The current form of government in Vietnam. Do you know where Vietnam is? Capital of vietnam

Vietnam is one of the most ancient countries in Asia. The state is located in the eastern part of the Indochina Peninsula. Vietnam has a favorable geographical position: a narrow strip of the country's territory stretches from north to south along the coast of Bakbo Bay and the South China Sea. Vietnam's neighbors are Laos and Cambodia to the west, China to the north.

The first mentions of Vietnam date back to the second millennium BC. But the legends say that the Vietnamese are the descendants of the dragon emperor Lak Long and the fairy bird Au Ko, who fell in love with each other with unearthly love. To this day, Vietnam has retained a distinctive culture with ancient temples and thousand-year-old traditions. At the same time, many things in this country may seem painfully familiar to Russian tourists - from red-red flags to pioneers in ties. True, socialism does not prevent Vietnam from being a very attractive tourist destination. Amazing nature, gorgeous beaches, a rich excursion program, modern comfortable hotels and amazing friendliness towards travelers from Russia - not every country can boast of such a set of tourist benefits, but Vietnam has it all.

Capital	Hanoi
Population	90.5 million people
Population density	273 people / km²
	vietnamese
Religion	local animistic beliefs (80.8%), Buddhism (9.3%), Catholicism (6.7%)
Form of government	one-party unitary socialist republic
	vietnamese dong
Timezone
International dialing code
Domain zone
Electricity	220V or 110V, 50 Hz

Climate and weather

A pleasant feature of the climate in Vietnam is that at any time of the year in the country you can find a place where the weather will be truly resort.

South Vietnam is the best place to relax from December to April... At this time, the weather is mild and pleasant without the aggressive sun. The air temperature varies from +21 ° C in January to + 30 ° C in April. Rain season starts in May and lasts almost until October: sudden torrential rains occur almost every day, but they do not last more than 15-20 minutes.

It is optimal to go to the central part of the country in March - June. The fact is that from July to November typhoons, rains and fogs are frequent here, and in the winter months the sea is very restless. But in spring the weather is comfortable (+26 ° C on average) and a lot of sun.

In the north of Vietnam, humid hot summers and cool winters (+15 ° C). Frosts occur in winter only in the mountains. The rainy season is from May to October, so the ideal time to visit the northern regions of the country is April-May and October-November, when there is almost no rainfall and the sea water is warm.

Nature

The landscape of Vietnam is very picturesque. This is a country of mountain ranges and hills, which give way to spacious plains with lush vegetation. Highest mountain in Vietnam - Fansipan (3145 meters). The delta of the rivers appears to be an amazingly beautiful place Mekongand Hongha... The Vietnamese believe that it is from here that all life on earth originated.

Vietnam is famous for its forests - fragrant evergreen jungle. Trees of valuable species grow here: sandalwood, brown lim tree, bamboo, iron and mahogany. Of the useful plants, cardamom, anise, cinnamon and, of course, ginseng occupy a special place.

One cannot but admire the fauna of Vietnam. Here you can find elephants and rhinos, wild cats and leopards, tigers, bears, antelopes, wild bulls and deer. The jungle is inhabited by numerous subspecies of monkeys, lemurs, panthers. The country is home to about 400 species of birds and many species of reptiles. Every year in Vietnam, scientists discover new subspecies of animals, fish and birds, and even, what is especially interesting, animals that were considered extinct for a long time.

sights

There is a lot to see in Vietnam. The temple complexes of the most ancient civilizations, and the most beautiful national parks, and even the architectural monuments of the socialist era are also worthy of admiration. It is interesting to visit not only the capital of Vietnam Hanoibut also in Ho Chi Minh City and in the city-museum Hoi An, in resorts Da Lat, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, Phan Thiet.

The ancient capitals of Vietnam deserve special attention. This is, first of all, a city Hue on the shore Fragrant Riverwhere the imperial palaces and other architectural structures were restored. Travelers are also attracted by such former capitals as Koloa, Meling, Hoyle... In total, there are 12 ancient capitals in Vietnam, each of which has an interesting history and many interesting sights.

The modern capital of the country Hanoi, or Thang long ("The city of the flying dragon") is famous not only for the historical vicissitudes of the struggle for independence. Such architectural masterpieces as Temple of the Turtlewhich is in the middle of the lake Hoan Kiem ("Lake of the returned sword"), and the pagoda Chua Mot Cot ("Pagoda on one pillar"), the original of which was built in 1049. Tourists from all over the world are eager to see Hanoi Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - one of the four mausoleums in the world, where visitors are allowed access. The mausoleum is very reminiscent of the Moscow one, but the Vietnamese structure is much grander.

There are many picturesque places in Vietnam, but the true delight of travelers is the pearl of Vietnamese nature - the bay Halong ("The bay of the landing dragon") which many call the eighth wonder of the world. On the crystal clear sea surface there are about 1600 islands of the most incredible shapes: a stone frog, an old fisherman, a vase for incense sticks. On the rocky islands there are beautiful caves with stalactites and stalagmites.

Food

In the post-Soviet space, Vietnamese cuisine has gained a dubious reputation thanks to the notorious "aroma" of fried herring, which reigns in hostels where students from Vietnam lived. Meanwhile, in reality, Vietnamese culinary traditions ensure the preparation of fresh and healthy food, although it may seem unusual for a European to taste. The most important gastronomic difference between Vietnam and other Asian countries is that the products here are not subjected to prolonged heat treatment, in addition, little fat is used in the cooking process.

The basis of Vietnamese cuisine is rice (" lump"), Noodles (" mi») And a variety of seafood. In general, in their culinary preferences, the Vietnamese are omnivores, so here you can try fried grasshoppers, monkey brains, and bird's nest soup. But nevertheless, such national dishes as eel soup, rice noodle pancakes, green pho soup, boiled beef with bamboo shoots and cinnamon will be more familiar to the Russian traveler. bo ho ku».

