Vietnam Botanical Conservation Program Viet Nam Home | Introduction | Study Sites & Images | Viet Nam Links STUDY SITES - Central Vietnam - KON TUM Total Area: 936,755 sq.km Population: 314.042 Provincial Capital: Kon Tum Town Districts: Sa Thay, Kom Plong, Ngoc Hoi, Dak To, Dakglei ETHNIC DIVERSITY More than 50% of the Kon Tum's population comprises numerous minorities such as Xo Dang, Ba Na, Gie Trieng, Brau, Gia Rai, and Ro Mam. The Ba Na ethnic group make up the majority of the inhabitants of the province. PHYSICAL Kon Tum province lies in Central Tay Nguyen Highlands. The Kon Tum plateau is the largest in the southern highlands reaching to over 800m. CLIMATE The climate of Kon Tum is typically tropical with high humidity. The average rainfall is 1880 mm. The dry season lasts from November to April, and the rainy season, from May to October. BIOLOGICAL Of the total area of Kon Tum province nearly 65% is covered in natural forest and only 13% is under protection within Ngoc Linh (in part, half of this protected area is in Quang Nam province) and Chu Mom Ray Nature Reserves. The province supports a unique and distinguishable as the Kon Tum Montane Forest ecoregion of evergreen forest and mixed evergreen and deciduous forest types. Large mammals, including the globally endangered Banteng, Asian elephant, and tiger, frequent the protected area at Chu Mom Ray Nature Reserve on the border with Cambodia. The endangered Black-shanked Douc Langur is known from this area as well and the endangered Red-shanked Douc Langur has not recently been seen there but has historically been recorded from this protected area. THREATS The future protection of the forest areas against land conversion and logging is critical to continue to protect the rich and unique biodiversity of these areas.