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Vietnam

Vietnam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a country in Southeast Asia Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion [i] of Asia [i], consisting of the countries th ... 

. Situated in eastern Indochina Indochina

Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula [i], is a region [i] in Southeast Asia [i]. ... 

bordering China China

China is a cultural region [i] and ancient civilization [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

, Laos Laos

Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic [i], is a landlocked [i] socialist republic [i] ... 

, Cambodia Cambodia

The Kingdom of Cambodia is a country in Southeast Asia [i] with a population of more than 13 million. ... 

, as well as the South China Sea South China Sea

The South China Sea is a marginal sea [i] south of China [i]. ... 

it is the most populous country among the mainland Southeast Asia Indochina

Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula [i], is a region [i] in Southeast Asia [i]. ... 

n countries. The name of the country comes from the Vietnamese Vi?t Nam, which is in turn a reordering of Nam Vi?tthe name of an ancient kingdom from the ancestral Vietnamese that covered much of today's northern Vietnam and southern China Northern and southern China

Alternative meaning: In geology [i], North China [i] and South China [i] were two ancient landmasses that co ... 

. Its Chinese Chinese language

Chinese is a language [i] that forms part of the Sino-Tibetan family [i] of lan ... 

 cognate, Yue/Yuet, was also a name for ethnic groups living in the proximity of southern China during ancient times Ancient history

Ancient history is the study of significant cultural and political events from the beginning of human hi... 

.

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Timeline

40   The Vietnamese Vietnam

Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a country in Southeast Asia [i]. ... 

 Trung sisters Trung Sisters

The Trung Sisters, known in Vietnamese [i] as Hai B Trung, are two 1st century [i] ... 

 rebel against the rule of the Chinese China

China is a cultural region [i] and ancient civilization [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

 Emperor Guangwu of Han Emperor Guangwu of Han

Emperor Guangwu, born Liu Xiu, was an emperor [i] of the Chinese Han Dynasty [i], ... 

43   The warrior Trung Sisters Trung Sisters

The Trung Sisters, known in Vietnamese [i] as Hai B Trung, are two 1st century [i] ... 

 commit suicide after their resistance is defeated at Nam Viet in Vietnam.

192   The kingdom of Champa Champa

The kingdom of Champa controlled what is now south and central Vietnam [i] from approximately 7th century [i] ... 

 begins to control south and central Vietnam (approximate date).

939   Vietnam, under the name Dai Co Viet Vietnam

Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a country in Southeast Asia [i]. ... 

, became independent from China China

China is a cultural region [i] and ancient civilization [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

.

1009   The Ly dynasty, Vietnam's first independent dynasty, is proclaimed.

1010   The Ly Dynasty in Vietnam is established (or 1009).

1070   The Temple of Literature Van Mi?u

... 

 established in the capital of Vietnam.

1174   Vietnam is given the official name of Annam by China China

China is a cultural region [i] and ancient civilization [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

.

1175   Ly Cao Ton becomes ruler of Vietnam

1285   Tran Hung Dao Tr?n Hung Đ?o

... 

 leads Vietnamese forces in victory over an invading Yuan dynasty Yuan Dynasty

The Yuan Dynasty lasting officially from 1271 [i] to 1368 [i], followed the Song Dynasty [i] ... 

 Mongol Mongol Empire

The Mongol Empire was the largest contiguous [i] empire [i] in world history [i], c ... 

 army.

   More Events >>



Encyclopedia

Vietnam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a country in Southeast Asia Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion [i] of Asia [i], consisting of the countries th ... 

. Situated in eastern Indochina Indochina

Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula [i], is a region [i] in Southeast Asia [i]. ... 

—bordering China China

China is a cultural region [i] and ancient civilization [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

, Laos Laos

Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic [i], is a landlocked [i] socialist republic [i] ... 

, Cambodia Cambodia

The Kingdom of Cambodia is a country in Southeast Asia [i] with a population of more than 13 million. ... 

, as well as the South China Sea South China Sea

The South China Sea is a marginal sea [i] south of China [i]. ... 

—it is the most populous country among the mainland Southeast Asia Indochina

Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula [i], is a region [i] in Southeast Asia [i]. ... 

n countries.

