Haiphong, << hy fawng >> (pop. 924,741), is a manufacturing center and seaport in northern Vietnam. The city lies near the Gulf of Tonkin, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) east of Hanoi. Factories in Haiphong produce cement, china, glass, phosphates, and textiles. Other industries include electric power production, food processing, and shipbuilding. The city is a deepwater port for Hanoi. Products shipped to Haiphong are carried by railroad to Hanoi. During the Vietnam War (1957-1975), Haiphong became Communist North Vietnam’s major port for importing military supplies. The city was heavily bombed by United States planes. North Vietnam defeated South Vietnam in the war in 1975 and unified the two countries into the single nation of Vietnam in 1976.
