Kon Tum
Kon Tum City is the capital city of Kon Tum Province in Vietnam. It is located inland in the Central Highlands region of Vietnam, near the borders of Laos and Cambodia.
Kon Tum
Thành phố Kon Tum | |
|---|---|
City (Class-2) | |
| Kon Tum City | |
Rông House Kon Klor | |
Kon Tum Location in Vietnam | |
| Coordinates: 14°21′42″N 108°0′30″E | |
| Country | Vietnam |
| Province | Kon Tum |
| Area | |
| • Total | 432.9815 km2 (167.1751 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 525 m (1,722 ft) |
| Population (2019) | |
| • Total | 172,712 |
| • Density | 358/km2 (930/sq mi) |
| Climate | Aw |
Historically, this area has been inhabited by the indigenous Ba Na people, which led to the name Kon Tum, meaning "Village by the Lake" in the Ba Na language. Its unique location features flat and fertile land, enriched by the Dak Bla River, and a convergence of various ethnic groups over time. Among these, the Kinh people, hailing from provinces such as Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, and Binh Dinh, have settled here. In the years 1841-1850, French missionaries, en route to the Central Highlands, established the first Christian mission in this region. By 1893, the colonial French authorities established the Kon Tum administrative agency, headed by Father Vialleton, and from that point, the name Kon Tum became officially used. Subsequently, the provincial administrative unit adopted this name. Kon Tum City, once a sparsely populated and desolate area, has evolved into a hub for settlement, commerce, and governance throughout the province's rich history. Currently, Kon Tum City holds the status of City (Class-2).