Buôn Ma Thuột (formerly Lac Giao) or sometimes Buon Ma Thuat or Ban Mê Thuột, is the capital city of Dak Lak Province, in the Central Highlands

Tây Nguyên

Tây Nguyên, translated as Western Highlands and sometimes also called Central Highlands, is one of the regions of Vietnam. It contains the provinces of Đắk Lắk, Đắk Nông, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Lâm Đồng....

 of Vietnam

Vietnam

Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...

. Its population is approximately 300,000. The city is the largest in Vietnam's Central Highlands region and is famous as the regional "capital of coffee

Coffee

Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...

".

It is also a useful base for treks to nearby Yok Don National Park

Yok Don National Park

Yok Don National Park is a national park located in Buôn Đôn District, Dak Lak Province, Tây Nguyên of Vietnam, 40 km west of Buôn Ma Thuột city. The park was established in 1991 to protect 582 km² of a biological area of khộp lowland forest. The total area is 1,155.45 km²...

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Buon Ma Thuot is served by Buon Ma Thuot Airport

Buon Ma Thuot Airport

Buon Ma Thuot Airport is a public airport in Vietnam. The airport is located in Dak Lak province has one functional runway. A second incomplete runway is not in use. Two aprons are located on the south side of the airport with buildings that appeared to be used for aircraft storage...

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History

In 1904 Dak Lak Province was established by the French and Buon Ma Thuot was selected as the provincial administrative centre, rather than the trading center of Don on the Srepok River

Srepok River

The Srepok River is a major tributary of the Mekong River. It runs from the Dak Lak Province in the Central Highlands of Vietnam through the Ratanakiri and Stung Treng Provinces in Cambodia to join the Mekong near Stung Treng town. Its length varies from 406 km to 450 km in which the last 281 km...

. Buon Ma Thuot was originally settled by the Ê Đê, but due to the incoming Viêt settlement after the Vietnam War

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

 and the active acculturation

Acculturation

Acculturation explains the process of cultural and psychological change that results following meeting between cultures. The effects of acculturation can be seen at multiple levels in both interacting cultures. At the group level, acculturation often results in changes to culture, customs, and...

 policy, less than 15% (around 40,000) are still Montagnard

Montagnard

The French term Montagnard, meaning "People from the mountain" refers to an indigenous people group generally from the Central Highlands of Vietnam. It includes individuals from multiple tribal groups, including the Bahnar, Jarai, Koho, Mnong and E De peoples...

s.

External links

• "Establishing Buon Ma Thuot City and Adjusting the Border Between it and the Districts of Cu Jut, Ea Sup and Krong Pac of Darlac Province" Laws of Vietnam, Decree 8-CP, 21 January 1995
• "Buon Ma Thuot, Vietnam" Falling Rain Genomics, Inc.