Originally, a Cham presence had settled in the area and was called Baigaur. 10.1.2 List of Private High Schools in Ho Chi Minh City (non-exhaustive).10.1.1 List of Public High Schools in Ho Chi Minh City (non-exhaustive).Tan Son Nhat International Airport, the main airport serving the city, is the busiest airport in the country by passenger traffic, accounting for nearly half of all international arrivals to Vietnam. The city generates nearly a quarter of the country's total GDP, and is home to many multinational companies. Ho Chi Minh City is a major centre for finance, media, technology, education, and transportation. Its varied cultural institutions, which include historic landmarks, walking streets, museums and galleries, attracts over 8 million international visitors each year. It is known for its well-preserved French colonial architecture and vibrant street life. Beginning in the 1990s, the city underwent rapid modernisation and expansion, contributing to Vietnam's post-war economic recovery. In 1976, the communist government renamed Saigon in honour of Hồ Chí Minh. Following the partition of French Indochina, it became the capital of South Vietnam until the Fall of Saigon in 1975.
Saigon was the capital of French Indochina from 1887 to 1902, and again from 1945 until its cessation in 1954.
Situated in the southeast region of Vietnam, the city surrounds the Saigon River and covers about 2,061 km 2 (796 sq mi). Ho Chi Minh City ( Vietnamese: Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh Northern ( listen), Southern ( listen)), formerly (and still commonly) known as Saigon ( Vietnamese: Sài Gòn Northern ( listen), Southern ( listen)), is the largest city in Vietnam, with a population of around 9 million in 2019. Long Thanh International Airport ( under construction)