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Location
South-East Asia.
Time
GMT + 7.
Area
329,247 sq km (127,123 sq miles).
Population
83.6 million (UN estimate 2005).
Population Density
253.9 per sq km.
Capital
Hanoi. Population: 3.2 million (official estimate 2005).
Geography
Vietnam shares borders to the north with the People’s Republic of China and to the west with Laos and Cambodia. The South China Sea lies to the east and south. The land is principally agricultural with a central tropical rainforest.
Government
Socialist republic since 1980. Gained independence from France in 1954.
Head of State
President Nguyen Minh Triet since 2006.
Head of Government
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung since 2006.
Recent History
Reforms have resulted in Vietnam having one of the fastest growing economies in the region during the last decade but there has been no parallel development in the country's political environment: Vietnam is still a one-party communist state. The country is ruled by a triumvirate of a president, prime minister and the secretary general of the Communist Party, the latter the most powerful man in the country. The current president and prime minister are both seen as economic reformers and both hail from southern Vietnam. In order to achieve continuing economic progress they will have to propose more privatisation and deregulation and will have to fight Communist Party diehards in the process.
Language
Vietnamese is the official language. English, French, Chinese and occasionally Russian and German are spoken.
Religion
Buddhist majority. There are also Taoist, Confucian, Hoa Hao, Caodaist and Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) minorities.
Electricity
220/110 volts AC, 50Hz; two-pin flat plugs are in use.
Social Conventions
Handshaking and a vocal greeting is normal. Clothing should be kept simple, informal and discreet. Avoid shorts if possible as they are usually only worn by children. Footwear should be removed when entering Buddhist pagodas. Vietnamese people should not be touched on the head.
Photography: There are restrictions at ports, airports and harbours, and in similar areas elsewhere. It is courteous to ask permission first before taking photographs of people.
Photography: There are restrictions at ports, airports and harbours, and in similar areas elsewhere. It is courteous to ask permission first before taking photographs of people.