The name of the country comes from the Vietnamese Vi?t Nam, which is in turn a reordering of Nam Vi?t—the name of an ancient kingdom from the ancestral Vietnamese that covered much of today's northern Vietnam and southern China Northern and southern China

Alternative meaning: In geology [i], North China [i] and South China [i] were two ancient landmasses that co ... 

. Its Chinese Chinese language

Chinese is a language [i] that forms part of the Sino-Tibetan family [i] of lan ... 

 cognate, Yue/Yuet, was also a name for ethnic groups living in the proximity of southern China during ancient times Ancient history

Ancient history is the study of significant cultural and political events from the beginning of human hi... 

.

History


Foundation legend


The famous Vietnamese legend tells that the Vietnamese people of various tribes were born outside the womb following the marriage of L?c Long Quân and Âu Co . However, most Vietnamese historians consider the Dong Son civilization that covered much of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion [i] of Asia [i], consisting of the countries th ... 

 to be the beginning of Vietnam's history. In 208 BC, a Qin general named Tri?u Đà  established a country called Nam Vi?t which encompassed Southern China and the Red River Delta. The historical significance of the original Nam Vi?t remains controversial because some historians consider it a Chinese occupation while some believe it was an independent era.

The Kingdom of Đ?i Vi?t


What is known for sure is that, for most of the period from 111 BC to the early 10th century 10th century

As a means of recording the passage of time [i], the 10th century was that century [i] which lasted from ... 

, it was under the rule of successive Chinese Dynasties History of China

The history of China is detailed by historical records dating as far back as 16th century BC [i]. ... 

. Sporadic independence movements were attempted, but were quickly extinguished by Chinese forces. In 939, the Vietnamese defeated Chinese forces at the B?ch Đ?ng River and gained independence. They gained complete autonomy a century later. During the rule of the Tr?n Dynasty, it defeated three Mongol Mongols

Mongols are an ethnic group [i] that originated in what is now Mongolia [i], Russia [i], and China [i] ... 

 attempts of invasion by the Yuan Dynasty Yuan Dynasty

The Yuan Dynasty lasting officially from 1271 [i] to 1368 [i], followed the Song Dynasty [i] ... 

. Feudalism Feudalism

Feudalism refers to a general set of reciprocal legal [i] and military [i] obligations among the war ... 

 in Vietnam reached its zenith in the Lê Dynasty Lê Dynasty

... 

 of the 15th century 15th century

As a means of recording the passage of time [i], the 15th century was that century [i] which lasted from ... 

, especially during the reign of Emperor Le Thanh Tong Lê Thánh Tông

... 

. Between the 11th 11th century

As a means of recording the passage of time [i], the 11th century was that century [i] which lasted from ... 

 and 18th 18th century

As a means of recording the passage of time [i], the 18th century refers to the century [i] that las ... 

 centuries, the Vietnamese expanded southward in a process known as nam ti?n . They eventually conquered the kingdom of Champa Champa

The kingdom of Champa controlled what is now south and central Vietnam [i] from approximately 7th century [i] ... 

 and much of the Khmer empire Khmer Empire

The Khmer empire was a powerful kingdom based in what is now Cambodia [i]. ... 

. The independent period ended in the mid-19th century 19th century

The 19th century lasted from 1801 [i] through 1900 [i] in the Gregorian calendar [i].
... 

, when the country was colonized Colony

In politics [i] and in history [i], a colony is a territory [i] under the immediate political control of ... 

 by France France

France, officially the French Republic, is a country [i] whose metropolitan territory [i] ... 

.

French colonial rule and division


The French maintained dominant control of their colony until World War II World War II

World War II, or the Second World War, was a worldwide [i] conflict [i] fought betwe ... 

, when Japanese Japan

is an island country [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

 forces invaded and occupied Vietnam, using the country as a base to launch attacks against Southeast Asia and India India

India , officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia [i]. ... 

. After the war France attempted to reestablish its colony, however a communist insurgency that had arisen during Japanese occupation forced the French into the First Indochina War First Indochina War

The First Indochina War was fought in Indochina [i] between 1946 and 1954 between the imperial forces of ... 

 that lasted until 1954. The French suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu Battle of Dien Bien Phu

The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the final battle in the First Indochina War [i] between the military fo ... 

 and shortly afterwards withdrew from the country. The world community divided the country at the 17th parallel into North Vietnam North Vietnam

The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , or less commonly, Vietnamese Democratic Republic , also known as ... 

 and South Vietnam South Vietnam

South Vietnam is the commonly used name for the former Vietnam [i]ese country that existed from 1954 [i] ... 

 during the Geneva Accords. This division was meant to be temporary, pending democratic elections and reunification.

