CON SON

also called Con Dao, town, island, and island group, southern Vietnam. The island group consists of 13 volcanic islands and islets about 60 miles (100 km) southeast of the Ca Mau Peninsula in the South China Sea. Con Son Island, which is 13 miles (21 km) long and 5 miles (8 km) wide, is well wooded and has an indented coast. It has also been known as Penitentiary Island because it was used for political prisoners. The town of Con Son is on an east-facing bay at the centre of the main island and has a hospital, a penitentiary, and an old French East India Company fort. There is a commercial airport at the northern end of Con Son Island. In 1787 the islands, then known as Poulo Condore, were granted, together with Da Nang (Tourane), to France by Nguyen Anh, later the emperor Gia Long. In 1862 they were formally deeded to France by Emperor Tu Duc. Economic activities on the islands include lumbering and the raising of tobacco, peanuts (groundnuts), and coffee. Pop. (1972 est.) island, 3,300.