Da Nang

Names of Da Nang in different languages

Most of the names by which Da Nang has been known make reference to its position at the Hàn River estuary. The city's present name is generally agreed to be a Vietnamese adaptation of the Cham word da nak, which is translated as 'opening of a large river'.

Other Chamic sources, with similar definitions, have been proposed. Inrasara (aka Phú Trạm), a researcher specializing in Champa, suggests Da Nang is a variation of the Cham word daknan (lit. 'the large water'); Sakaya (aka Văn Món), another Champa researcher, claims a connection with the Raglai word danang, meaning 'river source'.

Another name given to Da Nang was Cửa Hàn (lit. 'mouth of the Han [river]'). The name used by the French, Tourane, is said to derive from this name, by way of a rough transliteration. Notably, this name (spelled Cua han) appears on maps of the area drafted by Alexandre de Rhodes in 1650. The name Kean (compare Kẻ Hàn, roughly 'Han market') was another name purportedly used during the 17th century to refer to the land at the foot of the Hải Vân Pass.

Other names referring to Da Nang include:

• Vũng Thùng, a colloquial name which survives in folklore."Hearing the sudden gunfire, we know that the Western ships anchored at Vung Thung yesterday" ("Tai nghe súng nổ cái đùng, Tàu Tây đã lại Vũng Thùng hôm qua").
• Trà Úc, Trà Áo, Trà Sơn and Đồng Long Loan, literary names used by Confucian scholars.
• In Chinese, Danang is known as ), this is derived from the old name 蜆港 ('clam harbor').
• In chữ Nôm, used until 1945, Đà Nẵng is written as 沱灢, a simplified form of .
• Thái Phiên, a name used briefly after the 1945 August Revolution, commemorating Thái Phiên, the leader of popular revolts during the 1916 Duy Tân Resistance.

History

Ancient Vietnam

Main article: History of the Cham–Vietnamese wars

The city's origins date back to the ancient kingdom of Champa, established in 192 AD. At its peak, the Chams' sphere of influence stretched from Huế to Vũng Tàu. The city of Indrapura, at the site of the modern village of Dong Duong in Quảng Nam Province (about 50 km from Da Nang), was the capital of Champa from about 875 to about 1000 AD. Also in the region of Da Nang were the ancient Cham city of Singhapura ("City of the Lion"). the location of which has been identified with an archeological site in the modern village of Trà Kiệu, and the valley of Mỹ Sơn, where a number of ruined temples and towers can still be viewed.

In the latter half of the 10th century, the kings of Indrapura came into conflict with the Đại Việt, who were then based at Hoa Lư near modern Hanoi. As an independent kingdom, Champa found itself needing to defend its territory to contain the threat posed by the Khmer Empire in the west, and expand its territory to the north, hoping to conquer the Vietnamese nation. In Đại Việt, with the kingdom in turmoil following the assassination of Đinh Tiên Hoàng, Champa made an unsuccessful attempt to invade Đại Việt in 979 possibly with diplomatic encouragement from China, but failed due to the strong defence of Vietnamese territory under the command of Lê Hoàn. In 982, escalating tensions led to Champa detaining three ambassadors sent by Emperor Lê Hoàn of the Đại Việt (founder of the Early Lê dynasty) were detained in Indrapura. Lê Hoàn decided to go on the offensive, sacking Indrapura and killing the Cham King Parameshvaravarman I. As a result of these setbacks, the Cham eventually abandoned Indrapura around 1000 AD.

The Đại Việt campaign against Champa continued into the late 11th century, when the Cham were forced to cede their three northern provinces to the rulers of the Lý dynasty. By the early 11th century, Vietnamese farmers began moving into the untilled former Cham lands, turning them into rice fields and moving relentlessly southward, delta by delta, along the narrow coastal plain. The southward expansion of Đại Việt (known as Nam Tiến) continued for several centuries, culminating in the annexation of most of the Cham territories by the end of the 15th century.

