellent French bread sold on the streets around the city.

The French left Hanoi after their defeat at Dien Bien Phu.
Another tragedy hit Vietnam and Hanoi - the US bombardments of North Vietnam from March 1965 to October 1968. After the end of the bombardments the city again grew rapidly.