Vietnam Info

Vietnam

For a country that is only a little larger than Italy, Vietnam has immense geographic and cultural diversity. Its varied climate and landscape range from four seasons of the mountainous north to year-round tropical temperatures of the lush south. Vietnam's cultural diversity stems from its intriguing history dating back more than 4,000 years. Its historical legacy includes a century of Chinese occupation, which has left a very strong foreign cultural influence, evident in the pagodas, local cuisine, and continuing practice of Confucianism. The Cham civilization, which blossomed in the central region in the 14th century, has left many ancient Hindu-like temples, which are still visited today. Vietnam's regal past can be revisited in the former capital city of Hue, where the Citadel and Royal Tombs represent an era of cultural renaissance. The French colonial legacy is still evident in many parts of Vietnam, as illustrated by the distinctive yellow pastel-colored architecture of its villas and administrative buildings.

AREA 330,991 square kilometres

POPULATION 82 million

GEOGRAPHY
Vietnam lies on the eastern seaboard of the Indochina peninsula, bordering China to the north and Laos and Cambodia to the west. To the east and the south lies the South China Sea, which the Vietnamese call the East Sea. Mountains and hills cover four-fifths of Vietnam's territory with the Truong Son range stretching over 1,400 km. Mount Fansipan (3,142 m) is the highest peak in Southeast Asia. The most populated areas in Vietnam are the Red River Delta and the Mekong Delta, which form around Vietnam's two largest rivers. The Mekong is the 10th largest river in the world, at about 4,909km in length. Vietnam's 3,444 km coastline features beautiful beaches like Tra Co, Lang Co, Nha Trang, Vung Tau and Ha Tien. National parks include Ba Vi, Cat Ba and Cuc Phuong in the north, Bach Ma in the centre and Cat Tien in the south.

HISTORY
Vietnam's history can be divided into six periods:- Prehistory: According to Vietnamese legend, Vietnamese history dates back over 4,000 years. In the third century BC, King An Duong named Vietnam "Au Lac" and ruled for fifty years.- Chinese Occupation: Vietnam was occupied by China from 111 BC to the early 10th century.- Monarchy: Local kings ruled the area from 939 to1860 AD.- French Colonialism: French colonisation lasted until the 1945 revolution, when the Geneva Accords partitioned Vietnam in two.- American War: Vietnam battled America from 1959 until April 30, 1975.- Independence: From 1975 until now, Vietnam has been a free nation working towards development and success.

RELIGIONS
Major spiritual influences in Vietnam include Buddhism, Confucianism, and Ancestor Worship. Christianity arrived in the late 18th century and now has the second largest religious following, after Buddhism. Other religions practiced include Islam and Cao Dai, with concentrations in the south.

WEATHER CHECK
Vietnam is suitable for travel at all times of the year. The south: Ho Chi Minh City and the south are hot year round. The hottest period of the year in the south runs from May to August with average daytime temperatures ranging between 24 and 35 degrees Celcius. The wet season runs through southern Vietnam from May to October. The wet usually consists of an afternoon downpour for an hour or so and rarely interferes with travel arrangements

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this page was last modified on Jan 13 2010 11:48PM