This did not turn out to be the case. North and South Vietnam both formed geopolitical alliances, the North aligning itself with Communist Communism

Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a future classless [i], stateless [i] ... 

 China People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China , is a country [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

 and the Soviet Union Soviet Union

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , more commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a Communist state [i] ... 

 and the South with the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

. The Northern government sought implementation of the Geneva Accords, including reunification following an election that would likely lead to a victory for the Communists, while the government of the South sought to make the division of the country permanent, and was supported in this by the United States, which saw the "nation of South Vietnam" as a bulwark against the spread of "international communism" in the region.

The Vietnam War and reunification


Beginning with supplying military observers during the years 1962 and 1963 it was not until 1964 with the Gulf of Tonkin incident Gulf of Tonkin Incident

The Gulf of Tonkin Incident was an alleged pair of attacks -- the second of which did not occur -- by North Vietnamese [i]... 

 that America ceased its advisory role to the South Vietnamese government and upon direct order of President Lyndon B Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States [i] ... 

 moved to targeting s such as naval dockyards and military airfields. Following the Tet offensive T?t Offensive

The T?t Offensive was a series of operational [i] offensives during the Vietnam War [i] ... 

 in 1968, the United States eventually committed some three million troops in an attempt to defeat the communist insurgency in the South. However with military support from the communist North, as well as material, intelligence and logistical support from China and the Soviet Union, the communists involved the U.S. in a costly war Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam [i] and its al ... 

. Graphic televised reporting by the US news media News media

The news media refers to the section of the mass media [i] that focuses on presenting current news [i] t... 

 played no small role in influencing the American public to hold demonstrations demanding US withdrawal from the war. Beginning in 1970 US combat roles were turned over to the South Vietnamese military under a program known as Vietnamization. The effort had mixed results. The Paris Peace Accords Paris Peace Accords

The Paris Peace Accords were signed in 1973 [i] by the governments of North Vietnam [i], South Vietnam [i] ... 

 on January 27, 1973 formally recognized the sovereignty of both sides. Under the terms of the Accords all American combat troops were withdrawn by March 29, 1973. Limited fighting continued, but all major fighting ended until the North once again invaded and took the South on April 30, 1975. The country was reunified under communist rule as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

After the reunification, political and economic conditions remained difficult. Millions of South Vietnamese fled the communist government Communist state

A Communist state is a state which declares its allegiance to the principles of Marxism-Leninism [i]. ... 

 and became boat people Boat people

It is also a widely used form of migration [i] or escape for people migrating from Cuba [i], Haiti [i], Morocco [i] ... 

 over the next two decades. In late 1978 the Vietnamese army removed their former allies, the Khmer Rouge Khmer Rouge

The Khmer Rouge was the extremist-Communist [i] organization that ruled Cambodia [i] from 1975 [i] to 1979 [i] ... 

 from power in Cambodia Cambodia

The Kingdom of Cambodia is a country in Southeast Asia [i] with a population of more than 13 million. ... 

. Only one month later, however, partially in retaliation, China launched a short-lived incursion into Vietnam, which became known as the Sino-Vietnamese War Sino-Vietnamese War

The Sino-Vietnamese War or Third Indochina War [i] was a war [i] fought in 1979 [i] ... 

. Both sides claimed to have been victorious in the brief conflict.

In 1986, the Communist Party of Vietnam Communist Party of Vietnam

The Communist Party of Vietnam is the currently ruling, as well as the only legal political party [i] in ... 

 implemented economic Economics

In the social science [i]s, economics is the study of the production [i], ... 

 reforms known as Đ?i M?i . During much of the 1990s 1990s

The 1990s [i] decade [i] refers to the years from 1990 [i] to 1999 [i], inclusive, sometimes informally ... 

, economic growth Economic growth

Economic growth is the increase in value of the goods and services produced by an economy [i]. ... 

 was rapid, and Vietnam reintegrated into the international community International community

The term "international community" is a phrase that can refer to either:
... 

