Central Vietnam is comprised of 12 provinces and cities: Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien – Hue, Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, and Binh Thuan; surface area: 67,608km2 (20.3% of the country’s total), population: 12,517,883 (2009) (14% of the country’s total); It is home to 26 ethnic minorities, with the Kinh being the majority. The 25 other minorities include the: Chut, Bru – Van Kieu, Ta Oi, Co Tu, Co, Hre, Gie – Trieng, Ba Na, Xo Dang, Cham, Chu Ru, Raglai, E De, and Co Ho.
Due to natural circumstances, the different minorities of Central Vietnam experience socioeconomic development in their own ways. Each minority has its own culture and traditions. But all have played their parts in the fights against France and the United States.
In recent years, the party and the state have implemented many policies aimed specifically at helping the minorities of Central Vietnam develop. However, progress has been sluggish due to a number of factors, controllable and uncontrollable. To date, such minorities are still mired in poverty. The provinces that they call home are all situated along the coast of the East Sea. In these provinces lie violent rivers, treacherous mountain ranges, narrow plains, rugged terrain, irregular climate. Consequently, the provinces have had to brave natural disasters like draughts, storms, and floods. Many studies have been carried out in an attempt to come up with solutions. One notable book is titled “The development of Central Vietnam’s ethnic minorities and a number of associated issues” and written by Bui Minh Dao.
The book essentially describes how the minorities of Central Vietnam are developing from an economic, social, and cultural perspective after 20 years of reform. It also identifies a number of key and urgent issues, as well as proposing a number of solutions aimed at sustainable development for the minorities of Central Vietnam.
The book gathers results from research done from 2007 to 2005 in the five provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri (representing North Central provinces), Quang Nam (representing central provinces), Binh Dinh, and Ninh Thuan (representing South Central provinces. Secondary data was collected and discussions at the provincial level were held. Studies were done on settlements of varying scales. Villages that were most representative were picked for sampling. This area is home to seven minorities, including the Kinh, the Cham, the Chut, the Bru – Van Kieu, the Co Tu, the Raglai, and the Ba Na.
The author also made use of information gathered through a lengthy process of research that spanned many years in Central Vietnam. Aside from the introduction and the conclusion, the book includes the following seven chapters:
Chapter 1: Central Vietnam’s demographics, economy, and society
Chapter 2: Economic development
Chapter 3: Social development
Chapter 4: Cultural and religious development
Chapter 5: Environment
Chapter 6: How the Kinh and ethnic minorities of the mountains develop differently
Chapter 7: Issues and recommendations
Pham Vinh Ha