RESEARCH NOTE
Mapping ethnic groups in Lao Cai Province,Vietnam
Yann Roche and Jean Michaud
Abstract: This research note offers a brief summary of recent carto-graphic work in the province of Lao Cai in northern Vietnam, with aspecific focus on the districts of Sa Pa and Bac Ha. By providing arepresentation of topography in digital format, which enables a con-nection between demographic and physical variables, the long termaim is to illustrate the relationship between ethnicity and topography.
Keywords: Vietnam, Lao Cai Province, ethnic cartography,anthropology
Studying ethnic minorities in the north of Vietnam can be a sensitive issue forthe Vietnamese State. Due to cultural identities in the highlands being differentfrom those in the lowlands, as well as the fact that many amongst these mountainsocieties are located in border areas with geo-strategic importance, the study ofthese groups is both delicate and difficult for the foreign researcher. For thisreason among others, very little has been published recently on peoples in thesehighlands. This research note offers a brief summary of our work in the provinceof Lao Cai (see Figure 1a), one of the remote mountainous areas in northernVietnam that is officially labelled a ‘sparcely populated area’.
The aim is to illustrate the relationship between ethnicity and topography. Itis hoped for example that this research project, by providing a representation oftopography in digital format, will enable a direct connection between demo-graphic and physical variables and provide tools for the evaluation of derivedelevation variables such as slopes, watershed limits, and so on. Whenconducted at province level such a study unavoidably omits details and patternsonly visible at a closer range. Therefore more detailed observations have been
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ß Victoria University of Wellington, 2000. Published by Blackwell Publishers, 108 Cowley Road,Oxford, OX4 1JF, UK and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA.
Authors: Yann Roche, Department of Geography, UQAM, C.P.8888, Succursalle Centre-ville, Montre al, Quebec, H3C 3P8, Canada. E-mail: [email protected]. Jean Michaud,Department of Politics and Asian Studies, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UnitedKingdom: E-mail: [email protected]
drawn for the Sa Pa and Bac Ha districts in Lao Cai province, see Figure 1b.However, the analysis of this material still remains to be completed and themaps presented here, all of which have been produced in the course of aCanada-UK project,1 and have not been published before, should beapproached with this restriction in mind.
Physical data as well as the administrative boundaries of 1994 have beenprovided in digital form by the Vietnam Department of Land Administration(DLA). These can be connected to demographic data through a GeographicalInformation System (GIS). The GIS package,MapInfo in this case, a rathersimple, yet relatively powerful vector-based software, provides a strongresearch and analysis tool for modelling and evaluating the links betweenethnic groups and their physical environment. Based on the contour linesdigitised by the DLA, the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was produced usingthe Vertical Mapperinterpolation utility. The results are shown in Figures 1c(as well as Figures 3a and 5a).
The demographic data for the provincial and district levels was obtainedfrom the database completed by the DLA, based on data from theVietnamStatistical Yearbook 1994. They provide a broad overview of both thepopulation densities and ethnic distributions within the province (as shown inFigure 2a and b respectively). The maps also draw on demographic and culturaldata collected in 1999 at the commune (xa) level by researchers from theNational Center for Social Sciences and Humanities in Hanoi.
Even though demographic data collected at thexa (commune) level can beconsidered reliable, this data is not recent (1994, based on the 1989 census) anddoes not apply uniformly to the whole province. The acquisition of more recentdata would be rather difficult since the results of the 1999 census were notavailable and the ethnic composition of the population is still considered asensitive issue in Vietnam.
IN LAO CAI PROVINCE
As Figure 1c suggests, topography has a strong influence on human activities.In the north of Vietnam it also induces a temperature gradient that makes somerelatively high altitudes much cooler than the Red River Delta. The area has ahigh humidity level, the Hoang Lien Range having a barrier effect onatmospheric circulation. Its eastern half is cool and humid, with a highfrequency of fog and cloud. Life in this area is therefore harsh and healthproblems are a real concern. In order to fight the everlasting dampness,fuelwood consumption is high, which helps explain the small quantity of forestresources remaining in this part of the province.