. It re-established diplomatic relations Diplomacy


Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiation [i]s between representatives of groups or ... 

 with the United States in 1995, one year after the United States' trade embargo on Vietnam was repealed.

Politics

Vietnam is a single-party socialist republic.
A new state constitution was approved in April 1992, reaffirming the central role of the Communist Party of Vietnam Communist Party of Vietnam

The Communist Party of Vietnam is the currently ruling, as well as the only legal political party [i] in ... 

 in politics and society, and outlining government reorganization and increased market reforms in the economy. Though Vietnam remains a one-party state Single-party state

A single-party state or one-party system or single-party system is a type of [[party system]... 

, adherence to ideological orthodoxy has become less important than economic development as a national priority.

Foreign relations and military


Military

The Vietnam People's Army Vietnam People's Army

The Vietnam People's Army is official name for the armed forces [i] of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam [i] ... 

  is the official name for the armed forces of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. During the Second Indochinese War Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam [i] and its al ... 

  , the U.S. incorrectly referred to it as the North Vietnamese Army Vietnam People's Army

The Vietnam People's Army is official name for the armed forces [i] of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam [i] ... 

 , or People's Army of Vietnam Vietnam People's Army

The Vietnam People's Army is official name for the armed forces [i] of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam [i] ... 

  and this term is commonly found throughout Vietnam War Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam [i] and its al ... 

-related subjects. The VPA now includes the: Vietnam People's Ground Forces , Vietnam People's Navy Vietnam People's Navy

The Vietnam People's Navy is part of the Vietnam People's Armed Forces [i] and is responsible for the pr ... 

 , Vietnam People's Air Force Vietnam People's Air Force

Vietnamese [i] Air force [i] - Khong Quan Nhan Dan Viet Nam ... 

, and Coast Guard Coast guard

A coast guard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea.... 

. The VPA maintains the second largest military in terms of numerical manpower.

Foreign relations

While Vietnam has remained relatively conflict-free since its Cambodia days, tensions have arisen in the past between Vietnam and its neighbors ]]. Vietnam and China each assert claims to the Spratly Islands Spratly Islands

The Spratly Islands are a disputed group of approximately 100 reefs [i] and islets [i] in the South China Sea [i] ... 

, an archipelago in a potentially oil-rich area of the South China Sea South China Sea

The South China Sea is a marginal sea [i] south of China [i]. ... 

. The territory border between the two countries is being definitively mapped pursuant to a Land Border Agreement signed December 1999, and an Agreement on Borders in the Gulf of Tonkin signed December 2000. Vietnam and Russia Russia

Russia , also the Russian Federation , is a country [i] that stretches over a vast expanse of Eurasia [i] ... 

 declared a strategic partnership March 2001 during the first visit ever to Hanoi of a Russian head of state Head of State

Head of State or Chief of State is the generic term for the individual or collective office that s... 

, largely as an attempt to counterbalance the P.R.C.'s growing profile in Southeast Asia. Vietnam has been also building close economic ties with Japan Japan

is an island country [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

 '.

Administrative divisions




Vietnam is divided into 64 provinces , and subdivided into a number of district District

Local government [i] areas called districts are used, or have been used, in several countries.... 

s. Ho Chi Minh City was formerly known as Saigon, and is still often referred to as such. Vietnam's capital is Hanoi Hanoi

Hanoi , estimated population 3,083,800 , is the capital [i] of Vietnam [i]. ... 

.

Geography


The country is approximately 331,688 square km  in area, which is slightly smaller than Germany Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country [i] in central Europe [i]. ... 

. The topography consists of hills and densely forested mountains, with level land covering no more than 20 percent. Mountains account for 40 percent, hills 40 percent and forests 42 percent. The northern part of the country consists mostly of highlands and the Red River Delta. Phan Xi Pang, located in Lào Cai province Lao Cai Province

Lao Cai is a province [i] of Vietnam [i]. ... 

, is the highest mountain in Vietnam at 3,143 m . The south is divided into coastal lowlands, Annamite Chain  with high plateaus Plateau

[i]
[i]
[i]
... 

, and the Mekong River Mekong

The Mekong is one of the world's major river [i]s. ... 

 Delta.

