The Urban Renewal of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City
Vietnam's two major business centers Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are expanding the scope of their urban areas to accommodate the influx of foreign and local investment. Currently the country's business capital and largest city, Ho Chi Minh City, is struggling to contain its growth. Traffic jams are a common occurrence. A 15 minute trip to the airport can easily turn into more than an hour's journey during peak hours. Ho Chi Minh City has a population of 7.1 million people as of 2009 and is projected to grow to 10 million by 2010. The city needs to develop its public infrastructure to meet the needs of its burgeoning population and expanding economy. Downtown real estate prices have been unstable in the past years because of lack of supply.
The local government has decided to address this issue by developing new urban centers.
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