Another physical constraint also apparent from the elevation map, Figure 1, isthe high proportion of steep slopes, especially in Sa Pa district. Combined withthe level of deforestation in the province, steep slopes enhance the sensitivity toerosion of cultivated or barren lands. In Sa Pa district, this physical constrainthas produced widespread use of cultivated terraces, even though this district ispopulated by a majority of Hmong (52 per cent), a group for whom this type of
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land use is unusual elsewhere in Southeast Asia. For the Hmong though, and to alesser extent for the Yao (their linguistic cousins and the second most importantminority group in the province) steep slopes do not represent a serious obstacle,either in terms of cultivation or in terms of establishing villages.
Figure 1. Lao Cai Province
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Data at the district (huyen) level is much easier to access. However, the highlydispersed spatial distribution of the ethnic minority groups in Lao Cai makes amap based on ethnic data at district level of little use. To solve this problem,the spatial data has to be collected and mapped at least at thexa level and
20Km1002a) Number of people
Inh./Sq.km
251 to 7700151 to 25086 to 15051 to 850 to 50
G
2b20Km100
TTh
Other Groups
Giay
Yao
Hmong
Nung
Thai
Tay
Kinh
Than Uyen
Bao Yen
Van Ban
Bat Xat
Sa Pa
Bac Ha
Lao Cai
National Minority Groups
by district
Th
Cam DuongCam Duong
Muong KhuongMuong Khuong
Bao ThangBao Thang
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
Th
Ta
Ta
Ta
Ta
Ta
Ta
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
K
H N
Y
YG
Y
O
G
G
Y
O
Y
YTa
Y
O
Y
Ta
K
N
O
O
O
O
G
Y
K
N
O
O
35000
93000Inhabitants
Source: General Department of Land Administration and National Center for Human and Social Sciences, Hanoi, Vietnam. Production : Yann ROCHE, UQAM
Cam Duong
Muong Khuong
Bao Thang
Figure 2. Population and population density by commune, 1994 and ethnic composition bydistrict, 1994
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ideally at theban (village) level which are more ethnically homogeneous. Thenumber ofban in Sa Pa and Bac Ha districts is over 200 posing data collectiondifficulties which are compounded by the problem of locating eachban on amap. Severalban and hamlets have moved over the last decades andVietnamese cartographers have not always kept up with the changes.Topographic maps which are currently available to foreign researchers areeither too old or not accurate enough to be used and buying aerial photographsis a difficult task for the non-Vietnamese. Because of these predicaments, themaps presented in this note focus on data available at thexa level only,although theban level is much more ethnically homogeneous and thereforemore appropriate for research with an anthropological concern.
Historically, Lao Cai town has been a crossroads, as the Red River Valley was amajor communication axis between the Delta and southwest China. Yet, awayfrom the valley itself, it is a remote area with an under-developed road network. Asthe scale in Figure 1c suggests, elevations range from 100m along the Red RiverValley, to the summit of Vietnam, the Fan Si Pan (3143 m) in the vicinity of Sa Pa.
The overall population density of Lao Cai province is low, with 60inhabitants per square km in 1994. This population is unevenly distributed,ranging from 204 inhabitants/km2 in Lao Cai town district, to 32 in Van Bandistrict. Figures 2a and 2b stress the impact of the Red River Valley as acommunication axis and a population centre, especially in the districts of LaoCai, Cam Duong, and Bao Thang. Not surprisingly, three quarters of thepopulation of these districts are Kinh.
The population numbers for the province are low (491, 000 inhabitants in1994) with a large proportion from National Minority groups (35 per cent Kinhonly, compared with 20 per cent H’mong [Hmong], 15 per cent Dao [Yao] and30 per cent other National Minority groups).2 Figure 2b uses data gathered atthe district level to show a strong relationship between topography and thelocation of the Kinh in the lower lands. This relationship can also be observedin Figure 2a, between elevation and population density, with most of thepopulation located along the lowlands of the Red River Valley.
Elsewhere in the province, densities decrease drastically. Kinh are present,but in smaller numbers and proportions, and are chiefly concentrated in towns.In several of these districts, the majorities consist of one specific minoritygroup, although a different one in each district: more than half the populationof Than Uyen is Thai, while in Sa Pa and Bac Ha it is the Hmong whodominate, as for the Tay in Van Ban. Bat Xat, the northwestern tip of theprovince, is more heterogeneous, with 75 per cent of its population almostequally divided into Hmong, Yao and Giay.
