Hanoi rivers' natural conditions

Hanoi located on the Red river delta. After the administrative border expansion in August 2008, Hanoi has the area of 3.324,92 km2, consisting of 10 districts, 18 suburban districts and one town as:

Districts: Hoan Kiem, Ba Đinh, Hai Ba Trung, Tay Ho, Cau Giay, Đong Đa, Hoang Mai, Long Bien, Thanh Xuan, Ha Đong; suburban districts: Đong Anh, Tu Liem, Soc Son, Gia Lam, Thanh Tri, Ba Vi, Chuong My, Đan Phuong, Hoai Đuc, My Đuc, Phu Xuyen, Phuc Tho, Quoc Oai, Thach That, Thanh Oai, Thuong Tin, Ung Hoa, Mê Linh; and Town of Son Tay.

Situated on the northwest of the Red river delta, Hanoi is 20053' to 21023' northen latitude, and 105004' to 106002' eastern longtitude; and having contiguous to provinces of Thai Nguyen, Vinh Phuc in the north, Ha Nam, Hoa Binh in the south, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen in the east, and part of Hoa Binh and Phu Tho in the west. Hanoi terrain decreases from north to south, west to east with the average altitude of 5 to 20 meters above the sea level.

The Red river is the main flow through the city, streaming into Ba Vi district and out from Phu Xuyen district, which borders with Hung Yen province. ThelengthofRed River flowing through Hanoiis163 km, which accounts forone thirdof thelengthof the river in Vietnam. Also, Da river is the border line between Hanoi and Phu Tho, confluenting with the Red river in the north of Ba Vi district. Besides, there are numerous rivers which flow through Hanoi such as Day river, Duong river, Cau river, Ca Lo river, etc; and small rivers flowing within the city such as To Lich river, Kim Nguu river, and so on. These are the outflow drainages of the city.

As the result of silt raising level, three quarter of Hanoi is plain field, located on the right bank of Da river, both sides of Red river, and other rivers' affluents. Majority of moutainous areas belong to Soc Son, Ba Vi, Quoc Oai, My Duc districts with the peak altitude 1.281m of Ba Vi, 707m of Gia De, 462 of Chan Chim, 427m of Thanh Lanh, 378m of Thien Tru, etc respectively. Also there are small moutains within the city such as Dong Da mound, and Nung mountain.

Hanoi is a city of many lakes and swamps as a result of ancient rivers. In urban area, West Lake has the largest area of about 500ha, plays an important role in neutralizing hydrography; Ho Guom lake is the "green lung" in the city center and an integral part of Hanoi; lakes as Truc Bach, Thien Quang, Thu Le, Thanh Nhan, Dong Da, Ngoc Khanh, Hoang Cau, Thanh Cong, Ba Mau, Bay Mau, Giang Vo, Lang, Bach Thao, Ngoc Ha, Van Chuong, Quang Ba, Yen So and so on. Besides there are other lake swamps such as Kim Lien, Linh Dam, Ngai Son-Dong Mo, Hai stream, Meo Gu, Xuan Khanh, Tuy Lai, Quan Son, etc.

The existing advantages of Hanoi are fundamental basis for its shining in the integration and sustainable development, for deserving to be the city of a thousand year of culture, city of peace, and capital of heros.