In the middle of the 16th century, when Hoi An was a busy center of the south, Danang was only

a small port for goods in transit and ship repair. It gradually developed into a commercial port replacing Hoi An in the early 18th century. In 18 !, after "ing #inh #ang ordered$ %&uropean vessels are not allowed to anchor to do trade at any harbours e'cept for Han (ort), Danang became the largest commercial port in the central region. *he local small+scale industries, including shipbuilding, preliminary processing of agricultural, forestry and fishery products, and trade, services prospered accordingly. *he ,rench colonists, after establishing their domination of the whole of -ietnam in 188., separated Danang from /uang 0am (rovince and renamed the city *ourane and under the control of the 1overnor 1eneral of Indochina. In the early 23th century, *ourane was developed on a &uropean model, which focused on social infrastructure and manufacture technology. #any 4inds of economic activity too4 shape and thrived, such as agricultural production, small+scale industries, e'port product procesing 5tea, food, beverages, ice, alcohol, fish sauce, dried fish6, ship building and repair, and services. *ogether with Hai (hong and 7ai 1on, *ourane became an important trading center of the country. In 1.!3, ,rench gave the authority over the city to the 8ao Dai government. In #arch 1.6!, American marine units landed and started to set up a big military comple'. *he city was defined as a centrally governed city in 1.69, and accordingly American troops and the 7aigon government built up Danang into a political, military and cultural center of the 1st and 2nd tactical :ones. #ilitary bases and such infrastructure as the airport, ports, warehouses, roads, public wor4s, communication stations, and ban4s were constructed. Industries flourished, resulting in the substitution by industrial :ones of handicraft wor4shops. ,or e'ample, Hoa "hanh Industrial ;one was used for o'ygen, acetylene and detergent production, grind and te'tiles industries. However, the devastating war made thousands of rural people flee in refugee camps. <rban slums appeared, social evils increased and production came to a standstill. In 1.9!, after gaining complete independence, Danang 5temporarily under /uang 0am = Da 0ang (rovince6 began to overcome the war>s severe conse?uences. @egardless of difficulties, the city>s rehabilitation and development had some results, especially after the renovation in 1.86. An 6 Buly 1..6, the tenth session of the .th 0ational Assembly of the 7ocialist @epublic of -ietnam passed a @esolution separating /uang 0am = Danang (rovince into /uang 0am (rovince and Danang city, which was directly responsible to the central government. *he new city of Danang consisted of the previous Danang, Hoa -ang @ural District and Hoang 7a Island District.