General Information about VietnamOfficial name: The Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Area: 331,688 km2 (mainland territory)
Capital: Hanoi
Population: 84.11 million (in 2006)
Time zone: GMT + 7 hours
Big cities: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ha Long, Can Tho, Hue, Nha Trang, Da Lat.
Area: 331,688 km2 (mainland territory)
Capital: Hanoi
Population: 84.11 million (in 2006)
Time zone: GMT + 7 hours
Big cities: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ha Long, Can Tho, Hue, Nha Trang, Da Lat.
LOCATION
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a strip of land shaped like the letter “S” along the Eastern side of the Indochinese Peninsula. The length of mainland border is 3,818km, the north is bordered by China (1,281km), the west is Laos (1,555km), and Cambodia (982km). The East of Vietnam has a 3,260 km-coastline facing to the Pacific Ocean. On the mainland, it is 1,650km long from the north of Vietnam to the south (as the crow flies), the widest part of the country from the East to the West and is 600km (from Quang Ninh to Dien Bien province), and the narrowest part is 50km wide (Quang Binh). The total area of mainland is 331,688km2. Vietnam also has over 4,000 islands, large and small reefs close and far from the coast, internal water areas, territorial waters, and a continental shelf that is determined to be almost triple the size of the mainland area by the current government, (over 1 million km2). Truong Sa and Hoang Sa archipelagoes are ones that Vietnam has affirmed its sovereignty in Pacific Ocean.
Farmost points of Vietnam (on the main land):
- Northernmost point: Lung Cu flagpole, Lung Cu commune, Dong Van district, Ha Giang province, coordinate N 23°23' - E 105°20'.
- Southernmost point: Cape Ca Mau, Dat Mui commune, Ngoc Hien district, Ca Mau province, coordinate N 8°37'B – E 104°43'.
- Westernmost point: A Pa Chai, Sin Thau commune, Muong Nhe district, Dien Bien province, coordinate N 22°44'B – E 102°08'.
- Easternmost point: Cape Doi, Van Thanh commune, Van Ninh district, Khanh Hoa province, coordinate E 109027' - N 12038'.
CLIMATE
Vietnam is located in the internal tropical belt of the northern half of the earth. Leaning more towards tropic than to the equator.
This location brings Vietnam a high degree of heat. Annual average temperature is from 22ºC to 27ºC. Every year, there are about 100 raining days with average rainfall is from 1,500 to 2,000mm. Air humidity is approximately 80%. Sunny time is 1,500 – 2,000 hours; annual average radiant heat is 100kcal/cm².
The monsoon system changes the nature of the moisture tropics of Vietnam. In general, the climate in Vietnam is divided into 2 areas:
- North of Bach Ma Mountain (natural border of Da Nang and Hue) that has 2 seasons in year that include summer from May to October (rainy season) and winter from November to April (cold, less rain). The coldest time is in January, it is 16.6ºC in Hanoi.
- South of Bach Ma also has 2 seasons in year, rainy season from May to November and dry season from December to April, the hottest time of year is in April at 290C in Ho Chi Minh City.
TERRAIN
Vietnamese territory comprises of an area of 75% hills and some mountains, and 25% is deltas and coastal plains.
Highlands
Northeast Highland
This extends from the Hong River valley to Gulf of Bac Bo (Gulf of Tonkin), mountains here include Viet Bac block (Bac Ha Plateau, massif of Chay river, Dong Van plateau) and the system of bow back mountain ranges that embrace the Viet Bac block (Song Gam, Ngan Son, Bac Son and Dong Trieu range). The Northeast coast looks out over the Gulf of Bac Bo with more than 2,000 large and small islands. There are 1,030 named islands with the rest being unnamed islands. This area holds 2/3 of the total islands in the entire country (2,078 islands/2,779 islands). The typical landscapes are: Bac Ha Plateau, Dong Van Plateau, Ba Be lake, Lang Son valley, Ha Long bay…
Northwest Highland
This extends from the Hong River valley to the Viet-Laos border and mountains on the west side of Thanh Hoa province. The mountain system here locates follows northwest – southeast direction and includes: Hoang Lien Son range, northwest stair plateau system and is the Ma river mountain region. Typical landscapes include: Sa Pa, Fansipan (peak 3,143m – the top of Indochinese roof), Dien Bien Phu valley, and Mai Chau valley.