There are many restaurants in Vietnam where you can enjoy Chinese, Indian, Thai and European cuisine. An important plus for tourists is that in Vietnam you will have relatively low food costs. In large cities, for $ 8-10, you can have a hearty dinner in a restaurant (along with coffee and beer), and in the daytime it is not difficult to find an institution where a hearty lunch will cost you $ 4-5.

Residence

There is no official system for evaluating the level of service in hotels in Vietnam. But for convenience, the European five-star hotel classification system is still used, however, you need to understand that the declared category does not always objectively correspond to the real state of affairs. For example, not every 4-star hotel has a restaurant, and instead of an air conditioner, there is often only a fan in the room. However, do not worry, since the hotels of the world's hotel operators, of which there are many in Vietnam, meet generally accepted standards of service.

More and more comfortable hotels are being built in the country every year. Nevertheless, demand often exceeds supply, although there are more than 200 hotels of 3-5 * categories in Vietnam. Breakfast, by the way, is not always included in the cost of living.

In the south of Vietnam - in resorts Phan Thiet, Da Lat, Nha Trang - the most popular hotels and the highest cost of living. There are also high-class tourist complexes, family half-board, and guest houses with a basic set of services. You can save on accommodation by coming here in the off-season - in July and August.

There are not many 4-5 * hotels in the central part of Vietnam and in the north of the country. Exceptions are cities Hanoiand Ho Chi Minh City, where the hotel base boasts luxury hotels.

If you are traveling on your own and the luxury of accommodation is not a priority, you can find a budget hotel, guest house or private apartment in any major city. If you want to stay in a luxury hotel, we recommend that you take care of pre-booking.

Entertainment and recreation

Vietnam invariably delights its guests with a variety of entertainment: from water sports to nightclubs and casinos. In this country, you can ride elephants, soak up the beautiful beaches, visit crocodile farms, go sea fishing and diving. A real highlight among the entertainment is going to the partisan ku Chi tunnels.

If you are lucky enough to get to one of the colorful Vietnamese festivals and holidays, then the impressions will be enough for a long time. In Ho Chi Minh City, you can visit " Southern Fruit Festival", In Da Nang - on fireworks festival, in Nha Trang they arrange marine festivaland in Doshona there are bullfights.

In Vietnam, diving is very affordable in terms of price, and the level of diving organization is decent. There are many interesting diving sites in the country. The best dive sites are Hoi An, Nha Trang Phu Quocand Condao... There you can see corals, cuttlefish, octopuses, barracudas, molluscs, moray eels, squid and even blowfish and manta rays. And diving off the archipelago Condao, dugongs (sea cows) and large green turtles can be seen.

The beaches of Vietnam are white sand and clear water. No wonder the central and southern regions of the country are called " Vietnamese Hawaii". Here are the best beaches in Southeast Asia.

Purchases

Vietnam has an incredibly wide range of souvenirs and gifts. Moreover, the prices are the most democratic in the region. Trade is flourishing in both small gift shops and modern shopping malls in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

In the top list of shopping in Vietnam, it is worth adding products made of natural silk, crafts from rare wood, gold and silver jewelry, products made of stone, metal and bone. We advise you to focus on specialized stores if you want to buy high-quality silk, silver, pearls. Pottery is best bought in the suburbs of Hanoi Bat Chang, where there are many workshops making porcelain tableware. And the best pearls are bought on the island Phu Quoc... Be sure to also pay attention to green tea and coffee.

Shops are usually open daily from 07:30 to 17:30, but many are open until late at night.

In state stores, prices are fixed, but in private stores and markets, it is recommended to bargain, even if you see a price tag - be aware that this is only a starting point for bargaining.

Currency can be exchanged at a bank, hotel or exchange office. The first option is the most profitable, but banks are open for a limited time. Do not under any circumstances agree to offers of profitable currency exchange from passers-by - there is a risk of becoming a victim of scammers.

By plastic cards MasterCard, Visa, American Expressand JCB you can pay in all cities and towns where there are tourists. But in places remote from tourist areas it is better to take cash with you.

Transport

It is convenient to travel between the cities of Vietnam by buses. There are two types of them: Big bus (with air conditioning and seat according to the ticket) and Mini Bus (no air conditioning and fixed place).

Water transport is functioning well. Thousands of private cutters, coasters and boats cruise along the coast and lakes. The cost of the trip is in most cases negotiable and agreed with the captain of the vessel.

In cities, the most convenient way to get around is by taxi, motorcycle and bicycle rickshaws. Although there is a bus transport, it does not work regularly; moreover, the intricate system of stops is not very attractive for travelers. But the fare is only about $ 0.1.

Traveling by taxi is, of course, more expensive, but they are always available and paid strictly according to the meter readings. Companies such as Vina (yellow cars) and Mai Linh (green cars): taxi cabins are always clean and air conditioned. Taxi fares are the same for the capital and the province, the price is about $ 0.6 per kilometer.

Remember that the fare for bicycles and rickshaws must be negotiated in advance. Do not be afraid to bargain, otherwise the price will be too high. In general, the reward for 15 minutes of travel should not exceed $ 1.

Communication

You can call anywhere in the world from a hotel, internet cafe, post office or mobile phone. Mobile communication, by the way, is absolutely accessible. You only need to purchase a SIM card from one of the local operators ( Viettel, Vinaphone, Mobifone). You can top up your account using prepaid cards (sold at any kiosk, store or post office). Keep in mind that calling from a hotel is several times more expensive than calling from a mobile phone.

Internet access services in the country are provided by the company " Internet Vietnam". Network access is available in large hotels, internet cafes and post offices. Prices for services are quite affordable and, as a rule, do not exceed $ 0.5.

Safety

Vietnam is quite safe to travel, even if you move around the country on your own. There is no religious fanaticism or racial prejudice here, Vietnam is one of the ten safest places in Eurasia.

