Pleiku

Pleiku
—  Urban district and town  —
Location in Gia Lai Province
Pleiku Location of in Vietnam
Coordinates: 13°59′N 108°0′E / 13.983°N 108°E / 13.983; 108
Country	Vietnam
Province	Gia Lai Province
Area
- Total	261 km2 (100.8 sq mi)
Elevation [1]	740 m (2,420 ft)
Population (2003)
- Total	186,763

Pleiku is a town in central Vietnam, located in that nation's central highland region. It is the capital of the Gia Lai Province; it is inhabited primarily by the Bahnar and Jarai ethnic groups, sometimes known as the Montagnards or Degar.

The town is the centre of the urban district of Pleiku which covers an area of 261 km². As of 2003 the district had a population of 186,763.^[2] The town sits at the junction of several highways—the northern road to Kontum and the highway west to Stœng Trêng in Cambodia.

The city is home to the Hoàng Anh Gia Lai club.

Pleiku is served by Pleiku Airport in the near outskirts of the city.

History

It was strategically important during the Vietnam War because it was the primary terminus of the military supply logistics corridor extending westwards along Highway 19 from the coastal population center and port facilities of Qui Nhơn. Additionally, its central location on the plateau, between Kontum in the north, and Buôn Ma Thuột to the south, and the North Vietnamese Army's base areas in Cambodia to the west made Pleiku the main center of defense of the entire highland region of the Republic of Vietnam.

This was strategically obvious to both sides; the U.S. established an armed presence very early in the conflict at Camp Holloway, and the Việt Cộng attack on this base in early 1965 was one of the key escalating events of the conflict.

After the fall of Buôn Ma Thuột in early 1975, and the insecurity of Highway 19 leading from Qui Nhơn, President Thiệu ordered the hasty evacuation of Pleiku. This military operation to attempt the withdrawal of ARVN forces down the ill-maintained tertiary road LTL-7B through Cheo Reo to Tuy Hòa led to a horrific catastrophe of over a hundred thousand evacuees from the Pleiku and Kontum areas killed or stranded without support.

References

1. ^ Pleiku, Sheet L7014 6636-IV, Defense Mapping Agency, Washington, 1965.
2. ^ "Districts of Vietnam". Statoids. http://www.statoids.com/yvn.html. Retrieved March 13, 2009. 

External links

Coordinates: 13°59′N 108°00′E / 13.983°N 108°E / 13.983; 108

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v • d • e Districts of Central Highlands (Tay Nguyen) Đắk Lắk Province Buôn Ma Thuột  · Buôn Đôn  · Buôn Hồ  · Cư Kuin  · Cư M'gar  · Ea H'leo  · Ea Kar  · Ea Súp  · Krông Ana  · Krông Bông  · Krông Buk  · Krông Năng  · Krông Pak  · Lắk  · M'Drăk Dak Nong Province Gia Nghĩa  · Cư Jút  · Đăk Mil  · Đăk Glong  · Đăk R'Lấp  · Đăk Song  · Krông Nô  · Tuy Đức Gia Lai Province Pleiku  · An Khê  · Ayun Pa  · Chư Păh  · Chư Prông  · Chư Sê  · Đắk Đoa  · Đắk Pơ  · Đức Cơ  · Ia Grai  · Ia Pa  · KBang  · Kông Chro  · Krông Pa  · Mang Yang  · Phú Thiện Kon Tum Province Kontum  · Đắk Glei  · Đắk Hà  · Đắk Tô  · Kon Plông  · Kon Rẫy  · Ngọc Hồi  · Sa Thầy  · Tu Mơ Rông Lâm Đồng Province Đà Lạt  · Bảo Lộc  · Bảo Lâm  · Cát Tiên  · Đạ Huoai  · Đạ Tẻh  · Đam Rông  · Di Linh  · Đơn Dương  · Đức Trọng  · Lạc Dương  · Lâm Hà