Introduction
Hanoi is the capital and second-most populous city of Vietnam. It encompasses an area of 3,358.6 km2 (1,296.8 mi2), and as of 2025 has a population of 8,807,523. It had the second-highest gross regional domestic product of all Vietnamese provinces and municipalities at US$48 billion in 2023, behind Ho Chi Minh City. In the third century BCE, the Cổ Loa Capital Citadel of Âu Lạc was constructed in what later was Hanoi. In 1010, under the Lý dynasty, Vietnamese king Lý Thái Tổ established the capital of the imperial Vietnamese nation Đại Việt in what later was central Hanoi, naming the city Thăng Long, 'ascending dragon'). In 1428, King Lê Lợi renamed the city to Đông Kinh [ɗoŋ kīŋ̟], 'eastern capital'), and it remained so until 1789. The Nguyễn dynasty in 1802 moved the national capital to Huế and the city was renamed Hanoi in 1831. It served as the capital of French Indochina from 1902 to 1945 and French protectorate of Tonkin from 1883 to 1949. After the August Revolution and the fall of the Nguyễn dynasty, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam designated Hanoi as the capital of the newly independent country. From 1949 to 1954, it was part of the State of Vietnam. It was again part of the DRV ruling North Vietnam from 1954 to 1976. In 1976, it became the capital of the unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam. In 2008, Hà Tây Province and two other rural districts were annexed into Hanoi, almost tripling Hanoi's area. Hanoi is the cultural, economic and educational center of Northern Vietnam. As the country's capital, it hosts 78 foreign embassies, the headquarters of the Vietnam People's Army, its own Vietnam National University system, and other governmental organizations. It has 18.7 million domestic and international visitors in 2022. It hosts the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Hoàn Kiếm Lake, West Lake, and Ba Vì National Park near the outskirts of the municipality. Its urban area has a range of architectural styles, including French colonial architecture, brutalist apartments and disorganized alleys and tube houses stemming from the city's growth in the 20th century.
History & Origins
Hanoi has a rich history intertwined with the development of Vietnam. As the nation's capital, it has been central to key political and cultural events throughout the country's history.
Geography & Climate
When using the Köppen climate classification, Hanoi is categorized as having a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa) with precipitation like other places in Northern Vietnam. The city experiences the typical climate of Northern Vietnam, with four distinct seasons. Summer, from May to September, is characterized by hot and humid weather with more rainfall, and fewer dry days. Hot, dry conditions caused by westerly winds during summer are rarer. From October to November comprise the fall season, characterized by a decrease in temperature and precipitation, this time in the year mostly are warm and mild. Winters, from December to February, are characterized as being cool by the northeast monsoon, giving Hanoi a dry winter. Spring, from March until the end of April, Hanoi is characterized with some amounts of drizzle and less sunshine due to the activity of the southeast monsoon blowing moisture from the sea inland. The region has a positive water balance (i.e. the precipitation exceeds the potential evapotranspiration). Hanoi averages 1,612 millimetres (63.5 in) of rainfall per year, the majority falling from May to October. There are an average of 114 days with rain. The average annual temperature is 23.6 °C (74 °F), with a mean relative humidity of more than 80%. The coldest month has a mean temperature of 16.4 °C (61.5 °F) and the hottest month has a mean temperature of 29.2 °C (84.6 °F). The highest recorded temperature was 42.8 °C (109 °F) in May 1926, while the lowest recorded temperature was 2.7 °C (37 °F) on 12 January 1955. During a January 2016 cold wave, snow was seen to appear on the nearby Ba Vì mountain range, where the temperature fell to 0 °C (32 °F) on 24 January 2016.
