Da Nang

Most of the names by which Da Nang has been known make reference to its position at the Hàn River estuary. The city's name is agreed by some to be a Vietnamese adaptation of the Cham word da nak, which is translated as 'opening of a large river'. Other Chamic sources, with similar definitions, have been proposed. Inrasara (aka Phú Trạm), a researcher specializing in Champa, suggests Da Nang is a variation of the Cham word daknan (lit. 'the large water'); Sakaya (aka Văn Món), another Champa researcher, claims a connection with the Raglai word danang, meaning 'river source'. Another name given to Da Nang was Cửa Hàn (lit. 'mouth of the Han [river]'). The name used by the French, Tourane, is said to derive from this name, by way of a rough transliteration. This name (spelled Cua han) appears on maps of the area drafted by Alexandre de Rhodes in 1650. …

The city's origins date back to the kingdom of Champa, established in 192 AD. At its peak, the Chams' sphere of influence stretched from Huế to Vũng Tàu. The city of Indrapura, at the site of the village of Dong Duong in Quảng Nam Province (about 50 km (31 mi) from Da Nang), was the capital of Champa from about 875 to about 1000 AD. Also in the region of Da Nang were the Cham city of Singhapura ("City of the Lion"), the location of which has been identified with an archeological site in the village of Trà Kiệu, and the valley of Mỹ Sơn. In the latter half of the 10th century, the kings of Indrapura came into conflict with Đại Việt, who were then based at Hoa Lư. As an independent kingdom, Champa found itself needing to defend its territory to contain the threat posed by the Khmer Empire in the west, and expand its territory to the north, hoping to conquer Đại Việt. …

Da Nang is surrounded by mountains to the west, and the South China Sea to the east. The central city is bisected by the Han River. Da Nang borders Huế across the Hải Vân Pass to the north. It is 764 km (475 mi) south of Hanoi, and 964 km (599 mi) north of Ho Chi Minh City. The city has a total land area of 1,283.42 km2 (495.53 sq mi). Geologically, Da Nang is at the edge of a Paleozoic fold belt known as the Truong Son Orogenic Zone, whose main deformation occurred during the Carboniferous period. Da Nang's topography is dominated by the Annamite Range to the north and north-west, which features peaks ranging from 700 to 1,500 m (2,300 to 4,900 ft) in height, and coastal plains with some salting to the south and east, with white sand beaches along the coast. …