THE DISTRICTS OF SA PA AND BAC HA
The districts of Sa Pa and Bac Ha have been chosen for more detailedexamination because of their high proportion of National Minority groups,their topography, and their less extensive contiguity with China, a factor whichotherwise would have raised security issues for the Vietnamese authorities.
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While maps showing the distribution patterns of major ethnic groups as well asthe distribution of Kinh have been produced, as detailed in Figure 2b, thispaper focuses on the results for Hmong, Yao and Kinh only, the main groupsboth in the province and in these districts (Figures 4 and 6).
The topography of the Sa Pa district is shown in Figure 3a, its populationdensity in Figure 3b and the ethnic composition in Figure 4. The population of
Source: General Department of Land Administration, Hanoi, Vietnam, Production : Yann ROCHE, UQAM
kilometerskilometers
00 5 km5 km2,52,5
Suoi ThauSuoi Thau
Thanh PhuThanh Phu
Nam SaiNam Sai
Thanh KimThanh Kim
Trung TraiTrung Trai
Sa PaSa Pa
Hau ThaoHau Thao
Su PhanSu PhanLao ChaiLao Chai
Ta PhinhTa Phinh
T.T. Sa PaT.T. Sa Pa
San Sa HoSan Sa Ho
Ta Giang PhinhTa Giang Phinh
Van BanVan Ban
Lao CaiLao Cai
Than UyenThan Uyen
Bat XatBat Xat
Cam DuongCam Duong
BaoBao
ThangThang
Sa PaSa Pa
Suoi Thau
Nam Cang
Thanh Phu
Nam Sai
Ban Phung
Thanh Kim
Ban Ho
Trung Trai
Sa Pa
Hau Thao
Ta Van
Su PhanLao Chai
Ta Phinh
Bau Khoang
T.T. Sa Pa
San Sa Ho
Ta Giang Phinh
Inh./Sq.km
151 to 200 (3)
91 to 150 (1)
41 to 90 (7)10 to 40 (7)
kilometers
0 5 km2,5
a)Topography
b) Population Density, 1994
Lai Chau
Van Ban
Lao Cai
Than Uyen
Sa Pa
Bat Xat
Cam Duong
Bao Thang
Van Ban
Lao Cai
Than Uyen
Bat Xat
Cam Duong
Bao
Thang
Figure 3. Sa Pa District
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the district reached 28,539 habitants in 1994. Sa Pa town is the majorpopulation centre of the district and as one travels away from it, populationdensity decreases as seen in Figure 3b, the pattern of population density of thedistrict being roughly concentric around Sa Pa town.
As Figure 3a reveals Sa Pa is a high altitude district. Accordingly, it has oneof the smallest proportion of Kinh in the province (Figure 2b); indeed, shouldSa Pa town be removed from the district, the Kinh who make up 15 per cent in1994 would virtually be wiped off the district population map. While theHmong majority (52 per cent) is typically established in the highest communes(Figure 4b), the Yao (25 per cent) are immediately below but mix with theHmong in several communes (Figure 4c). The other minority groups dwell
4a) Proportion of Kinh 4b) Proportion of Hmong
4c) Proportion of Yao
60,1 to 98,8
No Hmong
98,8 to 100,0
20,1 to 60,0
4,9 to 20,0
HMONG
Lai
Chau Bao
Thang
Bat Xat
Than Uyen
Lai
Chau Bao
Thang
Bat Xat
Than Uyen
95,1 to 100,01,1 to 95,0
0,3 to 1,1No Kinh
Lai
ChauBao
Thang
Bat Xat
Than Uyen
KINH
YAO
85,1 to 92,765,1 to 85,030,1 to 65,04,8 to 30,0
No Yao
Sa Pa Sa Pa
Sa Pa
Cam DuongCam Duong Cam DuongCam Duong
Cam DuongCam Duong
0 2,5 5 km0 2,5 5 km
Sa Pa Sa Pa
Sa Pa
Cam Duong Cam Duong
Cam Duong
0 2,5 5 km
Figure 4. Ethnic Composition of Sa Pa District, 1994
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essentially in the south-east, a region that is not low enough nor appealingenough to attract spontaneous Kinh settlers.