The Điện Hải Citadel was first built in 1813 as an earthen fortress located to the north of its present position, with An Hải citadel on the east bank built by Emperor Gia Long to protect the port, and by 1819, both Điện Hải and An Hải citadels had been rebuilt in brick. In 1823, Gia Long's son and successor Minh Mạng rebuilt the original Điện Hải fortress on a high mound at the current location, being upgraded from a fortress (đồn) to a citadel (thành) in 1835.

Western contact

One of the first Europeans to visit Da Nang was Portuguese explorer António de Faria, who anchored in Da Nang in 1535. Faria was one of the first Westerners to write about the area and, through his influence, Portuguese ships began to call regularly at Hội An, which was then a much more important port than Da Nang. Throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, French and Spanish traders and missionaries regularly made landfall at Hội An, just south of Đà Nẵng. An American, John White, arrived at Da Nang (then called Turon) on 18 June 1819 in the brig Franklin of Salem, Massachusetts, and was advised that the country was recovering from devastating wars, and that what little goods had been produced in the area was already allocated. Other American ships arriving shortly after were the Marmion of Boston, and the Aurora and Beverly of Salem.

Conditions were such due to the wars that they were unable to conduct trade, and the subsequent missions of East India Company agent John Crawfurd in 1823 and the two missions of Andrew Jackson's agent, American diplomat Edmund Roberts, in 1833 and 1836 were unable to secure trade agreements due to the exceptionally poor quality of the port.

French Indochina

In 1847, French vessels dispatched by Admiral Cécille bombarded Đà Nẵng, ostensibly on the grounds of alleged persecution of Roman Catholic missionaries. In August 1858, once again ostensibly on the grounds of religious persecution, French troops, led by Admiral Charles Rigault de Genouilly, and under the orders of Napoleon III, landed in Đà Nẵng as part of the punitive Cochinchina Campaign.

The French overpowered the Vietnamese stationed in Da Nang, swiftly occupying the city and Tiên Sa peninsula (present-day Sơn Trà peninsula). The occupying forces were quickly placed under siege by the Vietnamese army under the command of Nguyễn Tri Phương, and were eventually forced to retreat in March 1860. The French were able to invade the southern stronghold of Saigon and, in June 1862, several provinces of southern Vietnam were ceded to the French as Cochinchina with the signing of the Treaty of Saigon. File:French ships at Danang 1858.jpg|French warships off Đà Nẵng (Tourane) September 1858. What started as a punitive campaign against the Vietnamese, had turned into a long, bitter and costly defeat for the Franco-Spanish Force. File:French bombing Tourane 1958.png|Bombardment of An Hải citadel and Điện Hải citadel by Franco-Spain Alliance. File:Z5454052660271 d0d299f68132a19b41b30c55ca2e6530.jpg|Franco-Spain alliance landed on Hàn River, Đà Nẵng in morning, 2/9/1858 File:French capture of Danang 1858.jpg| French marine landed on Da Nang File:Dien Hai Citadel bombing by French fleet.jpg|Điện Hải citadel after bombardment at 10 AM 2/9/1858, gun storage seized by French navy. File:Bản vẽ thành An Hải, Đà Nẵng. Bản vẽ của thành được vẽ vào năm thứ 11 (1831) của triều đại Minh Mạng.jpg| Plan of An Hải citadel in 1831 File:Dien Hai Citadel and An Hai Citadel.jpg| An Hải citadel (left) and Điện Hải citadel (right) and French warships. File:Dien Hai in early 20th century.jpg|The French hospital and chapel were built in Dien Hai citadel in the early 20th century

Through two more decades of conflict, the French gradually strengthened their hold on Vietnam, culminating in the establishment of French Indochina () in October 1887. Two years later, in 1889, the French colonists renamed the city Tourane, placing it under the control of the governor general of French Indochina. It came to be considered one of Indochina's five major cities, among Hanoi, Saigon–Cholon, Haiphong, and Huế.

