Dien Bien is an ancient land where people live from prehistoric times. It has been proven that people from ancient times existed here very early through archaeological evidence from the Stone Age and monuments such as Tham Khuong cave, Tham Bua cave (in Tuan Giao) which are known to be the centers of the ancient Vietnamese.

Around the 6th and 7th centuries, Muong Thanh land also underwent many great changes. By the 9th - 10th century, the Lu (Lự) people in Muong Thanh developed quite strongly. In the 11th and 12th centuries, the Black Tai (Another name is Tai Dam and Vietnamese name is Thái Đen) owned an entire area from Muong Lo (Nghia Lo) through Muong La (Son La) to Muong Thanh (Dien Bien). In the 15th century (1463), the leaders of the Lu people basically still owned Muong Thanh.

In 1831, Emperor Minh Mang (Minh Mạng) changed to Hung Hoa province, the provincial capital was located in Hung Hoa town, Tam Nong district (now in Phu Tho). During period of French occupation in Vietnam, Hung Hoa was divided into Hoa Binh, Son La, Lai Chau, Lao Cai and Yen Bai provinces and merged a number of districts into Phu Tho.

The name of Dien Bien was given by Emperor Thieu Tri (Thiệu Trị) in 1841 from Ninh Bien Chau (Chau is an ancient administrative unit in Nguyen dynasty); “Điện” means strong, “Biên” means frontier area or border. Dien Bien was the country's strong frontier area, Phu Dien Bien (Phu is an ancient administrative unit in Nguyen dynasty) (ie Dien Bien phu) in the Thieu Tri period included 3 areas (3 Chau): Ninh Bien, Tuan Giao and Lai Chau.

In 1858, the French colonial empire began to invade Vietnam. However, it was not until 1890 that the French colonial empire established the rulership in Lai Chau (now Dien Bien and Lai Chau).

On June 28, 1909, Governor-General of Indochina issued a Decree to establish Lai Chau province (now Dien Bien province and Lai Chau province).

In Lai Chau (now Dien Bien and Lai Chau), the revolutionary movement has spread among people of highland ethnic groups. The 10th Military Inter-Region Command has established the Lai Chau Volunteer Team, which is the precursor to the Dien Bien Party Civil Affairs Committee established on October 10, 1949.

On May 7, 1954, after 9 years of long-term resistance war, along with the army and people of the whole country, the people of Dien Bien province made a historic victory in Dien Bien Phu. The Central Committee decided to establish an autonomous region of all ethnic groups in the Northwest, called the Tai-Meo (Thái-Mèo) Autonomous Region on April 29, 1955 within the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

On September 27, 1962, the second National Assembly at the 5th session decided to re-establish the three provinces of Son La, Nghia Lo and Lai Chau. Lai Chau province at that time included 7 districts: Dien Bien, Tuan Giao, Tua Chua, Muong Te, Muong Lay, Sin Ho, Phong Tho and Lai Chau town.

From 1962 to 1994, Lai Chau township (later Lai Chau town) was the provincial capital of Lai Chau province.

On April 18, 1992, Dien Bien Phu town was established and center of the province to Dien Bien Phu town. With the attention of the Party, the government and the efforts of the people, the town's economy has made progress in all aspects with the remarkable improvement of people's lives. The town has been renovated and upgraded, the infrastructure has been invested and built to meet the standards of a grade-3 urban area.

On September 26, 2003, Dien Bien Phu City, Lai Chau Province was established. Administrative boundaries were adjusted to expand and establish 8 wards.

On November 26, 2003, Lai Chau province was divided into two provinces, which are new Lai Chau and Dien Bien.

Dien Bien province, after being divided, is a mountainous border province in the Northwest region. It is about 504 km from Hanoi capital.

At present, the province has a natural area of 9,562.9 km2. The population of the whole province is over 60,000 people and there are 19 ethnic groups living together.

Dienbien.gov.vn