Vietnam Country
Have you heard of Vietnam? Vietnam is a part of Asia, located to the South of China and next to Cambodia. The most important aspects of Vietnam are its history, the government of Vietnam, geography, the people of Vietnam, economy, and the culture of Vietnam.
History of Vietnam
The history of Vietnam began when it gained independence from China around 940 AD. From that point on Vietnam periodically resisted invasions from China, and sometimes Mongol invasions during the 1200s, while keeping its rule under its own Kings. Until the 19th century, when France tried to colonize its own portion of Asia by coming to Vietnam. The French remained in Vietnam until World War II when Japan pushed them out and occupied it for itself. After the war was finished however, France tried to regain Vietnam but failed. The Geneva Accords split the country into North and South Vietnam, with intentions of a peaceful reuniting of the country later on. Unfortunately, it instead lead to the Vietnam war. During the Vietnam war the Soviet Union and China supported the North, while the United States supported the South. In 1975 the war ended with the North winning. North and South Vietnam became one country named the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, making Hanoi the capital. Vietnam today is still the Socialist Republic.
Flag of Vietnam: The flag has a red base with a yellow five point star in the center. (Picture is from http://www.mapsnworld.com/vietnam/flag-vietnam.html)
Government of Vietnam
According the website cia.gov, the full name of the Vietnam country is the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The president elected in 2006 is Mr. Nguyen Minh Triet. The prime Minister is Mr. Nguyen Tan Dung. Elections of Vietnam are every five years, you need to be eighteen years old to vote.
Geography: (Picture is from http://www.vietnam-travel-guide.net/vietnam-map.html)
According to Murray, Vietnam is a part of Asia, bordering China to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, and the South China Sea to the east and south. According the lcweb2.loc.gov, Vietnam has 330,363 square kilometers. “Vietnam shares land boundaries with Cambodia (1,228 kilometers), China (1,281 kilometers), and Laos (2,130 kilometers). Vietnam’s coastline along the Gulf of Tonkin, the South China Sea, and the Gulf of Thailand measures 3,444 kilometers.” Vietnam has a very beautiful landscape, it consists of a hilly terrain and mountains covered in dense forests in the North, and a low flat delta in the south. It has salt water coasts running along its eastern and southern boundary. It has many rivers running through the country as well. The weather in Vietnam is very different between the north and the south. In the summer of the north from May to November is wet and hot around with the average temperature 80-90 º F, in the winter November to April are cool with the average temperature 40-50 º F. The south is humid and hot. It has two seasons the rainy and dry seasons. The rainy season from May to October has a lot of rain and floods. The dry season from November to April is hot. The south gets about 80 inches of rain a year. The north receives about 60 inches of rain a year.
People of Vietnam
According the website cia.gov, the population of Vietnam is about 90,549,390 (July 2011 est.). Hochiminh City 5.976 million; HANOI (capital) 2.668 million; Haiphong 1.941 million; Danang 807,000 (2009). The religions of Vietnam are Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%, Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census). Vietnamese is the official language of Vietnam, English is the second language, other languages spoken are French, Chinese, and Khmer. According the website lcweb2.loc.gov, Vietnamese 85-90%, and the remainder Chinese, Hmong, Thai, Khmer, Cham, and mountain tribes.
Buddhism in Vietnam, Duong Zen School. Picture is from http://phathoc.net/english/buddhism-in-vietnam/72C61B_thao__duong_zen_schoolthe_zen_pure_land_union_and_modernvietnamese_buddhism.aspx
Economy and international trade
According the en.wikipedia.org, "GDP is $275,639 billion (PPP, 2010 est.) with GDP growth is 6.7% (2010 est.) and GDP per capita is $2,942 (PPP, 2008 est.). GDP by sector agriculture is19.0%, industry: 42.7%, services: 38.4% (2008 est.). Inflation (CPI) is 11.75% (2010)."
"Labor force by occupation Agriculture: 55.6%, industry: 18.9%, services: 25.5% (July 2005). Unemployment is 2.88% (2010)." Main industries are food processing, garments, shoes, machine building, mining, cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, coal, steel, paper.
Main import goods are motor vehicles, machinery and equipment, mineral fuel and lubricant products, fertilizer, steel, products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles. "Main import partners are China 19.9%, Singapore 12.1%, Taiwan 11%, Japan 9.9%, South Korea 8.5%, Thailand 6% (2008)."
