 A country of southeast Asia in eastern Indochina
bordering the South China Sea. Ruled by China from 221 B.C. to A.D.
939 and from 1407 to 1428, it was occupied by the French in the 19th
century. After the fall of the French garrison at Dien Bien Phu in
1954, Viet Nam was partitioned into North Viet Nam and South Viet
Nam. The country was reunited in April 30, 1975 after the end of the
Viet Nam (known locally as the American) War. Hanoi is the capital
and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) the largest city.
 Location:
On the East coast of the Indochinese Peninsula in SE Asia Neighbors: China on North; Laos, Cambodia on West.
Topography: Viet Nam is long and narrow, with a 1,400-mile
coastline. There is an extensive delta in the south formed by one of
the world’s major rivers, the Mekong. The remainder of the nation
consists of semi-arid plateaus and barren mountains, with about 24%
of country is readily arable, including the densely settled Red
River valley in the North; narrow coastal plains in the center and
the wide, often marshy Mekong River with stretches of tropical rain
forest. Land and Resources: Viet Nam occupies the easternmost part
of the Indochinese Peninsula, a rugged, elongated S-shaped strip of
mountains, coastal plains, and river deltas.
 Physiographic Regions:
Viet Nam may be divided into four major regions. In the northwest is
the mountainous southern extension of China's Yunnan Plateau. The
country's highest peak, Fan Si Pan (3143 m/10,312 ft), is located
near the border with China. To the east of the highlands is the Red
River (also known as the Song Hong) delta, a triangularly shaped
lowland along the Gulf of Tonkin (an arm of the South China Sea). To
the south the Anamneses Highlands, which run northwest to southeast
and an associated coastal plain form the backbone of central Viet
Nam. The fourth and southernmost region is the Mekong River delta, a
depositional area of flat land, rivers and canals and rich
farmlands.
Soils: The soils of the Red River and Mekong River deltas,
the two major deltas of Viet Nam, are composed of rich alluvium
except where damming for flood control has altered the stream flow.
Soils in the uplands are poor as a result of leaching of nutrients
from the ground by the abundant rainfall. Rivers: The Red River
in the north and the Mekong River in the south are the two major
freshwater streams. The Red flows almost directly southeast from the
northwestern highlands, whereas the Mekong follows an irregular path
from Cambodia, crosses southernmost Viet Nam, and empties in the
South China Sea through a complex network of distributaries. Both
rivers have been levered to prevent flood damage.
 Climate:
Three basic climate types are found in Viet Nam. In the north,
especially in the interior, the temperatures are subtropical.
Shifting seasonal wind patterns result in dry winters and wet
summers. The central and southeastern areas typify the tropical
monsoon climate, with high temperatures and abundant precipitation.
In the southwest, distinct wet and dry periods are evident, with
temperatures are higher than in the north.
Vegetation
and Animal Life: Abundant vegetation exists
throughout Viet Nam except where the landscape has been denuded.
Typical mixed stands in the rain forests contain a wide variety of
pines, broadleaf trees, vines, and bamboos. Dense mangroves
bordering
More attractive sites in
Vietnam:
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