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National Capital - Hanoi
Mainland Territory - 330,991 sq. kilometers; Divided into 61 provinces
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam - On the September 2, 1945, president Ho Chi Minh read the Independence Manifesto declaring the establishment of The Democratic Republic of Vietnam at Ba Dinh Square. Vietnam has a history dating back to the Bronze Age (221 BC).
Population – Vietnam has a population of more than 70 million people (78 685 800 inhabitants), comprised of 54 different ethnic groups that possess historically rich cultural backgrounds and interesting folk arts.
Religion – The major religious traditions in Vietnam are Buddhism (which fuses forms of Taoism and Confusianism), Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism), Islam, Cao Daism and the Hoa Hao sect. Presenty, over 70 percent of the population of Vietnam are either Buddhist or strongly influenced by Buddhist practices. Islamic followers in Vietnam are primarily from the Cham ethnic minority group living in the central part of the central coast. The number of Islamic followers in Vietnam totals about 50,000.
Climate – Because of its geography, the climate in Vietnam varies greatly from north to south. Tropical monsoons occur from May to October. It is almost totally dry throughout the rest of the year. Required clothing: Tropicals and washable cottons are worn all year. Rainwear is essential during the rainy season. The climate is tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season and a warm, dry season (mid-October to mid-March).
Natural Resources - phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil deposits, forests
Geography – Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, between China and Cambodia. Total area: 329,560 sq km. Terrain is low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest
Historical Sites - The country has more than 1,000 historical, cultural, and architectural sites Four of these sites are recognized as world cultural heritage sites: Halong Bay, the ancient capital of Hue, the ancient town Hoi An, and My Son Holy Land.
Traditions and Customs
Chewing Betel and Areca Nuts: According to the legend, the custom of chewing Betel and Areca Nuts was popularized during the Hung Vuong Era, and closely follows the famous fairy tale of the "Story of the Betel and Areca Nut". A quid of betel consists of four materials: an areca leaf (sweet taste), betel bark (hot taste), a chay root (bitter taste), and hydrated lime (pungent taste). The custom of chewing betel nut is unique to Vietnam. Old health books claim that "chewing betel and areca nut makes the mouth fragrant, decreases bad tempers, and makes digesting food easy". A quid of betel makes people become closer and more openhearted. At any wedding ceremony, there must be a dish of betel and areca nut, which people can share as they enjoy the special occasion.
Tea - An Indispensable Drink for the Vietnamese
As you walk along the streets, somewhere near a lamp post, under the shade of a tree, or next to a door, there is a low table with glass pots containing different kinds of candies, roasted ground nuts, and sugar coated cakes. Usually next to these treats, there is a humble tea cozy with a tray of cups. Around the table are several small wooden stools. This is traditionally a complete description of a make-shift tea shop, which is a very popular part of Vietnamese street life. The first sentence a customer will utter to the shop owner will invariably be, "One cup of tea, please".
Traditional Festivals - Festivals are a place to enjoy and learn about the people's crafts. The Master Pagoda Festival (HaTay) has puppet shows and the Hung Temple Festival (Vinh Phu) has the "Xoan" folk songs. The Phu Giay Festival has "Chau Van" folk songs. The Lim Festival has "Quan Ho" folk songs. The drum beats that are mixed with traditional musical songs and dances create an never ending energy during the festivals.
Fine Arts and Crafts
Vietnam is a country rich in handicraft products, thanks to the hardworking, dexterous, and creative qualities of the Vietnamese people.
- Woven tapestries and tho cam handbags are unique works from the skilled hands of the ethnic women living in the Northwest regions, such as Cao Bang.
- Embroidered articles and silk products are famous from the regions of Ha Dong, Nam Ha, Thai Binh and Hue.
- Wool tapestries from Hanoi and Haiphong, and jute tapestries from Hung Yen, Haiphong, Hanoi and Thai Binh, are much sought after.
- Ceramic and porcelain items have been produced in Vietnam for a long time. Ceramic and porcelain products glazed by traditional methods into beautiful art are well known in Bat Trang (Hanoi), Quang Ninh, and Haiphong.
- Copperware is fabricated by the skillful hands of coppersmiths in Nam Ha, Ngu Xa (Hanoi), Dong Son(Thanh Hoa), and Long Tho.
- Jewelry products and metalwork are concentrated in Hanoi, Thai Binh and Hai Hung, while stonework are mainly produced in Danang (Five Element Mountain Region).
- Wood products and wood carvings can usually be found in Phu Xuyen (Ha Tay), Haiphong, and Hue.
Music - Vietnamese music has had a rather long history. Since ancient times, the Vietnamese have had a strong inclination for music. For the Vietnamese, music is considered an essential need; therefore, numerous musical instruments and genres intended for various purposes have been developed.
Van Lam Embroidery - In Vietnam, the embroidery has been well known for the products of trade villages from Ha Tay, Bac Ninh, Hai Duong provinces, but perhaps, no other places can be compared to Van Lam village (Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province) with their original embroidery products adorned with open-works.
Latern Work - Hoi An lantern work has developed greatly and attracted many labors, because out of the rules of committee town all families light lantern in the night of ancient city (monthly 14th lunar calendar), all tourists buy a lantern as a souvenir. So it is surprising that over 30,000 units exported to Australia in 2 times besides selling to Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh Cities. Hoi An lantern is various size and shape, from normal lantern to dragon lantern or fish lantern with full of color. Hoi An people highly pride on their lantern. It is very simple and easy to do only with hard-work .
Flowers of Vietnam - Flowers play an important part of people’s lives. There are many beautiful varieties such as :
The Dalat gardens exhibit a large collection of the precious and rare orchids of Vietnam. Approximately 2,500 species are found in Vietnam. Phong Lan Orchid (roots of the phong lan orchids cling firmly to any surface, and their branches hang down. Their petals are thin and their colour is lasting and durable) and Dia lan Orchid (roots of the dia lan orchid attach to holes or cliffs on mountains).
- Lotus - Lotus is a soft plant living mainly in water. This pink or white flower belongs to a species of plant called hollyhock. Another species of lotus with a very small trunk, leaves, and flowers is named little lotus. It can be planted in a vase of water or in an ornamental pond.
- Peach Blossom (Hoa Dao) - Peach trees grow in the north. As a custom, people like to display peach blossoms during the Lunar New Year Festival; they believe that red peach flowers will bring luck and happiness to their families. Peach flower petals can be very useful; petals are dry and ground into flour and used by people to refresh their skin. In the south, Nhat Tan peach baskets are offered during the Lunar New Year Festival.
- Water Lily (Hoa Sung) - Water lilies, which often grow wild in ponds and lakes, are classified into two species: lotus water lilies, planted in lakes around pagodas and imperial palaces; and wild water lilies, found in ponds, with a white or violet flower. In the south, the stem of lotus water lily is used in meals. Additionally, its root is used to make a tonic for kidney disease called khiem thuc.
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