Ho Chi Minh City, also known by its former name Saigon, is the largest city in Vietnam, located in the southeastern part of the country. It serves as Vietnam's economic, trade, transportation, and cultural hub, with a regional GDP ranking first in the country, accounting for approximately one-quarter of the nation's total GDP. The city centre still retains boulevards and colonial buildings from the French colonial era, such as the Reunification Palace, the City Hall, the Municipal Theatre, the Saigon Central Post Office, the State Bank Office, the People's Court, and the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, as well as several historic hotels, including the Majestic Hotel, the Rex Hotel, the Continental Hotel, and the Hotel de Ville.