Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City (pop. 3,924,400), formerly Saigon, city in Vietnam, 60 mi (97 km) from the South China Sea, on Saigon River. An industrial center and river port with a trade in rice and textiles, the city was established as an Annamese settlement in the 17th century and was taken by the French in 1859. The city was capital of South Vietnam (1954–75) and suffered considerable damage during the Vietnam War.

See also: Vietnam.