Binh Hung Hoa Cemetery was formerly the largest cemetery in the urban area of Ho Chi Minh City. It was located in the suburban outskirts of the city but due to the rapid urbanization of Ho Chi Minh City, the urban area eventually eclipsed the cemetery. There are several illegal houses built in and around the cemetery, and an estimated 300,000 residents live among the tombs. In Vietnamese custom, the dead are often buried and therefore puts the pressure on land near the city, especially a large city like Ho Chi Minh City.