North Truong Son Mountain Region
This lies from the west of Thanh Hoa to Bach Ma mountain range, this includes many ranges and blocks of mountain along Viet-Laos border: Pu Lai Leng – Rao Co range, Ke Bang - Khe Ngang limestone mountains, western mountain region of Quang Tri - Hue. Typical landscapes are: Phong Nha cavern and the Ho Chi Minh trail.
South Truong Son Mountain Region
Located to the south of Bach Ma and extends until the southern delta. This includes the western highland system and the huge bow back mountain range that embraces the east edge of the highlands. Typical landscapes include: Da Lat City, Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku – Kontum, and the Ho Chi Minh trail system.
Plain
Hong River Delta (Northern delta)
This is 15,000 km² wide and is an area of raised silt by two big rivers, the Hong and Thai Binh. This was the resident area of ancient Viet people and was also the place where wet rice cultivating civilization was established. Typical landscapes: Ha Noi, northern countryside, and Hai Phong – Do Son.
Southern Delta
It is over 60,000 km² wide and includes the South-Eastern plain and Mekong delta. This is a rich land area, has favorable climate, and is the biggest granary in Vietnam. Typical landscapes include: Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi tunnel, Mekong delta, Con Dao, and Phu Quoc Islands.
Central Coastal Plain
It includes a chain of small and narrow coastal plains from Thanh Hoa to Binh Thuan province. These plains bring an aromatic flavor of ocean with innumerable sand dunes, white sand beaches, lagoons that are full of seafood, and many unobtrusive bays that are covered by many islands close to shore. Hoang Sa (island district belongs to Da Nang) and Truong Sa (belongs to Khanh Hoa) are two archipelagoes that are located in the middle of Bay that belongs to Vietnam and are rich of resources. Typical landscapes are: Mui Ne sand dune, Nha Trang Bay, ancient capital Hue, Da Nang city, Quang Tri former battlefield, and Kim Lien vestige in Nam Dan.
RESOURCES
Creature
Vietnams forests has many kinds of valuable wood such as: Iron wood, Teakwood, Barian Kingwood, Sindora wood, and Rosewood to name a few. In general, there are about 12,000 species of high-level plants. There are about 1,500 species of medical plants. Other forest products are thin-top mushroom, fungus mushroom, cat’s ear mushroom, and honey. Concerning animals, there are about 1,000 different kinds of birds in Vietnam, 300 kinds of animals, 300 kinds of reptile and frog, not including the many diverse kinds of insects. Beside animals that you can easily see such as a stag, deer, chamois, bear, and monkey, there are many different valuable kinds of animals such as the rhinoceros, tiger, bull, elephant, and peacock.
Vietnam’s forest area has been depleting. The data of forest area changes every year as follow: 43% (1945), 38% (1975), 28% (1995) and 32.2% (2001). Many species of valuable plant and animal live have been exploited and hunted illegally so the wood and animals are becoming exhausted, with many kinds of animal are facing extinction.
Vietnam strives to have 43% of forest area covered with trees by 2010. This is considered one of the developing targets of Vietnam. The Vietnamese government applies many methods, including the establishment of 32 national parks, many nature reserves, and protected areas. These are also interesting and ideal destinations for tourists to visit.
List of current national parks in Vietnam (2008):