The climate is tropical Tropics

The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth [i] centered on the equator [i] and limited in latitude [i] ... 

 and monsoon Monsoon

A monsoon is a wind pattern that reverses direction with the seasons.... 

al; humidity Humidity

Humidity is the amount of water in the air [i].... 

 averages 84 percent throughout the year. Annual rainfall ranges from 120 to 300 cm , and annual temperatures vary between 5°C Celsius

The Celsius scale is a temperature [i] scale named after the Swedish [i] astronomer Anders Celsius [i] ... 

  and 37°C .

Land boundaries: Total: 4,639 km

Border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km , China 1,281 km , Laos 2,130 km

Economy


In 1986, the Sixth Party Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam Communist Party of Vietnam

The Communist Party of Vietnam is the currently ruling, as well as the only legal political party [i] in ... 

 formally abandoned its centralized planned economy and began introducing market elements as part of a broad economic reform package called "d?i m?i" .

In many ways, this followed the Chinese model and achieved similar results. On one hand, Vietnam achieved around 8% annual GDP Gross domestic product

A region's gross domestic product, or GDP, is one of the several measures [i] ... 

 growth from 1990 to 1997 and continued at around 7% from 2000 to 2002, making it the world's second-fastest growing economy. Simultaneously, investment grew three-fold and domestic savings quintupled.

On the other hand, urban unemployment Unemployment

In economics [i], a person willing to work at a prevailing wage rate yet is unable to find a paying job [i]... 

 has been rising steadily in recent years due to high numbers of migration from the countryside to the cities, and rural unemployment, estimated to be up to 35% during non-harvest periods, is already at critical levels. Layoffs in the state sector and foreign-invested enterprises combined with the lasting effects of a previous military Military

A military or military force has seen many different incarnations throughout time.... 

 demobilization further exacerbated the unemployment situation. The country aims to become a member of the WTO World Trade Organization

The World Trade Organization is an international [i], multilateral [i] organization, which sets the rul ... 

, perhaps as soon as October 2006. In May 2006, Vietnam negotiated a bilateral trade agreement with the US that marked the completion of the bilateral negotiations with WTO members the country needed to qualify for accession to the organization. Among other steps taken in the process of transitioning to a market economy, Vietnam in July 2006 updated its intellectual property Intellectual property

In law [i], intellectual property is an umbrella term [i] for various legal entitlement [i]s which atta ... 

 legislation to comply with TRIPS.

Vietnam is still a relatively poor country with GDP of US$251.8 billion . This translates to ~US$3000 per capita. Inflation rate is estimated at 14% per year in 2004. This figure has been scaled down by the Government to 9.5% per annum to avoid the ‘double digit’ classification.

The spending power of the public has noticeably increased. The reason lies in the high prices for property. In Hanoi Hanoi

Hanoi , estimated population 3,083,800 , is the capital [i] of Vietnam [i]. ... 

, the capital, property prices can be as high as those in Tokyo Tokyo

listen is one of the 47 prefectures [i] of Japan [i] and is the location of its capital [i] ... 

 or New York City New York City

[i] in the [[United States]... 

. This has amazed many people because the average income per capita of this city is around US$1,000 per annum. The booming prices have given poor land owners the opportunity to sell their homes for inflated prices.

Tourism has become an increasingly important industry in Vietnam. There are over 3 to 3.5 million annual visitors.

Demographics


According to official figures from the 1999 census, of Vietnam's then population of 76.3m, the largest of 54 government recognized ethnic groups of Vietnam were:

  1. Viet/Kinh: 65.8 million
  2. Tay: 1.48 million
  3. Thái: 1.33 million
  4. Mu?ng: 1.14 million
  5. Khmer Khmer Krom

    Khmer Krom... 

    : 1.06 million
  6. Hoa Hoa

    The Hoa are an overseas Chinese [i] minority [i] in Vietnam [i]. ... 

    : 0.862 million
  7. Nung: 0.856 million
  8. Hmong Hmong people

    The terms Hmong and Mong [m?~?] both refer to an Asian ethnic group whose homeland is in the moun... 

    : 0.787 million
  9. Cham Cham people

    The Cham people are descendants of the kingdom of Champa [i]. ... 