The main problem lurking a tourist here is petty theft. Therefore, you should carefully monitor personal belongings, especially in crowded places. Do not carry large sums of money with you. It is better to leave valuables in the hotel safe. Avoid rickshaw rides in the dark.

A separate "headache" is the importunity of local residents who are constantly trying to sell something, stopping tourists on the go. In no case do not succumb to persuasion - not only will you receive a low-quality product at an inflated price, but instead of one, a whole crowd of new “sellers” will appear. In addition, you can run into the most real scammers.

From a health standpoint, practice good personal hygiene and do not buy food from street stalls. We recommend drinking only bottled water.

Before traveling to Vietnam, vaccinations are not required - there are no raging infections in the country.

Business climate

A couple of decades ago, the prospect of starting a business in Vietnam would hardly have seemed reasonable to a Russian entrepreneur. But times are changing, and nowadays Vietnam is starting to attract foreign investors.

Although Vietnam is a country with a market socialist economy, the state practically does not interfere in the affairs of enterprises of various forms of ownership, if these are not strategic industries. Enterprises with 100% foreign capital are already allowed.

Positive factors for opening an enterprise in Vietnam include the stability of the political environment, cheap labor and a warm climate that does not require additional costs for heating the premises. On the other hand, transporting goods to, say, Russia is not very cheap.

Therefore, most often foreign investors invest not in production, but in the construction of tourist facilities, restaurants, cafes, and entertainment.

In general, it is not very easy to open a business in Vietnam. In terms of the complexity of obtaining licenses and the simplicity of the procedure for opening a company, Vietnam ranks 99th in the world. But for a foreigner, taking into account the assistance of local authorities to foreign investments, the process may not be very painful. However, you shouldn't expect easy and quick profits. According to experienced investors, patience is the main thing to stock up on when opening a business in Vietnam.

The property

Vietnam, as a country with a dynamically developing economy and tourist attraction, brings its real estate market to the world arena. But for foreigners, the laws are such that they can only buy apartments here. In this case, the following conditions must be met: marriage with a citizen of Vietnam, permanent residence in the country, investment in the Vietnamese economy. The purchased apartment can only be used for the owner's residence, that is, it cannot be rented out. We add that you can buy an apartment for a period of 50 years, after this time it will have to be sold or donated.

Therefore, investments are considered optimal not in private housing, but in the construction of commercial real estate in the tourism sector. The fact is that now the demand for comfortable hotel complexes in Vietnam exceeds the supply. Until the situation changes, such investments promise high returns in the not too distant future.

When planning a trip to Vietnam, keep customs regulations in mind. There are no restrictions on the import of foreign currency, but amounts over $ 3,000 must be declared: it is allowed to export only what has been declared. It is prohibited to export the national currency.

You can import 400 cigarettes or 0.5 kg of tobacco, 3 kg of coffee, 1.5 liters of strong alcohol or 2 liters of low-alcohol drinks, as well as 5 kg of tea. All equipment must be declared, otherwise it will not be possible to export it without paying customs duties. Be sure to pay attention to the list of items prohibited for import into the country: firearms, explosives, pornography, as well as drugs and narcotic drugs without a doctor's prescription. The last point is very serious, since for violation of the prohibition punishment is provided up to the death penalty! In addition, you cannot export antiques, jewelry and art objects without permission documents.

Before entering a Buddhist temple, do not forget to leave your shoes outside the threshold and do not turn your back to the temple when leaving it. Photographs of temples and local residents are only allowed after a permit, which usually requires payment.

Vietnam is a unique country with deep and multifaceted cultural values, varied landscape, and no less varied climatic conditions.

Here you can find whatever you want:

Beautiful beaches with quartz white sand;

Majestic mountains;

Dense rainforests;

Sand dunes;

Foothill and mountain valleys hidden from human eyes;

Wild jungle with colorful and unusual birds;

Beasts of prey that hide in dense thickets;

Warm and clean South China Sea, emerald color.

You can't resist the desire to visit here. This is where you start to wonder, where is Vietnam? The answer to this question will be quite simple.

The Republic of Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia, is located on the Indochina Peninsula, in its easternmost part. This state is one of the most densely populated in the world. The country borders on Laos in the northwest, Cambodia in the southwest, and China (PRC) in the north.

Expanding the question of where Vietnam is, it should be noted that in the south the coast of Vietnam is caressed by the warm South China Sea and the Strait of Siam, so you can export goods by sea. Some types of goods are in particular demand among countries such as the USA, Japan, Germany, China. The main exports are footwear and clothing, rice, oil, coffee, rubber, and some types of tea.

Hanoi is the capital of this state. The official language is Vietnamese, but Chinese, and a little Russian, English and French are also used.

In addition to the mainland, the state of Vietnam also includes such islands as Phucco and Con Dao.

Where is Vietnam: relief

The area of \u200b\u200bthe territory of the state is 332 thousand square kilometers. In the north of the republic lies the mountainous part of the Yunnan Highlands, and to the east of the mountainous region is the Hongha River delta. Then the Annam mountains stretched to the south, which occupied the central part of the country.

There are still warm mineral springs in Vietnam, which are located in Bin Chau, with a temperature of about + 40'C. Therefore, there are a lot of spa centers in the country that, in addition to spa treatments, also specialize in oriental massage. For deep cleansing of the skin and in cosmetology, therapeutic clay is used, which is extracted from the same mineral springs.

General information about Vietnam

The official name is the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV). Located in the eastern part of the Indochina Peninsula. Area 331,690 km2, population 80 million. The state language is Vietnamese. The capital is Hanoi (3.3 million people, 2001). National holiday - Independence Day on September 2 (since 1945).

Member of the UN (since 1977), ASEAN (since 1995), APEC (since 1998), etc.

Geography of Vietnam

It is located between 8 ° 10 'and 23 ° 24' North and between 102 ° 09 'and 109 ° 30' East. From the east, the country is washed by the South China Sea, from the west - by the Gulf of Thailand. The length of the sea coast is 3960 km. The territory of Vietnam includes the islands located in the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, incl. part of the Paracel and Spratly islands. The largest of them (km2): Phu Quoc (568), Catba (180), Con Dao (50).

