Lạng Son

Lạng Son (About this soundlisten) is a province in northern Vietnam, bordering Guangxi province in China. Its capital is also called Lạng Son, which is a strategically important town at the border with China and is 137 kilometres (85 mi) northeast of Hanoi connected by rail and road.Lạng Sơn Province is bordered by China, Cao Bang Province, Bac Giang Province, Bac Kạn Province, Quang Ninh Province and Thai Nguyen Province. The province covers an area of 8310.09 square kilometres and as of 2008 it had a population of 781,655.

Friendship Gate, the historical land link between China and Vietnam, links Lạng Son and Guangxi, China. Being a border province, it is important for trade between the two countries.It is accessible by road and rail from Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, and it is the northernmost point on National Route 1A. Lạng Son’s economy is 80% based on agriculture and forestry. However, in recent years economic development has received full attention to exploit its rich mineral resources.

The most important tree grown in the province is the star anise (illicium verum, Hooker), an important spice; an evergreen tree which has aromatic lanceolate leaves.

Important historical places of interest in the province are the war-ravaged Dong Dang border town, which has rich war history and attracts visitors, two large limestone caves within a short distance from the Lạng Son town, and a 16th-century citadel of the Ming dynasty.