In 1903, the colonial government authorised Société des docks et houillères de Tourane to proceed with the tramway construction, with its preliminary 9.5-kilometre stretch (between Observatory Point and Tourane Mỹ Khê) being opened on 9 November 1905. Under the state management, “Tramway de l’Îlot de l’Observatoire” opened to the public on 1 October 1907, stretching to Faifo (Hoi An) via Montagne de Marbre (Marble Mountains), operating until 31 December 1915.

Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam)

During the Vietnam War, what is now the Da Nang International Airport was a major air base used by the South Vietnamese and United States Air Forces.

The base became one of the world's busiest aircraft hubs during the war, reaching an average of 2,595 aircraft traffic operations daily, more than any other airport and airbase in the world at that time. The final U.S. ground combat operations in Vietnam concluded on 13 August 1972, when a residual force of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade was stood down in Đà Nẵng. B Battery, 3rd Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment fired the last U.S. artillery round, and the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment completed its final patrols. This remaining contingent was designated "Operation Gimlet." Following the U.S. withdrawal and during the final phase of North Vietnam’s conquest of South Vietnam, Đà Nẵng fell to communist forces on 29–30 March 1975. To commemorate this event, Vietnam issued two special postage stamps as part of its "Total Liberation" series on 14 December 1976.

Marble Mountain Air Facility, constructed in 1965, was also located in Da Nang.

After 1975

Since the establishment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Đà Nẵng has emerged as the third most important urban center in the central region of the country, following Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. The city is home to numerous educational institutions and significant economic sites.

On October 24, 2024, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly issued Resolution No. 1251/NQ-UBTVQH15 regarding the reorganization of district- and commune-level administrative units in Da Nang City for the 2023–2025 period (the resolution takes effect on January 1, 2025). Accordingly, a portion of the natural area and population size of Lien Chieu District was adjusted and incorporated into Thanh Khe District.

Geography

Da Nang is the largest city in central Vietnam and one of the country's most important ports. The city is surrounded by mountains to the west, and the South China Sea to the east. The central city is bisected by the Han River. Da Nang borders Huế across the Hải Vân Pass to the north, along with the Quảng Nam Province to the south and west. It is 764 km south of Hanoi, and 964 km north of Ho Chi Minh City. The city has a total land area of 1,283.42 km2, of which 241.51 km2 are urban districts and 1,041.91 km2 are rural districts.

Geology and topography

Geologically, Da Nang is at the edge of a Paleozoic fold belt known as the Truong Son Orogenic Zone, whose main deformation occurred during the early Carboniferous period. Da Nang's topography is dominated by the steep Annamite Range to the north and north-west, which features peaks ranging from 700 to in height, and low-lying coastal plains with some salting to the south and east, with several white sand beaches along the coast.

Climate

Da Nang has a tropical monsoon climate with two seasons: a typhoon and wet season from September to December and a dry season from January to August.

On average, Da Nang receives 2205 mm of rainfall. Rainfall is typically highest between September and November (ranging from 550 to) and lowest between February and April (ranging from 23 to). Da Nang receives an average of 2162 hours of sunlight annually, with highs between 234 and 277 hours per month in May and June and lows between 69 and 165 hours per month in November and December. | Jan record high C = 34.5 | Feb record high C = 37.0 | Mar record high C = 39.9 | Apr record high C = 40.7 | May record high C = 41.5 | Jun record high C = 40.4 | Jul record high C = 40.6 | Aug record high C = 40.2 | Sep record high C = 38.6 | Oct record high C = 35.8 | Nov record high C = 32.8 | Dec record high C = 31.2 | year record high C = 41.5 | Jan record low C = 10.2 | Feb record low C = 13.1 | Mar record low C = 12.7 | Apr record low C = 16.7 | May record low C = 20.6 | Jun record low C = 21.6 | Jul record low C = 21.1 | Aug record low C = 20.4 | Sep record low C = 19.8 | Oct record low C = 15.1 | Nov record low C = 13.3 | Dec record low C = 9.2 | year record low C = 9.2

Demographics

Da Nang is the fifth-most populated city in Vietnam, with an area of 1,255.53 km2 and a population of 1,269,070 according to the update in 2024. Women make up 50.7% of Da Nang's population.