Bac Ha district, in the northeastern part of the province, is a hilly area,deeply carved on its western boundary by the Chay River, as illustrated inFigure 5a. Its climate is hotter and drier than Sa Pa. Although Bac Ha, with
Ha Giang
Bao Yen
Bao Thang
Bao Yen
S o n g
Ch
ay
a) Topography
b) Population Density, 1994
0 5 km
Ban Cai
Ban GiaBan Gia
Nam KhanhNam Khanh
Lung PhinhLung Phinh
Lung SuiLung Sui
Coc Lau
Ban MeBan Me
Thao Chu PhinThao Chu Phin
0 4,5 9 km
120 to 1600
80 to 119
55 to 79
25 to 54
Muong
Khuong
Ta Van ChuTa Van Chu
Na HoiNa Hoi
Bac HaBac HaTa ChaiTa Chai
San ChaiSan Chai
Si Ma CaiSi Ma Cai
Nam MonNam Mon
Can HoCan HoMan ThanMan Than
Nan SinNan Sin
Coc LyCoc Ly
Sin ChengSin Cheng
Ha
Giang
Bao Thang
Bao Yen
China
Inh./Sq.km
Na Hoi
Bac HaTa Chai
San Chai
Si Ma Cai
Nam Mon
Can HoMan Than
Nan Sin
Coc Ly
Sin Cheng Lung CaiLung Cai
Ta Cu TyTa Cu Ty
Lu ThanLu Than
Ban LienBan Lien
Nam LucNam Luc
Thai Giang PhoThai Giang Pho
Nam DetNam Det
Ban PhoBan Pho
Lau Thi NgaiLau Thi Ngai
Bao NhaiBao Nhai
Hoang Thu PhoHoang Thu Pho
Can CauCan Cau
Quan Than SanQuan Than San
Nan SanNan San
China
MuongMuong
KhuongKhuong
Lung Cai
Ta Cu Ty
Lu Than
Ban Lien
Nam Luc
Thai Giang Pho
Nam Det
Ban Pho
Lau Thi Ngai
Bao Nhai
Hoang Thu Pho
Can Cau
Quan Than San
Muong
KhuongBac HaBac Ha
Ban Gia
Nam Khanh
Lung Phinh
Lung Sui
Nan San
Ban Me
Thao Chu Phin
Ta Van Chu
Bac Ha
Source: General Department of Land Administration, Hanoi, Vietnam, Production : Yann ROCHE, UQAM
Figure 5. Bac Ha District
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Figure 6. Ethnic Composition of Bac Ha District, 1994
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62,693 inhabitants in 1994, is twice as populated as Sa Pa, the populationdensity is only 50 per cent higher: 60 inhabitants/km2 (versus 39 in Sa Pa), andis also unevenly distributed as apparent from Figure 5b.
The more densely populated areas located Bac Ha town, as well as the townitself, are inhabited predominantly by the Kinh, shown in Figure 6a; whilstFigure 6b illustrates the prominence of the Hmong majority in the mountainousnorthern part of the district. At 65 per cent, the Hmong represent the majorityof the population of the district, while the eight per cent Yao constitute a‘buffer’ between the highlands and the lowlands of the district as seen in Figure6c. The majority of the Kinh not located in Bac Ha town are in the southern andlowest part of the district. However, even though they may sometimes be smallin numbers, seldom are they totally absent from the more remote communes,where a few will represent the State in various services.
The next step in this research is to establish a quantitative comparisonbetween the distribution of ethnic groups in the study area and the kind ofelevation, slope, vegetation cover they traditionally live in. The maps presentedhere show that this comparison is possible at a satisfactory level of detail andaccuracy, provided that the necessary data can be acquired and processed.Ultimately, it is hoped that GIS technology will make it possible to model thiscultural link in order to compare the situation in Lao Cai province with othermountainous provinces in northern Vietnam.
NOTES
1 ‘Cartographie ethnique et culturelle de la province de Lao Cai, Vietnam. Un projet pilote.’Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, 1998–2001.
2 Ethnonyms in brackets follow the most common internationally accepted usage for theseethnic groups, and are used throughout this paper.
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