Red River



The Red River (Vietnamese: Sông Hồng) is a major river in Vietnam. It originates in China and flows south-east to Vietnam, where it flows from the border city of Lào Cai to the Gulf of Tonkin via the Red River Delta in the north of the country.

It is one of Vietnam's most important rivers, along with the Mekong River, and provides water to over 30 million people. The important Red River Railway follows the river's course.

The upper half of the river has a relatively straight course, flowing almost exactly south-east for 230 kilometers. The Black River flows into the river in Phú Thọ Province. Past Hanoi, the lower half of the river fans out to many distributaries which form the Red River Delta, the most densely populated area of Vietnam, and the cradle of Vietnamese civilisation.

Cities on the Red River include Lào Cai, Yên Bái, Việt Trì, Vĩnh Yên, Hanoi, Hưng Yên, and Nam Định.