In the north, Vietnam borders with China (the length of the border is 1,300 km), in the west - with Laos (650 km), in the southwest - with Cambodia (930 km). From north to south, the country stretches for 1,650 km, from east to west: 600 km in the north, 400 km in the south and approx. 50 km in the central part of Vietnam.

The western and interior regions of Vietnam are occupied by the mountains and plateaus of the Yunnan Highlands. The Truong Son ridge stretches for 1400 km from north to south. A narrow lowland runs along the coast. In the north and south there are two plains formed by the deltas of the Krasnaya and Mekong rivers, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich is 15 thousand and 40 thousand km2, respectively.

The rivers belong to the South China Sea basin. Their total length is 41 thousand km. The largest rivers (km): Red (1149, 510 in Vietnam) and Mekong (4220, 220 in Vietnam). The most important lakes (ha): in the south - Darlak (1 thousand), in the north - Bab (500), in Hanoi - Western (466).

The subsoil is rich in minerals: coal, oil, natural gas, iron ore, manganese, copper, etc. The most significant reserves are coal - 12-15 billion tons, apatite - up to 1 billion tons. Real oil reserves are estimated from 2.5 to 3.5 billion tons, natural gas - from 600 to 1200 billion m3. Hydropower resources are estimated at 80 billion kWh.

The land fund is 33.2 million hectares. Agricultural land occupies 7.5 million hectares (21% of the total territory). Four types of soils prevail: red earth and basalt 16 million hectares, alluvial 8.6 million, gray soils 2.5 million, stony soils of high mountain regions 3.3 million hectares.

The climate is subtropical and subequatorial, formed under the influence of dry northeastern monsoons from mountainous regions and humid southwestern winds from the sea. Summer, when the airflow from the ocean prevails, is the rainy season. Winter, when air flows from land to sea, is the dry season. The average temperature of the warmest month (in the north - June, July, in the south - April) is approx. 29 ° C; the coldest - from 15 ° С in the north (January) to 25 ° С in the south (December). The average annual precipitation in the northern regions is up to 2830 mm, in the southern regions - up to 1600 mm.

There are 289 families, 1850 genera and 7000 plant species in the forests; 1000 species of birds, 300 mammals. Along the coastline there are almost 1000 species of fish (catch 600-700 thousand tons per year) and other valuable seafood. 500 thousand tons of salt is produced annually.

Vietnam population

According to the 1999 census, the population of Vietnam was 76.3 million. Compared with the previous 1989 census, the population has grown by 11.9 million. The birth rate in 1989-99 was 1.7%, in 2002 1.31%. Child mortality 42 people. per 1000 newborns. Average life expectancy (2002) 68.2 years, men 65.5 years, women 70.1 years.

Percentage of rural population migration to cities in 1989-99 3.2% annually. In 1999, 23.5% of the country's population lived in cities, in 2002 - 25%. Sex ratio: 51% women and 49% men. The retirement age (only public sector employees in cities) is 60 for men and 55 for women.

The literacy rate is 91% (in 1989-88%).

Vietnam is a multinational country with 54 nationalities and nationalities. The Vietnamese themselves (Vieta, or Kinh) make up 87% of the population. They live mainly in the deltas of the rivers - Red and Mekong, in the coastal regions of Central Vietnam. The number of Chinese in Vietnam is 4%. Of the ethnic groups, the most numerous are Tei, Thai, Muong, Hoa, Khmer, Nung - St. 1 million people each one. The smallest ethnic groups - Brau, Roma, Ode - number several hundred people.

The national language is Vietnamese, spoken by St. 90% of the population. Ethnic minorities, while maintaining their own language, use the Vietnamese language in interethnic communication.

6 religions are officially recognized in Vietnam: Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Caodaism and Hoahao. According to official data, in the country approx. 7.5 million Buddhists, while 85% of the population consider themselves followers of this religion, approx. 5 million Catholics, 500 thousand Protestants, 150-170 thousand Muslims.

Vietnam history

The oldest state association on the territory of Vietnam arose in the 2nd millennium BC. In the 3rd century. BC. it was called Aulak. This civilization in the 2nd century. BC. was captured by the Han Empire. In 938 the Vietnamese achieved independence and at the end. 10 c. formed an independent state of Daikoviet (Great Ancient Viet), from 1069 - Daiviet (Great Viet).

In the 11-14 centuries. Diving is one of the largest states in Southeast Asia. In the 13th century. Daivyet was invaded three times by Mongol troops, but the people defended their independence. In the beginning. 15th century the ruling Ming dynasty in China enslaved Daiviet. As a result of the people's liberation movement (1418-27), the Chinese were expelled from the country. In the 16-19 centuries. The Vietnamese State is declining and actually splits into two parts. In the end. 18th century the uprising of the rural and urban lower classes under the leadership of the Teishons eliminated the power of the warring feudal groups and removed the Le dynasty from power. In 1786, the Teishons united the country, and in 1789 defeated the troops of the Qing dynasty. In 1802, the Teishon state fell. The power of a new dynasty - Nguyen (1802-1945) - was established. In 1804 Daiwiet was renamed Vietnam.

The colonization of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and ended by 1884. The surrender of Japan in 1945 created favorable conditions for the successful implementation of the August Revolution. On September 2, 1945, in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, on behalf of the provisional government, proclaimed the creation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV).

In March 1946, France recognized the independence of the DRV, in September of the same year unleashed a colonial war against it, which lasted 8 years until the defeat of the French troops at Dien Bien Phu in May 1954.

In accordance with the Geneva Agreements (July 1954), Vietnam was divided into two parts along the Benhai River, south of the 17th parallel. In October 1955, the South Vietnamese authorities, in violation of the Geneva agreements on holding general elections, proclaimed the Republic of Vietnam in the south. From that moment on, the United States began to openly interfere in the affairs of Vietnam.

