Abstract:

The Nguyên court’s reform in the 19th Century led to changes in the temporal and spatial distribution of administrative divisions in Vietnam. The number of administrative divisions reached its peak in 1840, among which the number of high-level administrative districts was most stable, whereas the number of administrative districts at the county and county-level changed dramatically. Quantitative change has affected the density of administrative divisions, as do their jurisdiction ranges, and alleviated the imbalance in administrative divisions between highland and lowland regions. The Gia Long reform was characterized by downplaying the military functions of administrative division, while the Minh Mbng reform was characterized by the introduction and localization of the provincial system from the Qing Dynasty. After that, the Nguyên court implemented no further large-scale reform, except for slight adjustments.

Key words: 19th Century, Vietnam’s administrative division, temporal-spatial distribution, Minh Mbng reform