Population growth

Da Nang's population has been growing at rates of between 2.5% and 3% during most of the years between 2005 and 2011, significantly exceeding the national average of 1% to 1.2%. The growth rate briefly rose to 3.6% in 2010 before returning to its long-term trend with 2.68% in 2011. This is the third fastest growth rate in the country after the two southern manufacturing centers Bình Dương Province (4.41%) and Đồng Nai Province (3.5%).

Migration has been the dominant factor in the city's population growth at least since 2009, contributing 1.6% to 2.7% (2010) between 2009 and 2011. Out-migration has been relatively high in 2011 at 0.79% compared to 0.34% and 0.55% in previous years, while the in-migration rate has been exceeding 2% since 2009 and was at 2.28% in 2011.

Đà Nẵng's natural population growth is only slightly higher than the national average. Its crude birth rate was recorded at 18 live births per 1000 persons. The crude death rate was measured at 6.7 per 1000 persons in 2011. Life expectancy at birth was estimated at 77.4 years for women and 72.4 years for men, or 74.8 years overall in the 2009 population census. The infant mortality rate was measured at 9.9 infant deaths per 1000 live births, less than two points above the nation's average for urban areas.

Urbanization

The city has the highest urbanization ratio among provinces and municipalities in Vietnam, containing only 11 rural communes, the fewest of any province-level unit in Vietnam. As of 2009, 86.9% of Đà Nẵng's population lived in urban areas; average annual urban population growth was 3.5%.

Politics

The leading organ of the Communist Party in Da Nang City is the executive committee of the Communist Party. The current Secretary is Nguyen Van Quang.

The legislative branch of the city is the People's Council of Da Nang City. The current chairman is Luong Nguyen Minh Triet.

The executive branch of the city is the People's Committee of Da Nang City. The current chairman is Le Trung Chinh.

Administrative divisions

Da Nang is subdivided into 23 wards, 70 communes and 1 special zone (Hoàng Sa).

Before 2025, Da Nang was divided into eight district-level sub-divisions, including six urban districts (Hải Châu, Thanh Khê, Cẩm Lệ, Sơn Trà, Ngũ Hành Sơn and Liên Chiểu) and two rural districts (Hòa Vang and Hoàng Sa (Paracel Islands)). They were further subdivided into 45 wards and 11 communes. The city center of Da Nang is Hải Châu district.

Economy

Da Nang is the leading industrial center of central Vietnam. Its GDP per capita was 19 million VND in 2007, one of the highest in Vietnam (after Hồ Chí Minh City, Hanoi, Bình Dương Province, and Đồng Nai Province). By 2009, this had increased to 27.3 million VND.

Da Nang led the Provincial Competitiveness Index rankings in 2008, 2009, and 2010 (and was second after Bình Dương Province in the three years before that), benefiting mostly from good infrastructure, good performance in labour training, transparency, proactive provincial leadership and low entry costs.

In the 2023 Provincial Competitiveness Index, a key measure of the business environment across Vietnam’s provinces, Đà Nẵng received a score of 68.79, marking a slight improvement from its 2022 score of 68.52. In 2023, the province achieved its highest scores in the criteria of ‘Informal Charges’ and ‘Law and Order,’ while receiving its lowest scores in ‘Policy Bias’ and ‘Access to Land.’

Exports increased to US$575 million in 2008, but fell back to US$475 million in 2009.

Agriculture, forestry, fishing

Despite its status as a city, 37,800 people in Da Nang were employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing as of 2007, producing 45,000t of rice and 41,000t of fish. However, employment in these sectors had a clear negative trend in the first decade of the 21st century. Gross output has also been decreasing during the second half of the decade. Given Da Nang's lack of agricultural land (9200ha as of 2007) and its location at the coast, fishing has been contributing more to the economy than agriculture, with a gross output more than twice that of agriculture.

