Under the plan, the HCM City region covers the entire administrative boundaries of HCM City and seven surrounding provinces, including Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Long An, Dong Nai and Tien Giang, with a total area of approximately 30,404 square kilometres.
The entire population of the region is being forecasted to reach 24-25 million people by 2030, with 18-19 million of them living in urban areas as the urbanisation rate is expected to climb by 70-75%.
The plan defines the development of the region space towards a sustainable balance and climate change adaptation, with HCM City being the nucleus of the region, a knowledge centre, and a modern multifunctional economic hub on par with other cities in the Southeast Asian region.
The HCM City region will be developed as a large urban area with a high urbanisation rate and good quality of life, and also a dynamic economic development region with high and sustainable economic growth, a strategic position in the Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific regions, and high competitiveness, both domestically and internationally.
The plan sets a target of constructing the HCM City region into a modern economic region of the country and the Southeast Asia as well; a centre for trade, finance, scientific research and service; a high-tech and specialised industrial centre with a high level of specialisation; and a cultural, educational, training, science, technology and high-quality healthcare centre in the Southeast Asian region.
