Ho Chi Minh City
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Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC; Vietnamese: Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, IPA: [tʰan˨˩ fow˦˥ how˨˩ cɪj˦˥ mɨn˧˧]), also known by its historical name Saigon (Vietnamese: Sài Gòn, IPA: [saːj˨˩ ɣɔŋ˨˩]), is the most populous city in Vietnam, with a population of more than 21,000,000 in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigon River. As the largest financial centre in Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has the largest gross regional domestic product out of all Vietnam provinces and municipalities, contributing around a quarter of the country's total GDP. Ho Chi Minh City's metropolitan area is ASEAN's 5th largest economy, also the biggest outside an ASEAN country capital. The area was initially part of Cambodian states until it became part of the Vietnamese Nguyễn lords in 1698, due to Đại Việt's expansionist policy of Nam tiến. It was capital of the Nguyễn lords at the end of their existence before the Nguyễn dynasty was formed. After the fall of the Citadel of Saigon, it became the capital of French Cochinchina from 1862 to 1949. It was also the capital of French Indochina from 1887 to 1902, and again from 1945 until its cessation in 1954. After France recognized Vietnam's independence and unity, it was the capital of the State of Vietnam from 1949 to 1955. Following the 1954 partition, it became the capital of South Vietnam until it was captured by North Vietnam, leading to a unified communist state in 1976. The city was subsequently renamed after the late leader Ho Chi Minh, though "Saigon" remains widely used informally and has been the official name of the city's administrative center since 2025. Beginning in the 1990s, the city underwent rapid expansion and modernization, which contributed to Vietnam's post-war economic recovery and helped revive its international trade hub status. Ho Chi Minh City has a long tradition of being one of the centers of economy, entertainment and education in Southern Vietnam in particular and Vietnam in general. It is also the busiest international transport hub in Vietnam, with Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport accounting for nearly half of all international arrivals to Vietnam, and the Port of Saigon among the busiest container ports in Southeast Asia. The city is also a tourist attraction; some of its historic landmarks with modern landmarks, including the Independence Palace, Bitexco Financial Tower, Landmark 81 Tower, the War Remnants Museum, and Bến Thành Market. It is also known for its narrow walkable alleys and bustling nightlife, most notably the Phạm Ngũ Lão Ward and its Bùi Viện street. In 2025, the Bình Dương and Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu provinces were merged into Ho Chi Minh City, making it a megacity while inheriting the major industrial towns and coastal cities of the two former provinces. Currently, Ho Chi Minh City is facing increasing threats of sea level rise and flooding as well as heavy strains on public infrastructures.