Western records in 1856 again mentioned the island: "... King Ang Duong (of Cambodia) apprize Mr. de Montigny, French envoy in visit to Bangkok, through the intermediary of Bishop Miche, his intention to yield Phú Quốc to France." Such a proposition aimed to create a military alliance with France to avoid the threat of Vietnam on Cambodia. The proposal did not receive an answer from the French. An 1856 publication by The Nautical Magazine describes Phú Quốc to still be part of Cambodia even though it was occupied by the Cochinchinese. The quote from the publication is:
While the war between Vietnam and France was about to begin, Ang Duong sent another letter, dated November 25, 1856, to Napoleon III to warn him about Cambodian claims on the lower Cochinchina region: the Cambodian king listed provinces and islands, including Phú Quốc, as being parts of Vietnam for several years or decades (in the case of Saigon some 200 years). Ang Duong asked the French emperor to not annex any part of these territories because, as he wrote, despite this relatively long Vietnamese rule, they remained Cambodian lands. In 1867, Phú Quốc's Vietnamese authorities pledged allegiance to French troops just conquering Hà Tiên.
thumb|upright|left|French Indochina c.1933
In 1939, for administrative purposes, Governor General of French Indochina, Jules Brévié, drew a line demarcating a maritime boundary between Cambodia and Cochinchina, and Phú Quốc remained under Cochinchina administration. After the Geneva Accords, in 1954, Cochinchina's sovereignty was handed over to Vietnam.
After mainland China fell under the control of the Chinese Communist Party in 1949, General Huang Chieh moved 33,000+ Republic of China Army soldiers mostly from Hunan Province to Vietnam, and they were interned on Phú Quốc. Later, in June 1953, the army moved to Taiwan.
In 1967, the Vietnamese and Cambodian government accepted the "Brévié Line" as the maritime border. Later on, Sihanouk renewed his claim on Koh Tral (). The Vietnamese also abandoned their previous acceptance of the Brevie Line. Phú Quốc was located in IV Corps Tactical Zone and was an integral part of South Vietnam's system for detaining enemy prisoners.
On May 1, 1975, a squad of Khmer Rouge soldiers raided and took Phú Quốc, but Vietnam soon recaptured it. This was to be the first of a series of incursions and counter-incursions that would escalate to the Cambodian–Vietnamese War in 1979. Cambodia dropped its claims to Phú Quốc in 1976. But the bone of contention involving the island between the governments of the two countries continued, as both have a historical claim to it and the surrounding waters. A July 1982 agreement between Vietnam and The People's Republic of Kampuchea ostensibly settled the dispute; however, the island is still the object of irredentist sentiments.
In 1999 the Cambodian representative to the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Border Commission affirmed the state’s acceptance of the Brevie Line and Vietnamese sovereignty over Phú Quốc, a position reported to and accepted by the National Assembly.
Administration
The special administrative region of Phú Quốc is officially divided into eight commune-level sub-divisions, including two urban wards (Dương Đông, An Thới) and seven rural communes (Bãi Thơm, Cửa Cạn, Cửa Dương, Dương Tơ, Gành Dầu, Hàm Ninh).
Economy
thumb|Fishing has historically been the dominant industry in Phú Quốc.
thumb|A traditional [[fish sauce factory in Phú Quốc]]
Phú Quốc is famous for its two traditional products: fish sauce and black pepper. The rich fishing grounds offshore provides the anchovy catch from which the sauce is made. As widely agreed among the Vietnamese people, the best fish sauce comes from Phú Quốc. The island name is coveted and abused in the fish sauce industry that local producers have been fighting for the protection of its appellation of origin.
Pepper is cultivated everywhere on the island, especially at Gành Dầu and Cửa Dương communes.
The pearl farming activity began more than 20 years ago when Australian and Japanese experts arrived to develop the industry with advanced technology. Some Vietnamese pearl farms were established at that time including Quốc An.
Tourism plays an important role in the economy, with the beaches being the main attraction. Phú Quốc was served by Phú Quốc Airport with air links to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Hanoi (Noi Bai International Airport), Rạch Giá (Rạch Giá Airport) and Can Tho (Can Tho International Airport). Phú Quốc Airport was closed and replaced by the new Phú Quốc International Airport from December 2, 2012. Phú Quốc is also linked with Rạch Giá and Hà Tiên by ferries.
Air Mekong used to have its headquarters in An Thới.
Many domestic and international projects related to tourism have been carried out, including the latest direct flights from Bangkok to Phú Quốc by Bangkok Airways, which could make Phú Quốc a new tourist hub in Southeast Asia.
With the combination of Vinpearl Phú Quốc Resorts and the opening of the new Vinmec Phú Quốc International Hospital in June 2015, Phú Quốc will add an additional source of revenue to the local economy in terms of medical services, medical tourism and medical education.
Climate
The island's monsoonal sub-equatorial climate is characterized by distinct rainy (April to November) and dry seasons (December to March). As is common in regions with this climate type, there is some rain even in the dry season. The annual rainfall is high, averaging . In the northern mountains up to has been recorded. April and May are the hottest months, with temperatures reaching .
Protections
Phú Quốc has both a terrestrial national park and a marine protection.
Phú Quốc National Park was established in 2001 as an upgrade of a former conservation zone. The park covers of the northern part of the island.
Phú Quốc Marine Protected Area, or just Phú Quốc MPA, was established in 2007 at the northern and southern end of the island and covers of marine area. The sea around Phú Quốc is one of the richest fishing grounds in all of Vietnam, and the aim of the protected area is to secure coral reef zones, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests, all key spawning and nursery grounds for aquatic species, including blue swimming crabs. Among the aquatic animals in the protected area are green turtle, leather back turtles, dolphin and dugong.
Plastic waste is a growing problem in Phú Quốc, and the local community has organized clean-up efforts.
Gallery
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Phu_quoc_suoi_tranh.jpg|Suối Tranh Cascades
File:Phu_quoc_1.jpg|Phú Quốc's sandy beaches
File:Phu_quoc_village_de_pecheurs.jpg|Fishermen's village
File:Phu_quoc_plage_sao.jpg|Bãi Sao beach
File:Phu_quoc_vente_a_la_sauvette.jpg|Shellfish for sale by the roadside
File:Phu_quoc_2.jpg|Phú Quốc coastline
File:Phu_quoc_3.jpg|Phú Quốc coastline
File:Phu_quoc_bateau_de_peche_1.jpg|Fishing boat with its collection of basket boats (thuyền thúng)
File:Phu_quoc_fabication_de_nuoc_mam.jpg|Manufacture of fish sauce
File:Phu_quoc_plage.jpg|A beach in Phú Quốc
File:Phu_quoc_cau_sat.jpg|A bridge on Dương Đông river
File:Phu_quoc_embouchure_de_la_riviere_duong_dong.jpg|Dương Đông river's mouth
File:Phu_quoc_hotel_1.jpg|Hotel in Phú Quốc
File:Phu_quoc_hotel_2.jpg|Hotel in Phú Quốc
File:Phu_quoc_marche_1.jpg|Dương Đông market
File:Phu_quoc_marche_2.jpg|Fish stalls at Dương Đông market
File:Phu_quoc_pagode.jpg|Sùng Hưng pagoda
File:Star Beach (Bãi Sao).jpg|Bãi Sao beach
File:Phu_quoc_riviere_duong_dong.jpg|Dương Đông river
File:Phu_quoc_temple_nguyen_trung_truc.jpg|Nguyễn Trung Trực's temple
</gallery>
See also
- Hà Tiên Islands