In North Vietnam
1. Ba Be: in Ba Be - Bac Can, area: 23,340ha, 240km from Ha Noi.
2. Ba Vi: in Ba Vi – Ha Tay, area: 22,119ha, 48km from Ha Noi.
3. Bai Tu Long: in Van Don – Quang Ninh, area: 15,783ha, 20 NM from Van Don town.
4. Cat Ba: in Cat Ba island - Hai Phong, area: 15,200ha, 50km from Hai Phong.
5. Cuc Phuong: in Nho Quan - Ninh Binh, area: 22,200ha, 120km from Ha Noi.
6. Hung Temple: in Phong Xuan – Phu Tho, area: 538ha, 90km from Ha Noi.
7. Hoang Lien: in Sapa - Lao Cai, area: 22,281ha, 15km from Sapa.
8. Tam Dao: in Tam Dao - Vinh Phuc, area: 36,883ha, 70km from Ha Noi
9. Xuan Thuy: in Giao Thuy - Nam Dinh, area: 7,100ha.
10. Xuan Son: in Thanh Son - Phu Tho, area: 34,733ha, 115km from Ha Noi.
In Central Vietnam
11. Bach Ma: in Phu Loc – Thua Thien Hue, area: 22,031ha, 44km from Hue.
12. Ben En: in Nhu Xuan, Thanh Xuan – Thanh Hoa, area: 47,634ha, 45km from Thanh Hoa city.
13. Bi Doup – Nui Ba: in Lac Duong – Lam Dong, area: 59,034ha, 15km from Da Lat.
14. Chu Mom Ray: in Sa Thay, Ngoc Hoi – Kontum, area: 56,620ha, 30km from Kontum town.
15. Chu Yang Sin: in Krong Bong – Daklak, area: 58,947ha, 35km from Buon Ma Thuot.
16. Kon Ka Kinh: in Kbang – Gia Lai, area: 23,064ha.
17. Ngoc Linh: in Dak Glei – Kontum, area: 41,420ha, 24km from Dak Glei town.
18. Nui Chua: in Ninh Hai – Ninh Thuan, area: 29,865ha. 40km from Phan Rang – Cham pogoda.
19. Phong Nha – Ke Bang: in Bo Trach – Quang Binh, area: 85,754ha, 50km from Dong Hoi.
20. Pu Mat: in Con Cuong – Nghe An, area: 91,113ha, 120km from Vinh city.
21. Phuoc Binh: in Bac Ai - Ninh Thuan, area: 19,814ha, 100km from Phan Rang - Thap Cham.
22. Yokdon: in Ea Sup – Daklak, area: 115,545ha. 42km from Buon Ma Thuot.
23. Vu Quang: in Vu Quang - Ha Tinh, area: 55,028ha, 50km from Ha Tinh city.
In South Vietnam
24. Bu Gia Map: in Binh Phuoc, area: 26,032ha.
25. Cat Tien: in Tan Phu – Dong Nai, area: 73,878ha, 150km from Ho Chi Minh City.
26. Con Dao: in Con Dao island– Ba Ria Vung Tau, area: 40,498ha, 97nm from Vung Tau.
27. Lo Go – Xa Mat: in Tan Bien – Tay Ninh, area: 18,765ha, 45km from Tay Ninh.
28. Ca Mau cape in Nam Can – Ca Mau, area: 41,862ha. 120km from Ca Mau city.
29. Phu Quoc: in Phu Quoc island – Kien Giang, area: 31,422ha, 30km from Duong Dong town.
30. Tram Chim: in Tam Nong – Dong Thap, area: 7,588ha, 40km from Cao Lanh.
31. U Minh Thuong: in An Bien – Ca Mau, area: 21,800ha, 70km from Rach Gia.
32. U Minh Ha: in U Minh – Ca Mau, area: 8,286ha.
Seafood / Aquatic product resources
The entire area of surface water includes: fresh water, brackish water, and salt water. There are abundant resources of fish and shrimp, as well as many other valuable and rare species. In the ocean, there are 6,845 species of animals including 2,038 species of fish, 300 species of crab, 300 species of oyster and shell-fish, 75 species of shrimp, and 7 species of cuttle-fish. Many kinds of fish are good food and have high nutritional value such as the butterfish, mackerel, and squid. There are delicious and valuable soft-body species such as holothurian, arca, and oyster. Many kinds of seafood become special famous food such as: Long Son oyster (Vung Tau), Mui Ne one time sun-exposed squid (Binh Thuan), Nha Trang lobster (Khanh Hoa), Phu Yen ocean tuna eyes, and Dong Hoi sea snake (Quang Binh)…
Mineral resources
Vietnam has diversified mineral resources such as: coal (estimated reserves over 6 billion tons); oil and gas (estimated reserves about 3-4 billion barrels of crude oil, and about 50-70 billion m3 of gas); Uranium (estimated reserves about 200-300 thousand tons); black metal (iron, manganese, titanium); colored metal (aluminum, copper, gold, tin, lead); non-metal mineral (apatite, pyrite); and construction material (granite, marble, limestone).
HISTORY
During the late Neolithic Age, the ancient civilizations of Dong Son (northern Vietnam), Sa Huynh (central Vietnam) and Dong Nai (southern Vietnam) were predominant in Vietnam.
Early history shows the first Vietnamese settled in the Red River Delta and developed a feudal society during the Bronze Age. In the 2nd century BC, Chinese invaders from the north conquered the Vietnamese kingdom, then called Au Lac, beginning 1,000 years of Chinese domination.
