The National Assembly approves reunification of two southern provinces under the Ca Mau name.
Following the National Assembly’s historic resolution on administrative consolidation, Ca Mau province has officially merged with neighboring Bac Lieu to form a unified entity under the name Ca Mau.
Located at the southernmost tip of Vietnam in the Mekong Delta, Ca Mau spans over 5,300 square kilometers and is home to approximately 1.2 million people. It is the only province in the country bordered by the sea on three sides.
After national reunification, Ca Mau and Bac Lieu were merged on January 1, 1976, into a province called Ca Mau - Bac Lieu, later renamed Minh Hai. On November 6, 1996, the National Assembly approved the separation of Minh Hai into two distinct provinces: Ca Mau and Bac Lieu.
According to Resolution No. 60 of the 13th Central Committee of the Communist Party and approved by the National Assembly on June 12, 2025, the two provinces have been reunified under the name Ca Mau, with the political and administrative center located in Ca Mau City.
A dynamic capital in the delta’s heart
Established in 1999, Ca Mau City is one of five economic driving-force cities in the Mekong Delta. It serves as a political and administrative hub and anchors key sectors including energy, petroleum services, commerce, and tourism.
Covering over 24,580 hectares, Ca Mau City features an extensive canal network totaling around 7,000 kilometers - the highest in the Mekong Delta. Rivers such as the Ganh Hao have long shaped the city’s culture, lifestyle, and trade.
Rivers such as the Ganh Hao have long shaped the city’s culture, lifestyle, and trade.
The iconic mangrove tree monument at the city’s central roundabout symbolizes Ca Mau. Its base features a mangrove tree (representing the local wetland ecosystem) and a towering rice stalk (symbolizing prosperity), with figures representing the scholar, farmer, worker, and trader - underscoring the region’s unity and aspirations.
The iconic mangrove tree monument at the city’s central roundabout symbolizes Ca Mau.Nearby are key government buildings including the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee and the nearing-completion Provincial Party Headquarters.National Highway 1A, a critical arterial route, connects Ca Mau to other districts such as Cai Nuoc, Nam Can, Phu Tan, and Ngoc Hien, driving economic growth in the region.Roughly 600 meters from the mangrove monument, the bustling Ca Mau general market by the Phung Hiep canal is the city's largest hub for agricultural and food products. Across the canal stands Thien Hau Pagoda, a historic Chinese temple dating back to 1882.Lush riverside walkways have transformed canal routes into inviting public spaces for walking and exercise.The Ca Mau passenger port, once a vital transport hub before road networks were developed, linked communities such as Dam Doi, Cai Nuoc, Nam Can, Rach Goc, and Dat Mui.Phan Ngoc Hien Square, now under construction, is set to become a major urban landmark, featuring a stage, musical fountains, and a striking concrete-and-ceramic sculpture of a Ca Mau shrimp - symbolic of the province’s leading industry.The shrimp and crab sculptures at the Ca Mau Bridge interchange symbolize the province’s leading economic sectors. Among them, shrimp represents the main industry that has helped locals prosper and significantly contributes to the regional economy.Ca Mau, with its salty, brackish, and freshwater ecosystems, is a powerhouse of Vietnam’s aquaculture industry. With 303,000 hectares dedicated to aquaculture - nearly 30% of the country’s total - Ca Mau contributes 40% of the Mekong Delta's output. In 2024 alone, shrimp farming covered 280,000 hectares, producing 242,000 tons and generating $1.12 billion in export value.Nam Can town, 54 km south of the city, is famous for its prized Nam Can crab - considered the best in the region.
Located in the heart of Nam Can town, the Hon Khoai Uprising Monument commemorates the rebellion led by national hero Phan Ngoc Hien on December 13, 1940.
The monument features a ship with two soaring sails, three figures aboard, and three waves beneath the hull - symbolizing passionate patriotism, unyielding determination, and the unwavering will to sacrifice for national independence and freedom.
At its southern edge lies Dat Mui commune, a peninsula bordered by the East Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. The confluence of rivers, mudflats, and mangrove expansion defines this unique landscape. Here lies the national Ca Mau Cape Tourism Site, the endpoint of the Ho Chi Minh Road - stretching 2,436 kilometers from Pac Bo in Cao Bang to this southern tip.Here, the primary mode of transportation for local residents is the vo lai - a traditional long-tail motorboat commonly used in the Mekong Delta.The Ca Mau Cape National Tourist Area is a sacred landmark marking the southernmost point of Vietnam’s mainland. It is also the final destination of the Ho Chi Minh Highway. Kilometer 2436 of the highway begins in Pac Bo, Cao Bang, traverses 28 provinces and cities, and ends at this southern tip of the nation.A concrete ship sculpture bearing the geographic coordinates of Cape Ca Mau symbolizes Vietnam’s southernmost frontier. Each year, the coastline expands by 80–100 meters due to sediment accumulation - an awe-inspiring natural phenomenon.Nearby, the Ca Mau Cape National Park hosts Vietnam’s largest mangrove forest, located at the confluence of two tidal regimes. It is a crucial breeding ground for aquatic life and a seasonal stop for migratory water birds. For its ecological significance, it was designated Ramsar Site No. 2088 in 2012, becoming Vietnam’s fifth such site.
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