[citation needed] Thanh Hoá is a new developing city, although its central position was established centuries before.

Nowadays, provincial administrators are trying to build and gentrify the city so that its important role for the whole province and even North Central Coast is emphasised.

[5] During the Vietnam War, US strategic bombing destroyed much of the buildings and infrastructure; the whole city has been totally rebuilt since then.

Possessing a marginal humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa), Thanh Hóa city has four seasons with two distinctive hot and cold atmospheres in a year.

Note: Area: km2; Density: People/km2 (Statistics in 2009) After expansion, Thanh Hoá city's population had rise up from 207,698 to 406,550 people (2014).

A star shaped fortress was built in 1804 during the reign of Emperor Gia Long of Nguyễn dynasty to improve defense of the city.

According to statistics from 2013, the GDP sector composition of the city's economy was the following: The annual economic growth rate was 15% (2013).