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REMOTE SENSING ACTIVITIES IN VIETNAM :
1980 - 1991
By : Pham Trung Luong
Remote Sensing Application Division
National Centre for Scientific Research
Nghia do, Tu liem, Ha noi, Vietnam.
Abstract:
Presently,like many other developing countries, the increasing needs for sustainable natural resources and
environmental management have significantly promoted the development of remote sensing technology in Viet-
nam. This report covers the main activities in development and application of remote sensing since 1980.
Several national projects in remote sensing field are described. The training and manpower development as
well as infrastructure development in the field are also presented.
"Key Words:" Manuscripts, Proceeding, Archives,Typing, Camera-Reagy.
1 INTRODUCTION
Like many other developing countries, the increa-
sing needs for sustainable natural resources and
environmental management have significantly promo-
ted the development of remote sensing technology
in Vietnam.
This report covers the activities and development
in remote sensing since 1980.
Most significant segment has been the application
of remote sensing in different areas of natural re
-source and environmental management. Several app-
lications projects have been carried out,with many
others in the final stages of completion. Themes
such as landuse,coastal management,intergrated as-
sessment of natural resources and natural conditi-
ons related to economic planning,soil erosion, gro-
und water potential zone mapping have received at-
tention. Remote sensing has now become operational
in landuse mapping,mapping of water resources (
flood affected areas,ground water potential ),soil
erosion mapping (both potential and hazard) ,shore-
line change detection mapping,regional geology and
geomorphology and forest/vegetation mapping.
The benefits resulting from the use of remotely
sensed data to monitor,map and manage the natural
resources and environment of the country are well
documented and have led to the extensive use of
these data.
2.REMOTE SENSING HAS BECOME AN IMPORTANT TOOL
FOR RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
IN VIETNAM
Vietnam is a developing country covering a long te
-rritory of about 30 millions Ha with a coast line
of more than 3200 Km. The landscape type of the
country range from coastal zone,to plain,plateau
and high mountains. The country is confronted with
two problems : how to utilize more reasonably the
very limited natural resources for social-economic
development, and how to deal with recent environ-
mental degradation. The main problems in Vietnam
are as follows :
Deforestation:
The percent forest cover in the country resently
has been decreasing. This has caused deterioration
of the environment, especially in the Northern re-
gion, central plateau and coastal areas of Red and
Mekong river plains. There has also been deserti-
fication, serious soil erosion in high land region,
salinity and shoreline erosion in coastal areas.
The forested ares are reducing from year to year.
From a study carried out in 1989 by the Ministry
of Forestry and General Department for Land Use
Management, it was estimated that in 1945 the to-
tal forest area of the country was 14.5 millions
Ha (about 47.8/% of Vietnam's territory) but in
1975 this area had reduced to 29.2 % and by 1983
it was only 23.6 %. Since 1950s the desertified
land has expanded with a speed averaging 10.000
Ha/year. The total area of desertified land in
Vietnam has reached about 10 millions Ha or 33 %
of the country's territory and the total area af-
fected by salinity caused by mangrove deforesta-
tion is about 716.000 Ha.
Degradation and decrease of land resource:
Vietnam is situated in a monsoon humid tropical
environment and 3/4 of its total area is high land.
Thus soil erosion in major concern.
From a study carried out by the State Committee
for Vietnam Soil Mapping, it was estimated that
about 8 million Ha of midland and mountainous
areas are so seriously eroded, that they can't be
used for agricultural purposes.
Soil erosion and poor land use practices have cau-
sed a rapid decrease in agricultural land.
Natural disasters:
Disasters such as flooding, forest fires, land-
slides, shoreline erosion, mud-rock flows, tropi-
cal cyclones, etc. have caused enormous lossed of
property and life, seriously affecting the social-
economical development of the country.
Most of the resource and environmental problems
noted above result from excessive human activities
over Vietnam's long history, especially over the
recent period. To protect the environment, we ur-
gently need information on the current situation
as well as to understand dynamic changes, and
their spatial distribution. Remote sensing in an
effective means to provide this information. Remo-
te sensing development in Vietnam has been focused
on applications geared to social-economical deve-
lopment of the country and environmental monito-
ring. In this connection, several remote sensing
application projects and technology of national
importance have been organized and carried out.
Hundreds of researchers from institutions, univer-
sities and remote sensing organizations are invol-
ved.
3. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN REMOTE SENSING