In 938, with the victory on the Bach Dang River, Ngo Quyen turned a new page in Vietnamese history, establishing independent feudal dynasties for nearly 10 centuries. The defeat of the Mongolian invasions in the 13th century is a great landmark of this period.
In 1858, French troops attacked Danang, opening a colonial period for nearly 100 years. After World War II, President Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence on September 2nd, 1945.
In 1954, the Dien Bien Phu victory ended French colonialism in Indochina and was ensued by the Geneva Agreement, under which the country was temporarily divided pending a general election that never came about.
From 1956, American involvement in South Vietnam’s politics became deeper and deeper, exacerbating the conflict between the North and the South and gradually leading to the Vietnam War. In 1973, the Paris Agreement ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam was signed, and US troops were withdrawn.
On April 30th, 1975 the country was reunified. Since then, Vietnam has enjoyed independence and peace.
On 11 January 2007, Vietnam became the WTO's 150th member and entered a new era of reconstruction, development and global economic integration
CULTURE
Manners and customs are habits that are applied in daily life. Each ethnic group has its own special custom from the beginning. Later on, they had opportunities to contact with each other so there were influences and imitation from one another, as well as having similar things. Vietnam values comfort over pride.
Food is the top priority and have proverbs such as: it is no use preaching to a hungry man and lightning would never strike during mealtime. Vietnamese cuisine leans more toward vegetation, rice with vegetables are the main meal with the addition of some aquatic product. Boiling is the special way of cooking in Vietnam, but have methods to combine many kinds of ingredients and spices.
Vietnamese often use fabrics that were originally from plants, light, thin, airy, suitable for hot country with colors like brown, black, and indigo. Men’s clothes were developed from wearing a loincloth with a shirt or short jacket and traditional trousers (adapted from Chinese’s). Woman often wore a brassiere, skirt, and a four-panel traditional dress that developed into the modern long dress – Ao Dai. In general, Vietnamese woman are postured as in a delicate and unobtrusive way in a “beauty is only skin-deep; handsome is as handsome does” society. Old clothing also had a to ready-to-wear turban, hat, and belt.
Vietnamese ancient houses were connected closely with waterways (house on stilts, curve roof). After that, there was the thatched roof and soil wall whose main material was bamboo and wood. They were low to protect against wind and storms. The most important thing was that the house often faced to the south to guard against the heat as well as cold weather. They were not too big and saved space for a garden, yard, or a pond. Moreover, Vietnamese thought that a “wide house is not good because it causes an empty wide stomach”. Large ancient architectures had often were hidden and mixed with nature. Traditional transportations were mainly by the waterway. Different kinds of boats had familiar images of people and landscapes of Vietnam together with rivers and a landing place.
Marriage, funerals, Tet, and festivals of customs of Vietnam all connect closely with the village community. Ancient marriage was not only to meet the needs of the young couple, but also to satisfy the interests of family, village, and community. Thus, they chose the bride or bridegroom very carefully, chose a lucky day, good month, and went through many official ceremonies such as: marriage proposal, engagement party, wedding, ritual sharing of the bridal cup of wine (on the wedding night), newlyweds’ first visit to the bride’s family (three days after wedding day), and had to pay for the marriage certificate to officially be accepted as a member of the village. The Funeral ceremony was also very detailed to show compassion and see off their loved one to the other world. Not only the family takes care of this, but also relatives and neighbors come and help with all their heart.
Vietnam is a country of festivals all year round, especially in spring with leisure after harvest time. Main festivals are Tet-New Year Festival, 15th day of 1st lunar month festival, Third lunar month’s third day’s, Double Five festival (5th day of 5th lunar month), Wandering souls day, Mid-autumn festival (15th day of 8th lunar month), Kitchen God festival, ect… Each region has its own festivals, the most important being agricultural ones (asking for rain, start farming, new rice…), occupational festivals (cast copper, forge, banger, junk race...). There are other festivals to honor heroes who had contribution for the country, cultural and religious festivals (at the pagoda). They have two parts: one is meaning to pray and give thanks; the other is community cultural activities which include many games with popular competitions.