Free Trade Zone (Da Nang FTZ)

Da Nang Hi-tech Park

Da Nang Hi-Tech Park (DHTP), established in 2010, is one of Vietnam’s three national hi-tech parks. It focuses on biotechnology, microelectronics, automation, renewable energy, IT, and environmental technology. The park features specialized zones for manufacturing, research, logistics, and residential areas. With modern infrastructure, tax incentives, and a strategic location, DHTP aims to be a hub for innovation and high-tech industries in central Vietnam.

Industry

Da Nang is a diversified industrial center, including industries such as machinery, electrics, chemicals, shipbuilding, and textiles. Specific industrial products include aquatic products, fabric, clothes, bricks, fertilizer, cement, soap, paper, and medical tablets. The city's industry may diversify further. EADS is planning to set up an industrial park focused on the aviation industry in Da Nang.

As of 2007, Da Nang industry was dominated by the state sector, which made up 57% of gross output. This is about the same as its share in 2000. Over 80% of the state industry is centrally managed (in other words: belongs to state corporations headquartered in Hanoi). Almost half of the rest is contributed by the foreign-invested sector, while the private domestic sector is still relatively small and has not been able to significantly increase its share compared to the state sector. Industry grew by an average of 14.8% per year from 2000 to 2007, making it the main engine of economic growth. However, it has the second lowest industrial growth rate in the South Central Coast (behind only Khanh Hoa Province). Employment has grown at an average of 5.75%, reaching 118,900 in 2007.

Trade

Historically, Da Nang's main marketplace has been the Hàn Market (), which is downtown near the west bank of the Hàn River, between Tran Phu and Bach Dang Streets. This market, much like Ben Thanh Market in Saigon, offers a wide variety of goods sold by many different vendors, such as clothing, silk, jewelry, flowers, foodstuffs such as dried fruit and fish, as well as coffee, tea and wine (including Vietnamese snake wine).

Property

Many new construction projects are underway in Da Nang, including several beachfront resorts such as the US$130 million Hyatt Regency Danang Resort & Spa, and the Beach Resort complex (including Ocean Villas and Marriott Hotel) in Ngu Hanh Son. Another ambitious project, the US$250 million Da Phuoc International New Town aims to construct an entirely new urban area on reclaimed land on the city's north sea coast, making it the first major land reclamation project in Central Vietnam. Plans for the Đa Phước project include the erection of a hotel and several smaller resorts, a 33-story apartment block and 60-story office block, an 18-hole golf course, a marina, as well as villas and international schools.

Culture

Tourism

The tourism sector is a vital component of Da Nang's economy. Its status as a transportation hub for central Vietnam and its proximity to several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Imperial City of Hue, the Old Town of Hoi An, and the My Son ruins fuels much of its tourist activity.

Mỹ Sơn is an archaeological site dating back more than a thousand years, in Quang Nam. Located in a remote forested valley some 70 km west of Da Nang, this former capital and religious center of the Champa kingdom once contained in excess of 70 style temples and stupas. Although badly damaged by bombing raids in the 1960s, the site still has more than 20 structures and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Many statues, sculptures and reliefs recovered from Mỹ Sơn are kept in the Museum of Cham Sculpture, near the Hàn River in the heart of Da Nang. Dating from the fourth to the 14th centuries, the sensual artwork on these works depicts daily activities as well as Hindu and Buddhist religious themes.

The Marble Mountains are rocky limestone outcrops jutting out of the beach just south of Da Nang. Paths lead to the top of the forested cliffs, providing views of Non Nuoc Beach and the South China Sea. The caves in the cliffs were originally inhabited by the Cham people. Later, the Nguyen dynasty built numerous pagodas among the caves. The Marble Mountains are home to various artisans producing sculpture and artwork at its base at Non Nuoc Village.

Non Nuoc Beach is a white sandy beach on the outskirts of Đà Nẵng that is renowned for its history as an R&R destination for American troops during the Vietnam War. Today, the beach, along with Mỹ Khê beach to the north, are home to expensive resorts, surfing, and entertainment facilities. Ba Na Hills is a mountain resort with a 5 km-long cable car system which carries guests up to Ba Na's peak at 1487m above sea level. Son Tra Mountain, just some miles away from the city centre with some wild streams and resorts along the seaside.

