In 1904 Đắk Lắk Province was established by the French and Buôn Ma Thuột was selected as the provincial administrative centre, rather than the trading center of Đôn on the Srepok River. Buôn Ma Thuột was originally settled by the Ê Đê, but due to the incoming Việt settlement after the Vietnam War and the active acculturation policy, less than 15% (around 40,000) are still Montagnards. An important battle took place there at the end of the second Vietnam war.