    : 0.250 million



The majority ethnic Vietnamese, also called Viet or Kinh, make up about 86 percent of the nation's population. They are concentrated largely in the alluvial deltas Alluvial fan

An alluvial fan is a fan-shaped deposit formed where a fast flowing stream flattens, slows, and spreads ... 

 and in the coastal plains. A homogenous social group, the Viets exert influence on national life through their control of political and economic affairs and their role as purveyors of the dominant culture. By contrast, the ethnic minorities, except for the Kho-me Crôm Khmer Krom

Khmer Krom... 

 and the Hoa Hoa

The Hoa are an overseas Chinese [i] minority [i] in Vietnam [i]. ... 

 , are found mostly in the highlands that cover two-thirds of the national territory.

The Mu?ng live in the mountains of north central Vietnam and speak a Mon-Khmer language closely
related to the Vietnamese language.

The Tày people live primarily in the mountains and foothills of northern Vietnam. Their language is a member of the Tai languages, belonging to the Central Tai subgroup and closely related to the Zhuang language Zhuang language

The Zhuang language is used by the Zhuang [i] people in the People's Republic of China [i]. ... 

 of southern China.

The Kho-me Crôm live in the fertile delta Mekong Delta

The Mekong Deltais the region in Southeast Vietnam where the Mekong River [i] approaches and empties int ... 

 of the Mekong River Mekong

The Mekong is one of the world's major river [i]s. ... 

 in southern Vietnam and are ethnically the same as the Khmer people Khmer people

The Khmer people are the predominant ethnic group [i] in Cambodia [i], accounting for approximately 90% ... 

 who make up the majority of the population of Cambodia Cambodia

The Kingdom of Cambodia is a country in Southeast Asia [i] with a population of more than 13 million. ... 

.

The Hoa are mainly lowlanders and, more specifically, urban dwellers. They speak predominantly Cantonese Cantonese (linguistics)

Cantonese is one of the major dialect [i] groups or language [i]s of the Chinese language [i] ... 

 , but there are also speakers of Hakka Hakka

The Hakka are Han Chinese [i] people whose ancestors are said to have originated in the Henan [i] and Shanxi [i] ... 

 , Min Nan/Hokkien/Fujian Fujian

Fujian is one of the provinces [i] on the southeast coast of China [i]. ... 

 , Chaozhou , etc. Until the 1979 Vietnamese census, the Hoa were the largest minority of Vietnam. However, since the North Vietnamese took over South Vietnam in 1975 many Hoa left Vietnam, especially in the 1980s, so that at the 1999 census the Hoa were only the fifth largest minority .

Beyond these five largest ethnic minorities, there are 48 other minorities officially recognized by the Vietnamese government, giving a total of 53 minorities altogether. Many of these 53 minority groups only have a few thousand members or so. Vietnam also has a small number of Eurasian from the French colonization and Amerasian of American soldiers and personnel. Furthermore, there are also a few of those descended from India India

India , officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia [i]. ... 

n settlers also during the colonial era. The biracial people, the products of Vietnam War, faced discrimination very much in Vietnam [often referred to as "Children of the Dust"; many have been migrated to the United States where, due to a lack of education in Vietnam due to discrimination because of their racial mix, assume low paying occupations and live at the subsistence level in the United States; most were migrated as adults and not as children].

Officially, the ethnic minorities are referred to as "national minorities". The French used the name Montagnard  to refer to all the minorities , no matter what their actual language. The name Montagnard is still sometimes used today. Sometimes, the name Montagnard is used specifically for the Central Vietnam minorities.

See Vi?t Ki?u for a discussion of the Vietnamese diaspora.

Religion



According to the 1999 Socialist Republic of Vietnam's census Census

A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population [i] . ... 

 numbers, 80.8% of Vietnamese subscribe to no religion. But according to the majority of other sources Demographics of Vietnam

Originating in what is now southern China [i] and northern Vietnam [i], the Vietnamese people [i] pushed south ... 

, Vietnamese people are predominantly Confucian Confucianism

Confucianism is a Chinese [i] ethical [i] and philosophical system [i] original ... 

 and Mahayana Buddhist Mahayana

Mahayana is one of the major branches of Buddhism [i]. ... 

 , with a sizeable Roman Catholic Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church is the Christian [i] Church [i] ... 

 following and Protestant, Cao Đài Cao Dai

Cao Dai is a relatively new, syncretist [i], monotheistic [i] religion [i], officially establ... 

