The capital of Vietnam is Hanoi, a city with a population of over 7 million people. It is the second largest city in the country and is located in the northern part of the country. Hanoi has a long history, having been founded in 1010 AD. It served as the capital of the Vietnamese Empire from 1802 to 1945, and was the capital of North Vietnam from 1954 to 1976. Today, it is the political, economic, and cultural center of Vietnam.