Thanh Hoa

Thanh Hóa Thành Phố Thanh Hóa
(from top left): Thanh Hóa Bridge, Lê Lợi Avenue; middle: Lê Lợi statue; bottom: Lam Son Square, Đông Sơn drums
Nickname(s): Hạc Thành
Thanh Hóa
Coordinates: 19°48′27″N 105°46′35″E / 19.80750°N 105.77639°E / 19.80750; 105.77639
Country	Vietnam
Province	Thanh Hóa
Founded	1994
Government
• Type	Provincial city
• Party Secretary	Nguyễn Xuân Phi
• Provincial Committee Chairman:	Đào Trọng Quy
• Provincial Council Chairman:	Nguyễn Xuân Phi
Area
• City	146.77 km2 (22.3 sq mi)
• Urban	61,45 km2 (2,373 sq mi)
Population (2015)
• City	435,298
• Density	2,965.8/km2 (7,681/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC (UTC+7)
Area code(s)	+84 (37)
Website	http://thanhhoacity.gov.vn

Thanh Hóa City ( listen) is the capital of Thanh Hóa Province. The city is situated in the east of the province on the Ma River (Sông Mã), about 150 kilometers (93 miles) south of Hanoi and 1560 kilometers (969 miles) north of Ho Chi Minh City. Thanh Hoa became one of the most populous cities in North Central Coast after expanding in 2012, with a population of approximately 400,000. Thanh Hoa township was upgraded to Thanh Hoa City in 1994 and has been center of politics, economy, culture, education and entertainment of Thanh Hóa Province for a long time.

Thanh Hoa is a new developing city although its central position had established for long time ago. Nowadays, provincial administrators are trying to build and gentrification the city so that emphasis important role for the whole province and even North Central Coast.

The Thanh Hóa town and region were an area of popular support for Lê Lợi and the Lê dynasty in the 1580s, leading to the reestablishment of the southern court near the town following the withdrawal of Ming dynasty armies. After 1945 the city was a stronghold of the Viet Minh. In January 1946 the Viet Minh transported all local cells of the VNQDD to the city. During the Vietnam War, US strategic bombing destroyed much of the buildings and infrastructure, the whole city has been totally rebuilt since then.

Thanh Hoa city is located in centre of Thanh Hoa's plain with many scattered rocky mountains surround. There are two main mountains along the city: Hàm Rồng and Mật Sơn. Hàm Rồng mountain begins from Thiệu Dương commune, which is about 8 km from city centre, along the right bank of the Ma River to Hàm Rồng Thanh Hóa Bridge pier. Ham Rong mountain has 99 peaks and had become an entrench for air defensive in Operation Rolling Thunder. Ma River is the longest river flow through the city, meandering around Ham Rong mountain before flowing to South East Asian sea. In addition, there are 5 canals were dug in order to support for watering, drought and flooding.