Hải Dương is a city in the Red River Delta in northern Vietnam. Located 58 km (36 mi) from Hanoi, it covers 36.53 sq km (14.1 sq mi) and has a population of 187,000 people (2011 estimate). Hải Dương is one of the cities within Vietnam's Northern Economic Area and the Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh Development Region.
Hải Dương was established in 1804 and was originally called Thanh Dong, meaning "eastern fort", in reference to its located east of Hanoi. It received its present name using the French colonial period. The Red River, called Cái River in Vietnam, passed through Hải Dương, cutting the city into two parts, one urban the other rural and industrial.