Ha Nam

Ha Nam exists because the Red River Delta south of Hanoi offered flat, well-watered land perfect for rice—and later, for industrial parks serving the capital's manufacturing appetite. This 860 km² province has transformed from agricultural hinterland into a factory floor: 12 approved industrial parks covering 3,460 hectares, with 8 already operational at 84.44% occupancy, generating over $8 billion in exports (2024).

The formation story is proximity economics. Located just 60km from Hanoi along National Highway 1A, Ha Nam attracted investors seeking Red River Delta labor at lower costs than the capital. The Dong Van industrial zones (1 through 5) are now fully occupied, focusing on high-tech, supporting, and processing-manufacturing industries. Thai Ha Industrial Park alone covers 2,000+ hectares at nearly 100% occupancy, with over 60% of projects being FDI.

The 2024 numbers demonstrate mature industrial success: VND 202.5 trillion in industrial production value (107% of annual target), $8 billion in exports (115% of target), and 12,568 new jobs created. The province has confirmed 12 enterprises as "priority support industry" producers—the upstream component makers that anchor Vietnam's manufacturing ecosystem. By 2025, supporting industries should account for 30% of total industrial production value.

Ha Nam Textile exemplifies local industrial character: producing cotton, polyester, and rayon fabrics that feed Vietnam's $44 billion textile and garment export sector. The province participates in the northern manufacturing corridor that has positioned Vietnam to surpass Bangladesh as the world's second-largest garment exporter.

By 2026, Ha Nam's trajectory is intensification: upgrading existing parks to higher-value manufacturing while maintaining cost advantages over Hanoi proper. The constraint is labor—the same workers who staff factories also farm rice, creating competition for human capital. The rice paddies that once defined Ha Nam are giving way to factory floors that define its future.