Demographics & Culture
During the French colonial period, as the capital of French Indochina, Hanoi attracted a number of French, Chinese and Vietnamese from the surrounding areas. In the 1940s the population of the city was 132,145. In 1954, the city had 53 thousand inhabitants, covering an area of 152 km2. By 1961, the area of the city had expanded to 584 km2, and the population was 91,000 people. In 1978, National Assembly (Vietnam) decided to expand Hanoi for the second time to 2,136 km2, with a population of 2.5 million people. By 1991, the area of Hanoi continued to change, decreasing to 924 km2 (357 sq mi), and the population was still over 2 million people. Hanoi's population reached 2,672,122 people in 1999. After the expansion in August 2008, Hanoi has a population of 6.233 million and is among the 17 capitals with the largest area in the world. According to the 2009 census, Hanoi's population is 6,451,909 people. As of 1 April 2019, Hanoi had a population of 8,053,663, including 3,991,919 males and 4,061,744 females. In the Old Quarter, where commerce started hundreds of years ago and consisted mostly of family businesses, some of the street-front stores are owned by merchants and retailers from other provinces. The original owner family may have either rented out the store and moved into the adjoining house or moved out of the neighborhood altogether. The pace of change has escalated after the abandonment of central-planning economic policies and relaxing of the district-based household registrar system.
Economy & Government
According to a ranking by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will be amongst the fastest-growing cities in the world in terms of GDP growth from 2008 to 2025. In the year 2013, Hanoi contributed 12.6% to GDP, exported 7.5% of total exports, contributed 17% to the national budget and attracted 22% investment capital of Vietnam. The city's nominal GDP reached 451,213 billion VND in 2013, which made per capita GDP stand at 63.3 million VND. Industrial production in the city has an average annual growth of 19.1% from 1991 to 1995, 15.9% from 1996 to 2000, and 18.7% during 2001–2005. In addition to eight existing industrial parks, Hanoi is building five new large-scale industrial parks and 16 small- and medium-sized industrial clusters. The non-state economic sector has more than 48,000 businesses operating under the Enterprise Law (as of 3/2007). Agriculture has striven to reform itself, introducing new high-yield plant varieties and livestock, and applying more modern farming techniques. Infrastructure is being upgraded, with new roads and an improved public transportation system. Hanoi has allowed fast-food chains into the city, such as McDonald's, Lotteria, Pizza Hut, KFC, Popeyes, Domino's Pizza, Jolibee and others. Locals in Hanoi perceive the ability to purchase "fast-food" as an indication of luxury and permanent fixtures. City officials are motivated by food safety concerns and their aspirations for a "modern" city to replace the 67 traditional food markets with 1,000 supermarkets by 2025.
Landmarks & Attractions
While some relics have not survived through wars and time, the city still has other cultural and historic monuments. The French took control in 1888 and modeled the city's architecture to their tastes, lending an aesthetic to the city's heritage. The city hosts more cultural sites than any other city in Vietnam, and has more than 1,000 years of history; that of several hundred years had been preserved.
Key Facts
- Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam
- Population: approximately 7.6 million
- Elevation: 16 meters (52 feet) above sea level
- Area: 3,359.8 km²
- Founded: 1010 AD
- Located in the Southeast Asia region
- Capital city of Vietnam
Fun Facts
- Hanoi serves as the political, economic, and cultural center of Vietnam
- Hanoi is an important city in the Southeast Asia region
Quick Facts About Hanoi
- Country: Vietnam
- Continent: Asia (Southeast Asia)
- Country population: approximately 102.2 million
- Capital city status: Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, the seat of national government, and the location of foreign embassies, parliament, and the head of state's official residence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the capital of Vietnam?
The capital of Vietnam is Hanoi. Hanoi is the seat of national government, hosts most foreign embassies and consulates, and is typically where the head of state and parliament are located.
What continent is Hanoi in?
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is located in Asia, in the Southeast Asia region. As Vietnam's capital, Hanoi serves as the country's primary connection to the broader Asian political, economic, and cultural sphere.
Why is Hanoi the capital of Vietnam?
Hanoi was chosen as the capital of Vietnam for reasons that typically combine geography, history, and politics. Capital city selections often reflect a desire for centrality (being accessible from across the country), historical importance (being a longstanding seat of government or culture), or neutrality (being acceptable to multiple regions or ethnic groups within the country). The specific reasons for Hanoi's designation are detailed in the city's history above.
What is Hanoi known for?
As the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi is best known for housing the country's central government institutions — parliament, presidential or royal residences, supreme court, and key ministries. It is also typically a major cultural and economic center within Vietnam, hosting national museums, embassies, and signature monuments. The introduction and history sections above provide detailed coverage of the city's specific notable institutions and landmarks.
Related Pages
- Vietnam Country Guide — full geography, climate, economy, and culture overview
- Flag of Vietnam — meaning, history, and design of Vietnam's national flag