ETHNIC
Vietnam has 54 ethnic groups. Viet is the most populated group, 87% of population. Other large ethnic groups are: Tay (1,190,000), Thais (1,040,000), Muong (914,000), Chinese (900,000), Khmer (895,000), Nung (706,000), H’mong (558,000), Dao (474,000), Giarai (242,000), Ede (195,000). The populations of the rest of the groups are lower than 100,000 people, and half of these have less than 10,000 people. Most of these minority groups live in the mountainous and remote regions in the North, Highland and Mekong delta. Lastly is Brau, O du and Ro Mam, have their population at a few hundred.
Based on the linguistics family, Vietnamese ethnic groups are divided as below:
Vietnams forests has many kinds of valuable wood such as: Iron wood, Teakwood, Barian Kingwood, Sindora wood, and Rosewood to name a few. In general, there are about 12,000 species of high-level plants. There are about 1,500 species of medical plants. Other forest products are thin-top mushroom, fungus mushroom, cat’s ear mushroom, and honey. Concerning animals, there are about 1,000 different kinds of birds in Vietnam, 300 kinds of animals, 300 kinds of reptile and frog, not including the many diverse kinds of insects. Beside animals that you can easily see such as a stag, deer, chamois, bear, and monkey, there are many different valuable kinds of animals such as the rhinoceros, tiger, bull, elephant, and peacock.
Vietnam’s forest area has been depleting. The data of forest area changes every year as follow: 43% (1945), 38% (1975), 28% (1995) and 32.2% (2001). Many species of valuable plant and animal live have been exploited and hunted illegally so the wood and animals are becoming exhausted, with many kinds of animal are facing extinction.
Vietnam strives to have 43% of forest area covered with trees by 2010. This is considered one of the developing targets of Vietnam. The Vietnamese government applies many methods, including the establishment of 32 national parks, many nature reserves, and protected areas. These are also interesting and ideal destinations for tourists to visit.
List of current national parks in Vietnam (2008):
In North Vietnam
1. Ba Be: in Ba Be - Bac Can, area: 23,340ha, 240km from Ha Noi.
2. Ba Vi: in Ba Vi – Ha Tay, area: 22,119ha, 48km from Ha Noi.
3. Bai Tu Long: in Van Don – Quang Ninh, area: 15,783ha, 20 NM from Van Don town.
4. Cat Ba: in Cat Ba island - Hai Phong, area: 15,200ha, 50km from Hai Phong.
5. Cuc Phuong: in Nho Quan - Ninh Binh, area: 22,200ha, 120km from Ha Noi.
6. Hung Temple: in Phong Xuan – Phu Tho, area: 538ha, 90km from Ha Noi.
7. Hoang Lien: in Sapa - Lao Cai, area: 22,281ha, 15km from Sapa.
8. Tam Dao: in Tam Dao - Vinh Phuc, area: 36,883ha, 70km from Ha Noi
9. Xuan Thuy: in Giao Thuy - Nam Dinh, area: 7,100ha.
10. Xuan Son: in Thanh Son - Phu Tho, area: 34,733ha, 115km from Ha Noi.
In Central Vietnam
11. Bach Ma: in Phu Loc – Thua Thien Hue, area: 22,031ha, 44km from Hue.
12. Ben En: in Nhu Xuan, Thanh Xuan – Thanh Hoa, area: 47,634ha, 45km from Thanh Hoa city.
13. Bi Doup – Nui Ba: in Lac Duong – Lam Dong, area: 59,034ha, 15km from Da Lat.
14. Chu Mom Ray: in Sa Thay, Ngoc Hoi – Kontum, area: 56,620ha, 30km from Kontum town.
15. Chu Yang Sin: in Krong Bong – Daklak, area: 58,947ha, 35km from Buon Ma Thuot.
16. Kon Ka Kinh: in Kbang – Gia Lai, area: 23,064ha.
17. Ngoc Linh: in Dak Glei – Kontum, area: 41,420ha, 24km from Dak Glei town.
18. Nui Chua: in Ninh Hai – Ninh Thuan, area: 29,865ha. 40km from Phan Rang – Cham pogoda.
19. Phong Nha – Ke Bang: in Bo Trach – Quang Binh, area: 85,754ha, 50km from Dong Hoi.
20. Pu Mat: in Con Cuong – Nghe An, area: 91,113ha, 120km from Vinh city.
21. Phuoc Binh: in Bac Ai - Ninh Thuan, area: 19,814ha, 100km from Phan Rang - Thap Cham.
22. Yokdon: in Ea Sup – Daklak, area: 115,545ha. 42km from Buon Ma Thuot.
23. Vu Quang: in Vu Quang - Ha Tinh, area: 55,028ha, 50km from Ha Tinh city.
In South Vietnam
24. Bu Gia Map: in Binh Phuoc, area: 26,032ha.
25. Cat Tien: in Tan Phu – Dong Nai, area: 73,878ha, 150km from Ho Chi Minh City.
26. Con Dao: in Con Dao island– Ba Ria Vung Tau, area: 40,498ha, 97nm from Vung Tau.
27. Lo Go – Xa Mat: in Tan Bien – Tay Ninh, area: 18,765ha, 45km from Tay Ninh.
28. Ca Mau cape in Nam Can – Ca Mau, area: 41,862ha. 120km from Ca Mau city.
29. Phu Quoc: in Phu Quoc island – Kien Giang, area: 31,422ha, 30km from Duong Dong town.
30. Tram Chim: in Tam Nong – Dong Thap, area: 7,588ha, 40km from Cao Lanh.
31. U Minh Thuong: in An Bien – Ca Mau, area: 21,800ha, 70km from Rach Gia.
32. U Minh Ha: in U Minh – Ca Mau, area: 8,286ha.
Seafood / Aquatic product resources
The entire area of surface water includes: fresh water, brackish water, and salt water. There are abundant resources of fish and shrimp, as well as many other valuable and rare species. In the ocean, there are 6,845 species of animals including 2,038 species of fish, 300 species of crab, 300 species of oyster and shell-fish, 75 species of shrimp, and 7 species of cuttle-fish. Many kinds of fish are good food and have high nutritional value such as the butterfish, mackerel, and squid. There are delicious and valuable soft-body species such as holothurian, arca, and oyster. Many kinds of seafood become special famous food such as: Long Son oyster (Vung Tau), Mui Ne one time sun-exposed squid (Binh Thuan), Nha Trang lobster (Khanh Hoa), Phu Yen ocean tuna eyes, and Dong Hoi sea snake (Quang Binh)…
Mineral resources
Vietnam has diversified mineral resources such as: coal (estimated reserves over 6 billion tons); oil and gas (estimated reserves about 3-4 billion barrels of crude oil, and about 50-70 billion m3 of gas); Uranium (estimated reserves about 200-300 thousand tons); black metal (iron, manganese, titanium); colored metal (aluminum, copper, gold, tin, lead); non-metal mineral (apatite, pyrite); and construction material (granite, marble, limestone).
HISTORY
During the late Neolithic Age, the ancient civilizations of Dong Son (northern Vietnam), Sa Huynh (central Vietnam) and Dong Nai (southern Vietnam) were predominant in Vietnam.
Early history shows the first Vietnamese settled in the Red River Delta and developed a feudal society during the Bronze Age. In the 2nd century BC, Chinese invaders from the north conquered the Vietnamese kingdom, then called Au Lac, beginning 1,000 years of Chinese domination.
In 938, with the victory on the Bach Dang River, Ngo Quyen turned a new page in Vietnamese history, establishing independent feudal dynasties for nearly 10 centuries. The defeat of the Mongolian invasions in the 13th century is a great landmark of this period.
In 1858, French troops attacked Danang, opening a colonial period for nearly 100 years. After World War II, President Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence on September 2nd, 1945.
In 1954, the Dien Bien Phu victory ended French colonialism in Indochina and was ensued by the Geneva Agreement, under which the country was temporarily divided pending a general election that never came about.
From 1956, American involvement in South Vietnam’s politics became deeper and deeper, exacerbating the conflict between the North and the South and gradually leading to the Vietnam War. In 1973, the Paris Agreement ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam was signed, and US troops were withdrawn.
On April 30th, 1975 the country was reunified. Since then, Vietnam has enjoyed independence and peace.
On 11 January 2007, Vietnam became the WTO's 150th member and entered a new era of reconstruction, development and global economic integration
CULTURE
Manners and customs are habits that are applied in daily life. Each ethnic group has its own special custom from the beginning. Later on, they had opportunities to contact with each other so there were influences and imitation from one another, as well as having similar things. Vietnam values comfort over pride.
