Ben Tre Province

Ben Tre (in Vietnamese, Bến Tre) is a Province of Vietnam. It is one of the country's southern provinces, being situated in the delta of the Mekong river.

Politically, Ben Tre is divided into seven districts: Ba Tri, Binh Dai, Chau Thanh, Cho Lach, Giong Trom, Mo Cay, and Thanh Phu. The provincial capital, also known as Ben Tre, is a separate municipality.

Geographically, Ben Tre is wedged between the two main branches of the Tien Giang river, which is itself one of the two main branches of the Mekong. The province's northern boundary is formed by the Tien Giang's main course, while the province's southern boundary is formed by the Tien Giang's largest branch (which breaks away from the Tien Giang just upriver from Ben Tre province). Between the Tien Giang and its main branch are two smaller branches, passing through the middle of Ben Tre. The entire province is criss-crossed with a network of smaller rivers and canals. The extensive irrigation that this provides makes Ben Tre a major producer of rice, but also means that the area is prone to flooding. Ben Tre province is, on average, only 1.25 metres above sea level.

At present, there are no bridges connecting Ben Tre province to the rest of Vietnam - access is only possible by ferries. In 2002, however, work started on the Rach Mieu Bridge, which will link Ben Tre to its northern neighbour, Tien Giang province. The bridge is expected to be completed in either 2005 or 2006.

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