Vietnam, officially known as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a country on the Indochina Peninsula, in Southeast Asia. The country ranks at the 13th most populous one in the world, with a total population of 90 million.

Temple of Literature in Hanoi

Interesting Facts/Info About Vietnam

• Vietnam is known all over the world for the  Vietnam War , which was the longest continuous war in recorded history, lasting from 1959 until 1975.
• Many parts of the country  emphasizes on tradition , this is why kids do not go to school hearing bells – instead, they hear traditional gongs.
• Vietnam is very  popular for its exports  – at the time being, it is known as one of the world’s most important providers of crude oil, shoes, rice as well as clothing. In addition to this, Vietnam imports electronics, automobiles, machinery, textiles, leather and various other goods that it usually uses as prime material.
• Vietnam is the  world’s premier exporter of cashew , and the Vietnamese cashew is very popular amongst Western countries – moreover, it is also the world’s second larger exporter of rice.
• There are  six different tones in the Vietnamese language , and speakers can easily change the entire meaning of the word only by changing the tone – this is precisely what makes Vietnamese a very difficult language to learn.
•  Snake wine  (locally known as Ruou Ran) is a Vietnamese specialty – this is basically rice wine poured over a pickled snake, and it is said to cure just about any illness, although it is believed to be particularly good for those who suffer from rheumatism.
• Another popular Vietnam export is their ever so popular noodle dish known worldwide:  “Pho” 

Ning Binh, Vietnam

Major Cities and Places to Visit.

The country is about the size of Germany but is different in shape. Vietnam is a elongated north/south country.

Some of the most populous cities in Vietnam are Ho Chi Minh City formerly Saigon(South), Hanoi(North), Hai Phong, Da Nang (Central) as well as Can Tho.

They are many cool and culturally fun things to do in Vietnam (Read it Here) and many amazing beaches.  One beach to check out is Ca Na Beach.

Vegetarian and Visiting Vietnam? Here are some tips..

A vegetarian platter from a restaurant in Hanoi (Zenith Yoga & Cafe)

Brief History of Vietnam: Key Points

1. The first Vietnamese State occurred in 257 BC and for the next thousand years (till 1000AD), Vietnam was part of Imperial China.
2. Vietnam in the 700s had many ethnic groups and one major group where the Cham people in southern Vietnam.   The ancient buildings of the Cham civilization still stand today in Po Nagar.
3. In the late 1800’s Vietnam was under French rule and part of French IndoChina until 1945.
4. During the early 1940s(WW2), Japan occupied the country.  It was when the Japanese left at the end of WW2, a power struggle began between 2 groups for the next decades.  This led to the Vietnam war, where the Communist prevailed in the mid 70s.

Economy

Vietnam was isolated from a political standpoint, until the 1980s when the government initiated a series of political and economic reforms that have increased the overall economy of the country.  Over the years, the country has managed to slowly establish and develop diplomatic relations with most countries, and over the past 10 years the economic growth of the country was ranked amongst the highest in the world.