, and Hoa Hao minorities. The largest Protestant churches are the Evangelical Church of Vietnam and the Montagnard Evangelical Church. Membership of Sunni and Bashi Islam Islam

Islam is a monotheistic [i] religion [i] based upon the Qur'an [i], which adherents believe w ... 

 is usually accredited to the ethnic Cham Cham people

The Cham people are descendants of the kingdom of Champa [i]. ... 

 minority, but there are also a few ethnic Vietnamese adherents of Islam in the southwest.

According to the 1999 census, 80.8% had no religion, 9.3% were Buddhist Buddhism

Buddhism is a dharmic [i], non-theistic [i] religion [i], a way of life, a p ... 

, 6.7% were Catholic, 1.5% were Hoa Hao, and 1.1% were Cao Dai Cao Dai

Cao Dai is a relatively new, syncretist [i], monotheistic [i] religion [i], officially establ... 

.

The Vietnamese government has had a history of violence toward local religious leaders regarding freedom of worship Freedom of religion

Freedom of religion and belief is considered by many to be a fundamental human right [i]. ... 

. It has consistently repressed religious sects that are not sanctioned by the state. These religious groups include Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, Hoa Hao Buddhist Church, and Montagnard protestant churches such as Mennonite, according to a 2003 European Parliament European Parliament

The European Parliament is the parliament [i]ary body of the European Union [i] , directly elected by EU citizen [i]... 

 resolution. Most notably, the Most Venerable Thich Huyen Quang, 86, of the UBCV has been imprisoned for more than 25 years after he had written a letter of protest to Prime Minister Pham Van Dong.

Vietnamese government violations against religious minorities in 2005 include detainee interrogation, abuse, harassment, and s according to the Center for Religious Freedom.

Languages

According to official figures, 86.2% of the population speak Vietnamese Vietnamese language

Vietnamese , formerly known under the French colonization as Annamese , is the national [i] ... 

 as a native language.

Various other languages are spoken by the several minority groups in Vietnam. The most spoken of these languages are: Tày , Mu?ng , Khmer Khmer language

Khmer , the language of the Khmer people [i] of Cambodia [i], is one of the main Austroasiatic languages [i] ... 

 , Chinese Chinese language

Chinese is a language [i] that forms part of the Sino-Tibetan family [i] of lan ... 

 , Nùng , H'Mông , and Tai Dam .

French, a legacy of colonial rule Colonialism

See colony [i] and colonisation [i] for examples of colonialism which do not refer to Western colonialism. ... 

, is still spoken by some older Vietnamese as a second language but is losing its popularity. Russian Russian language

Russian is the most widely spoken language of Eurasia [i] and the most widespread of the Slavic languages [i] ... 

 — and to a much lesser extent Czech Czech language

Czech is one of the West Slavic languages [i], along with Slovak [i], Polish [i] ... 

 or Polish — is often known among those whose families had ties with the Soviet bloc Eastern bloc

During the Cold War [i], the term Eastern Bloc was used to refer to the Soviet Union [i] and its allies ... 

. In recent years, Chinese Chinese language

Chinese is a language [i] that forms part of the Sino-Tibetan family [i] of lan ... 

, Japanese Japanese language

Japanese is a language spoken by over 127 million people, mainly in Japan [i], but also by Japanese emi ... 

 and English English language

English is a widely distributed language that originated in England [i] but is now the primary language ... 

 have become the most popular s, and English is an obligatory course in most schools.

Culture


In its early history, Vietnamese writing used Chinese characters Chinese character

A Chinese character is a logogram [i] used in writing Chinese [i], Japanese [i] ... 

. In the 13th century 13th century

As a means of recording the passage of time [i], the 13th century was that century [i] which lasted from ... 

, the Vietnamese developed their own set of characters called Ch? nôm Ch? Nôm

... 

. The celebrated epic Đo?n tru?ng tân thanh The Tale of Kieu

The Tale of Ki?u is an epic poem [i] in Vietnamese [i] written by the 18th century [i]... 

by Nguy?n Du was written in Ch? nôm. During the French colonial period, Qu?c ng? Vietnamese alphabet

The Vietnamese alphabet, called ch? qu?c ng?, usually shortened to qu?c ng?, is the ... 

