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Vietnam stretches over 1600 km along the eastern coast of the Indochina peninsula from 8' 34"N to 23' 22" N. The land mass is 329,566 square kilometers, making it larger than Italy and slightly smaller than Japan. Vietnam is a country of immense beauty and geographical diversity. The country is roughly divided into three main areas: North, Center and South. The main feature of the North of Vietnam is mountains and forests along with the vast Red River Delta. The North is also home to the Gulf of Tonkin and a maze of islands in the bay. Central Vietnam is made up of agricultural plains wedged between the Truong Son Mountains and the East Sea (South China Sea) making some dramatic mountain passes overlooking ocean vistas. The Mekong Delta dominates the south of the country.

Time: Vietnam is GMT + 7 and does not operate daylight-saving system.

Country code: ++84

Population

The population of Vietnam is 83 million people with 54 ethnic groups. The biggest group is the Viet people, which is 87% of the population. The rest belong to 53 minority ethnic groups.

Geography

The population of Vietnam is 83 million people with 54 ethnic groups. The biggest group is the Viet people, which is 87% of the population. The rest belong to 53 minority ethnic groups.

Economy

Market economy is applied. Especially Vietnam just became the member of WTO (World Trade Organization) the country now is on going industrialization and building programs. Vietnamese population is very young: more than 53 million are under 30 years old. The country is very rich in national resources.

People

The majority of the population is comprised of the Viet or Kinh (87%); people who speak the tonal Vietnamese. The minority population is made up of 53 ethnic hill tribe people who mainly live in the central and northern mountainous areas of the country. The best-known hill tribes are the Tay, Nung, Hmong, Zao, White and Black Thai (both mainly from the north), and the Hoa... Each hill tribe has its own unique customs and dialect and some are able to speak Vietnamese.

Cuisine

A typical Vietnamese meal consists of rice or noodles with soup, a stir-fry, and another main dish and is eaten on a communal basis. The dishes are usually not spicy and are accompanied with chili sauce, fish sauce and soy sauce. The traditional Vietnamese breakfast is Pho – a large bowl of rice noodles flavored with sliced beef or chicken and fragrant broth and garnished with fresh coriander and bean sprouts. The countries 3 main regions, the North, the Center and the South each have distinct cuisine. Generally the North is best known for its noodle soups and meat and seafood stir-fries. The central region especially around Hue has some of the most elaborate dishes. In the south, where there is a greater abundance of spices the food tends to be a little hotter. With over 3,000km of coastline the seafood here is both delicious and varied. Crabs prawns, crayfish and squid are in plentiful supply, not to mention hundreds of varieties of fish.

Clothing

Light, comfortable, easy to launder clothing is recommended. The temperature during winter months in Hanoi and the rainy season in the central region can be cool; a sweater or light jacket can be handy. Good walking shoes and sandals that can be easily removed are recommended, especially when entering temples and people's homes.

Shopping

Vietnam offers a wide range of souvenirs and shopping in the various local markets around the country can be great fun. Good bargaining skills are essential and as high quality souvenirs or genuine antiques are difficult to find, prices should generally be low. Here are some of the items which make their way onto many people's shopping list: Clothes (e.g. T-shirt, polo-shirt, trousers, shorts, skirts,) beaded shoes, conical hats, single-cup coffee filters, sleeping bags, CDs, embroidered table cloths, carving in wood or marble, lacquer ware (e.g. pictures, trays, trinket boxes), and traditional style paintings and sketches. Handicrafts produces by the people of the hill tribes in the north are also very popular. These include fabrics, jewellery, embroidered bags, and wickerwork. It is also possible to buy tailor-made cloths. These are made to order and are usually available for collection within 24 hours. Once of the best places to buy tailor made items is Hoian.

Language

Vietnamese, the official language, is a tonal language that can be compared to Chinese - Mandarin, but there are more tones. With each syllable, there are six different tones that can be used, which change the definition and it often makes it difficult for foreigners to pick up the language. There are other languages spoken as well such as Chinese, Khmer, Cham and other languages spoken by tribes inhabiting the mountainous regions. Although there are some similarities to Southeast Asian languages, such as Chinese, Vietnamese is thought to be a separate language group, although a member of the Austro-Asiatic language family.
Vietnamese uses the Roman alphabet and accent marks to show tones. This system of writing called Quoc Ngu, was created by Catholic missionaries in the 17th century to translate the scriptures. Eventually this system, particularly after World War I, replaced one using Chinese characters (chu nom), which had been the unofficial written form used for centuries.

Public holidays

Liberation of Saigon: (April 30)
International Worker's Day: (May 1)
Ho Chi Minh's birthday: (May 19)
Vietnamese National Day: (September 2)

The Vietnamese Lunar New Year: Tet

There is no more colorful time to be in Vietnam than during the days leading up to Tet Nguyen Dan, the most important festival of the year for Vietnam's Kinh ethnic majority.