In 1965-73, the US Armed Forces were directly involved in operations against the liberation movement in southern Vietnam, and fought an air war against the DRV. Failing to achieve the desired results, the United States was forced to sign in Paris on January 27, 1973, an agreement to end the war and restore peace in Vietnam. Having lost American support, in the spring of 1975 the Saigon regime fell. Saigon was liberated on April 30, 1975.

On April 25, 1976, general elections were held to the National Assembly of a united Vietnam, which adopted a decision on July 2, 1976 on the reunification of Vietnam and the creation of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The first steps towards the transition from a centralized economy to a market economy were taken in Vietnam back in 1979. As a strategic course covering almost all spheres of society, the policy of renewal began after the VI Congress of the CPV in 1986.

1980-90s became a period of fundamental qualitative changes in the economic and socio-political development of Vietnam. The disruption of traditional economic ties that followed the collapse of the USSR, as well as stagnation in Vietnam itself, put the country in front of the need to develop its own development strategy.

From the beginning. 1990s SRV demonstrates steady economic growth at the level of 6-8% per year. Vietnam manages, with varying degrees of success, to solve economic and domestic political problems, to feel very comfortable in the regional community.

The renewal policy has opened a qualitatively new stage in the life of society. Vietnam entered the 21st century from a semi-feudal and semi-socialist state. with their own development model and their own ambitions. At present, SRV maintains diplomatic relations with 167 states.

State structure and political system of Vietnam

Vietnam is a parliamentary republic. The Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, adopted on April 15, 1992, is in effect, the fourth after World War II (1946, 1959, 1980).

At present, Vietnam has 57 provinces, four cities of central subordination (million people): Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (St. 5), Haiphong (1.7) and Danang (0.7).

Vietnam's political system is defined in the preamble to the Constitution: "The party leads, the people rule, the state rules." The Communist Party of Vietnam is the only party in the leading position in the country's political system.

Relying on the authority of the ruling party since 1945, the leadership of the CPV at the 6th Congress in 1986 initiated radical changes, proclaiming a policy of "renewal". Currently, the CPV has St. 2 million people General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee - Nong Duc Manh, was elected at the IX Congress of the CPV in April 2001.

The principle of state administration is revealed in the Constitution: "All power in the country belongs to the people, who exercises it through the National Assembly, People's Councils of all levels, elected by the people and bearing responsibility to them."

The National Assembly (NA) is a unicameral supreme representative body that exercises legislative power, decides on the main issues of domestic and foreign policy of the state, and exercises supreme control over the activities of all state bodies. It elects from among the deputies the Standing Committee, the President and the Vice-President, the Council of Ministers (government), the Chairman of the Supreme People's Court, and the Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Prosecutor's Office. It consists of 498 deputies, elected from administrative-territorial units and from social and political organizations and unions. Elected for 5 years, its sessions are held 2 times a year. St. 90% of the NA deputies are members of the CPV.

All citizens of the SRV who have reached the age of 18 have the right to vote, and from the age of 21 - to be elected to the National Assembly. At the 1st session of the XI convocation (July 2002) Nguyen Van An was elected the President of the National Assembly.

The Standing Committee of the National Assembly (Standing Committee of the National Assembly) is a body constantly functioning between sessions of the National Assembly.

The President of the SRV is the head of state and represents the SRV in the international arena. He is elected by the National Assembly for 5 years from among the deputies, is responsible and accountable to the National Assembly. It promulgates and interprets legislative acts, and proposes to the National Assembly the candidatures of Vice President, Prime Minister, President of the Supreme People's Court and Prosecutor General. In accordance with the decision of the National Assembly or the SC, the National Assembly declares martial law, general or partial mobilization, etc. The President exercises overall command of the Armed Forces and heads the National Defense and Security Council. The President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam - Tran Duc Luong - was elected to this post in September 1997, re-elected in July 2002.

The Council of Ministers is the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the highest executive and administrative body of state power. Accountable to the National Assembly, and in the intervals between sessions - to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly and the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The government includes 20 ministries and 6 state institutions with the status of ministries. The term of office of the head of government is 5 years. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam - Fan Van Khai - was elected in September 1997, re-elected in July 2002.

The system of local government corresponds to the administrative division of the country. Each administrative unit has a government body elected by the local population - the People's Council. Term of Office of the People's Councils of Provinces and Cities

central subordination and equivalent administrative units - 4 years. The term of office of the remaining councils is 2 years. The executive bodies of the People's Councils and local administrative authorities are the People's Committees.

In general, the political system can be described as a party-state system. All legislative, executive and judicial bodies function under the authority of the CPV.

The Fatherland Front of Vietnam (created in 1977) unites all social and political organizations of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, as well as associations of Vietnamese living abroad. It includes: CPV, the Federation of Trade Unions, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, the Vietnamese Women's Federation, etc.

The main task of Vietnam's foreign policy has been proclaimed as creating favorable external conditions for socio-economic development and the implementation of the course towards the transition to the market. It is built on the principles of independence, measured openness, involvement in the activities of regional structures and multilateral organizations, balanced relations with leading powers and world political and economic centers.

Since 1995 Vietnam has been taking an active part in ASEAN activities, was the author of initiatives that received the support of ASEAN members. In particular, he proposed the Asia-Europe Dialogue Program (ASEM), successfully held the ASEAN Summit in Hanoi in December 1998, during which the Hanoi Declaration and the Hanoi Action Plan were adopted. Vietnam and other ASEAN countries have prepared a "code of conduct" in the South China Sea region and entered into negotiations with the PRC to sign this document.

Vietnamese-Chinese relations were normalized in November 1991. The leaders of the SRV and the PRC are of the opinion that the armed clashes in 1979 should not be repeated under any circumstances. On October 19, 1993, an agreement was signed on the principles for the settlement of border disputes, of which the most important are: guidance of international law, refusal to use force and unilateral actions. In accordance with the agreement in December 1999, an agreement was signed on the demarcation of the land border. In December 2000, the countries entered into an Agreement on the Delimitation of the Gulf of Tonkin Border and on Fisheries.