The central coastal city of Da Nang saw a significant growth in international tourist arrivals in 2017, according to the city's Department of Tourism. In 2017, about 6.6 million visitors came to Da Nang, up 19% over the previous year and 4.8% higher than its yearly target. The figure included 4.3 million domestic tourists, up 11.3% year-on-year.

The central city earned over VND19.4 trillion (US$853.96 million) in revenue, an increase of 20.6% from 2016. Statistics also show that the city witnessed an impressive increase in the number of visitors by air which stood at over 1.58 million, up 74.4% while by-car visitors via Thailand and Laos was estimated at 14,120.

In 2016, Da Nang was voted one of the top 10 resort destinations in Asia by readers of Smart Travel Asia magazine. In 2018, Da Nang was also listed as one of the destinations to visit before it became too famous on the Business Insider website. According to the Japanese newspaper Nikkei, in the 2018 ranking of tourist destinations by Airbnb – the world's largest accommodation booking website, Da Nang ranked 5th globally and 1st in Southeast Asia in terms of attracting tourists. Also in 2018, the Golden Bridge phenomenon became a focal point on famous newspapers around the world. In 2019, the leading prestigious American newspaper – The New York Times praised Da Nang as "the Miami of Vietnam", ranking 15th in the list of 52 places to visit in the world.

Tourist attractions

Major attractions include Mỹ Khê Beach, Non Nước Beach, Ngũ Hành Sơn, Sơn Trà Peninsula, Linh Ứng Pagoda (Sơn Trà), Đà Nẵng Museum of Cham Sculpture, Dragon Bridge (Cầu Rồng), Han River Bridge (Cầu Sông Hàn), Trần Thị Lý Bridge, Bà Nà Hills, Golden Bridge (Cầu Vàng), và Hải Vân Pass.

Cuisine

Central Vietnamese cuisine, particularly the cuisine of Da Nang, is well known through Vietnam, and growing in popularity internationally. Da Nang is famous for its flavorful dishes, such as Mì Quảng, Bún chả cá (fish ball noodle soup), Bánh tráng cuốn thịt heo (rice paper rolls with pork), Bún mắm nêm (vermicelli with fermented fish sauce), Cao lầu, Nem lụi (grilled minced pork skewers), Ram cuốn cải (fried spring rolls wrapped with mustard greens) and Bánh xèo.

Sport

Da Nang's football club, SHB Da Nang F.C., play in the V-League 2 recently demoted from V.League 1, Vietnam's top professional football league in 2023. They were one of the most highly ranked teams in V.League 1, having emerged from competition as champions of the 2009 V-League. In the same year, they also completed the double by winning the Vietnamese Cup. They also qualified for the 2010 AFC Champions League and the 2010 AFC Cup; although they did not advance past the qualifying play-off in the Champions League, they advanced to the quarter-finals of the AFC Cup after defeating Becamex Bình Dương in extra time. Several Da Nang F.C. players also play for the Vietnam national team, including defender Võ Hoàng Quảng and midfielder Phan Thanh Hưng. SHB Da Nang F.C. play their home games at the Chi Lăng Stadium, a 30,000-seat stadium in Hải Châu District.

Media

Vietnam Television has a studio located in the Hải Châu district of the city which broadcast local news and television programmes for the Central and Central Highlands regions of Vietnam that broadcast on channel VTV8.

Education

There are several universities located in Da Nang, with campuses in many locations throughout the city, as well as satellite campuses in surrounding regions.

• University of Da Nang, with a number of member colleges:
  • Technology
  • Technology and Education
  • Economics
  • Pedagogy
  • Foreign Languages
  • Information Technology
  • Kon Tum campus
  • English Language Institute
• Da Nang University of Medical Technology, Medicine and Pharmacy
• Da Nang University of Sport
• Duy Tan University, private university
• Dong A University, private university
• Da Nang University of Architecture
• The American University of Vietnam (AUV), private university The city has 17 high schools, of which Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted is among the leading high schools in Vietnam.

