It has a complex geography with mountain ranges extending up to the coast, making transport and infrastructure development challenging but favouring tourism in some places, most notable around Phan Thiết, Nha Trang, and Da Nang.

South Central Coast (Duyên hải Nam Trung Bộ) - 8 provinces: Da Nang, Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi, Bình Định, Phú Yên, Khánh Hòa, Ninh Thuận and Bình Thuận.

It was succeeded by a kingdom called Lin-yi (林邑) by the Chinese or Lâm Ấp in Vietnamese that was in existence from 192 AD.

Some of the earlier capitals, as well as the religious center of Mỹ Sơn and the port city of Hội An were located in the territory of present-day Quảng Nam province.

Probably due to defeats in wars against Đại Việt the political center shifted further south to Vijaya in what is now Bình Định province.

Champa's trade specialized on procuring luxury goods such as eaglewood from the Central Highlands and even as far as Attapeu in southern Laos and selling them to foreign merchants through their ports at Hội An and Thi Nai.

[6]: 110–111, 114 In contrast to most other coastal regions in Vietnam, the South Central Coast's terrain is not mainly flat.

[7] The South Central Coast's sector 1 (agriculture, forestry, fishing) performance can be seen as average in the national context, with its GDP contribution similar to its population share (9.7% and 9.5%).

[4] The region's average industrial growth rate was 16.3% per year from 2000 to 2007, making the main driving force of the economy.

[4] Da Nang has a relatively diversified industrial sector including textiles, fabric, fertilizer, cement, soap, paper, pharmaceuticals etc.

The province also benefited significantly from investment related to the former Russian naval base at Cam Ranh, to which around 30 factories were attached.

Vietnam's main north-south transport corridors run through the whole South Central Coast region.

The two-lane National Route 1 connects all major cities of the region to the rest of the country (Quy Nhon and Nha Trang by extension 1D and 1C).

The Ministry of Transport is planning the construction of a 139.5 km four-lane highway from Da Nang to Quảng Ngãi province in cooperation with foreign donors.

[11] The region is connected to the Central Highlands by several national roads at Phan Rang (National Road 27 to Da Lat), Ninh Hòa, Khánh Hòa province (26 to Buôn Ma Thuột), Tuy Hòa (25 to Pleiku via Ayun Pa) Quy Nhon (19 to Pleiku), and western Quảng Nam province (14/ Ho Chi Minh Road to Kon Tum).

The region's second international airport at Cam Ranh (serving Nha Trang flights to various cities in Vietnam, Guangzhou, Shanghais, Hong Kong, etc.).

Chu Lai in southern Quảng Nam province has an international airport, but only domestic flights.

The South Central Coast has limited potential for hydro-power plants and has therefore not been a major part of EVN's mostly hydro-focused strategy.

[14] A 200 MW wind power plant is under construction in Ninh Thuận province and is planned to be completed in 2012.