2:55:58 PM | 17/10/2007
Lam Dong is a promising area south of the Central Highlands, at an altitude of 800-1,000 metres, with an area of 9,765 sq. kilometres covering three plateaus and the headwaters of seven rivers.
Close to the Southern key economic region, Lam Dong has 11 administrative units (a city, a town and nine districts). Da Lat city is the administrative, economic and social centre of the province, located 1,500 km south of Hanoi, 320 km north of Ho Chi Minh City and 210 km west of Nha Trang seaport. All communes in the province are fully connected with 1,744 km of roads. Highways 20, 27 and 28 link Lam Dong with south eastern provinces, Ho Chi Minh City, other highland provinces and coastal areas, supporting strong socio-economic ties.
Lien Khuong airport, 30 km from Da Lat, is being upgraded into an international airport with 3,250 metres of runway capable of receiving A320, A321 and equivalent aircraft. The road linking Da Lat and Nha Trang has been improved, saving time.
Power supply is ensured by hydro-power stations Da Nhim (160MW), Suoi Vang (3.1MW), Ham Thuan – Da Mu (475MW) and Dai Ninh under construction (300MW), as well as diesel-fired power stations Bao Loc, Di Linh and Can Rang with 4.16MW total capacity. At present, 100 per cent of commune centres have electricity. Modern post and telecommunication facilities meet the demand of socio-economic development and investors.
By late 2002, the population was 1,112,814 people, including 578,000 people of working age. The province has a university, a teachers’ high school, a secondary medical school, two secondary economic-technical schools and two vocational schools providing thousands of trained workers every year. The province has also hosted many research institutes of the central government such as the Nuclear Research Institute, Agriculture-Forestry Research Centre, Vegetable Research Centre and Biology Sub-Institute, significantly assisting production in the province.
The province has 255,407 hectares of agricultural land including 200,000 hectares of rich soil in Bao Loc – Di Linh suitable for long-term crops: 145,000 hectares of tea and coffee, and 23,783 hectares of vegetables and flowers in Da Lat, Don Duong, Lac Duong, Duc Trong and Lam Ha, producing diversified and high quality products.
With the enforcement of the Foreign Investment Law, the Domestic Investment Encouragement Law and the Enterprise Law, together with ever-improving investment environment, local and foreign investors have increasing invested in Lam Dong. Currently, there are 55 FDI enterprises, 41 state-owned enterprises, 984 private enterprises, 94 craft cooperatives and 16,505 business households.
Lam Dong welcomes local and foreign investors to develop the potential and resources of the province. The province will provide facilities and create favourable conditions for successfully implementing projects.
VBF