Hanoi
Population 78 million
Total area 329,560 sq km
Major cities Ho Chi Minh city, Haiphong, Danang
Provinces 61
Ethnic Group
54 - Viet group account for 87 %
The remaining are different ethnic groups who settle down mainly in hilly and mountainous area.
Official language Vietnamese
Geography
Situated on the East Coast of the Indochinese Peninsular, Vietnam stretches over 2000 km from north to south. It borders China to the north, and Laos and Cambodia to the west. The country has tow low-lying fertile rice producing regions at either end - the Red River Delta in the north and the Mekong Delta n the south. Heavily forested mounted mountain ranges regions.
Electricity
Mainly 220 volts , but in some areas 110 volts is also used. Sockets are usually of the two flat-pinned variety.
Religions
Buddhism 80 %, Catholic 8 %, Muslim 1%, Other 3%
Economy
Free market orientated economy with ongoing industrialization and building programs. The country is very rich in national resources
Climate
Vietnam is located in both a tropical and a temperate zone. It is characterized by strong monsoon influences, but has a considerable amount of sun, a high rate of rainfall, and high humidity. Regions located near the tropics and in the mountainous regions are endowed with a temperate climate.
The annual average temperature ranges from 22?C to 27?C. In Hanoi, the average temperature is 23?C, in Ho Chi Minh City it is 26?C, and in Hue it is 25?C.
There are two distinguishable seasons. The cold season occurs from November to April and the hot season from May to October. The difference in temperature between the two seasons in southern Vietnam is almost unnoticeable, averaging 3?C. The most noticeable variations are found in the northern provinces where differences of 12?C have been observed. There are essentially four distinct seasons, which are most evident in the northern provinces.