{{Short description|Geographic region of Vietnam}} {{About|the geographical region in Vietnam|the former country during the Vietnam War|North Vietnam}} thumb|right|200px|Map of Northern Vietnam, 1920 thumb|right|200px|Geographic sub-regions of Vietnam

'''Northern Vietnam''' ({{langx|vi|Bắc Bộ}}) is one of three geographical regions in Vietnam. It consists of three sub-regions: the Northwest ({{lang|vi|vùng Tây Bắc}}), the Northeast ({{lang|vi|vùng Đông Bắc}}), and the Red River Delta ({{lang|vi|Đồng bằng sông Hồng}}). Unlike tropical Southern Vietnam, Northern Vietnam has a subtropical climate.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.worlddata.info/asia/vietnam/climate.php |title=Vietnam Climate |website=WorldData.info |access-date=2023-11-24}}</ref>

The region was historically referred to by various names in Vietnamese: ''Bắc Kỳ'' during the Nguyễn dynasty, ''Bắc Bộ'' from 1945 to the present (encompassing the Empire of Vietnam and the Democratic Republic of Vietnam), and ''Bắc Phần'', sometimes ''Bắc Việt'', during the State of Vietnam.

It has a total area of about 109,942.9&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>. The region's largest city, Hanoi, serves as the country's capital. Among the three geographical regions, the oldest is Northern Vietnam. Vietnamese culture originated in the Red River Delta and the Kinh Vietnamese eventually spread south into the Mekong Delta.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Quốc hội quyết nghị lấy tên nước là Cộng hòa Xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam |trans-title=The National Assembly resolved to name the country the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. |url=https://www.qdnd.vn/tu-lieu-ho-so/ngay-nay-nam-xua/ngay-2-7-1976-quoc-hoi-quyet-nghi-lay-ten-nuoc-la-cong-hoa-xa-hoi-chu-nghia-viet-nam-698149 |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=People's Army Newspaper |language=vi}}</ref>

==Administration== '''Northern Vietnam''' includes three administrative regions, which in turn comprise 25 First Tier units.

{| class="wikitable" border="1" style="font-size:90%" |+ Northern Vietnam |- ! Administrative Region ! First Tier Administrative Units ! Area (km<sup>2</sup>)<ref name="gso">{{Cite web |title=Area, population and population density by province |url=https://www.gso.gov.vn/en/px-web/?pxid=E0201&theme=Population%20and%20Employment |access-date=12 April 2024 |website=General Statistics Office of Vietnam}} – Interactive table which you can view by making your selection in three boxes: (1) ''Cities, provinces'': Select all; (2) ''Year'': Select 2022; (3) ''Items'': Select all.</ref><ref name="monre">{{Cite act|type=Decision|index=3048/QĐ-BTNMT|date=18 October 2023|legislature=Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Vietnam)|title=Phê duyệt và công bố kết quả thống kê diện tích đất đai năm 2022|trans-title=Approve and announce the results of land area statistics in 2022|url=https://monre.gov.vn/VanBan/Pages/ChiTietVanBanChiDao.aspx?pID=3012|access-date=12 April 2024|language=vi}}</ref> ! Population (2022)<ref name="gso" /> ! Population Density<br />(people/ km<sup>2</sup>) ! Notes |- | '''Northeast''' (Đông Bắc Bộ) | Bắc Giang<br /> Bắc Kạn<br /> Cao Bằng<br /> Hà Giang<br /> Lạng Sơn<br /> Phú Thọ<br /> Quảng Ninh<br /> Thái Nguyên<br /> Tuyên Quang | 50,826.38 | 9,474,710 | 186.41 | contains most of the mountainous provinces that lie to north of the highly populated Red River lowlands. Four of them are along Vietnam's border with China. |- | '''Northwest''' (Tây Bắc Bộ) | Điện Biên<br /> Hòa Bình<br /> Lai Châu<br /> Lào Cai<br /> Sơn La<br /> Yên Bái | 50,565.71 | 4,911,370 | 97.13 | contains inland provinces in the west of Vietnam's northern part. Three of them are along Vietnam's border with Laos, and two border China (Dien Bien borders both China and Laos). |- | '''Red River Delta''' (Đồng Bằng Sông Hồng) | Bắc Ninh<br /> Hà Nam<br /> Hà Nội {{ref|a|†}}<br /> Hải Dương<br /> Hải Phòng {{ref|a|†}}<br /> Hưng Yên<br /> Nam Định<br /> Ninh Bình<br /> Thái Bình<br /> Vĩnh Phúc | 15,070.70 | 22,091,250 | 1,465.84 | contains the small but populous provinces along the mouth of the Red River. The Red River Delta has the smallest area but highest population and population density of all regions. It is also the only region without any land borders with neighboring countries. |} {{note|a|†}} Municipality (thành phố trực thuộc trung ương)

Of all 25 First Tier units, two are municipalities and 23 are provinces.

==See also== * Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam * Regions of Vietnam * Tonkin – a historical exonym for ''North'' Vietnam

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Vietnam topics}} {{Authority control}} {{Coord missing|Vietnam}}

Category:Regions of Vietnam