Vietnam — map and facts

About Vietnam

Vietnam is a long, narrow country in South-East Asia, bordering China to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, and the South China Sea to the east. With a population of approximately 98 million, it is the fifteenth most populous country in the world. Vietnam is a socialist republic governed by the Communist Party of Vietnam, the only legal political party; the general secretary of the party holds the most powerful position. Hanoi is the capital, while Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) is the largest city and economic centre. Vietnamese culture has been shaped by centuries of Chinese influence, French colonialism, and a strong indigenous tradition, resulting in a rich heritage of art, cuisine, literature, and festivals. The Vietnamese language is tonal and uses a Latin-based script, romanised by Jesuit missionaries. Vietnam has experienced remarkable economic growth since the ??i M?i reforms of 1986, transitioning from a centrally planned economy to a market-oriented socialist economy and becoming a significant manufacturing hub for global supply chains.

Geography and Landscape

Vietnam stretches approximately 1,650 kilometres from north to south and covers 331,000 square kilometres. Its shape — narrow in the centre, broad at the two deltas — has led to comparisons with a bamboo pole carrying two baskets of rice. The north is dominated by the Red River Delta, a densely populated agricultural lowland surrounding Hanoi, and the mountains of the north-west, including Fansipan, Vietnam's highest peak at 3,143 metres, in the Hoàng Liên S?n range. The Central Highlands — Tây Nguyên — form a plateau running through the middle of the country. The south is dominated by the Mekong Delta, one of the world's most productive agricultural areas, known for rice, fruit, and aquaculture. The coastline extends over 3,400 kilometres along the South China Sea, featuring Ha Long Bay — a UNESCO World Heritage Site of dramatic limestone karst formations — along with extensive sandy beaches. Vietnam has a tropical and subtropical climate with significant regional variation; the north has four seasons while the south has just wet and dry seasons.

History

Vietnam has a history spanning over four thousand years, with the legendary founding of the V?n Lang kingdom attributed to the Hùng kings. Chinese domination began in 111 BCE and lasted nearly a thousand years, profoundly shaping Vietnamese language, culture, and governance, yet provoking repeated resistance including the Tr?ng Sisters' revolt of 40 CE. Vietnamese independence was established with the Ngô dynasty in 939 CE. Subsequent dynasties — Lý, Tr?n, Lê — expanded southward through Champa and the Mekong Delta. The country was briefly reunified under the Nguy?n dynasty in 1802. French colonialism began in 1858 and incorporated Vietnam into French Indochina by 1887. Ho Chi Minh declared independence in 1945, but France sought to reimpose control, leading to the First Indochina War. The 1954 Geneva Accords divided the country at the 17th parallel. The subsequent Vietnam War, involving massive US military intervention, ended with the fall of Saigon in 1975. The country was reunified in 1976 and the ??i M?i economic reforms launched in 1986 set Vietnam on a path of rapid development.