BAC CAN

Total Area: 456,289 ha.
Population: 275,250
Provincial town: Bac Can
Districts: Ba Be, Bach Thong, Cho Don, Na Ri, Ngan Son

ETHNIC DIVERSITY Consists of six main ethnic groups including the Tay, Nung, Dao, San Diu, Hoa, and H'mong.

PHYSICAL Much of the land area of Bac Can is located between 300 and 1200m in elevation.

SEASONAL The region experiences two distinct seasons including a winter dry season from October until February and a protracted, three-season rainy period from March until September.

BIOLOGICAL Bac Can supports mainly mixed forest types of the greater northern Indochina Subtropical forest ecoregion with some evergreen and deciduous forests located on isolated mountain peaks. Of the total land area of the province less than 26% (117,454 ha.) is covered in natural forest and less than 7.5% (34,207 ha.) is under special use protection. Ba Be national park is located in the northwest of the province. The endemic and critically endangered Tonkin Snub-nosed monkey has been recorded from Ba Be and within the currently proposed nature reserve of Tat Ke-Ban Bung.

THREATS The area has been severely impacted by logging and some coal removal at Ngan Son.