There is also a sizable presence of overseas education representatives in Da Nang. Campus France is a French-government agency in Da Nang, which promotes the learning of the French language and supports students in the location of study opportunities in France. English Language Institute is a learning center built by the University of Queensland, Australia, targeting English teaching in addition to serving as an IELTS testing provider. Singapore International School is an international school in Da Nang.

Healthcare

Da Nang has developed into one of Vietnam’s leading medical centers, serving the Central and Central Highlands regions. The city’s healthcare system includes a growing network of public and private hospitals that provide specialized and advanced medical services, attracting patients from across the country. Major institutions such as Da Nang Hospital, C Hospital, and Hoan My Da Nang Hospital have contributed to this progress.

Recent strategies have focused on positioning Da Nang as a destination for high-quality healthcare and wellness tourism. According to Dr. Tran Quoc Bao, Senior Advisor to the Asian Hospital & Healthcare Management organization and the Top Voice in Vietnam’s healthcare industry

Da Nang possesses the necessary resources and infrastructure to become a regional hub for advanced medical services.

In addition, Da Nang is estimated to account for around 20% of Vietnam’s medical tourism market, valued at approximately USD 700 million, attracting about 60,000 patients per year. Of these, roughly 10% are foreign visitors, 30% are expatriates, and 60% are members of the Vietnamese diaspora. Patient demand is concentrated in several key service categories, including dental implants (40%), general health screening (30%), cosmetic and plastic surgery (20%), and eye surgery (10%).

In 2024, U.S. News & World Report ranked Da Nang fourth among twelve of Asia’s best cities for retirement, citing its modern infrastructure, clean environment, and improving healthcare quality as key factors supporting its appeal.

Ethnicities

There are over 37 ethnicities and foreigners living together in the city. Among them, the Kinh ethnic group is the largest with 883,343 people, followed by the Chinese with 2,974 people, the Co Tu ethnic group with 1,198 people, and other minority ethnic groups such as the Tay with 224 people, the Ede with 222 people, the Muong with 183 people, and the Gia Rai with 154 people. The smallest ethnic groups are the Chơ Ro, Hani, Si La and Ơ Đu with only one person each.

Religion

As of 1 April 2019, there are nine different religions in the city, with a total of 77,029 people. The largest group is Catholicism with 42,690 people, followed by Buddhism with 37,220 people, Protestantism with 3,730 people, Cao Dai with 3,249 people, and other religions such as Minh Su Dao with 53 people, Bahá'í with 34 people, Hoa Hao Buddhism with 25 people, Islam with 19 people, and the smallest group, Brahmanism, with just 9 people. Da Nang is home to the first Protestant church in Vietnam, established in 1911 by missionaries from the United Evangelical Missionary Alliance (CMA).

Infrastructure

Transportation

Đà Nẵng is at the end of the East–West Economic Corridor (EWEC), which stretches over Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. The city Department of Transport has asked the city of Yokohama, Japan, to cooperate in transit-oriented development.

By air

Main article: Da Nang International Airport

Da Nang International Airport, located at the centre of the city, is the third largest international airport in Vietnam. It is an important gateway to access central Vietnam. The airport was known as Da Nang Air Base during the Vietnam War, during which time it was described as the world's busiest airport. During the month of May 1968, the base reached an average of 2,595 air traffic operations daily, more than any airport in the world. As of June 2011, the airport has domestic connections to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Haiphong, Vinh, Buôn Ma Thuột, Da Lat, Nha Trang, and Can Tho, as well as international connections to Seoul (South Korea), Tokyo (Japan), Singapore, and Taipei (Taiwan).

Beginning 16 December 2011, Air Asia, a Malaysian low-cost carrier, began offering four flights a week between Đà Nẵng and Kuala Lumpur. A new international terminal opened in December 2011 allowing further connections to destinations such as Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, and Australia.

As of November 2015, Da Nang International airport has been undergoing extensive renovations.