Main export goods are rubber, coffee, forest products, footwear, rice, tea, shoes, pepper. "Main export partners are US 20.8%, Japan 12.5%, Australia 7.3%, China 6.9%, Singapore 4.5% (2008)."
Tourism is increasing because it has good transportation and services.
Tourism is increasing because it has good transportation and services.
The culture of Vietnam
Vietnamese New Year
Dinner in New Year. Picture is from http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://farm1.static.flickr.com/49/145464234_262ec74d54.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php%3Fp%3D18013310&usg=__YXXxlE_99_y2b3P7gMhNg-j2_KU=&h=375&w=500&sz=144&hl=en&start=40&zoom=1&tbnid=lqXnT9M9SpfpQM:&tbnh=143&tbnw=201&ei=ABK_TeL8A4X00gHLn4XmBQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dvietnamese%2Bnew%2Byear%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D622%26tbm%3Disch0%2C1026&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=669&vpy=235&dur=242&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=138&ty=118&page=3&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:40&biw=1280&bih=622
Food put on the altar. Picture is from http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.vietculturetravel.com/images/image/cultures/New_year.jpg&imgrefurl=http://vietculturetravel.com/english/group-26/travel-articles.html&usg=__YYhBTOO__YxtrHrpGmLq8AvtBfQ=&h=333&w=500&sz=46&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=09ovB6INmq_FfM:&tbnh=143&tbnw=207&ei=wxK_TejnGbDWiAL0l6En&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dvietnamese%2Bnew%2Byear%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D622%26tbm%3Disch0%2C57&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=1292&page=1&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0&tx=81&ty=51&biw=1280&bih=622
Vietnamese New Year
Vietnamese New Year is the most important Festival of the Vietnamese people. For this holiday, some companies are closed for seven to ten days and all schools are closed for two weeks to three weeks. Everyone has an opportunity to celebrate with their families, friends, and relatives. The New Year’s Day comes between late January or early February, it depends on the Lunar Calendar. First, one week before the New Year, Vietnamese clean their house, buy new clothes and buy something for their house. Second, at the New Year’s Eve, Vietnamese buy apricot blossoms and buy fruits such as: apples, oranges, grape fruit, and mango to put on the altar. They also put things to put on the table such as: candies, cookies, fruit. At midnight, the family gets together to eat a big meal and then they watch fireworks. Next, in the morning of New Year’s Day, all the shops are closed, and the streets are empty. People dress in their new clothes. The older people give children a gift of money in red envelops. Red is a lucky color, so all people want to use it. In the afternoon, people go to visit their friends and relatives. In the evening people will play cards, dance, and sing. They can stay up all night. Finally, one day after the New Year’s Day, people leave their houses and go to travel places with their friends. So the New Year’s Day is a big tradition for Vietnamese people.
The traditional Vietnamese Wedding: Picture is from http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.weddingdiamondring.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/traditional-vietnamese-wedding-gift-1.jpg&imgrefurl=
The traditional Vietnamese wedding, one of the most important ceremonies in Vietnamese culture, consists of three parts: the day before the wedding, the day of the wedding, and the day after the wedding.
First, the day before the wedding, the groom’s parent and the bride’s parent must arrange everything in their houses, and the bride and the groom have a special time with their friends and relatives before they get married. Both families build a frame of leaves in front of their house because houses are small, they need to have large space to entertain friends and relatives who come. Written on a small red board hanging from the top of each frame is the words TAN HON at the grooms house, and VU QUY at the bride’s house. Because they want to let neighbors know their children are getting married. Then, the bride and the groom have a small meal, which consists of spring rolls, some fruit, barbecued beef, and sea soup. After that, they drink a lot of alcohol and play some games with their friends and relatives at their house.
