Điện Biên Province


Điện Biên is a province in the Northwest region of Vietnam. It is bordered by Lai Châu to the northeast, Sơn La to the southeast, Pu'er City, Yunnan, China, to the northwest, and Phongsaly Province in Laos to the west.

History

The name "Điện Biên" means "stable frontier". Điện Biên has various ancient monuments including the caves Thẩm Khương, as well as Thẩn Búa in Tuần Giáo. The original settlers were the Ai Lao or Tai people who are a direct ancestor of Lao people in Laos today. The names of some villages and towns still use words of Lao origin, such as Mường and Tham.
In the 9th and 10th centuries, the Lự ở Mường Thanh people were the most developed in the area and controlled Sìn Hồ, Mường Lay, and Tuần Giáo.
In the 11th and 12th centuries, Tai people from Mường Ôm and Mường Ai occupied Mường Lò in Nghĩa Lộ and Mường Thanh in Điện Biên. They eventually gained control of the whole area between Mường Lò and Mường Thanh.

Administrative divisions

Điện Biên is subdivided into 10 district-level sub-divisions:
They are further subdivided into five commune-level towns, 116 rural communes, and nine wards.

Places in Điện Biên