Kon Tum

Area: 9,690.5 sq. km.
Population: 383.1 thousand habitants (2006)
Capital:  Kontum Town.
Districts: Dak Glei, Ngoc Hoi, Dak To, Kon Ray, Kon Plong, Dak Ha, Tu Mo Rong, Sa Thay.
Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Xo Dang, Ba Na, Gie Trieng, Ra Glai...

Geography

Kontum is on Central Highlands. It shares border with Laos, Cambodia on the west, Quang Nam Province on the north, Quang Ngai Province on the east and Gia Lai Province on the south.

On the north, there is highest granite mountain region in Southern Vietnam with Ngok Linh 2,598m and Ngoc Phan 2,251m. It is source of Tranh, Thu Bon, Tra Khuc, Ba rivers.

Forest covers 50% total of Kontum area with valuable wood, rare birds. Basalt soil is suitable to plan rubber, coffee, tea, sugar cane. The province has 26,000ha grassland that gives good condition to raise cattle.

Climate: Kontum has feature climate of Central Highland. That is tropical monsoon one. There are two seasons. The rain season lasts from May to October. The dry season lasts from November to April next year.

Annual average temperature is 23.4C. Annual average rainfall is 1,884mm.

Tourism

Coming to Kontum, visitors enjoy mountainous landscapes like Ngok Linh Mountain, Chu Mon Ray Primitive Forest, Dak Tre Tourist Site, and Dak To Hot Spring. Tourists are interesting in historical relics such as Kontum Former Prison, Dak Glei Prison, Ho Chi Minh Trail, Dak To, Tan Canh Battle Field.

Visitors would observe beautiful wooden stilt houses in Ba Na villages and Communal House (Nha Rong) that only be found in villages on the north of the Central Highlands.

Ethnic groups

Ethnic minorities make up 51% population of Kontum. Most of them are Ba Na, Xo Dang, Gie Trieng, Gia Rai, B'Rau, and Ro Man. They work on fields in the mountains.

Kontum has colorful, diversified culture of ethnic groups. Their customs are unique with special traditional festivals like cong chieng (gongs), buffalo stabling, leaving- the- tomb, new rice festivals.

Transportation

Kontum is 246km from Buon Ma Thuot, 215km from Quy Nhon, 49km from Pleiku. National Highway No.14 runs from west of Quang Nam, vie Kontum Town, then to Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Ho Chi Minh City. National Highway No.24 connects Kontum to Quang Ngai