(Viet Nam is on the way reaching to the 21^st century –of  the Ministry of Trade,
 Ha Noi publishing house)

   NATURAL CONDITIONS:          

     Ninh Thuan is a province belonging to the Farest South of the middle of Viet Nam .It’s next to Khanh Hoa from the North, next to Binh Thuan from the South, next to Lam Dong from the West. It’s the Province locating in the Central Transportation along highway 1A, Bac – Nam  railway and national road to West highland. Its natural area is 3,360.06 km².        

   Territory of Province is enclosed by 3 sides of mountains: from the North and the South are two high mountain ranges reaching to the sea; in the West is the high mountain belonging to Lam Dong. There are 3 types : mountain area, flat area and along the coast area. The topography is a little slope and becomes low and low from the West to the East, and the Northwest to the Southeast.

     The length of the main rivers : 430km. There are 2 main river systems:

     +  Cai river system is 105 km length and its tributaries consist of : Me lam, Sat, Ong, Cha river locating in the middle river; La, Quao river in downstream (belong to Ninh Phuoc).

     +  The system of rivers and streams spread in the North and the South of province : Quan The (Ninh Phuoc), Trau, Ba Rau (Ninh Hai).

     Generally, short rivers start and finish inside of the province, the average slope of the basin is from 7 to 15.

     Nai swamp : 650 ha is being used to exploit for aquatic breeding. Besides it, there are many swamps and small lakes.

     There are 8 high mount tops from 1000m up.

    POPULATION AND LABOUR:

     The average population in 2000 was 529,650 people : Male: 261,596 people, Female: 268,054 people. Population density: 158 persons/km².

     Generally, the force of scientific and technical cadres  is very limited : the average number: 22 persons/1000persons.

     Quality of  technical labour is rather low, not equal and need to be re-formed.

     ECONOMIC POTENTIALS:

     LAND RESOURCES :

     Ninh Thuan has 8 kinds of land divided into 24 different elements.

   The coastal flat types of land :

   +  Sandy land group: 13,418 ha ,there are 3 kinds occupying 3,83 % of general natural area , of which white and yellow dune : 2.169 ha, sea sandy land: 6.727 ha, rising dune : 4.252 ha.        

   Generally, the land is rather identical, the main compositions are sand and silky sand with humus. The land is excessively dry, sour and poor in  humus, the  underground water level is deep. This type of land mainly grows protective forests. In low areas having conditions, fruits of the earth are grown such as : onion, garlic, grapes.

    + Salty land group: there are 4 kinds occupying 0,67 % of general natural area with 2.294 ha, of which salty land in Dam Nai (Ninh Hai) : 417 ha, salty land in Ca Na (Ninh Phuoc): 525 ha , salty land in Ho Hai, Phuong Hai, Nhon Hai (Ninh Hai): 1.150ha, salty alkaline land in Ninh Hai : 202 ha. Types of salty land is usually distributed in low terrain or riverside towards sea influenced by tide. To this group in active areas which water isn’t influenced by tide, it’s suitable to grow rice and fruits of the earth; in passive areas of water, it’s suitable to produce salt and develop fishery.

     MINERAL RESOURCES :

    Ninh Thuan mineral resources distribute on 4 main types of ore : Krongpha, Maty- Nui Dat, Ca Na and Ta Nang, with mineral resources: lime sand, coral lime rock, white sand, soda.

    Besides, there are other minerals as: gold, tin, molipden, pirit…distributed in Krongpha, Cong Hai, Ca rom.

    RESOURCES OF SEA, RIVERS, LAKES AND SWAMPS :

    Ninh Thuan has a seashore of 105 km long . There are 3 estuaries to the sea- Dong Hai, Ca Na, Khanh Hai with a large fishery which has rich benefit of sea products, many potentials of tourist develpoment and sea minecuttlerals. It is one of 4 largest fisheries in the whole country. Annual total output of seafood is 120.000 tons, of which bottom fish: 70-80 thousand tons, floating fish: 30-40 thousand tons. Annual possible fish catch is 50-60 thousand tons. There are over 500 kinds of fish, of which many kinds of fish are of high economic value such as pink fish, tuna, codfish, lobster, cuttle, squid…

    Besides the sea, there are coastal grounds, swamps, lakes which are very favourable for salt production and large- scale aquatic development and concentrated in Nai swamp, Ca Na, Vinh Hy, Son Hai, Phu Tho… The general area is over 3000 ha.

