Country Information on Vietnam

Terrain Three-quarters of the country's landscape are mountainous and hilly, especially in the north and in the north-western sections, while the lowlands consist of the Red River Delta and the coastal plains. The country's highest elevation is Fansipan (3,143 m) in the north-west. Central Vietnam is divided into a narrow coastal strip, a broad plateau and the Annamite Mountain Chain, which separates the plateau from the coastal lowlands. The lower third of South Vietnam, including the Mekong River System, is a low and marshy flat land while further north and east, upland forests as well as rugged terrain dominate. The country has three large lakes, which are the Ba-Be, HoTay and Hoan-Kiem. Climate Vietnam has a tropical climate in the south that ranges to subtropical in the north, both dominated by the monsoons. North Vietnam is characterized by a hot and humid wet season from mid-May to mid-September as well as a warm and humid dry season from mid-October to mid-March with two short transition periods. In the south the seasons come later and in Central Vietnam rainfall is heaviest between September and January when the coast is subject to tropical storms. Fauna/Flora Although Vietnam's wildlife is rich, it is in precipitous decline because of the destruction of habitats and illegal hunting. Fauna includes elephant, rhinoceros, tiger, leopard, black bear, snub-nosed monkey, crocodile and turtle. Less than 20% of the country remains forested, and what remains is under threat from slash-and-burn agriculture and excessive harvesting. Vietnam has at present five national parks, but in an attempt to prevent an ecological and hydrological catastrophe, the government has plans to create 87 national parks and nature reserves. History/Politics The Vietnamese are descendants of nomadic Mongols from China and migrants from Indonesia. According to mythology, the first ruler of Vietnam was Hung Vuong, who founded the nation in BC 2879. China ruled the nation, then known as Nam Viet, as a vassal state from BC 111 until the 15th century AD. A century later, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to enter the area. France established its influence early in the 19th century, and within eighty years conquered the three regions in which the country was then divided into: Cochin-China, Annam, and Tonkin. Japan took over military bases in Vietnam in 1940, and a pro-Vichy French administration remained until 1945. Ho Chi Minh's declaration of Vietnamese independence after World War II sparked violent confrontations with the French, culminating in the French military defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. At the 1954 Geneva Conference the country was divided along the 17th parallel of latitude into Communist North Vietnam, led by Ho Chi Minh, with its capital at Hanoi, and pro-Western South Vietnam, led by Ngo Dinh Diem, with its capital at Saigon. Political and ideological opposition quickly turned to armed struggle, prompting the USA and other countries to commit combat troops in 1965. The Paris Peace Agreements, signed in 1973, provided an immediate cease-fire and signalled the withdrawal of US troops. Saigon eventually capitulated to the Communist forces on 30 April 1975. In April 2001 reform-minded Nong Duc Manh was appointed general secretary of the ruling Communist Party, succeeding Le Kha Phieu. Economy The Mekong and Red river deltas are among the world's biggest rice-growing regions. Peanuts, corn, sweet potatoes, and beans are secondary food crops, and cotton, jute, coffee, tea, sugarcane, and rubber are among the cash crops produced. Vietnam's primary export-oriented industry is mining. Most of the country's mineral resources are in the north, and Vietnam produces large amounts of coal as well as having sizable deposits of e.g. phosphates, manganese, bauxite and chromate. Substantial offshore oil and gas deposits have been discovered in southern waters, and exploitation is being developed. Further important industries include processing of agricultural products, machinery, car assembly, and manufacturing of textiles and apparel, cement, and chemical fertilizers. Some 67% of the country's active population are employed in the agricultural sector, with 33% in manufacturing and services. The unemployment rate amounted to 25% in 1995. Culture Four great philosophies and religions have shaped the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people. Over the centuries, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism have melded with popular Chinese beliefs and ancient Vietnamese animism to form what is known as Tam Giao (or "Triple Religion"). Popular artistic forms include: traditional painting produced on frame-mounted silk; an array of theatre, puppetry, music and dance; religious sculpture; and lacquer ware.