| Area |
329, 247 sq km (127,123 sq miles). |
| Population |
78,685,800 (2001). |
| Capital |
Hanoi - population 3,751,000 (2000). |
| Climate |
Because of geography, the climate in Vietnam varies greatly from north to south. Tropical monsoons occur from May to October. It is almost totally dry throughout the rest of the year. |
| Language |
Vietnamese is the official language. English, French, Chinese and occasionally Russian and German are spoken. |
| Religion |
Buddhist majority. There are also Taoist, Confucian, Hao Hao, Caodaist and Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) minorities.
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| Time |
GMT + 7
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| Highlights |
Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) is the main commercial centre of the southern part of Vietnam. You will find many pagodas and temples in this city, including the Emperor of Jade Pagoda. This is a classic example of a Chinese temple. Inside there are elaborate woodcarvings decorated with gilded characters and sculptures depicting local deities. Cafes and shops predominate the streets of Ho Chi Minh and there are many stalls on the pavements selling everything from soup to handicrafts, many of which are made from old soft drinks cans on the streets. For those who want something less glamorous, the War Crimes Museum is well worth a visit - although it is horrifying to see some of the atrocities committed against the Vietnamese by the United States. A visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels is an essential tour to compliment your experience of Vietnam and is highly recommended. This tunnel network is in the Chu Chi District, where the Viet Cong were able to retain control from the Americans. There are thousands of kilometres of tunnels in the area but only a few are open to the public.
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| Country Facts |
Vietnam is a long thin country sharing borders to the north with the People's Republic of China, Laos in the West and Cambodia to the South with The South China Sea lying to the east and south. The two main agricultural areas are based round the Red River Delta in the North and Mekong Delta in the South with the remaining three quarters of the country being mountainous. The Central Highlands run down the spine of country much of which is also tropical rain forest. Vietnam has a diverse climate due to length of the country, which spans several latitudes. Because of this range of climates, it is always possible to find the sun somewhere in Vietnam! |