Under the decision, the entire provincial territory—covering more than 12,700 square kilometers, with 95 commune-level administrative units and an estimated population of nearly 4.5 million in 2025—has been classified as a Grade I urban area.
According to Resolution No.112/2025/UBTVQH15 dated December 24, 2025, of the National Assembly Standing Committee on administrative unit standards, a locality must satisfy seven criteria to be designated a centrally governed city. These include population size, natural area, the proportion of wards among total commune-level units, urbanization rate, designated position and function in approved planning, attainment of Grade I urban status, and the structure and level of socio-economic development.
With this recognition, Dong Nai has now fulfilled all seven criteria required to establish a centrally governed city.
Earlier, in its appraisal of the proposal to designate Dong Nai as a Grade I urban area, the inter-agency evaluation council concluded that the province serves as a key gateway linking domestic and international regions. It ranks among the country’s leading localities in GRDP and is a major hub for industry, exports, and logistics.
The province also boasts a strategic infrastructure network, notably Long Thanh International Airport—identified as a key growth driver for national socio-economic development—along with an expanding system of expressways, national highways, high-speed rail, urban rail, and interregional ring roads.
