宣光省
Up until the 19th century the settlement of Vị Xuyên, to the south of Hà Giang (chu Han: 河楊), was the principal market town in the area. Under the Nguyễn dynasty the town of Hà Giang, in what is now , began to grow in size. In 1842 the town was included in the former Tuyên Quang Province. The town became an important French military outpost after 1886.