Population:
366,100
habitants (2004)
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 23.4ºC. 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
