Northwest (Vietnam)

Tây Bắc is one of the regions of Vietnam, located in the mountainous northwestern part of the country. It consists of four provinces: Điện Biên, Lai Châu, Sơn La and Lào Cai. It has a population of 4.9 million and it is fully landlocked.

History

A large area of the region was previously a part of the Sip Song Chau Tai, Tai-Meo Autonomous Region, which was dissolved in 1954. It was renamed the "Northwest Autonomous Region" in 1961, in order to not highlight just two of the many ethnic groups in this zone. The autonomy was rescinded after the Fall of Saigon of 1975.