Vietnamese-American relations are becoming more and more intense. Vietnam regards the active participation of the United States in regional affairs as a positive factor that reflects the balance of power that has developed in the Asia-Pacific region. In July 2000, a trade and economic agreement was signed with the United States (ratified at the end of 2001), providing for the granting of most favored nation treatment to Vietnam.

In September 2000, the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Phan Van Khai paid an official visit to the Russian Federation. A package of agreements was signed on the payment of $ 1.7 billion by Vietnam to Russia over 23 years on the principles of the Paris Club of creditors. An important event in Vietnamese-Russian relations was the visit to Vietnam by Russian President V.V. Putin in March 2001. The heads of state signed the Declaration on Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation.

The emphasis in the building of the modern Armed Forces of Vietnam is on the creation of small, well-equipped and trained regular forces, a large strategic reserve and a contingent of paramilitary formations. The share of military spending in GDP fell from 17% in 1990 to about 6% in 2002. In absolute terms, military spending fell from $ 2.5 billion in 1990 to $ 1.8 billion in 2001. reducing the total size of the army. In 1985 it numbered 1260 thousand people, in 2001 - 484 thousand people. (Ground forces 412 thousand, air force 30 thousand, air defense 15 thousand, navy 42 thousand). The size of the strategic reserve (the people's self-defense forces and the people's militia, the coast guard) is estimated at 4-5 million people.

Vietnam has diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation since 1991 (established with the USSR in 1950).

Vietnam Economy

GDP in 2002 grew by 7.2% (6.8% in 2001, 6.6% - average annual growth for 1990-2002) and amounted to 35.28 billion US dollars (in 2001 - 32 billion). GDP per capita $ 441. Gold and foreign exchange reserves US $ 2.1 billion (2000). The able-bodied population is 40 million people. The unemployment rate in the country as a whole is 6.13%, in rural areas - approx. 5.5% (2001).

In the structure of GDP, there is a general trend towards a decrease in the share of agricultural production and growth of industry and services: agriculture 22.99%, industry and capital construction 38.55%, services 38.46%. The state sector in the structure of GDP is 40%, the non-state sector is 47%, the foreign investment sector is 13% (2001).

Vietnam was the only country in Southeast Asia to emerge unscathed in the 2001 recession mainly due to increased domestic consumption. GDP growth in 2002 was also determined by this factor. Investment, especially in the private sector, boomed and was equivalent to 1/3 of GDP. The number of new private enterprises grew by 17% to 20 thousand, and the total number was 60 thousand. Investments in new small and medium-sized enterprises in the private sector reached USD 2.7 billion.

The main driver of development was the industrial sector, which grew by 14.4% per year due to the expanding demand for consumer goods. The garment industry is booming thanks to duty-free admission to the US market. Growth is also driven by increased local private and foreign investment, while public sector investment has remained constant.

Inflation, according to official Vietnamese data, was 4%, according to the World Bank - 8% (2002).

Industry is the most dynamically developing sector of the national economy. In 2001, the growth was 15.4% in the public sector (centrally subordinated state-owned enterprises - 13.1%, local industry - 11.8%), in joint ventures with foreign capital - 20.3%, in the industry of key economic regions - 12.1 %. The main focus in this sector is on the processing industry, consumer goods and export goods.

To the end. 1990s the number of state-owned enterprises decreased from more than 12 thousand to 5.8 thousand. This process continues to this day. Out of the total number of state-owned enterprises in 2002, 3000 were unprofitable.

The rate of development of agricultural production, including forestry and fishing, remains at a stable level. They amounted to approx. 5%, in fishing and seafood production - 14%. The most important food crop is rice, which is harvested 2-3 times a year. Vietnam not only fully meets its needs for rice, but is also one of the largest exporters of it (after Thailand and the United States).

The basis for the stable development of this industry lies in the fact that it is the individual peasant farms that have provided 95% of the industry's output in recent years. In 2001, food production exceeded 30 million tons.

There are approx. 60 thousand km, including: state highways - 12 thousand km, inter-provincial roads - 15 thousand km and interdistrict - 25 thousand km. 25% of state highways are paved. The main highway - Highway No. 1 (2,300 km) runs from the northern border with the PRC to Cape Kamau - the most extreme point in the south of the country.

To the end. 1990s the length of the railway lines exceeded 4 thousand km. The main highway "North-South" (length 2000 km). The Hanoi-Beijing railway route has been restored. Preparations are underway to open the Vietnam-China-Mongolia-Russia international route.

There are more than 40 thousand large and small navigable rivers and canals in the country. There are 17 ports on the sea coast. The largest are Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Cam Ranh. Almost 1/2 of the sea freight flows through Haiphong.

Large state and foreign investments have been made in the modernization of civil aviation. The air fleet serves 17 domestic routes with a length of 62.5 thousand km. The main volume of traffic falls on the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh highway. There are 3 international airports: Noi Bai in Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City and Fubai in Thyathien Hue. From these airports, flights are made mainly to the countries of Southeast Asia, as well as to Europe. In 2002, an agreement was reached between Vietnam and the United States to establish an air route "Ho Chi Minh City - San Francisco - Ho Chi Minh City."

Modern communication in the country is represented by 2 ground-based space communication stations "Lotos-1" and

"Lotos-2", providing telegraph, telephone and teletype communication with 56 countries of the world.

New communication services such as facsimiles, mobile phones, paging, e-mail, urgent domestic and international information network are becoming more widespread. In 1999, there were 3.2 telephones per 100 Vietnamese residents; in 2002 this figure increased to 4.25.

The service sector in 2002 grew by 12%. Here, the main focus is on the development of the transport industry, means of communication, trade, tourism, banks, technology, and the legal framework. The volume of passenger transportation increased by 4.6%, and the growth in cargo transportation was 7.2%.

