With over 6 million inhabitants the city of Saigon, whose official name is Ho Chi Minh City (abbreviated as HCM city or HCMC) is the largest city in Vietnam and is located in Southern Vietnam near the Mekong Delta. It was originally a Khmer city named Prey Nokor, before being annexed by the the Vietnamese in the 17th century. Under the French rule it was the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina and its name was Saigon. After the reunification of Vietnam it was renamed as Ho Chi Minh City.
The city has a tropical climate, with an average humidity of 75%. Saigon is the most important economic centre in Vietnam, accounting for a large percentage of its economy. 300,000 companies are located in the area, including many large enterprises, high-tech, electronic, processing and light industries, and also construction, building materials and agro-products businesses.