A Physical-Geographic Regionalization of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam

The author served as a consultant in 1963–64 with a geography group of the State Committee of Sciences of North Vietnam that compiled a physical regionalization of the country. The regionalization, at 1:1,000,000 to 1:2,000,000, was based mainly on geologic-geomorphic and climatic criteria as well as other, more variable components of the physical environment. Six natural oblasts were distinguished: (1) the Northeast hills and low mountains, with a relatively cool climate, (2) the Northwest, distinguished by linear mountain ranges trending NW—SE, (3) the Truong Son, or Annamese Cordillera, (4) the Bac Bo Tonkin] plain, the population center and economic core of North Vietnam, (5) the Thanh-Nghe coastal plains, and (6) the Binh-Tri-Thien coastal plains, in the extreme south. The oblasts were further partitioned into suboblasts, 51 rayons and 50 subrayons.