Southern BinhThuanProvince at a Glance

Binh Thuan province has a natural area of 7,828 square kilometres and a population of 1.3 million people. Binh Thuan has a close linkage with the south-eastern region and has strong influence on the southern key economic zone.

A coastline of 192 kilometres plus many beauty spots like Mui Ne Cape, Mui Ke Ga Cape, Ta Cu Mount, Bau Trang Pond, Ganh Son as well as historical and cultural relics like Poshanu Towers, Ta Cu Temple, Thay Thim Palace, Co Thach Temple and Duc Thanh School has created a complex of attractive tourist destinations. The province has a fishing ground of 52,000 square kilometres, one of three largest fisheries in the country. The fishery is suitable for culturing seafood like shrimps, fishes and pearls.

Not only strong at aquatic and fishery, Binh Thuan has an agricultural area of 260,000 ha, suitable for food crops, cashew, rubber, dragon fruit and grape. Dragon fruit is the most famous specialty. In 2008, local growers picked 180,000 tonnes. In addition, the province has rich natural resources like crystallised, granite stone, bentonite clay, mineral water, clay for brick production, Titanium dioxide (TiO2), and salt. The Binh Thuan seawater has a large reserve of high-grade oil and gas with operating oilfields like Su Tu Den (Black Lion), Su Tu Trang (Black Lion), Su Tu Nau (Brown Lion), Su Tu Vang (Yellow Lion) and Hong Ngoc (Rugby).

The traffic system has been upgraded to support economic development. Arteries include National Road 1A, National Road 55, National Road 28, Ho Chi Minh City - Phan Thiet Railway, Phan Thiet Port (for 1,000 tonne ships), Phu Quy Port, Phan Thiet, Lagi, Phan Ri Cua and Phu Quy fishing ports, Ke Ga general port (for serving 70,000 tonnes) in Ham Thuan Nam district, Vinh Tan specialised port in Tuy Phong district. In a few years to come, the province will restore Phan Thiet airport and build another one in the north of Phan Thiet City. The information and communication system has been upgraded, expanded and modernised. The telephone network covers almost all tourist, industrial and production zones in the province. By early 2008, the tele-density was 100 telephone main lines per 45 residents; internet density was 100 residents per 5.62 subscribers; and internet users accounted for 20 per cent of local people.