Official Name: The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
Capital City: Ha Noi
Area: 128,000 square miles
Population: 77 million
Geography
Viet Nam is near the center of Southeast Asia, bordered by China in the north, Laos and Cambodia in the west, and by the Pacific Ocean in the east and south. Viet Nam forms an S shape over 1000 miles long, with a 1,400 mile coastline. The widest part (380 miles) is in the north and the center of the country is quite narrow, only 39 miles at Quang Binh province. The Paracel (Hoang Sa) and Spratley (Truong Sa) archipelagos lie to the east of Viet Nam in the Eastern Sea.
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Natural Conditions
Viet Nam enjoys a wide variety of natural beauty, from pristine beaches all along the coast to stunning mountains in the central and northern provinces. Viet Nam's sea waters are warm all year and provide abundant seafood, one of Viet Nam's major exports. The highest mountain peak is 10,300-foot Phan Si Pan in Lao Cai Province. About 1/3 of the land area is covered by lush tropical forests or mangrove swamps and about 22% of the land area is under cultivation. Thousands of streams and small rivers flow from the mountains to join the Red River in the north or the Mekong River in the south. These rivers have produced vast fertile deltas that are among the most productive rice-growing regions in the world.
Viet Nam has a tropical monsoonal climate that yields hot weather all year long in the south, while the northern part of the country has a hot season during the summer and a cool season from October to March. In Ha Noi, the temperature may fall as low as 40 0 F during January and February, and usually reaches highs of 90 - 100 0 F during June and July. In Ho Chi Minh City the temperature range is much less, ranging from about 80 0 F - 95 0 F throughout the year.
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Natural Resources
Viet Nam's forests contain more than 12,000 species of vegetation, including over 1,500 pharmaceutical herbs and many species of precious woods. Animal life is extraordinarily varied, with over 1,000 bird species, 300 mammal species, 300 reptile species, and thousands of insect species. Rare animals include the recently-discovered deer (Sao La), rhinoceros, and tigers. Viet Nam's sea waters support abundant and highly diversified animal and plant life, as well, with nearly 7,000 identified animal species and over 650 species of plants.
Viet Nam's mineral resources include coal, oil, natural gas, iron, and a variety of other metals. Fresh water in Viet Nam is abundant.
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Ethnic Groups
Viet Nam is home to 54 ethnic groups . The Kinh, or Viet, account for 90% of the population. Each ethnic group has its own cultural identity, evident in its food and dress , music , musical instruments , social relations, customs and traditions . Of special interest are weddings, funerals, and traditional and religious festivals . Each group has its own spoken language and some have written languages. Beyond their particular ethnic identities, these groups blend to form the identity of the Vietnamese people, which is characterized by patriotism, a strong sense of community, integrated religious beliefs , and open-mindedness.
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History
Archaeologists have found traces of human habitation in Viet Nam dating back over 500,000 years. About 4,000 years ago, civilized tribes living in what is now northern Viet Nam began to migrate from the mountains and to settle in the Red River Delta. Eventually they formed the glorious Van Lang - Au Lac Kingdom, ancestor of modern Viet Nam.
From 179 BC until 905 AD Viet Nam was dominated by various Chinese dynasties. The successful uprising led by Khuc Thua Dzu in 905 AD ended this rule and ushered in an era of national independence, sovereignty, and development for the Vietnamese people. During the next ten centuries, Viet Nam advanced by the accomplishments of many dynasties: Ngo (938 - 967); Dinh and early Le (968 - 1009), Ly (1009 - 1225), Tran (1226 - 1400), Ho (1400 - 1407), later Tran (1407 - 1414), later Le (1428 - 1788), Tay Son (1788 - 1802), and Nguyen (1802 - 1945). From the 19 th Century, the French colonized and exploited Viet Nam and her people. From 1941, the Japanese gradually overthrew the French and occupied Viet Nam. Vietnamese patriots then fought side-by-side with allied armies against the Japanese aggressors.
In August 1945, under the leadership of the great patriot Ho Chi Minh, the Vietnamese seized the government from the Japanese and abolished the old feudalist regime. On September 2, 1945, President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence , solemnly proclaiming the birth of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam, the first-ever people's democratic state in Southeast Asia. The French colonialists then returned, with a view to reimposing their rule on Viet Nam. The Vietnamese people carried out a nine-year resistance which culminated in the historic victory of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, after which France signed the Geneva Agreement and recognized Viet Nam's independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity. According to the Agreement, Viet Nam was temporarily divided into two parts and would be re-unified upon the conclusion of general elections in 1956. However, the US intervention and aggression prevented the re-unification of Viet Nam. The Vietnamese people were again forced to conduct a 20-year war of resistance and national salvation, this time against the US. In 1975, Vietnam was entirely liberated from foreign rule. On July 2, 1976, Viet Nam was officially reunified and officially became the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. The State of Viet Nam is one of the people, by the people, and for the people under the leadership of the Communist Party of Viet Nam.
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Government
The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam comprises 61 provinces and cities under the central government. According to the 1992 Constitution , the National Assembly is the highest legislative body of the state. The head of state is the President; the head of the government is the Prime Minister.
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Foreign Affairs
Viet Nam is a member of the following international organizations:
The United Nations
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
The Forum of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC)
The French-language using countries (Francophone)
Viet Nam maintains diplomatic relations with 166 nations, enjoying normal relations with all superpowers and top political and economic centers in the world and having economic and trade relations with over 120 countries and territories. Prompted by the interests of each country and of peace, stability, and development in the region, Viet Nam and the United States of America have enjoyed normalized relations since 1995 and are joining efforts to build a new relationship based on equality and mutual respect.
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Economy
Viet Nam has a multi-sector market-oriented economy in which the state assumes a leading role. Since economic reforms were initiated in 1986, Viet Nam has achieved remarkable economic growth, particularly in agriculture, industry, communication and transport, finance, banking, trade, and investment. The success of the economic reforms has been highly evident in the dramatic improvement in people's daily lives. Step by step, the Vietnamese economy is becoming integrated with the Asian Pacific Region and the world.
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Tourism
All year round, Viet Nam is a wonderful tourist destination. Ha Long Bay is recognized by UNESCO as one of the natural wonders of the world, with over 3,000 dramatic and magical islands set in pristine water. Phong Nha Cave is one of the largest and most beautiful caves in the world. Viet Nam has many cool mountain villages including Tam Dao, Sa Pa, Da Lat. Clean and unspoiled beaches can be found in Tra Co, Bai Chay, Do Son, Sam Son, Cua Lo, Lang Co, Non Nuoc, Nha Trang, and Vung Tau. There are hundreds of historical and cultural sites including the Hung Temple, Co Loa, the Temple of Literature in Ha Noi, My Son Sanctuary, the ancient city of Hoi An ,and the Citadel at Hue . Thousands of pagodas, temples, and churches can be found throughout the country. Vietnamese cities and villages take pride in their architectural jewels of traditional and colonial design. Finally, it is very interesting to observe the distinctive traditions of the various ethnic groups that comprise our wonderful country.
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