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PEOPLE/LAND
:
CAPITAL:
HANOI
History:
Vietnam means the Viet people of the south or the south populated
by the Viets. The Viets were the main ethnic people living
in Vietnam dating back 4,000 years ago. In the eyes of many
foreigners Vietnam is seen as a nation in constant war.
In the real Vietnam there are only images of a tranquil and gentle
people. The vision of the little boy riding his water buffalo
in the rice field brings to the realization of the peaceful nature
of these people. Vietnam is like a picturesque painting
that never ceases to amaze you with new and fascinating places.
Even Marco Polo in 1292 was amazed at the natural beauty of Vietnam
while sailing along the coast of Vietnam. Vietnam has also
contributed to a lot of findings of the bronze drums and other
artifacts attesting to its advance culture. Vietnam now,
was like many centuries ago were of strategic importance, not
just for defense but for bountiful resources of this nation.
Vietnam’s history are deep rooted in many influences of the Chinese,
French, Japanese and Americans have transformed this country into
a nation of innovation and patience.
The
Land : Vietnam occupies
a territory of 3,293,566 sq. km having its borders with China,
Lao and Cambodia. This S-shape country, assimilating a bamboo
pole supporting a rice basket in each end (The Red River Delta
in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City) extends 3,260 km of coastline.
Vietnam’s diversity of mountains, rivers, and oceans makes Vietnam
an ideal place for adventure.
Climate:
Vietnam lies in the Southeast Asia inter-tropical monsoon zone.
There is neither good nor bad seasons to visit Vietnam.
When one region is wet, there is always somewhere else sunny and
warm. The average temperature ranges from 20 to 30 degrees
Celsius (68- 90 degrees F). The hottest time is 29-30c in
Ho Chi Minh City (March & Arpil) and 28-30C (June - July)
in Hanoi Capital. The rainy season is from May to October
(southern region), and the dry season is from November to April.
However, the central high lands have a milder climate all year
round.
People
and language: Although the country is marked by many
wars, its people are very kind and hospitable. There are
at present about 54 minority groups making the present population
of over 75 million with 7 million in Ho Chi Minh and 3 million
in Hanoi living in harmony. The largest of which is VIET
or KINH people who occupies almost 80% of the total population.
Vietnamese language is a fusion of Mon-Khmer, Thai and Muong language.
The Vietnamese script are of Roman Characters, surprisingly the
Vietnamese language is not recognized as originating from China
(the writing was actually created by a French missionary Alexander
de Rhodes). But some phonetic sounds come from Chinese words
that have been incorporated into its language. This Latin-system
base language is the official language of all ethnic groups in
the country. The other ethnic groups also use their own
languages, in addition to the standard national language.
Now, besides the spoken Vietnamese language, the English language
has become the 2nd most widely use language in the business sector.
Though Vietnam was a former French colony, the French language
is rarely spoken. You may find older educated people speak
French, but the language is seldom used in business.
Culture:
Vietnam has been widely recognized and distinguished by its ao
dai (Long dress). Men also wear Ao dai, but mostly in the
rural areas and during weddings and funeral ceremonies.
In the city, only woman and high school girls (merely white color)
wear Ao Dai. Many young people are westernized and fashionable
following the latest European trends, partly imitating the Hong
Kong style of dressing because their films dominate the local
entertainment market. Though there have been many Western
cultural influences, Vietnam still holds fast to its strong family
ties. Respect and love for elders are an important part
of a Vietnamese child’s life. Even for adults it is customary
when entering anyone’s home everyone is expected to greet the
elders with a nodding gesture and ask about their health.
Religion:
The five main religions of Vietnam: Confucianism,
Taoism, Buddhism, ancestry worship and Christianity have shaped
the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people. However, ancestor
worshipping is more prevailing in rural areas as well as in the
cities. Many visitors many think this is sacrilegious, but
in reality it is a symbol of close family ties. Besides,
there are also Roman Catholics, Protestants, Moslems, Hinduism,
Caodaism and other small religious sect.
Education:
The Vietnamese people have a rather high literacy rate,
approximately more than 80% of the whole population knows how
to read and write. All children who reach the age of 6 attend
the 1st grade. The high school finishes at the 12th
grade. There are more than a hundred universities, technical
school and other institutes in the country some of which are state-own;
some others are semi-private while a few are private. The
undergraduate program usually lasts 4 – 5 years. As the
nation moves towards a market economy the demand for updated text
is ever increasing. The U.S government and Australia are
the 2 nations that are supporting Vietnam reach its educational
endeavors with grants to study overseas and modern textbooks.
Literature,
arts and entertainment: Vietnam
has many traditional instruments such as the moon-shape flute,
the 16-stringed and 36-stringed zithers, the vertical two-stringed
violin. But the most original of all is the Dan Bau (one-stringed
zither). In addition, the Cheo (Popular opera), Tuong (traditional
opera), Cai Luong (Renovated opera or some other call Re-created
opera), Quan Ho folk songs, etc. are typically Vietnamese, especially
the Mua Roi Nuoc (Water puppetry) which originated from the rural
festivals. Various galleries in Vietnam have made itself
known from exhibitions in New York and various parts of the world.
The largest collection well-known artists of Vietnam are found
in Saigon and Hanoi.
Flora
& Fauna: Vietnam’s flora is richly diversified.
It is estimated to contain 12,000 plant species, only 7000 of
which have been identified and 2300 of which are known to be useful
to humans for food, medicines, animal fodder, wood products and
other purposes. The dense tropical forest covers two fifths
of this jaded nation. It is home to 273 species of mammals;
773 species of birds; 180 species of reptiles; 80 species of amphibians,
hundreds of species of fish; thousands of kinds of invertebrates.
Therefore, the country’s wild fauna is enormously diverse.
Vietnam has developed National Forests to protect these endangered
species. Also WWF (World Wildlife Fund) is helping to education
and conserve some of the must unique species found in areas of
Vietnam that is not found anywhere in the world.
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