By land

Da Nang is a major station along the North–South Railway, also known as the Reunification Express.

National Highways 1 and 14B run through the city, providing road connections to Hanoi in the north and Ho Chi Minh City in the south, as well as the Central Highlands and Laos to the west. The Hai Pass is a mountain pass separating Da Nang and Huế, where Highway 1A passes through. To cut down on transit time and the danger to motorists from navigating the twisting mountain road, the Hải Vân Tunnel was built, opening in 2005. It is the longest tunnel in south-east Asia at 6.28 km, and allows motorists to save between 30 minutes and an hour on traveling times over the old Hải Vân Pass route. An expressway between Da Nang and nearby Quang Ngai has completed its construction in 2018.

Several bridges cross the Han River and its tributaries in Da Nang, including the iconic Han River Bridge, Tran Thi Ly Bridge, Nguyen Van Troi Bridge, Tuyen Son Bridge and the recently completed Thuan Phuoc Bridge, which is the longest suspension bridge in Vietnam. The Dragon River Bridge will cross the Han River at the Le Dinh Duong/Bach Dang roundabout, offering tourists coming from Đà Nẵng International Airport a more direct route to My Khe and Non Nuoc beaches, along the city's eastern edge.

By sea

Main article: Da Nang Port

Da Nang's port system is the third largest in Vietnam after Ho Chi Minh City and Haiphong. In 2008, Da Nang's port handled 2.7 million tons of cargo, of which 1.2 million tons were exports, 525,900 tons were imports, and 985,600 tons were domestic cargo. Over 29,600 passengers passed through the port in 2008, a significant increase over previous years. The port system consists of two areas: Tiên Sa Seaport, and Song Hàn Terminal. Tien Sa Seaport has a navigation depth of 11 m, and is able to receive medium range tankers of up to 45,000 DWT, as well as container ships and large cruise ships. The approach to Song Hàn Terminal is 12 nmi long with a navigation depth of 6–7 m, and can accommodate vessels of up to 5,000 DWT. Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) is the port authority for Đà Nẵng's port system.

Despite the fact that the port's infrastructure is not specifically designed to accommodate cruise ships, the number of large cruise ships docking at Da Nang Port has increased in recent years. In the first two months of 2010 alone, 12 cruise ships docked in Da Nang, carrying 6,477 passengers.

Cruise ships also dock at Chân Mây Port, which is located 50 km from Da Nang through the Hải Vân Tunnel.

International relations

Twin towns – sister cities

Da Nang is twinned with:

• KHM Battambang, Cambodia
• LAO Champasak, Laos
• KOR Changwon, South Korea
• KOR Daegu, South Korea
• VIE Haiphong, Vietnam
• FRA Le Havre, France
• THA Khon Kaen, Thailand
• CHN Kunming, China
• THA Mukdahan, Thailand
• USA Oakland, United States
• USA Pittsburgh, United States
• LAO Savannakhet, Laos
• MAR Tangier, Morocco
• ROU Timișoara, Romania

Cooperation and friendship

In addition to its twin towns, Da Nang cooperates with:

• LAO Attapeu, Laos
• SWE Borås, Sweden
• BLR Grodno Region, Belarus
• KOR Hwaseong, South Korea
• USA Houston, United States
• IND Kolkata, India
• SVK Košice, Slovakia
• MAC Macau, China
• FRA Nantes, France
• AUS Newcastle, Australia
• FRA Nord Pas de Calais, France
• AUS Queensland, Australia
• NLD Rotterdam, Netherlands
• JPN Sakai, Japan
• LAO Salavan, Laos
• FIN Salo, Finland
• LAO Sekong, Laos
• CHN Shandong Province, China
• AUS South Australia, Australia
• GER Stuttgart, Germany
• IND Surat, India
• BEL Walloon Region, Belgium
• RUS Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia

Friendship port

• JPN Kawasaki, Japan

Consulates General

• China
• Japan
• South Korea
• Laos
• Poland
• Russia
• Spain

Notes

References

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