District 2, Ho Chi Minh City

For other uses, see District 2.

Map showing the location of District 2 in metropolitan Ho Chi Minh City

Map showing the location of District 2 within metropolitan Ho Chi Minh City

District 2, in which the new province of Thu Thiem is located, is a district of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with the most potential.

In the past, District 2 has been one of the poorest parts of Ho Chi Minh City due to the separation of the Saigon River. However, it is now the new hope for the government of Ho Chi Minh City. Since the construction of the Thu Thiem Bridge and Thu Thiem Tunnel was announced a couple of years ago, District 2 has seen more change than ever. Thu Thiem Tunnel joins District 2 with District 1 (Central Sài Gòn), the central area of Ho Chi Minh City. The other new connection of District 2 to the central city area is the completed Thu Thiem Bridge which connects District 2 and Binh Thanh District. The tunnel is under construction and will come to fruition soon. The transportation to District 2 will be much more easier when the metro whose route contains District 2 comes in to use. This will be the first metro in Vietnam, and this will help Ho Chi Minh City to catch up with other cities.

The Vietnamese government is seeking to build a completely new district for wealthy citizens as well as a new economic center. Thanh Nien and Tuoi Tre, the two most prestigious newspapers in Vietnam, describe that the new District 2 will be as modern as Singapore and Hong Kong.

Less prosperous agricultural workers of District 2 have been forced to move in slum clearance measures. Thatched houses will be replaced by multi-story house and villas. A few single-family homes will be constructed for those with large incomes. A large number of citizens would go on living in high-grade apartment blocks. Each block contains swimming pools, tennis courts, shopping malls, and other necessary services. There will be kindergartens, elementary schools, and high schools, but there will be no university, as all the universities are being moved to the Thu Duc district to form “The Village of University”, which is another plan of the city government. Beside the residential area will be the economic and trade zone with modern skyscrapers.

The district has 11 phường, or wards:

1. An Lợi Đông
2. An Khánh
3. An Phú
4. Bình An
5. Bình Khánh
6. Bình Trưng Đông
7. Bình Trưng Tây
8. Cát Lái
9. Thảo Điền
10. Thủ Thiêm
11. Thạnh Mỹ Lợi

As of 2003 the district had a population of 108,610.^[1] The district covers an area of 50 km². ^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Districts of Vietnam". Statoids. http://www.statoids.com/yvn.html. Retrieved March 20, 2009.