Vietnam is a country on the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia. It shares its land borders with China to the north, and Laos and Cambodia to the west. Vietnam has maritime borders with Thailand through the Gulf of Thailand, and the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia, through the South China Sea. It's capital is Hanoi and its largest city is Ho Chi Minh City, often called Saigon- its former name.
During the Paleolithic age, Vietnam was inhabited with states established in the first millennium BC on the Red Delta River - modern day, northern Vietnam. Under Chinese rule, The Han annexed Northern and Central Vietnam from 111 BC until the first dynasty emerged in 939. Many monarchical dynasties with Chinese influence were players in Vietnam's journey. Some of these include: Confucianism and Buddhism. The Nguyen, the last dynasty was conquered by France in 1883.
In the 20th century, Vietnam endured prolonged warfare. France returned to reclaim colonial power after the Ho Chi Minh's August of 1945 Revolution had cemented its power in the country. The French lost and a treatise was signed between the two countries.The last major conflict in Vietnam was in the 1950s through to the 1970s between North Vietnam -supported by the Soviet Union (Russia) and China, and South Vietnam supported by The United States and other anti-communist allies. This conflict lasted for 20 years with the US ending their involvement in 1973.
Today Vietnam is a developing country with a unitary Marxist -Leninist one party republic. It has a general secretary, a president, prime minister, and a national assembly chairman. Its official language is Vietnamese with 85.32% of the population being Kinh Vietnamese and 14.68 % as others. More than 86% of Vietnamese identify as having no religion, while 6.01% are Catholics, 4.7% Buddhism, 1.02% Hoahaoism, 1% Protestantism, 0.58% Caodaism, 0.07% Islam, and 0.12% others.
Vietnam is a major exporter of agricultural products. It the world's largest producer of cashew nuts, the largest producer of black pepper, and the second largest exporter of rice, after Thailand. The Vietnamese are also the second largest exporter of coffee. Other primary exports include: tea, rubber, and fishery products. Its current GDP stands at 1.434 trillion USD.
During the Paleolithic age, Vietnam was inhabited with states established in the first millennium BC on the Red Delta River - modern day, northern Vietnam. Under Chinese rule, The Han annexed Northern and Central Vietnam from 111 BC until the first dynasty emerged in 939. Many monarchical dynasties with Chinese influence were players in Vietnam's journey. Some of these include: Confucianism and Buddhism. The Nguyen, the last dynasty was conquered by France in 1883.
In the 20th century, Vietnam endured prolonged warfare. France returned to reclaim colonial power after the Ho Chi Minh's August of 1945 Revolution had cemented its power in the country. The French lost and a treatise was signed between the two countries.The last major conflict in Vietnam was in the 1950s through to the 1970s between North Vietnam -supported by the Soviet Union (Russia) and China, and South Vietnam supported by The United States and other anti-communist allies. This conflict lasted for 20 years with the US ending their involvement in 1973.
Today Vietnam is a developing country with a unitary Marxist -Leninist one party republic. It has a general secretary, a president, prime minister, and a national assembly chairman. Its official language is Vietnamese with 85.32% of the population being Kinh Vietnamese and 14.68 % as others. More than 86% of Vietnamese identify as having no religion, while 6.01% are Catholics, 4.7% Buddhism, 1.02% Hoahaoism, 1% Protestantism, 0.58% Caodaism, 0.07% Islam, and 0.12% others.
Vietnam is a major exporter of agricultural products. It the world's largest producer of cashew nuts, the largest producer of black pepper, and the second largest exporter of rice, after Thailand. The Vietnamese are also the second largest exporter of coffee. Other primary exports include: tea, rubber, and fishery products. Its current GDP stands at 1.434 trillion USD.