In 2000, trade accounted for 75.2 thousand billion dong (share in the service sector - 71%, growth - 7.4%), hotel and restaurant business - 12.8 thousand billion dong (share - 12.1%, growth - 12.2%), tourism and service enterprises - 6.2 thousand billion dong (share - 5.9%, growth - 10.7%).

For various reasons, the tourism business in the country is developing slowly. In 2001, the country was visited by 2.33 million foreign citizens (in 2000 - 2.14 million), incl. 1.319 million tourists, 439.7 thousand people on a business visit, 478.6 thousand people for visiting relatives and 93.5 thousand people. for other purposes.

In the monetary system, the leading role is played by the State Bank of the SRV and St. 60 state-owned commercial banks. These are Vietkombank, which serves export-import financial flows, Industrial and Commercial Bank, which specializes in lending to industrial and commercial enterprises, Selkhozbank, which finances the agricultural sector, the Bank for Investment and Development (Vietindebank), which lends to long-term investment projects, and a number of others. The banking system includes also other joint-stock commercial banks. In general, state banks control 80% of the country's financial market, 12% falls on the share of "semi-autonomous" financial institutions (joint and private), the remaining 8% falls on banks with foreign participation.

There are currently 4 joint banks operating, approx. 60 representative offices and 20 branches of 50 largest foreign banks and financial organizations. Vietnam maintains business contacts with the World Bank, IMF, ADB, etc. Leading financial institutions have their offices in foreign countries. All R. 2002 the first representative offices of Vietcombank and Vietindebank were opened in the USA.

The state budget in 2002 was executed in terms of revenues of 19.94% of GDP, of expenditures - 22.47%, deficit - 2.53%. Domestic investment in the economy amounted to 66.7% (in 2000 - 82%), foreign investment - 33.3%. Of domestic investments: 56.8% - public, 43.2% - mixed and private. The country's external debt is USD 13.3 billion (or 37% of GDP). Vietnam is considered a creditworthy payer according to IMF criteria.

In 2002, the dong was devalued. The exchange rate of Dong is 15 400 VND per US $ 1.

The inflow of direct annual foreign investment amounted to USD 2.2 billion, incl. $ 1.6 billion for the construction of small and medium-sized industrial facilities. By the beginning. 2002 3044 joint projects with foreign participation and authorized capital of USD 37.6 billion were registered, incl. 1,459 projects with a capital of $ 20.6 billion have been implemented, 769 projects ($ 11.1 billion) are in the process of being implemented. During this time, 399 thousand jobs were created.

The official development assistance program continues. In 2002, within its framework, loans worth $ 2.4 billion were allocated to boost the economy, improve the living standards of the population, and fight poverty. The total appropriation for this program since 1993 has reached $ 20 billion, half of which has been used.

Despite the obvious success of Vietnam in economic modernization in 2002, the rise in living standards and income growth has been slow. The wages of public sector employees remain low - 210 thousand dongs per month (about $ 14). Since January 2003, it has been increased to 290 thousand. Average per capita income was 331 thousand VND per month (an increase of 12% compared to 1999). According to the estimates of the SRV State Bank, the total savings of the population are approx. 30 trillion dong. The poverty level in 2002 is 32% of the total population and 10% below the absolute poverty line, 90% of the population with minimum incomes live in rural areas.

Building up foreign economic activity is one of the most important priorities of the SRV leadership.

Vietnam's exports in 2002 amounted to $ 16.53 billion (2001 - $ 13.596 billion). The main export goods (%): oil (share in total exports 20), garments (16), seafood (12), footwear (11), rice (4), coffee (2), other goods (35). The growth in exports was due to an increase in the export of rubber, handicrafts, seafood, clothing and footwear. Deliveries of oil, rice, vegetables and electronics decreased noticeably. Exports were directed (%): to Japan (15), USA (15), China (9), Australia (8), Singapore (6), Taiwan (5), Germany (4), South Korea, Great Britain, France (by 3), to other countries (29).

Imports in 2002 amounted to US $ 19.3 billion (16.816 billion in 2001), the foreign trade balance deficit was US $ 2.77 billion. The main import goods (%): machinery and machine tools (19), fuels and lubricants (10), fabrics ( 9), rolled steel (7), clothing (5), cars, electrical equipment, fertilizers (2 each), other goods (44).

The export of labor in 2002 amounted to approx. 50 thousand people per year, mainly to Malaysia (about 30 thousand), South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the countries of the Middle East.

Vietnam's flexible approach to the entire range of relations with the PRC made it possible to restore mutually beneficial trade and economic relations with this country. Currently, the PRC is investing in Vietnam in 41 projects with a total cost of $ 70 million. The trade turnover in 2002 was 3.5 billion US dollars (in 2001 - 2.8 billion). During a visit to Hanoi in February 2002 by President of the People's Republic of China Jiang Zemin, the parties expressed their intention to increase the trade turnover between the countries in 2005 to 5 billion US dollars.

Trade and economic relations with Japan are developing successfully. This country in 1992-2002 provided Vietnam in official development assistance USD 8.2 billion. Japan also remains Britain's key trading partner. In 2002, the trade turnover between the countries reached $ 5 billion.

The ratification of the trade agreement with the United States in December 2001 was of fundamental importance for the expansion of foreign investment and foreign trade of Vietnam. The foreign trade turnover of the two countries in 2002, according to preliminary data, amounted to approx. $ 2.5 billion. Exports to the United States doubled in 2001-02, reaching $ 2 billion per year. At the same time, the export of garments increased 18 times. The United States is becoming the largest market for Vietnamese goods: in the first two months of 2003, exports to the United States reached $ 590 million, i.e. increased by 350% over the same period in 2002. The volume of American investments is estimated at about $ 1 billion. They are concentrated mainly in industrial production, real estate, oil and gas development. The industrial and hospitality sectors account for 82% of all US investments and 37 ongoing projects.