, the romanised Vietnamese alphabet representation of spoken Vietnamese which was a collective fruit of several Portuguese missionaries, became popular and brought literacy to the masses.

Due to Vietnam's long association with China China

China is a cultural region [i] and ancient civilization [i] in East Asia [i]. ... 

, Vietnamese culture remains strongly Confucian Confucianism

Confucianism is a Chinese [i] ethical [i] and philosophical system [i] original ... 

 with its emphasis on familial duty. Education is highly valued. Historically, passing the imperial Mandarin exams was the only means for Vietnamese people to socially advance themselves.

The traditional uniform called "Áo Dài Áo dài

... 

" is worn in special occasions such as weddings or Lunar New Year celebration or festivals. Áo Dài was once worn by both genders but is worn mainly by female today, becoming a pride of Vietnamese people. Another popular traditional Vietnamese costume is the "Áo T? Thân"  and "Áo Bà Ba" .

Names often follow the form: Family Name – Middle Name – Given Name . Children take the family name of their father.

Vietnamese cuisine Cuisine of Vietnam

Vietnamese cuisine is known for its common use of fish sauce [i], soy sauce [i] and hoisin sauce [i]. ... 

 is very healthy and flavorful, using very little oil and many kinds of vegetable. The main dishes are often based on rice Rice

Rice refers to two species of grass [i], native to tropical and subtropical southern & southeas ... 

, soy sauce Soy sauce

Soy sauce or soya sauce is a fermented [i] sauce [i] made from soybean [i]s , roast ... 

, and fish sauce Fish sauce

Fish sauce is a condiment [i] derived from fish that have been allowed to ferment [i]. ... 

. Its characteristic flavors are sweetness , spiciness Capsaicin

The chemical compound [i] capsaicin is the active component of chili pepper [i]s, which are plants [i] ... 

 , sour , and umami , and it is flavored by a variety of mint and basil Basil

Basil of the Family [i] Lamiaceae [i] is also known as
... 

.

Music is slightly different according to three regions: B?c or North, Trung or Central, and Nam or South. Northern classical music is Vietnam's oldest and is traditionally more formal. Vietnamese classical music can be traced to the Mongol invasions, when the Vietnamese captured a Chinese opera Opera

Opera is a dramatic [i] art [i] form, originating in Italy [i], in which the emotional content or... 

 troupe. Central classical music shows the influences of Champa culture with its melancholic melodies. Southern music exudes a lively laissez-faire attitude.

See also

  • Communications in Vietnam
  • Holidays in Vietnam
  • List of Vietnam-related topics
  • List of Vietnamese companies
  • Transportation in Vietnam
  • Vietnam War Vietnam War

    The Vietnam War was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam [i] and its al ... 

  • Clear Path International Clear Path International

    Clear Path International is a non-profit organization based in the United States.... 

    : War Victim Assistance
  • Flag of South Vietnam Flag of the Republic of Vietnam

    The flag of former South Vietnam was designed by Emperor B?o ?i [i] in 1948 [i], and was the fla ... 

  • Human rights in Vietnam
  • Vi?t Ki?u: Overseas Vietnamese

References


External links


Government

  • : The Vietnamese legislative body Legislature

    A legislature is a type of representative deliberative assembly [i] with the power to adopt law [i]s. ... 



Media

  • : Live VTV1, VTV2, VTV3, VTC, HTV7, HTV9, Hanoi Television, Ho Chi Minh City Television...
  • : State radio broadcaster
  • : State television broadcaster
  • : Official state news agency
  • : daily newspaper Newspaper

    A newspaper is a publication [i] containing news and information and advertising, usually printed on low ... 

     with highest circulation
  • : Largest Vietnamese portal
  • : Popular online newspaper
  • : Official Communist Party newspaper
  • : The most popular weblog on journalism

Overviews

  • [https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/vm.html CIA World Factbook - Vietnam]
  • directory category
  • includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports
  • The history, culture & map of Vietnam

Images

  • : More than 20.000 photos of Vietnam


Other

  • : Expat and Travel guide
  • : Review of economic development issues
  • : A debate comparing Vietnam to Thailand
  • : A review of developments in Vietnam since 1988
  • : A report from The Economist 3 August 2006
  • : Answering the most basic questions for you before travelling to Vietnam
  • A fully editable travel guide for Vietnam and Asia

Footnotes