STATUS OF COASTAL EROSION OF VIETNAM AND PROPOSED MEASURES FOR PROTECTION

The coastal zone of Vietnam is 3,260 km long, extending through the territories of 24 provinces and cities, which include 127 urban and rural districts, 21 towns and 6 cities (Ha Long, Vinh, Hue, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang, Vung Tau). Here occur a series of interactive processes between the land and the sea, between the dynamic forces of rivers and the sea, between the natural and human processes, etc. Along the cost of Vietnam in average in every 20 km there is a river mouth. The landforms of the coastal zone of Vietnam are multiform and diverse. In many areas the landforms are strongly dissected, giving the coast many beauty spots. The coastal zone of Vietnam also receives many natural calamities, causing multidirectional impacts on the nature and socio-economic conditions. In particular the coastal erosion is causing many difficulties for the life of the coastal population. I. Status of coastal erosion in Vietnam This paper is prepared mainly based on the data of the State level research project "Forecasting the coastal erosion and sedimentation of the coastal and river mouth areas and proposing preventive measures " led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Huy Tien (2005) and the reports on mangrove forests of Vietnam edited by Prof. DSc. Do Dinh Sam and Eng. Nguyen Ngoc Binh of the Vietnam Institute of Forestry