Second, the day of the wedding, which is held at the bride’s house and then a restaurant, is a very exciting day. The groom’s family goes to the bride’s house in the morning. They bring traditional gifts in seven red boxes, wrapped in red paper for the bride’s family. Each red box has jewelry such as a wedding ring, a necklace, earrings, a bracelet, wine, cake, and some fruit. The bride wears traditional clothes, but the groom doesn’t wear tradition clothes. The tradition clothes are Ao Dai meaning long dress. An elaborate headdress adorns her head. The ceremony starts in front of the altar. The grandfather, grandmother and relatives of the bride will sit at the middle of the table, on one side, and the grandfather, grandmother and relatives of the groom will sit at the middle of the table, on the other side. The groom will put the ring on the bride’s finger, earrings in her ears, and a necklace around her neck. The bride also puts a ring on the groom’s finger. Then the groom’s family has a small meal, which consists of spring rolls, mixed vegetables with cuttlefish, seafood hotpot, and some fruit at the bride’s house. After they leave the bride’s house, they have a wedding party at a restaurant with their relatives and friends in the evening. At the restaurant, the bride wears another dress and holds a bouquet of flowers. There they have a cake, and then they cut it. There is usually a band playing music and their relatives or friends can sing and dance at the party. In the middle of the meal, the couple and their parents go around to each table to get well wishes and gifts or money from their relatives and friends. At the end of the wedding, the couple hangs out and waits for the guests to leave. Also, they take some pictures with the guests.
Finally, after the party the couple has a honeymoon and lives together for the rest of time. The bride moves to the groom’s house to live with him for the rest of her life. In the morning after the wedding day, the bride would wake up early and give a cup of coffee or tea to the groom’s parents. Then the groom’s parents introduce their family history and rules, which the bride must obey in the future. This is a custom in Vietnam and it will never disappear. After a few days, the couple goes on a trip to some places for their honeymoon. When they come back to their house, sometimes they will visit the bride’s family.
The traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of the most important ceremonies in Vietnamese culture, because it is an event that happens once in a lifetime. It is very simple, but I think it is very happy for every family in Vietnam when they have a wedding in their house.
Vietnamese food
Spring roll. Picture is from http://www.mylot.com/w/image/1924316.aspx
Pho. Picture is from http://www.mylot.com/w/image/2375586.aspx
Eating and drinking is also one of the special aspects of the Vietnamese people. Drinking alcohol has no age limits. Vietnamese usually eat with spoons and chopsticks. They don’t eat fast food and cheese, but they usually eat rice with meat. Vietnamese like eating spring roll and Pho noodle when they host a party at their houses. Spring roll is made from meat and sea food covered by moistens rice-paper wrappers, and Pho noodle is made from noodle. Vietnamese like sweet food, so they use a lot of sugar when they cook. For drinking, Vietnamese drink a lot of alcohol for special events, such as Weddings, Birthday, and the New Year’s Day. So if you visit a party in my country, you will easy see a lot of people who are intoxicated by alcohol.
Behavior to environment
Vietnamese people do not value natural environment and therefore they often pollute. They throw litter on the roadside, in the parks, and any place they want. There is no fine for littering. So Vietnam country is very polluted.
Relationship with people
Vietnamese like to help each other move houses, build houses or with other chores. When a neighbor is sick, they come to help by going to buy them medicine or take the neighbor to the hospital with their own motorcycles, in the afternoon or evening people go to their neighbor’s house to chat or eat.
Equality and independence
The concepts in my country about equality and independence are not important. People are expecting special favors and treatment in their lives. They can buy presents for their bosses, their teachers as bribery. Moreover, the boss or people of high status like to speak loudly, and sit in comfortable chairs. When you go to eat with your boss in my country, the boss will order the food before you, sit in a comfortable chair at the head of the table. For the concept of independence, teenagers in my country don’t find summer jobs when they are not in school. At home, they do not help their parents with chores or any house work. After they get 18 years old, their parents don’t want their children to leave their houses for living alone. As for me, I think each person is responsible for his or her own life. However, living alone has some bad aspects. For example, if he or she leaves their families after they get 18 years old, they will easily become corrupted and turn to crime, because they don’t have any live experiences. Independence is good or bad depending on the person.
The most important elements are its history, the government of Vietnam, geography, the people of Vietnam, economy, and the culture of Vietnam. Vietnamese people put their families in the firs place, so they always take care of the children too much, which will make children not confident to live alone.
Conferrences
Murray, G. (2008). Culture Smart Vietnam. New york: Kuperard.
Ashwill, M.A., and Diep, T.N. (2005). Vietnam Today. Yarmouth: Intercultural Press.
Wood, L.Sh. (2002). Vietnam: A global studies handbook. California: ABC-CLIO, Inc.
Vietnam and Vietnamese culture. Adopt Vietnam. Retrieved May 02, 2011 from http://www.adoptvietnam.org/vietnamese/vietnamcountry.htm
East and southeast Asia: Vietnam. The Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved May 02, 2011 from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/vm.htmlVietnam.
Vietnam. Wikipedia. Retrieved May 02, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam#Economy_and_international_trade
