Ho Chi Minh

Ho Chi Minh City city or Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam. It was once known as Prey Nokor, an important Khmer sea port prior to annexation by the Vietnamese in the 17th century. Under the name Saigon, it was the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina and later of the independent republic of South Vietnam from 1955–75. On 2 July 1976, Saigon merged with the surrounding Gia Dịnh Province and was officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City after Ho Chi Minh (although the name Sai Gon is still commonly used).

The metropolitan area, which consists of the Ho Chi Minh City metropolitan area, Thu Dau Mot, Di An, Bien Hoa and surrounding towns, is populated by more than 9,000,000 people, making it the most populous metropolitan area in Vietnam. The city's population is expected to grow to 13.9 million in 2025.