Tonkin

Tonkin is the historical name for the northern region of Vietnam, locating along the Red River Delta and the Gulf of Tonkin. In English, the term has been used since the 19th century, especially in historical or geographic contexts. The exact origin of the name is unclear, but it became established during the era of French Indochina when the area was commonly referred to as Tonkin.

Geographically, Tonkin roughly corresponds to parts of today’s Northern Vietnam (Miền Bắc) and includes major urban centers such as Hanoi and Haiphong. The region encompasses the Red River Delta and the coastal plain along the Gulf of Tonkin, with provinces such as Quảng Ninh, which is known for coal resources and tourism, among others in the northern part of the country.

Historically, Tonkin has been a core area of Vietnamese state formation and culture. Under French rule, it was one of the principal regions of French Indochina alongside Annam and Cochinchina. After the First Indochina War and the subsequent division of Vietnam, the administrative use of Tonkin as an official designation declined, though the term remains common in historical discourse. The Gulf of Tonkin, a large body of water along the northern coast, gave its name to the region and to several diplomatic and military episodes, including the naval incidents of 1964 that contributed to the escalation of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

Today, Tonkin is mostly used in historical or geographic contexts, with its region generally referred to as part of Northern Vietnam. The Gulf of Tonkin remains a key geographic feature.