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General Information Vietnam

11/07/16 14:21 3704

VIETNAM, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Vietnam has become a very popular destination since the 1990s in South East Asia, assisted by significant state and private investment, particularly in coastal regions. Accounting for 5,5 million international tourists visited Vietnam in 2015.

Many good infrastucture were built by the state and invested by foreign countries, The country is also a safe destination in Asia, many tourists come to Vietnam, not only for its beautiful natural lanscapes, its long history, the culture, the people, but also for Vietnamese cusine. Tourists can find  both cheap range and top range travels .

Althought the country was very much destroyed by many wars, but the people and the state leadship have been built much , and also the political management have been amended and renewed since the National Congress in 1986 and the open door in 1994,

Vietnam have at least more than 8 World HERITAGE SITES listed by UNESCO, which are very potential for a young tourism industry, They are: Halong Bay, Hue Citadel, Hoian Ancient Town, My Son Holy Temple, Phong Nha Cave & Ke Bang National Park, Trang An Complex, Relics of Ancient City Thang Long, Ho Dynasty's Citadel.

Geography: aproximately 332,000 km2

Population: 93 million people

Religion: in 2010 about 45.3% of the Vietnamese adhere to indigenous religions, 16.4% to Buddhism, 8.2% to Christianity, 0.4% to other faiths, and 29.6% of the population isn't religious

Largest City: Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon as former name), with about 10 million people

Ethnic groups: There are 53 hill tribes, and accounting for 86 % of population are ethnic Vietnamese , the rest are 14% of minorities

Climate: Because of differences in latitude and the marked variety in topographical relief, the climate tends to vary considerably from place to place.

In the North Vietnam, there are 4 seasons , but it turns to 2 main seasons, wet and dry. In the south VN, it is warm for whole year, but wet and dry seasons

Languages: The official national language of Vietnam is Vietnamese, and the people study some other foreign languages for their jobs or business such as French, German, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, but English is more popular and also widely taught at school.

Now: The country is dominated by one party , and it is called " Communist Party of Vietnam", accounting for 3,7 million members in the whole country

History

  • Prehistory and ancient history : Human beings appeared in Vietnam about 500,000 years ago. And then early stone age around 15,000 years, bronze age about 3000 years, iron age about 2000 years.
  • China Domination: from 200 B.C until 938 A.D ( 10th Century), Vietnam then declared an independence kingdom from China, ended 1000 years of Chinese Colonial System
  • Dynastic Vietnam: Started from 938 until 1945 under 10 different dynasties, The French came in and started a colonial system in 1858. After 1882, 9 last Kings became the puppets , or had no power in Vietnam
  • 1862 -1945: French Indochina: The French dominated in the whole country, built many state colonial offices, and opened coal minings, grew rubber plantation, used the slave Vietnamese
  • 1946 - 54: First Indochina War:  The Communists uprised under Ho Chi Minh leader, the war and conflicts happened in 8 years, and the French failed in Vietnam and Indochina. The country was divided into 2 different countries as North Vietnam & South Vietnam in 1954. 
  • 1954 -1975: Vietnam War : The United States came in Vietnam to support the new regime against the Communists from the North, the War happened in 20 years. The South fell in April 1975 as America quited the troops in 1973. And the North Vietnam took over the South for a new reunification 
  • 1976 -present: reunification and reforms: Vietnam run real Communism in country for 10 years ( from 1976 to 1986), and then they changed it as Renewal

Economy: The economic rate ranks 56th in the world, and 6th in South East Asia. Main exports: Textiles, Footwear, Seafood, electronics, Agricultural products, oil, minings, toursim, other services

Longevity: everage 71 years old for man, and 75 years old for woman

Top 10 destinations

As determined by reader views on Vietland Holidays

1: Hanoi 6: Nha Trang Beach
2: Halong Bay ( World's Natural Heritage)
7: Dalat
3: Sapa 8: Mui Ne Beach
4: Hue (World's Cultural Heritage)
9: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
5: Hoian (World's Cultural Heritage) 10: Phu Quoc Island

Related

The Vietnamese people celebrate a long Lular New Year ( or Tet Holidays), it lasts from 7 - 10 days and is the biggest festive season of Vietnamese People
Many low-budget travelers considered Vietnam a heavenly place because in many shopping situations they can bargain the prices down to as much as a third of the original cost.
Most major currencies can be exchanged at leading banks in Vietnam, but away from the tourist centres the US-dollar remains king. Vietcombank is the most organised of the local banks for changing cash and can deal with euros, pounds and pretty much anything else you are packing.
The high season is from September to March but bad weather can disrupt travel in the centre of the country during this period, particularly from September to December. For the beaches in the centre of Vietnam, Danang, Hoi An and Nha Trang, it is best to go between May and August. The autumn is the best time to visit Halong Bay when there should be clear skies.
Organising travel insurance is an essential part of preparing for your overseas trip. If you are uninsured, you (or your family) are personally responsible for covering any medical or other costs resulting from unexpected incidents or accidents.
Vietnamese visa-on-arrival fee includes both the approval letter fee and stamping fee at Vietnam airport. As of 2016, the stamping fee is $25 for single entry visa (both 1 month and 3 month type) and $50 for multiple entry visa (both 1 month and 3 month type). Price is in US dollars and may change with advanced notice.
Before you travel, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards. ATM and Banks are very popular in the cities in Vietnam. Not in the remote areas.
Pack medications in their original, clearly labelled, containers. A signed and dated letter from your physician describing your medical conditions and medications, including generic names, is also a good idea