Ho Chi Minh City, located in the southern part of Vietnam, is situated on the right bank of the Saigon River, near the Mekong Delta. The city has a population of more than seven million people, and this number continues to grow as it attracts young individuals from Vietnamese villages in search of better opportunities. While most of the city's residents are indigenous Viets, Ho Chi Minh City also hosts significant diasporas of Chinese, Khmer, and Filipinos.
The city's history dates back over 300 years, with the first mentions of settlements in the area. Ho Chi Minh City was originally founded in 1698 under the name Saigon, named after the river on which it is located. It began as a small town centered around the Gia Dinh Fortress.
During the era of French colonization, Saigon became the capital of French Indochina, leading to significant architectural and economic development. As the colonial period came to an end, Saigon played a pivotal role in the movement to liberate Vietnam from foreign invaders. In 1975, the city was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in honor of Vietnam's first president.
