Despite Vietnam's ongoing economic liberalisation and the pressures
of rapid development, this dignified country has managed to preserve
its rich civilisation and highly cultured society. Most visitors
to Vietnam are overwhelmed by the sublime beauty of the country's
natural setting: the Red River Delta in the north, the Mekong Delta
in the south and almost the entire coastal strip are a patchwork
of brilliant green rice paddies tended by women in conical hats.
There are some divine beaches along the coast too, while inland
there are soaring mountains, some of which are cloaked by dense,
misty forests.
The country has discarded its post-war
fatigues and the boom in budget travelling, coupled with
the softening of government control, have enabled more
contemporary and relevant portraits of the country to
gain currency in the West. Vietnam offers an opportunity
to see a country of traditional charm and rare beauty
rapidly opening up to the outside world.
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country name:
Socialist Republic of Vietnam Area: 329,566 sq km (128,527 sq mi) Population: 79 million Capital city: Hanoi (pop 3.5 million) People: 84% ethnic Vietnamese, 2% ethnic Chinese,
also Khmers, Chams (a remnant of the once-great Indianised Champa
Kingdom) and members of over 50 ethnolinguistic groups (also known
as Montagnards, 'highlanders' in French) Language: Vietnamese, Russian, French, Chinese,
English and a variety of Khmer and Laotian dialects Religion: Buddhism is the principal religion but
there are also sizeable Taoist, Confucian, Hoa Hao, Caodaists, Muslim
and Christian minorities Government: Communist People's Republic President: Tran Duc Luong Prime Minister: Phan Van Khai
GDP: US$24 billion GDP per head: US$300 Annual growth: 8% Inflation: 8% Major products/industries: Rice, rubber, food
processing, sugar, textiles, chemicals Major trading partners: China, Singapore, South
Korea, Japan, Taiwan
