HANOI, VIETNAM

Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam , and also its second largest 
city, is a fascinating blend of East and West, combining traditional Sino-Vietnamese motifs with French flair. 

It is largely unscathed from the decades of war, and is now going through a building boom, making it a rapidly developing city in Southeast Asia.
Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction.
From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam. It was eclipsed by Hue, the imperial capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945), but Hanoi served as the capital of French Indochina from 1902 to 1954. From 1954 to 1976, it was the capital ofNorth Vietnam, and it became the capital of a reunified Vietnam in 1976, after the North's victory in the Vietnam War. 

The city is located on the right bank of the Red River.

During the Vietnam War, Hanoi's transportation facilities were disrupted by the bombing of bridges and railways. These were all, however, promptly repaired. Following the end of the war, Hanoi became the capital of a reunified Vietnam when North and South Vietnam were reunited on July 2, 1976.

Modern Hanoi, on May 29, 2008, it was decided that Ha Tay Province, Vinh Phuc's Me Linh  district and 4 communes of Lurong Son District, Hoa Binh be merged into the metropolitan area of Hanoi from August 1, 2008. 

The Hanoi Capital Region, a metropolitan area covering Hanoi and 6 surrounding provinces under its administration, will have an area of 13,436 square kilometers with a population of 15 million by 2020.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Hanoi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanoi