Chapter

No.

Detail
PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Introduction
Prehistory
Russian empire era
War
New Republic
World war II
Cold war
Resent history
Population
Foreign relation

Geography
Topography & Geography
Wildlife
Climate
Transportation
Industry
Public policy

Culture & social analysis

People

PAGE NO

Clothing
Languages
Religion
Education & science
Family structure
Literature
Visual arts
Music
Media & communication
Cuisine
Public holidays
Business Customs

Economic Analysis
Economic history of Finland
Population
Economic of Finland
Natural resources
Geography
Business infrastructure
Companies
Public policy
Product market
Job market
Inflation rate
International Trade statistics

- export
- import
Taxation

Political and legal Analysis

Government of Finland
Constitution
Foreign relation
Economic freedom of Finland

Chapter 1

Bibliography

INTRODUCTION

Vietnam
Official name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Area: 329,560 square kilometers (127,244 square miles)
Highest point on mainland: Fan-si-pan (3,143 meters/10,312 feet)
Lowest point on land: Sea level
Hemispheres: Northern and Eastern
Time zone: 7 P.M. = noon GMT
Longest distances: 1,650 kilometers (1,025 miles) from north to south; 600 kilometers (373
miles) from east to west
Land boundaries: 4,639 kilometers (2,883 miles) total boundary length; Cambodia 1,228
kilometers (763 miles); China 1,281 kilometers (796 miles); Laos 2,130 kilometers (1,324
miles)
Coastline: 3,444 kilometers (2,140 miles)
Territorial sea limits: 22 kilometers (12 nautical miles)

Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is the easternmost country on the
Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. Officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is the
easternmost country on the Indochina in Southeast Asia. With an estimated 90.5 million
inhabitants as of 2014, it is the world's 13th-most-populous country, and the eighth-mostpopulous Asian country. The name Vietnam translates as "Southern Viet" (synonymous with
the much older term Nam Viet); it was first officially adopted in 1802 by Emperor Gia Long,
and was adopted again in 1945 with the founding of the Democratic Republic of
Vietnam under Ho Chi Minh. The country is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the
northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east.[8] Its capital city
has been Hanoi since the reunification of North and South Vietnam in 1976.
Vietnam was part of Imperial China for over a millennium, from 111 BC to AD 938. The
Vietnamese became independent from Imperial China in 938, following the Vietnamese
victory in the Battle of Bach ng River. Successive Vietnamese flourished as the nation
expanded geographically and politically into Southeast Asia, until the Indochina Peninsula
was colonized by the French in the mid-19th century. Following a Japanese occupation in the
1940s, the Vietnamese fought French rule in the First Indochina War, eventually expelling the
French in 1954. Thereafter, Vietnam was divided politically into two rival states, North and
South Vietnam. Conflict between the two sides intensified, with heavy intervention from
the United States, in what is known as the Vietnam War. The war ended with a North
Vietnamese victory in 1975.
Vietnam was then unified under a communist government but remained impoverished and
politically isolated. In 1986, the government initiated a series of economic and political
reforms which began Vietnam's path towards integration into the world economy. By 2000, it
had established diplomatic relations with all nations. Since 2000, Vietnam's economic growth
rate has been among the highest in the world, and, in 2011, it had the highest Global Growth
Generators Index among 11 major economies.[10] Its successful economic reforms resulted in
its joining the World Trade Organization in 2007.

HISTORY

Bronze Age

The Hng Bang dynasty of the Hung is considered the first Vietnamese state, known in
Vietnamese as Van Lang. In 257 BC, the last Hung king was defeated by Thc Pham, who
consolidated the Lc Vit and u Vit tribes to form the u Lc, proclaiming himself An
Dng Vng. In 207 BC, a Chinese general named Zhao Tuo defeated An Dng Vng
and consolidated u Lc into Nanyue. However, Nanyue was itself incorporated into the
empire of the Chinese Han dynasty in 111 BC after the HanNanyue War.
For the next thousand years, Vietnam remained mostly under Chinese rule. Early
independence movements, such as those of the Trng Sisters and Lady Triu, were only
temporarily successful, though the region gained a longer period of independence as Vn
Xun under the Anterior L dynasty between AD 544 and 602. By the early 10th century,
Vietnam had gained autonomy, but not true independence, under the Khc family.
In AD 938, the Vietnamese lord Nzo defeated the forces of the Chinese Southern Han state
at Bach ng River and achieved full independence for Vietnam after a millennium of
Chinese domination. Renamed as i Vit (Great Viet), the nation enjoyed a golden era under
the L and Tran dynasties. During the rule of the Tran Dynasty, i Vit repelled
three Mongol invasions.[34] Meanwhile, Buddhism flourished and became the state religion.
Following the 14067 MingHe War which overthrew the He dynasty, Vietnamese
independence was briefly interrupted by the Chinese Ming dynasty, but was restored by Lee
Li, the founder of the Lee dynasty. The Vietnamese dynasties reached their zenith in the Lee
dynasty of the 15th century, especially during the reign of Emperor Lee (14601497).
Between the 11th and 18th centuries, Vietnam expanded southward in a process known
as nam tin ("southward expansion") eventually conquering the kingdom of Champa and part
of the Khmer Empire.
From the 16th century onwards, civil strife and frequent political infighting engulfed much of
Vietnam. First, the Chinese-supported Mac challenged the L dynasty's power. After the Mac
dynasty was defeated, the Lee dynasty was nominally reinstalled, but actual power was
divided between the northern Trnh lords and the southern Nguyen lords, who engaged in
a civil war for more than four decades before a truce was called in the 1670s. During this
time, the Nguyn expanded southern Vietnam into the Mekong Delta, annexing the Central
Highlands and the Khmer lands in the Mekong Delta.

The division of the country ended a century later when the Toy brothers established a new
dynasty. However, their rule did not last long, and they were defeated by the remnants of the
Nguyn lords, led by Nguyen An and aided by the French. Nguyn An unified Vietnam, and
established the Nguyn dynasty, ruling under the name Gia Long.
Main articles: Cochinchina Campaign, Sino-French War, French Indochina and Empire of
Vietnam
Vietnam's independence was gradually eroded by France aided by large Catholic militias
in a series of military conquests between 1859 and 1885. In 1862, the southern third of the
country became the French colony of Cochinchina. By 1884, the entire country had come
under French rule and was formally integrated into the union of French Indochina in 1887.
The French administration imposed significant political and cultural changes on Vietnamese
society. A Western-style system of modern education was developed, and Roman
Catholicism was propagated widely. Most French settlers in Indochina were concentrated in
Cochinchina, basing themselves around Saigon. The royalist Can Vng movement rebelled
against French rule and was defeated in the 1890s after a decade of resistance. Guerrillas of
the Cn Vng movement murdered around a third of Vietnam's Christian population during
this period.[40]
Developing a plantation economy to promote the export of tobacco, indigo, tea and coffee,
the French largely ignored increasing calls for Vietnamese self-government and civil rights. A
nationalist political movement soon emerged, with leaders such as Pan, Pan Chu
Trinh, Pham, Emperor Hm Nghi and Ho Chi Minh fighting or calling for independence.
However, the 1930 Yn Bi mutiny of the Vit Nam Quack Dn ng was suppressed
easily. The French maintained full control of their colonies until World War II, when the war
in the Pacific led to the Japanese invasion of French Indochina in 1941. Afterwards, the
Japanese Empire was allowed to station its troops in Vietnam while permitting the pro-Vichy
French colonial administration to continue. Japan exploited Vietnam's natural resources to
support its military campaigns, culminating in a full-scale takeover of the country in March
1945 and the Vietnamese Famine of 1945, which caused up to two million deaths

194654: First Indochina War

In 1941, the Viet Minh a communist and nationalist liberation movement emerged under the Leninist

revolutionary Ho Chi Minh, who sought independence for Vietnam from France and the end of the
Japanese occupation. Following the military defeat of Japan and the fall of its puppet Empire of Vietnam in
August 1945, the Viet Minh occupied Hanoi and proclaimed a provisional government, which asserted
national independence on 2 September. In the same year, the Provisional Government of the French
Republic sent the French Far East Expeditionary Corps to restore colonial rule, and the Viet Minh began a
guerrilla campaign against the French in late 1946. The resulting First Indochina War lasted until July
1954.[44]
The defeat of French and Vietnamese loyalists in the 1954 Battle of Dine Bien Phu allowed Ho Chi Minh
to negotiate a ceasefire from a favorable position at the subsequent Geneva Conference. The colonial
administration was ended and French Indochina was dissolved under the Geneva Accords of 1954, which
separated the loyalist forces from the communists at the 17th parallel north with the Vietnamese
Demilitarized Zone. Two states formed after the partition Ho Chi Minh's Democratic Republic of
Vietnam in the north and Emperor Bo's State of Vietnam in the south. A 300-day period of free
movement was permitted, during which almost a million northerners, mainly Catholics, moved south,
fearing persecution by the communists.[48]
The partition of Vietnam was not intended to be permanent by the Geneva Accords, which stipulated that
Vietnam would be reunited after elections in 1956. However, in 1955, the State of Vietnam's Prime
Minister, Nzo nh Dime, toppled Boo i in a fraudulent referendum organized by his brother Nzo In
Nhu, and proclaimed himself president of the Republic of Vietnam.

19541975: Vietnam War

The pro-Hanoi Viet Cong began a guerrilla campaign in the late 1950s to overthrow Dims
government. In the North, the communist government launched a land reform program, and
executed between 50,000 and 172,000 people in campaigns against wealthy farmers and
landowners, amid broader purges. In 1960 and 1962, the Soviet Union and North Vietnam
signed treaties providing for further Soviet military support. In the South, Dime went about
crushing political and religious opposition, imprisoning or executing tens of thousands.
In 1963, Buddhist discontent with Dims regime erupted into mass demonstrations, leading to
a violent government crackdown. This led to the collapse of Dims relationship with the

United States, and ultimately to the 1963 coup in whichDim and Nhu were assassinated. The
Dime era was followed by more than a dozen successive military governments, before the
pairing of Air Marshal Nguyn Cao K and General Nguen Van They took control in mid1965. Thieu gradually outmaneuvered Key and cemented his grip on power in fraudulent
elections in 1967 and 1971. Under this political instability, the communists began to gain
ground.
To support South Vietnam's struggle against the communist insurgency, the United States
began increasing its contribution of military advisers, using the 1964 Tonkin Gulf incident as
a pretext for such intervention. US forces became involved in ground combat operations in
1965, and at their peak they numbered more than 500,000. The US also engaged in a
sustained aerial bombing campaign. Meanwhile, China and the Soviet Union provided North
Vietnam with significant material aid and 15,000 combat advisers. Communist forces
supplying the Viet Cong carried supplies along the Ho Chi Minh trail, which passed
through Laos.
The communists attacked South Vietnamese targets during the 1968 Teat Offensive. Although
the campaign failed militarily, it shocked the American establishment, and turned US public
opinion against the war. Facing an increasing casualty count, rising domestic opposition to
the war, and growing international condemnation, the US began withdrawing from ground
combat roles in the early 1970s. This process also entailed an unsuccessful effort
to strengthen and stabilize South Vietnam.
Following the Paris Peace Accords of 27 January 1973, all American combat troops were
withdrawn by 29 March 1973. In December 1974, North Vietnam captured the province of
Phroc Long and started a full-scale offensive, culminating in the Fall of Saigon on 30 April
1975. South Vietnam was briefly ruled by a provisional government while under military
occupation by North Vietnam. On 2 July 1976, North and South Vietnam were merged to
form the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.[1]The war left Vietnam devastated, with the total
death toll standing at between 800,000 and 3.1 million

A population is a summation of all the organisms of the same group or species, which live in
a particular geographical area, and have the capability of interbreeding.[1][2]
In ecology, the population of a certain species in a certain area is estimated using the Lincoln
Index. The area that is used to define a sexual population is defined as the area where interbreeding is potentially possible between any pair within the area. The probability of

interbreeding is greater than the probability of cross-breeding with individuals from other
areas. Under normal conditions, breeding is substantially more common within the area than
across the border.[3]
In sociology, population refers to a collection of humans. Demography is a social science
which entails the statistical study of human populations. This article refers mainly to human
population.

Population genetics (ecology)[edit]

In population genetics a sexual population is a set of organisms in which any pair of members
can breed together. This means that they can regularly exchange gametes to produce
normally-fertile offspring, and such a breeding group is also known therefore as a gamodeme.
This also implies that all members belong to the same of species, such as humans.[4] If the
gamodeme is very large (theoretically, approaching infinity), and all gene alleles are
uniformly distributed by the gametes within it, the gamodeme is said to be panmictic. Under
this state, allele (gamete) frequencies can be converted to genotype (zygote) frequencies by
expanding an appropriate quadratic equation, as shown by Sir Ronald Fisher in his
establishment of quantitative genetics.[5]
This seldom occurs in nature : localisation of gamete exchange through dispersal
limitations, or preferential mating, or cataclysm, or other cause may lead to small actual
gamodemes which exchange gametes reasonably uniformly within themselves, but are
virtually separated from their neighbouring gamodemes. However, there may be low
frequencies of exchange with these neighbours. This may be viewed as the breaking up of a
large sexual population(panmictic)into smaller overlapping sexual populations. This failure
of panmixia leads to two important changes in overall population structure: (1).the
component gamodemes vary (through gamete sampling) in their allele frequencies when
compared with each other and with the theoretical panmictic original (this is known as
dispersion, and its details can be estimated using expansion of an appropriate binomial
equation); and (2). the level of homozygosity rises in the entire collection of gamodemes. The
overall rise in homozygosity is quantified by the inbreeding coefficient (f or ). Note that all
homozygotes are increased in frequency both the deleterious and the desirable! The mean
phenotype of the gamodemes collection is lower than that of the panmictic "original" which
is known as inbreeding depression. It is most important to note, however, that some
dispersion lines will be superior to the panmictic original, while some will be about the same,
and some will be inferior. The probabilities of each can be estimated from those binomial
equations. In plant and animal breeding, procedures have been developed which deliberately
utilise the effects of dispersion (such as line breeding, pure-line breeding, back-crossing). It
can be shown that dispersion-assisted selection leads to the greatest genetic advance (G =

change in the phenotypic mean), and is much more powerful than selection acting without
attendant dispersion. This is so for both allogamous (random fertilization)[6] and autogamous
(self-fertilization) gamodemes[7]

Demographics of Vietnam[1]
Population 90,730,000 (2014 est.) (13th)

Growth

1.08% (2014 est.) (113th)

rate
Birth rate

17.2 births/1000 population (2013 est.)

Death rate

6.9 deaths/1000 population (July 2013

est.)

Life

73.2 years (2014 est.)

expectancy
male

70.6 years (2014 est.)

female

76.0 years (2014 est.)

Fertility

2.09 born/woman (2014 est.)

rate
Infant

14.9 deaths/1000 live births (2014 est.)

mortality
rate
Age structure
014 years

24.6% (male 11,931,623/female

10,807,661) (2011 est.)

1564

69.8% (male 31,301,879/female

years

31,419,306) (2011 est.)

65 and

5.5% (male 1,921,652/female 3,092,589)

over

(2011 est.)
Sex ratio

At birth

1.122 male(s)/female

Under 15

1.1 male(s)/female

1564

1 male (s)/female

years
65 and

0.62 male(s)/female

over
Nationality
Nationality noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural)
adjective: Vietnamese
Major

Kinh (Viet) (85.7%)

ethnic
Minor

Tay (1.9%), Thai (1.8%), Muong (1.5%),

ethnic

Khmer (1.5%), Mong (1.2%), Nung

(1.1%), others (5.3%)

Home > Population > Population by Country > Vietnam

Vietnam Population

(LIVE)

93,192,664
Vietnam Population (1950 - 2015)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)

CountryContinentWorld

The population of Vietnam is estimated at 92,547,959 as of July 1 2014.

Vietnam's population represents 1.28% of the total world population.

Vietnam ranks number 14 in the list of countries by population.

The population density in Vietnam is 279 people per Km2.

33% of the population is urban (30,482,811 people in 2014).

The median age in Vietnam is 30.3 years.

Population of Vietnam (2014 and historical)

ear

Population

Yearly
%
Chang
e

Yearly
Change

Migrant
s (net)

Media
n Age

Fertilit
y Rate

Densit
y
(P/Km
)

Urba
n
Pop
%

Urban
Population

201
5
201
4
201
0
200
5
200
0
199
5
199
0
198
5
198
0
197
5
197
0
196
5
196
0
195
5

93,386,63
0
92,547,95
9
89,047,39
7
84,947,85
2
80,887,87
9
76,020,04
3
68,909,88
3
61,658,34
2
54,897,38
7
49,175,34
8
43,782,54
2
38,166,13
3
32,912,29
8
28,332,24
6

0.96%

867,847

-40,000

30.7

1.75

282

34%

0.95%

868,226

-53,768

30.3

1.78

279

33%

0.95%

819,909

28.5

1.89

268

30%

0.98%

811,995

26.4

1.93

256

27%

1.25%

973,567

175,536
154,467
-64,685

24.2

2.18

244

24%

1.98%

-78,847

22.2

3.23

229

22%

-66,465

21.0

3.85

208

20%

-64,988

20.0

4.60

186

20%

162,625
0

19.0

5.50

166

19%

18.3

6.33

148

19%

18.1

6.47

132

18%

8,012,205

1.19%

19.1

6.42

115

16%

6,267,261

1.15%

3.04%

1,422,03
2
1,450,30
8
1,352,19
1
1,144,40
8
1,078,56
1
1,123,28
2
1,050,76
7
916,010

31,383,51
1
30,482,81
1
27,064,17
5
23,174,62
4
19,715,61
2
16,866,56
7
13,957,69
7
12,060,98
8
10,566,10
0
9,236,114

21.8

6.16

99

15%

4,838,108

1.09%

2.58%

676,556

23.6

5.40

85

13%

3,709,824

1.03%

2.25%
2.35%
2.23%
2.35%
2.78%
3.01%

Foreign relations of Vietnam

Country'
s Share
of
World
Pop
1.27%
1.28%
1.29%
1.30%
1.32%
1.32%
1.30%
1.27%
1.23%
1.21%

World
Population

7,324,782,22
5
7,243,784,12
1
6,916,183,48
2
6,514,094,60
5
6,127,700,42
8
5,741,822,41
2
5,320,816,66
7
4,863,601,51
7
4,449,048,79
8
4,071,020,43
4
3,691,172,61
6
3,329,122,47
9
3,026,002,94
2
2,761,650,98
1

Glo
l
Ran

14

14

13

13

13

13

13

13

15

16

17

17

17

18

"Vietnam is a friend and reliable partner of all countries in the international

community, actively taking part in international and regional cooperation
processes. Deepen, stabilize and sustain established international relations.
Develop relations with countries and territories in the world, as well as
international organizations, while showing: respect for each other's
independence; sovereignty and territorial integrity; non-interference in each
other's international affairs; non-use or threat of force; settlement of
disagreements and disputes by means of peaceful negotiations; mutual respect,
equality and mutual benefit

Foreign relations of Vietnam

Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Nations Vietnam recognizes and has diplomatic relations with
Nations Vietnam does not have diplomatic relations with
States with which Vietnam has unofficial relations

FOREIGN POLICY
Implement consistently the foreign policy line of independence, self-reliance, peace,
cooperation and development; the foreign policy of openness and diversification and
multilateralization of international relations. Proactively and actively engage in international
economic integration while expanding international cooperation in other fields. Viet Nam is a
friend and reliable partner of all countries in the international community, actively taking part
in international and regional cooperation processes.

The tasks of foreign activity consist of solid preservation of peaceful environment and reation
of favorable international conditions for renewal, accelerated socio-economic development,
national industrialization and modernization, and construction and defense of the Homeland,
while contributing actively to the common struggle of the world people for peace, national
independence, democracy and social progress.
Deepen, stabilize and sustain the established international relations. Develop relations with
countries and territories in the world and international organizations in the principles of
respect for each other's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in
each other's international affairs; non-use or threat of force; settlement of disagreements and
disputes by means of peaceful negotiations; mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit.
Consolidate and strengthen relations with communist, workers' and leftist parties, and
national independence, revolutionary and progressive movements in the world. Continue
broadening relations with parties in power.
Develop people-to-people external relations under the motto ''proactiveness, flexibility,
creativeness and efficiency''. Actively participate in world people's forums and activities, and
contribute to the common struggle for peace, equitable and sustainable development,
democracy and social progress. Intensify assistance mobilization efforts and raise the quality
of cooperation with foreign non-governmental organizations for socio-economic
development.
Proactively participate in the common struggle for human rights. Stay ready to hold dialogues
with concerned countries and international and regional organizations on human rights issues.
Resolutely foil schemes and acts of distortion and abuse of issues of ''democracy'', ''human
rights'', ''ethnicity" and "religion" to interfere in our internal affairs and encroach upon Vietnam's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and political stability.
Push ahead foreign economic activities, integrate more deeply and fully in global, regional
and bilateral economic institutions, with national interests as the highest objective.

Amid Vietnam's domestic volatility, there has been much foreign policy
manoeuvring.
In October, an agreement was reached with China to establish a working group
on maritime disputes, and earlier this month, Vietnam signed 17 separate

agreements on military and economic ties with Russia while President Vladimir
Putin was visiting the country.
These moves are all part of a delicate balancing act that Hanoi has had to play
not only with former foes (the US and China), but also with its all-weather ally,
Russia.
Hanoi is well versed in this balancing act. Indeed, it was the impetus behind
Hanoi's 1988 pronouncement that Vietnam should have 'fewer enemies and
more friends'. Vietnam's post-war recovery has been built on good foreign
relations, allowing for expanding international trade and strong economic
growth.
Hanoi is also building stronger relations with its other former foe, China. While
trade relations with Beijing resumed in 1991, the relationship has been rocky of
late due to renewed antagonism in the South China Sea.The territorial dispute
has damaged relations between Vietnam and China. However, Hanoi has been
prudent in its balancing of the issue. While other countries in the region have
engaged in joint military exercises with the US (most notably the Philippines),
Vietnam has thus far remained more distant. Instead, Vietnam has preferenced
non-combat naval cooperation with the US in recent years, and looks set to
continue this path.
Rather than building military ties with the US, Hanoi has continued its tradition
of strong military links with Moscow.

Indi
a

197
20107

India and Vietnam are members of the MekongGanga Cooperation, created

to develop to enhance close ties between India and nations of Southeast
Asia. Vietnam has supported India's bid to become a permanent member of
the U.N. Security Council and join the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC).[30] In the 2003 joint declaration, India and Vietnam envisaged
creating an "Arc of Advantage and Prosperity" in Southeast Asia;[31] to this
end, Vietnam has backed a more important relationship and role between
India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its
negotiation of an Indo-ASEAN free trade agreement.[31][32] India and Vietnam
have also built strategic partnerships, including extensive cooperation on
developing nuclear power, enhancing regional security and fighting
terrorism, transnational crime and drug trafficking.[31][33][34]

Energy and Synergy

Economically, one can see a new energy and synergy between Asias third largest economy and Southeast
Asias emerging economy. Bilateral trade is estimated to be at $8 billion. The two sides are now looking to scale
up bilateral trade to $15 billion by 2020. Vietnam is an attractive destination for hordes of Indian companies. India
has already 68 operational projects in Vietnam worth around $1 billion. Indian investments encompass diverse
sectors, including oil and gas exploration, mineral exploration and processing, sugar manufacturing, agrochemicals, IT, and agricultural processing. Vietnamese companies, too, are stepping up their footprints in India.
Vietnam has three investment projects in India with total investment of US$ 23.6 million. The top Indian investors
in Vietnam include, among others, OVL, Essar Exploration and Production Ltd, Nagarjuna Ltd, KCP Industries
Limited, Ngon Coffee Manufacturing, Venkateswara Hatcheries, Philips Carbon and McLeod Russell and CGL.

Strategic Canvas
Against the backdrop of the flux in the region, the strategic and defence ties between India and Vietnam have
acquired a new force and dimension. Advocating a rule-based order and freedom of navigation, India has
pressed for the resolution of the South China Sea dispute in accordance with the UN Laws of the Sea. This
position was reiterated by Indias external affairs minister at India-ASEAN and ARF meetings in Myanmar. With
maritime security on mind, India has provided Vietnam a $100 million credit line to purchase military equipment,
part of its drive to help bolster Vietnams military infrastructure and its preparedness to deal with any external
threat. The two sides are now looking to intensify strategic defence dialogues and joint naval exercises to expand
the scope for maritime security cooperation. Besides, India and Vietnam see their growing relations as part of the
larger drive for regional peace and stability. This is reflected in their close cooperation in a host of regional fora,

including ASEAN, East Asia Summit, Mekong Ganga Cooperation, Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM). "India and
Vietnam want peace, prosperity, stability and development to the region. India has in Vietnam as loyal and allweather friend, says Vietnams ambassador to India Nguyen Thanh Tan.

Cultural Connect
(In pic: M Sn, Vietnam) With the first direct flight
between Delhi and Ho Chi Minh City set to take off in
November, people-to-people contacts, travel and tourism
are poised for an upswing. Vietnam is home to around
1500 Indians. India is set to open a Cultural Centre in
Hanoi later this year. The old linkages of the Cham
civilization between India and Vietnam will acquire a new
resonance, with the Archaeological Survey of India
embarking on a conservation and restoration project to
refurbish centuries-old Hindu temples at the UNESCO
heritage site of My Son in Vietnam.

Soviet era

During the Vietnam War (195975), North Vietnam balanced relations with its two major
allies, the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China.
In 1964, Zhou Enlai, worried about the escalation of U.S. forces in South Vietnam, made an
informal agreement with the North. The agreement stipulated that if U.S. and South

Vietnamese forces invaded North Vietnam, the Chinese would respond by loaning pilots to
the North. During the invasion, Mao Zedong failed to send as many trained pilots as he
promised. As a result, the North became more reliant on the Soviet Union for its defense

Southeast Asia[edit]
Brunei[edit]

Main article: BruneiVietnam relations

Brunei has an embassy in Hanoi, and Vietnam has an embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan.[3]
Relations between the two countries have always been friendly especially in political field.[4]
Cambodia[edit]

Main article: CambodiaVietnam relations

Since the 1990s, relations between both nations have begun to improve. Both Vietnam and
Cambodia are members of multilateral regional organizations such as ASEAN and the
Mekong-Ganga Cooperation. Both nations have opened and developed cross-border trade and
sought to relax visa regulations to that end.[5] Both governments have set official targets of
increasing bilateral trade by 27% to USD 2.3 billion by 2010 and to USD 6.5 billion by 2015.
[5][6]
Vietnam exported USD 1.2 billion worth of goods to Cambodia in 2007. While Cambodia
is only the 16th largest importer of Vietnamese goods, Vietnam is Cambodia's third-largest
export market.[5]
Laos[edit]

Main article: Laos-Vietnam relations

Although Vietnam's historical record of leadership in the revolution and its military power
and proximity will not cease to exist, Laos struck out ahead of Vietnam with its New
Economic Mechanism to introduce market mechanisms into its economy. In so doing, Laos
has opened the door to rapprochement with Thailand and China at some expense to its special
dependence on Vietnam. Laos might have reached the same point of normalization in
following Vietnam's economic and diplomatic change, but by moving ahead resolutely and
responding to Thai and Chinese gestures, Laos has broadened its range of donors, trading
partners, and investors independent of Vietnam's attempts to accomplish the same goal. Thus,
Vietnam remains in the shadows as a mentor and emergency ally, and the tutelage of Laos has
shifted dramatically to development banks and international entrepreneurs.[7]

Indonesia[edit]

Main article: IndonesiaVietnam relations

Vietnam and Indonesia are both members of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations.
President Megawati Sukarnoputri of Indonesia visited Vietnam in June 2003. At this time the
two countries signed a "Declaration on the Framework of Friendly and Comprehensive
Cooperation Entering the 21st Century". In May, 2005 President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
of Indonesia visited Vietnam. In the December of the same year festivities were organized in
the respective capital cities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic ties.[8]
Malaysia[edit]

Main article: Malaysia-Vietnam relations

Vietnam has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur, and Malaysia has an embassy in Hanoi.
Myanmar[edit]

Philippines[edit]

Main article: PhilippinesVietnam relations

Ever since the end of the Cold War relations between the Philippines and Vietnam has
warmed rapidly. Today the Philippines and Vietnam are economic allies and have a free trade
deal with each other. Both nations are a part of Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). The Philippines and Vietnam
have conducted joint military exercises together in the South China Sea and are trying to find
ways to turn the Spratly Islands from an area of conflict to an area of cooperation. Vietnam is
also sometimes called the only communist military ally of the Philippines. The Philippines
and Vietnam are also monitoring China's expansion into the South China Sea making sure
that China is no threat to either Philippine or Vietnamese islands in the South China Sea. The
Philippines also imports a large amount of writing material, clothes and other products from
Vietnam. On May 2009, The Philippines has inked an agreement with Vietnam to cooperate
in the fight against crimes and ensuring social order. On January 2010, the Philippine Stock
Exchange (PSE) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Vietnam bourse for
mutual collaboration and communication of information and experience to facilitate the
development and efficient operations of both securities markets.

Singapore[edit]

Thailand[edit]

Vietnam has an embassy in Bangkok, and Thailand has an embassy in Hanoi.

East Asia[edit]
People's Republic of China[edit]

m
Main article: People's Republic of China Vietnam relations

After both sides resumed trade links in 1991, growth in bilateral trade has increased from
USD $32 million in 1991 to almost USD 7.2 billion by 2004.[9] Both governments have set the
target of increasing trade volume to USD 10 billion by 2010.[9] Vietnam's exports to China
include crude oil, coal, coffee and food, while China exports pharmaceuticals, machinery,
petroleum, fertilizers and automobile parts to Vietnam. China has become Vietnam's secondlargest trading partner and the largest source of imports.[9][10] Both nations are working to
establish an "economic corridor" from China's Yunnan province to Vietnam's northern
provinces and cities, and similar economic zones in the Gulf of Tonkin and connecting the
Nanning of Guangxi province, Lang Son province, Hanoi, Haiphong and Quang Ninh
province of Vietnam.[9] Air and sea transport as well as railway have been opened between the
two countries, so have the 7 pairs of national-level ports in the frontier provinces and regions
of the two countries.[10] Both sides have also launched joint ventures such as the Thai Nguyen
Steel Complex, which produces hundreds of thousands of tones of steel products.[9]
Japan[edit]

Main article: Japan-Vietnam relations

Following the 23 October 1991 Final Act of the International Paris Conference on Cambodia
among the Cambodian parties, Indonesia (as co-chair with France), and the five permanent
members of the United Nations Security Council, Japan promptly established diplomatic
relations and ended economic restrictions with Cambodia and Vietnam. In November 1992,
Tokyo offered Vietnam US$370 million in aid. Japan also took a leading role in peacekeeping
activities in Cambodia. Japan's Akashi Yasushi, UN undersecretary for disarmament, was
head of the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia, and Japan pledged US$3 million and
even sent approximately 2,000 personnel, including members of the SDF, to participate
directly in maintaining the peace. Despite the loss of a Japanese peacekeeper killed in an
ambush, the force remained in Cambodia until the Cambodians were able to elect and install
a government.

Japan is the single biggest country donor to Vietnam. It has pledged $US890 million in aid
for the country this year, or 6.5 percent higher than the 2006 level of $US835.6 million.[citation
needed]

South Korea[edit]

Main article: South KoreaVietnam relations

North Korea[edit]

Main article: North KoreaVietnam relations

Diplomatic relations between Vietnam and North Korea dated back to 1950, and students
from North Vietnam began studying in North Korea as early as the 1960s. Relations later
declined due to investment and trade disputes in the 1990s and 2000s.[11]

Chapter 2

GEOGRAPHY
LOCATION AND SIZE.
Vietnam is bordered on the north by China and to the west by Laos and Cambodia. To the
east is the South China Sea (called "Eastern Sea" by the Vietnamese). The country's shape
and size is often compared to a bamboo pole with loads at the end (north and south). In the
central part of the country Vietnam is only 40 kilometers (25 miles) across. The total land
area of Vietnam is 329,569 square kilometers (127,247 square miles), making it slightly
larger than New Mexico. It has a long coast of 3,444 kilometers (2,140 miles). Its 2 major
cities are the capital Hanoi in the north and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in the south.
Other major cities are the ancient capital of Hue in central Vietnam, the coastal cities of
Danang and Haiphong, and Dalat in the central highlands.

CLIMATE

Vietnam is located between 9 and 23 degrees north. Eastern Vietnam has a long coastline
on the Gulf of Tonkin and the South China Sea. It has a tropical monsoon type of
climate; from May-Sep the south monsoon sets in, and the country is dominated by
south to southeasterly winds. From Oct-April, the north monsoon is dominant with
northerly to northeasterly winds affecting the country. There is a transition period
between each monsoon season when winds are light and variable.
The country is mountainous in the northwest and in the central highlands
facing the South China Sea, with peaks reaching up to 8000ft (2450m) In the north
around Hanoi and in the south around Ho Chi Minh City, there are extensive low-lying
regions in the Red River delta and the Mekong delta respectively.
Vietnam has a single rainy season during the south monsoon (May-Sep).
Rainfall is infrequent and light during the remainder of the year. Rainfall is abundant,
with annual rainfall exceeding 1000mm almost everywhere. Annual rainfall is even
higher in the hills, especially those facing the sea, in the range of 2000-2500mm.
For coastal areas and the parts of the central highlands facing northeast, the
season of maximum rainfall is during the south monsoon, from Sep-Jan. These regions

receive torrential rain from typhoons which move in from the South China Sea at this
time of the year. The weather at this time is cloudy with frequent drizzle.
During the north monsoon, northern Vietnam has cloudy days with occasional
light rain, while southern Vietnam tends to be dry and sunny.
Temperatures are high all year round for southern and central Vietnam; but
northern Vietnam has a definite cooler season as the north monsoon occasionally advects
cold air in from China. Frost and some snow may occur on the highest mountains in the
north for a few days a year. In the southern Vietnam, the lowlands are sheltered from
outbreaks of colder northerly air and the dry season is warm to hot with much sunshine.

TOPOGRAPHIC REGION

Vietnam is located on the eastern margin of the Indochinese peninsula and occupies about 331,211.6
square kilometers, of which about 25% was under cultivation in 1987. It borders theGulf of Thailand, Gulf
of Tonkin, and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia. The S-shaped country has a northto-south distance of 1,650 kilometers and is about 50 kilometers wide at the narrowest point. With a
coastline of 3,260 kilometers, excluding islands, Vietnam claims 12 nautical miles (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) as
the limit of its territorial waters, an additional 12 nautical miles (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) as a contiguous
customs and security zone, and 200 nautical miles (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) as an exclusive economic zone.
The boundary with Laos, settled on both an ethnic and geographical basis, between the rulers of Vietnam
and Laos in the mid-seventeenth century with the Annamite Range as a reference, was formally defined by
a delimitation treaty signed in 1977 and ratified in 1986. The frontier with Cambodia, defined at the time
of French annexation of the western part of the Mekong Delta in 1867, remained essentially unchanged,
according to Hanoi, until some unresolved border issues were finally settled in the 1982-85 period. The
land and sea boundary with China, delineated under the France-China treaties of 1887 and 1895, is "the
frontier line" accepted by Hanoi that China agreed in 1957- 58 to respect. However, in February 1979,
following China's limited invasion of Vietnam, Hanoi complained that from 1957 onward China had
provoked numerous border incidents as part of its anti-Vietnam policy and expansionist designs in
Southeast Asia. Among the territorial infringements cited was the Chinese occupation in January 1974 of
the Paracel Islands, claimed by both countries in a dispute left unresolved in the 1980s.

Area and boundaries.

Area:
total: 331,210 km
land: 310,070 km
water: 21,140 km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than the state of New Mexico in the United States.
slightly smaller than Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
somewhat less than half as big as New South Wales, Australia.
about 1 times the United Kingdom's size.
Land Boundaries:
total: 4 639 km
border countries: Cambodia (1 228 km), China (1 281 km), Laos (2 130 km)
Coastline: 3 444 km (excludes islands)
Maritime Claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nmi (44.4 km; 27.6 mi)
continental shelf: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi)
territorial sea: 12 nmi (22.2 km; 13.8 mi)
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Fansipan 3 144 m

Transport in Vietnam
Railways

The Vietnamese railway network has a total length of 2,600 kilometres

(1,600 mi), dominated by the 1,726 kilometres (1,072 mi) single track
NorthSouth Railway running between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The
national railway network uses mainly 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 38 in) metre gauge,
although there are several 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) standard gauge and
mixed gauge lines in the North of the country. There were 278 stations on
the Vietnamese railway network as of 2005, most of which are located
along the NorthSouth line. The Vietnamese railway network is owned and
operated by the state-owned enterprise Vietnam Railways (VNR), which
operates a number of different subsidiaries involved in construction,
communications, training, and other activities connected to railway
maintenance

International railway links

People's Republic of China

Two railways connect Vietnam to the People's Republic of China: the western Yunnan
Vietnam Railway, from Haiphong to Kunming, and the eastern railway from Hanoi to
Nanning. The railway into Yunnan is a metre gauge line, the only such line to operate inside
China; it may, however, be converted to standard gauge. Railway service along the Chinese
portion of the route is currently suspended. Cross-border service was available until 2002,
when floods and landslides, which frequently caused delays along the route,[4] caused serious
damage to the tracks on the Chinese side.[5] Railway access to Nanning is done through the
border at ng ng, in Lng Sn Province. Regular service generally entails stopping at the
border, changing from a Vietnamese metre-gauge train to a Chinese standard-gauge train, and
continuing on to Nanning

Highways

Vietnam's road system includes: national roads (quc l) administered by the central
government (marked by red and white milestones); provincial roads (tnh l or ng tnh)
managed by provinces (blue and white); district roads (huyn l or ng huyn) managed by
districts (green and white); urban roads managed by cities and towns; and commune roads
managed by communes. The total length of the Viet Nam road system is about 222,179 km
with 19.0% paved, mainly national roads and provincial roads (source: Vietnam Road
Administration, 2004). The national road system length is 17,295 km with 27.6% of its length
paved. The provincial road system is 27,762 km of length with 23.6% paved.
Road finance comes from a number of sources including the government, overseas donors
such as the ADB, WB, JBIC and business organizations. Road investment recovery is mainly
through tolls collected on bridges and roads, in accordance with laws mentioned above

Expressways
Expressway is rather a new concept for Vietnamese, traffic is growing rapidly but the major
roads are dangerous due to inappropriate design and an inappropriate traffic mix.
Expressways would solve these problems along the key corridors, by separating high speed
traffic from slower, local traffic.

Viet Nam currently recognizes two classes of expressway. Both have a minimum of two lanes
in each direction, but Class A has grade separated interchanges, while Class B has at-grade
intersections. There are 4 design-speed categories: 60, 80, 100 and 120 km/h. Generally all
cars, buses and trucks are permitted on the expressway but cong nong and motorcycles of less
than 70 cc engine capacity are not.

Ports and harbors

Cam Ranh - large deep water port and used by Marco Polo during his voyages to
China; formerly a major military facility for the U.S. Army and US Navy during the
1960s; later used by the Soviet Navy and the Vietnamese Navy

Da Nang - Tien Sa seaport is the third largest sea port in Vietnam after Ho Chi Minh
City and Hai Phong; handles 3-4 million tons of cargo annually

Hai Phong

Ho Chi Minh City - a major port facility with several locations including Saigon port

Hong Gai

Qui Nhn

Nha Trang

Vietnam has 17,702 km of waterways; 5,000 km of which are navigable by vessels up to 1.8
m draft.

Airports

Vietnam operates 37 civil airports, including three international gateways: Noi Bai serving
Hanoi, Da Nang serving Da Nang City, and Tan Son Nhat serving Ho Chi Minh City. Tan Son
Nhat is the largest, handling 75 percent of international passenger traffic. Vietnam Airlines,
the national airline, has a fleet of 30 aircraft that link Vietnam with 19 foreign cities. In 2004
Vietnam Airlines had 5 million passengers, up 25 percent from the prior year, and
management expects the number of passengers to reach 12 million by 2010. In November
2004, Vietnam Airlines announced that it would purchase 10 Airbus A321200 aircraft and
continue negotiations for four Boeing 787 "Dreamliner" aircraft. Vietnam Airlines goal is to
expand its fleet to 73 aircraft by 2010. Beginning in 2006, Vietnam Airlines will cooperate
with American Airlines in international flights under a codeshare agreement. Vietnam
Airlines code will apply to American Airlines flights from the United States to Vietnam,

Japan, and Europe. American Airlines code will apply to Vietnam Airlines flights from
Vietnam to Japan and Europe

Vietnam Industry
Thanks to well-conceived policies on import-export, export growth has been quite high, reaching USD 48.6 billion
in 2007, increasing more than 60 times over that of 1986. Average growth has been about 20% annually. The
trade deficit has reduced from 300% in 1986 to below 20% in recent years. In the first six months of 2008, export
value has reached USD 30.6 billion.
Since 1986, the structure of export goods has significantly changed with the increase in high-value goods such
as heavy industrial goods and minerals which account for about 30%, then handicraft and light industrial products
(20%), sea products (20%), agricultural products (15%), and forest products (15%).
Vietnamese export goods have gone to 200 markets of which the volume of 10 markets reaches over 1 billion
USD. Some key goods of Vietnam rank in high positions and impact upon the world market. Examples are rice,
seafood, coffee, rubber, pepper, cashews, and garment.

Most heavy and medium industry is concentrated in the north, including the state-owned
coal, tin, chrome, and other mining enterprises; an engineering works at Hanoi; power
stations; and modern tobacco, tea, and canning factories. The industrial sector in the south is
characterized by light industry and consumer goods industry, including pharmaceuticals,
textiles, and food processing, although there are some large utilities and cement works.
Much of the industrial sector in the north was badly damaged by US bombing raids during
the war. In the south, the private sector was permitted to continue in operation after 1975,
but all industry and commerce above the family level was nationalized in March 1978. The
results were disastrous, and the regime now permits the existence of a small private sector,
mainly in the area of consumer goods and other light industry.

Vietnam Industry

Bag, wallet, purse, suitcase, hat, cap and umbrella

Bicycles & parts

Ceramic & Porcelain

Coffee

Electronic parts, TV, computers & parts

Electric wire and cable

Fishery

Footwear

Fresh flowers

Garment & Textile

Household Plastic Appliances

Kid toys

Manufactured rubber products

Mechanics

Peppercorn

Plastics

Rice

Tea

Telecom equipment & spare parts

Vegetable & Fruit

Export by continents (2007)

Leading exported share in (2007)

Manufacturing in Vietnam after reunification followed a pattern that was

initially the reverse of the record in agriculture; it showed recovery from a
depressed base in the early postwar years. Recovery stopped in the late 1970s,
however, when the war in Cambodia and the threat from China caused the
government to redirect food, finance, and other resources to the military, a move
that worsened shortages and intensified old bottlenecks. At the same time, the
invasion of Cambodia cost Vietnam badly needed foreign economic support.
China's attack on Vietnam in 1979 compounded industrial problems by badly
damaging important industrial facilities in the North, particularly a major steel
plant and an apatite mine

Culture AND SOCIAL

The Municipal Theatre in Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam's culture has developed over the centuries from indigenous ancient ng Sn culture with wet
rice agriculture as its economic base. Some elements of the national culture have Chinese origins, drawing
on elements of Confucianism andTaoism in its traditional political system and philosophy. Vietnamese
society is structured around lng (ancestral villages); all Vietnamese mark a common ancestral
anniversary on the tenth day of the third lunar month.[161] The influences of immigrant peoples such as
the Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien and Hainan cultures can also be seen, while the national religion
of Buddhism is strongly entwined with popular culture. In recent centuries, the influences of Western
cultures, most notably France and the United States, have become evident in Vietnam.
The traditional focuses of Vietnamese culture are humanity (nhn ngha) and harmony (ha); family and
community values are highly regarded. Vietnam reveres a number of key cultural symbols, such as
the Vietnamese dragon, which is derived from crocodile and snake imagery; Vietnam's National
Father, Lc Long Qun, is depicted as a holy dragon. The lc a holy bird representing Vietnam's National
Mother, u C is another prominent symbol, while turtle and horse images are also revered.[162]
In the modern era, the cultural life of Vietnam has been deeply influenced by government-controlled media
and cultural programs. For many decades, foreign cultural influences especially those of Western origin
were shunned. However, since the 1990s, Vietnam has seen a greater exposure to Southeast Asian,
European and American culture and media.[163]

Media
Main article: Media of Vietnam
Vietnam's media sector is regulated by the government in accordance with the 2004 Law on Publication.
[164]

It is generally perceived that Vietnam's media sector is controlled by the government to follow the

official Communist Party line, though some newspapers are relatively outspoken. [165] The Voice of
Vietnam is the official state-run national radio broadcasting service, broadcasting internationally via

shortwave using rented transmitters in other countries, and providing broadcasts from its website. Vietnam
Television is the national television broadcasting company.
Since 1997, Vietnam has extensively regulated public Internet access, using both legal and technical
means. The resulting lockdown is widely referred to as the "Bamboo Firewall".[166] The collaborative
project OpenNet Initiative classifies Vietnam's level of online political censorship to be "pervasive",
[167]

while Reporters Without Borders considers Vietnam to be one of 15 global "internet enemies".

[168]

Though the government of Vietnam claims to safeguard the country against obscene or sexually explicit

content through its blocking efforts, many politically and religiously sensitive websites are also banned. [169]

Music

The Vietnamese dan bau a monochord zither instrument

Traditional Vietnamese music varies between the country's northern and southern regions. Northern
classical music is Vietnam's oldest musical form, and is traditionally more formal. The origins of
Vietnamese classical music can be traced to the Mongol invasions of the 13th century, when the
Vietnamese captured a Chinese opera troupe.[170] Throughout its history, Vietnamese has been most heavily
impacted by the Chinese musical tradition, as an integral part, along with Korea, Mongoliaand Japan.
[171]

Nh nhc is the most popular form of imperial court music. Cho is a form of generally

satirical musical theatre.Xm or Ht xm (Xm singing) is a type of Vietnamese folk music. Quan
h (alternate singing) is popular in H Bc (divided intoBc Ninh and Bc Giang Provinces) and across
Vietnam. Ht chu vn or ht vn is a spiritual form of music used to invoke spirits during
ceremonies. Nhc dn tc ci bin is a modern form of Vietnamese folk music which arose in the
1950s. Ca tr(also ht o) is a popular folk music. "H" can not be thought of as the southern style of
Quan h. There are a range of traditional instruments, including the n bu (a monochord zither), the n
go (a two-stringed fiddle with coconut body), and the n nguyt (a two-stringed fretted moon lute).

Literature

The Temple of Literature in Hanoi.

