Dak Lak (in Vietnamese, Đắk Lắk) is a Province of Vietnam. The name is sometimes spelled "Dac Lac", which is more in keeping with Vietnamese spelling, but the official spelling is Dak Lak. It is located in Vietnam's central highlands, and is home to a substantial number of people who are not ethnically Vietnamese.

Dak Lak is based around the Dak Lak plateau, around six hundred metres above sea level. Coffee, fruit, and rubber play an important part in its economy. Recently, there have been efforts to harness the province's considerable potential for hydroelectric generation.

The area now known as Dak Lak was originally controlled by the Kingdom of Champa. When Champa was conquered and annexed by Vietnam in the 15th Century, Dak Lak was brought under loose Vietnamese rule. Later, in 1540, a noble named Bùi Tá Hán was appointed by the Vietnamese authorities to direct the settlement of the area by ethnic Vietnamese, bringing the highlands under more effective Vietnamese control. Military outposts were established in the area to guard against possible aggression from the west. Later, when Vietnam was occupied by the French, the French established a large number of plantations in the area. Resistance to French rule was strong in Dak Lak, with various minority tribes leading a number of significant rebellions. The most notable was a twenty-three year campaign led by N’Trang Lơng, a Mnong tribal leader. Later, Dak Lak was part of South Vietnam, and saw considerable action in the Vietnam War.

Politically, Dak Lak is divided into twelve districts: Buon Don, Cu M'gar, Ea H'leo, Ea Kar, Ea Sup, Krong Ana, Krong Bong, Krong Buk, Krong Nang, Krong Pac, Lak, and M' Drac. The provincial capital, Buon Ma Thuot , is a separate municipality. Until recently, Dak Nong was a part of Dak Lak, but is now an independent province.

External link

• Official website