Vietnam

I

Introduction

Vietnam, republic of South East Asia, bordered by China on the north, by the South China Sea on the east and south, and by Cambodia and Laos on the west. Officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, its area is 331,690 sq km (128,066 sq mi). Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, and Ho Chi Minh City is the country’s largest city.

The modern nation of Vietnam encompasses the historic areas of Tonkin, Annam, and Cochin China. More than 400 years of European control disrupted these traditional regions. France colonized Vietnam in stages during the 19th century, and nationalist groups seeking independence created turbulence during much of the 20th century. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Vietnam was the battleground of an extended war and was divided. The northern portion was closely allied with Communist nations, such as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and China, which controlled Vietnam for much of its history. The southern portion was allied with the United States and other democratic nations. The Vietnam War ended in 1975, and political unity was established the next year when the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the north and the Republic of Vietnam in the south became one nation.

II

Land and Resources

Vietnam occupies the easternmost part of the Indochinese Peninsula, a rugged, elongated S-shaped strip of mountains, coastal plains, and river deltas. Vietnam may be divided into four major regions. In the north-west is the mountainous southerly extension of China’s Yunnan Plateau. The country’s highest peak, Fan Si Pan (3,143 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 Annamese Highlands, which run north-west to south-east, and an associated coastal plain form the backbone of central Vietnam. The fourth and southernmost region is the Mekong River delta, a depositional area of flat land. The soils of the Red River and Mekong River deltas, the two major deltas of Vietnam, 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.

A

Rivers and Lakes

The Red River in the north and the Mekong River in the south are the two major freshwater streams. The Red River flows almost directly south-east from the north-western highlands, whereas the Mekong follows an irregular path from Cambodia, crosses southern Vietnam, and empties in the South China Sea through a complex network of distributaries. Both rivers have been banked to prevent flood damage.

B

Climate

Three basic climate types are found in Vietnam. 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 south-eastern areas typify the tropical monsoon climate, with high temperatures and abundant precipitation. In the south-west, distinct wet and dry periods are evident, but temperatures are higher than in the north. Temperatures in Hanoi range from about 17° C (63° F) in January to about 29° C (84° F) in July; mean annual precipitation is 1,830 mm (72 in).