    Locating on the region of high temperature and high radiating intensify, Ninh Thuan has ideal conditions to produce industry salt. The area of salt - field can be reached to 1000 ha, with annual output of 130-135 thousand tons and concentrated in Dam Vua, Ca Na and Khanh Hai coastal ground.

    FOREST RESOURCES :  (Data resources in 1999)

    Forestry land : 281,217 ha. Total reserves of wood in Ninh Thuan forests is 10 million cubic meters and 2,5 million bamboos. Producing forests : 73.296 ha with total reserves of 4,5 million cubic meters ; protective forests : 75.849 ha with total reserves of 5.5 million cubic meters. 

   Nowadays, rich forest is 3.031 ha occupied 1,93% of the provincial forest area, average forest is 9.266 ha occupied 5,92%, the rest is poor forest and grove, shrub forest. Bare land area and bald mountainous hill area  are 94.654 ha in which is suitable to plant forest, industrial trees and develop sheep, goat, cow breeding.

    Service - Infrastructure  

    NinhThuan is located on the junction of the national highway 1A, North-South railway and the national highway No.27. It isn^’t far from the Southern main economy area and Ho Chi Minh City. It has a tourist complex among Da lat - Phan Rang - Nha Trang, has estuaries to the sea and conditions to develop commercial ports.

   In the central of the province, there is Thanh Son airport which is enough conditions to take off and to land .(At present, not used for civilian).

  Ninh Thuan has a seashore of 105 km long. There are some beautiful beaches as Ninh Chu, Ca Na with Cham cultural constructions and many beautiful landscapes as well as restaurant - hotel system and Ninh Thuan  people^’s hospitality.

   THE KEY OBJECTIVES OF THE FIVE - YEAR PLAN OF 2001 – 2005

          It’s the concretization of targets and views of the ten – year Plan of 2001 – 2010:   

 Continuing to step up the industrialization and modernization cause; developing the Province’s economy towards promoting advantages combining with market and focusing on quality; firmly increasing developing speed; rapidly moving economic structure to industry and service; raising competition.

  Stepping up quality of socio-economic structure; increasing capacity for new development; raising quality of human resources; creating heading of next development.

  Reducing number of poor households, settling and improving people’s living conditions.

  Securing politics– society, intensifying national defense and security; readily facing all situations.

    Above objectives conclude specific contents and duties as follows :

1-  To attain economic growth at an average annual rate of about 8-9 % , GDP growth of the year 2005 of about 1,5 times in comparison with that of the year 2000; of which, agricultural manufacturing – about 3 –3,5 %, fishery – about 12-13 %, industry 14-14,5 %, services 7-8 %. Up to the year 2005, economic structure will move towards industry – construction 18-19 %, agriculture - forestry 26-27 %, fishery 24-25 %, and services 30-31 %.

2-  To attain general value of export turnover to 30 USD million, development investment to 25-30 % of GDP.

3-  Social objectives :

- To increase an average annual rate of pupils at the beginning of year of about 6,6 %, of which kindergarten pupils 17,3 %, grade pupils 5,1 %.

- To complete universalize education in the main town and 3 towns in 3 districts   lower population growth rate by the year 2005 down to 1,5 %; every year, solve work for 9.000 persons; reduce the rate of malnutrition in children under 5 to 25 %; eradicate famine, reduce the number of poor households down to 5 % by the year 2005.  

4-  To step up administrative reforms, renovate system, raise effects and levels of cadres.

5-  To consolidate national defense and security, secure social order.

  The plan of target developing Economy to the year of 2010