Commune (Vietnam)
| Administrative units of Vietnam |
|---|
| First-level |
| Second-level |
| Third-level |
| Fourth-level (unofficial) |
A commune (
Communes have a lower status than
This subdivision has existed since 1428, when Emperor
Since 2019, Vietnam has undertaken a comprehensive rearrangement of administrative units in order to streamline the apparatus of local authorities.[2] The re-organisation, conducted in two periods, between 2020 and 2023 and between 2023 and 2030, comprises forced mergers of several districts and commune-level administrative units and localities. As of April 2023, the number of third-level subdivision units dropped to 10,598 units including 1,737 wards, 614 commune-level towns and 8,247 communes.[3] This has been a significant reduction from 11,162 in 2018.
Facts
Certain small villages are not officially regarded as administrative communes.
As of December 31, 2008, Vietnam had 9,111 communes.
According to data extracted from General Statistics Office of Vietnam, there were 11,164 third-level (commune-level) administrative subdivisions. As of 2018 February, the number of third-level administrative subdivisions in Vietnam was 11,162.[5]
As of April 2023, the number of third-level units dropped to 10,598 units including 1,737 wards, 614 commune-level towns and 8,247 communes
History
Dynastic period
After ascending to the throne of Vietnam and established the Lê Dynasty, Lê Thái Tổ divided the country into đạo 道 (province), phủ 府, huyện 縣 (district or county), and xã 社 (commune). The leader of the basic administrative unit xã was titled xã quan 社官 , later renamed xã trưởng 社長.[6] Xã were classified as đại xã 大社, trung xã 中社 and tiểu xã 小社 based on their population.[6]
The Nguyễn Dynasty (1802-1945) maintained xã as the smalles administrative unit. The name of the manager was renamed to lí trưởng 里長 by Emperor Minh Mạng in his 1831 administrative reforms. The lí trưởng was elected by villagers democratically among members of a legislative council called Hội đồng kỳ dịch or Hội đồng kỳ mục, which was made up of most educated people in the village.
After successfully colonising Cochinchina and the whole Vietnam, the French introduced reforms to the village councils, the latest of which saw the council shortened to a group of 7 members, however, the leader was selected among this group, not by villagers.
South Vietnam
Under the jurisdiction of
Communes that reached a higher urbanisation status could be elevated to the status of . In such case, the xã was recognised as an autonomous unit in the same level as a province or a centrally-governed city.
Politically, a xã was governed by a xã trưởng, usually a government official assigned by the District head. The xã trưởng was assisted by a hội đồng xã (commune council), made up of a sherriff, treasurer, administrative official and home affairs official. [7]
In 1957,
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
After reunifying the country, xã remains the lowest administratrive unit in Vietnam. It continues to be the name of the lowest administrative unit in a rural district as well as the rural outskirts of larger provincial towns and cities.
References
- ^ "Tổng hợp đơn vị hành chính". Đơn vị hành chính. Archived from the original on 2015-11-13.
- ^ "Vietnam to merge districts and communes in selected provinces". Nhân Dân. 2019-07-30. Archived from the original on 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
- ^ "Số lượng đơn vị hành chính cấp tỉnh, huyện, xã ở Việt Nam". Thư viện pháp luật. Archived from the original on 2023-12-20. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
- ^ The data of local administrative subdivisions till 31 December 2008 by Vietnam Statistics General Office.
- ^ The Administrative divisions of Vietnam.
- ^ a b Thanh Hiền (2015-03-10). "Hệ thống hành chính quốc gia thời Lê sơ" [National administration in Early Lê Dynasty]. Bảo tàng tỉnh Thanh Hóa (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 2024-01-18.
- ^ Donoghe, John (1961). Cam An a Fishing Village in Central Vietnam. Saigon: Michigan State University.