Food is the top priority and have proverbs such as: it is no use preaching to a hungry man and lightning would never strike during mealtime. Vietnamese cuisine leans more toward vegetation, rice with vegetables are the main meal with the addition of some aquatic product. Boiling is the special way of cooking in Vietnam, but have methods to combine many kinds of ingredients and spices.
Vietnamese often use fabrics that were originally from plants, light, thin, airy, suitable for hot country with colors like brown, black, and indigo. Men’s clothes were developed from wearing a loincloth with a shirt or short jacket and traditional trousers (adapted from Chinese’s). Woman often wore a brassiere, skirt, and a four-panel traditional dress that developed into the modern long dress – Ao Dai. In general, Vietnamese woman are postured as in a delicate and unobtrusive way in a “beauty is only skin-deep; handsome is as handsome does” society. Old clothing also had a to ready-to-wear turban, hat, and belt.
Vietnamese ancient houses were connected closely with waterways (house on stilts, curve roof). After that, there was the thatched roof and soil wall whose main material was bamboo and wood. They were low to protect against wind and storms. The most important thing was that the house often faced to the south to guard against the heat as well as cold weather. They were not too big and saved space for a garden, yard, or a pond. Moreover, Vietnamese thought that a “wide house is not good because it causes an empty wide stomach”. Large ancient architectures had often were hidden and mixed with nature. Traditional transportations were mainly by the waterway. Different kinds of boats had familiar images of people and landscapes of Vietnam together with rivers and a landing place.
Marriage, funerals, Tet, and festivals of customs of Vietnam all connect closely with the village community. Ancient marriage was not only to meet the needs of the young couple, but also to satisfy the interests of family, village, and community. Thus, they chose the bride or bridegroom very carefully, chose a lucky day, good month, and went through many official ceremonies such as: marriage proposal, engagement party, wedding, ritual sharing of the bridal cup of wine (on the wedding night), newlyweds’ first visit to the bride’s family (three days after wedding day), and had to pay for the marriage certificate to officially be accepted as a member of the village. The Funeral ceremony was also very detailed to show compassion and see off their loved one to the other world. Not only the family takes care of this, but also relatives and neighbors come and help with all their heart.
Vietnam is a country of festivals all year round, especially in spring with leisure after harvest time. Main festivals are Tet-New Year Festival, 15th day of 1st lunar month festival, Third lunar month’s third day’s, Double Five festival (5th day of 5th lunar month), Wandering souls day, Mid-autumn festival (15th day of 8th lunar month), Kitchen God festival, ect… Each region has its own festivals, the most important being agricultural ones (asking for rain, start farming, new rice…), occupational festivals (cast copper, forge, banger, junk race...). There are other festivals to honor heroes who had contribution for the country, cultural and religious festivals (at the pagoda). They have two parts: one is meaning to pray and give thanks; the other is community cultural activities which include many games with popular competitions.
ETHNIC
Vietnam has 54 ethnic groups. Viet is the most populated group, 87% of population. Other large ethnic groups are: Tay (1,190,000), Thais (1,040,000), Muong (914,000), Chinese (900,000), Khmer (895,000), Nung (706,000), H’mong (558,000), Dao (474,000), Giarai (242,000), Ede (195,000). The populations of the rest of the groups are lower than 100,000 people, and half of these have less than 10,000 people. Most of these minority groups live in the mountainous and remote regions in the North, Highland and Mekong delta. Lastly is Brau, O du and Ro Mam, have their population at a few hundred.
Based on the linguistics family, Vietnamese ethnic groups are divided as below:
- Viet-Muong group: Chut, Muong, Tho, Viet.
- Tay – Thais group: Bo Y, Giay, Laos, Lu, Nung, San Chay, Tay, Thais.
- Mon- Khmer group: Ba Na, Brau, Bru – Van Kieu, Cho-ro, Co, K’ho, K’tu, Gie - Trieng, H’re, Khang, Khmer, Kho Mu, Ma, Mang, M’nong, O-du, Ro-mam, Ta Oi, Xinh-mun, Xo-dang, Xtieng.
- H’Mong – Dao group: Dao, H’mong, Pa Then.
- Kadai group: Co lao, La-chi, La-ha, Pu peo.
- Malayo - Polynesen group: Cham, Chu-ru, E-de, Gia-rai, Ra-glei.
- Han: Chinese, Ngai, San diu.
- Tang: Cong, Ha Nhi, La Hu, Lo lo, Phu La, Si La.