Vietnamese literature has a centuries-deep history. The country has a rich tradition of folk literature, based
around the typical 6to-8-verse poetic form named ca dao, which usually focuses on village ancestors and
heroes.[172] Written literature has been found dating back to the 10th-century Ng dynasty, with notable
ancient authors including Nguyn Tri, Trn Hng o, Nguyn Du and Nguyn nh Chiu. Some
literary genres play an important role in theatrical performance, such as ht ni in ca tr.[173] Some poetic
unions have also been formed in Vietnam, such as the Tao n. Vietnamese literature has in recent times
been influenced by Western styles, with the first literary transformation movement Th Mi emerging
in 1932.[174]

Festivals
Main article: List of festivals in Vietnam

A traditional Tt (Lunar New Year) tree.

Vietnam has a plethora of festivals based on the lunar calendar, the most important being the Tt New Year
celebration.Traditional Vietnamese weddings remain widely popular, and are often celebrated by expatriate
Vietnamese in Western countries.

Tourism
Main article: Tourism in Vietnam

Hi An's Ancient Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Vietnam has become a major tourist destination since the 1990s, assisted by significant state and private
investment, particularly in coastal regions.[175] About 3.77 million international tourists visited Vietnam in
2009 alone.[176]
Popular tourist destinations include the former imperial capital of Hu, the World Heritage Sites of Phong
Nha-K Bng National Park, Hi An and M Sn, coastal regions such as Nha Trang, the caves of H
Long Bay and the Marble Mountains. Numerous tourist projects are under construction, such as the Bnh
Dng tourist complex, which possesses the largest artificial sea in Southeast Asia. [177]
On 14 February 2011, Joe Jackson, the father of American pop star Michael Jackson, attended a ground
breaking ceremony for what will be Southeast Asia's largest entertainment complex, a five-star hotel and
amusement park called Happyland. The US$2 billion project, which has been designed to accommodate 14
million tourists annually, is located in southern Long An Province, near Ho Chi Minh City. It is expected
that the complex will be completed in 2014.[178]

Clothing
The o di, a formal girl's dress, is worn for special occasions such as weddings and religious festivals.
White o di is the required uniform for girls in many high schools across Vietnam. o di was once worn
by both genders, but today it is mostly the preserve of women, although men do wear it to some occasions,
such as traditional weddings.[179] Other examples of traditional Vietnamese clothing include theo t thn, a
four-piece woman's dress; the o ng, a form of the thn in 5-piece form, mostly worn in the north of the
country; the ym, a woman's undergarment; the o b ba, rural working "pyjamas" for men and women;
[180]

the o gm, a formal brocade tunic for government receptions; and the o the, a variant of the o

gm worn by grooms at weddings. Traditional headwear includes the standard conical nn l and the
"lampshade-like" nn quai thao.

Sport
See also: Vietnam at the Olympics and Sport in Vietnam
The Vovinam and Bnh nh martial arts are widespread in Vietnam,[181] while soccer is the country's most
popular team sport.[182] Its national team won the ASEANFootball Championship in 2008. Other Western
sports, such as badminton, tennis, volleyball, ping-pong and chess, are also widely popular.

Vietnam has participated in the Summer Olympic Games since 1952, when it competed as the State of
Vietnam. After the partition of the country in 1954, only South Vietnam competed in the Games, sending
athletes to the 1956 and 1972 Olympics. Since the reunification of Vietnam in 1976, it has competed as the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam, attending every Summer Olympics from 1988 onwards. The present
Vietnam Olympic Committee was formed in 1976 and recognized by the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) in 1979.[183] As of 2014, Vietnam has never participated in the Winter Olympics.

Cuisine
Main article: Vietnamese cuisine

Pho, one of the most popular Vietnamese dishes.

Vietnamese cuisine traditionally features a combination of five fundamental taste "elements"

(Vietnamese: ng v): spicy (metal), sour (wood), bitter (fire), salty (water) and sweet (earth).[184] Common
ingredients include fish sauce, shrimp paste,soy sauce, rice, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables. Vietnamese
recipes use lemongrass, ginger, mint, Vietnamese mint, long coriander, Saigon cinnamon, bird's eye
chili, lime and basil leaves.[185] Traditional Vietnamese cooking is known for its fresh ingredients, minimal
use of oil, and reliance on herbs and vegetables, and is considered one of the healthiest cuisines worldwide.
[186]

In northern Vietnam, local foods are often less spicy than southern dishes, as the colder northern climate
limits the production and availability of spices. Black pepper is used in place of chilis to produce spicy
flavors. The use of meats such as pork, beef, and chicken were relatively limited in the past, and as a result
freshwater fish, crustaceans particularly crabs and mollusks became widely used. Fish sauce, soy sauce,
prawn sauce, and limes are among the main flavoring ingredients. Many signature Vietnamese dishes, such
as bn riu and bnh cun, originated in the north and were carried to central and southern Vietnam by
migrants

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(French Indochina in 1913.)

1976present: reunification and reforms

Saigon Trade Center, one of the first skyscrapers to be built in Ho Chi Minh City after the Doi Moi reforms.

In the aftermath of the war, under L Dun's administration, the government embarked on a
mass campaign of collectivization of farms and factories.[73] This caused economic chaos and
resulted in triple-digit inflation, while national reconstruction efforts progressed slowly. At least
one million South Vietnamese were sent to reeducation camps, with an estimated 165,000
prisoners dying.[74][75] Between 100,000[74][76][77] and 200,000[78] South Vietnamese were executed in
extrajudicial killings;[79] another 50,000 died performing hard labor in "New Economic Zones".[74]
[80]

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, millions of people fled the country in crudely built boats,

creating an international humanitarian crisis;[81][82]hundreds of thousands died at sea.[83]

In 1978, the Vietnamese military invaded Cambodia to remove from power the Khmer Rouge,
who had been attacking Vietnamese border villages.[84] Vietnam was victorious, installing a
government in Cambodia which ruled until 1989.[85] This action worsened relations with the
Chinese, who launched a brief incursion into northern Vietnam in 1979.[86] This conflict caused
Vietnam to rely even more heavily on Soviet economic and military aid.
At the Sixth National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam in December 1986, reformist
politicians replaced the "old guard" government with new leadership. [87][88] The reformers were led
by 71-year-old Nguyn Vn Linh, who became the party's new general secretary.[87][88] Linh and
the reformers implemented a series of free-market reforms known as i Mi ("Renovation")
which carefully managed the transition from a planned economy to a "socialist-oriented market
economy".[89][90]
Though the authority of the state remained unchallenged under i Mi, the government
encouraged private ownership of farms and factories, economic deregulation and foreign

investment, while maintaining control over strategic industries.[90]The Vietnamese economy

subsequently achieved strong growth in agricultural and industrial production, construction,
exports and foreign investment. However, these reforms have also caused a rise in income
inequality and gender disparities