HANOI, capital of Tongking and of French Indo-China, on the right bank of one of the mouths of the delta of the Song-koi or Red river, about 8o m. from its mouth in the Gulf of Tong king. Pop. 140,000. The town consists of a European quarter and a crowded native quarter built round a picturesque lake which lies close to the river. The so-called pagoda of the Great Buddha is the chief native building. The river is embanked and is crossed by the Pont Doumer, a fine railway bridge over 1 m. long. Vessels drawing 8 or 9 ft. can reach the town. Hanoi is the seat of the general government of Indo-China, of the resident superior of Tongking, and of a bishop, who is vicar-apostolic of central Tongking. It is administered by an elective municipal council with a civil service administrator as mayor. It has a chamber of commerce, a chamber of the court of appeal of Indo China, a civil tribunal of the first order, and is the seat of the chamber of agriculture of Tongking. Its industries include cotton spinning, brewing, distilling and the manufacture of tobacco, earthenware and matches ; native industry produces carved and inlaid furniture, bronzes and artistic metalwork, silk embroidery, etc. Hanoi is the junction of railways to Hai-Phong, its seaport, Lao-Kay, Vinh, and the Chinese frontier via Lang-Son. It is in frequent communication with Hai-Phong by steamboat.
See C. Madrolle, Tonkin du sud: Hanoi (19o7).