| Bắc Kạn | |
| Official Name: | Bắc Kạn City |
| Native Name: | Thành phố Bắc Kạn |
| Settlement Type: | City (Class-3) |
| Pushpin Map: | Vietnam |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of in Vietnam |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 300 |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Bắc Kạn |
| Established Title: | Established city |
| Established Date: | 11 March 2015 |
| Area Total Km2: | 137 |
| Population As Of: | 2019 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Total: | 45,036 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | Indochina Time |
| Utc Offset: | +7 |
| Coordinates: | 22.1333°N 155°W |
| Blank Name: | Climate |
| Blank Info: | Cwa |
Bắc Kạn is the capital of Bắc Kạn Province, Vietnam. The province's only city, it is bordered by Bạch Thông District to the north, north-east and west and Chợ Mới District to the south-east and south-west.[2] Bắc Kạn is 160 kilometers away from Ha Noi.
As of 2019 it had a population of 45,036 people.[1] The town traces its origins to a fort established in 1880 and upgraded to city on 11 March 2015. It is divided into six wards: Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, Đức Xuân, Sông Cầu, Phùng Chí Kiên, Huyền Tụng and Xuất Hóa and 2 communes: Dương Quang, Nông Thượng.
Bắc Kạn (chữ nôm: 北) was established as a fort in 1880 for troops of the Nguyễn government during the 1878 revolt of Li Yung Choï (Vietnamese: Lý Dương Tài) coincident with the Black Flag Army. Following Li's capture and decapitation, the remains of his group reformed under Liu Zhiping (Vietnamese: Lục Chi Bình) and with 5,000 men attacked the fort defended by 300 Annamite soldiers in 1881.[3] [4]
The town of Bắc Kạn was one of the early headquarters of the Việt Minh in the war against the French. Jean-Étienne Valluy aimed to surround the area and capture the town in Operation Léa between 7 October and 22 December 1947.[5] A parachute drop caught the Việt Minh by surprise and seized letters left on the desk of Ho Chi Minh.[6] Both Ho and Võ Nguyên Giáp escaped only by hiding in camouflaged holes nearby.[6] It was also an area of fighting between the communists and Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng armed forces.[7]