The trade turnover between Russia and Vietnam in 2002 amounted to approx. USD 500 million. The basis of economic cooperation between the two countries is the sphere of fuel energy and arms supplies. Russia ranks 8th among more than 60 investor countries. An example of successful cooperation is the activity of the Vietsovpetro joint venture on the shelf of Vietnam.

Vietnam currently maintains trade and economic relations with 100 foreign countries, St. 60 foreign companies have their offices here.

Science and culture of Vietnam

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is carrying out profound transformations in the field of education and science. Fundamental changes in these areas, according to the Vietnamese leadership, will help Vietnam solve strategic goals - modernize the country, integrate into the world economy and become a full member of the world community.

There is a radical restructuring of the education system, both in form and in content. Paid education is being introduced in secondary and higher state schools, the creation of private schools and universities, centers and courses for the training and retraining of management personnel is being stimulated. There is a process of "commercialization" and "marketization" in the curricula of secondary and higher schools.

Currently, there are approx. 16 thousand primary and secondary schools, which in the 2001/02 academic year enrolled 19.9 million students. In addition, there are more than 700 specialized schools and colleges (with 2 million students), 247 vocational schools and technical schools (about 200 thousand students). In Vietnam approx. 100 universities (6 private), where they train in 200 specialties (650 thousand students).

There are 170 research and development bureaus, which employ 30,000 scientific workers. Here the emphasis is on the study of leading branches of science, such as high technology, computer science, biology, new materials.

The country has established the National Center for Natural Sciences and Technology and the National Center for Social and Human Sciences. In 1996, the first "Vietnamese Encyclopedia" was published, which includes almost 40 thousand articles prepared by the efforts of 1,300 Vietnamese and foreign scientists.

Today in Vietnam there are St. 6 thousand doctors and candidates of sciences, 1.27 million graduates of institutes and colleges and 14 thousand people. with postgraduate education.

The distinctive national culture has a rich heritage with centuries-old traditions - festivities, music, dance, folklore, theater, fine arts, etc. Nowadays, perceiving the riches of modern world culture, it acquires a new content and national flavor.

Vietnamese theater includes traditional genres such as teo (folk theater), tuong (classical theater), kailuong (renewed theater), and ka hue (hue songs). These genres harmoniously combine music, singing, recitative, recitation, dance and facial expressions. The modern genre of kich noi (drama theater) has a European origin, but it is filled with national content and has firmly entered the cultural life of society.

The country has 2,446 public libraries and reading rooms with 17.2 million copies. books. Average attendance - 15 million people. in year.

After the restoration of peace in 1954, the History Museum, the Museum of the Revolution and the Army Museum were established in Hanoi. The Museum of Fine Arts was opened in 1965. On May 19, 1990, the Ho Chi Minh Museum was opened on the occasion of the centenary of the birth of the first Vietnamese president. There is also the Oceanological Museum in Nha Trang, the Cham Museum in the Quang Nam province and the Ethnology Museum in Hanoi. In general, there are 285 museums and exhibition centers in the country. International organizations donated 420 thousand US dollars to preserve and restore the ancient streets of Hanoi, the mausoleums of the emperors of the last Nguyen dynasty in Hue and the ancient city of Hoi An.

Woodcarving, lacquer, silk and oil painting, rice straw products and handicrafts remain very popular in Vietnam. The most ancient form of Vietnamese painting is popular print - paintings painted with water-based paints on silk or specially processed paper. Hanoi luboks are made by contour printing with wooden blocks followed by coloring.

The early works of literature that have come down to us date back to the 10th century. Over the course of many centuries, two literatures developed in parallel in the country, one in Chinese, which was then a literary language, and the other in Tynom, a transcribed national language. Liquidation at the beginning. 20th century the traditional education system, the replacement of hieroglyphs with Latinized Vietnamese writing, the development of printing, created the conditions for the birth of modern Vietnamese literature.

In 1945-75, Vietnamese literature mainly focused on glorifying the heroism of the people and mobilizing the masses to fight against external aggression and for national reunification. After 1986, literature reflects the course of the country's renewal. The stories, novellas and novels highlight previously forbidden plots about losses and casualties in war, about negative phenomena of modern everyday life, such as corruption, dishonesty, waste. Such works attract the attention of readers at home and abroad. Many of them have been translated into English, French, Chinese, Russian, Japanese and other languages.

(1 estimates, average: 5,00 out of 5)

The state is located on the Indochina peninsula and borders on Laos, Cambodia and China. From the east and south it is washed by the South China Sea and its bays.

In shape, the territory of Vietnam on the map resembles the Latin letter "S".

State symbols

Flag - is a panel with an aspect ratio of 2: 3 red, which depicts a yellow five-pointed star. The star represents the leadership of the Vietnamese Communist Party, the red signifies the success of the revolution, and the five points of the star symbolize the unity of workers, peasants, soldiers, intellectuals and youth. The flag was approved on November 30, 1955 as the flag of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Since 1976, when South Vietnam officially merged with the North, the flag has become the state symbol of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Emblem - was originally adopted as the coat of arms of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) on November 30, 1955. Modeled after the design of the coat of arms of the People's Republic of China, with all symbols of the Communist Party, including a yellow star on a red canvas, with a socialist theme. Gear and crops represent the union of agriculture and industrial labor in the overall communist model. Became the national coat of arms upon reunification with South Vietnam on July 2, 1976.

State structure of modern Vietnam

Form of government - a socialist parliamentary republic. According to the country's constitution, the leading role in the state and society belongs to the Communist Party of Vietnam. The supreme body of state power is the unicameral National Assembly, consisting of 498 deputies elected for 5 years by direct universal suffrage. Only the National Assembly can pass the Constitution and laws.
Head of state - the president. He is responsible to the National Assembly, elected by the National Assembly from among the deputies for a 5-year term.
Head of the government - Prime Minister.
Capital - Hanoi.
Largest cities - Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City.
Official language - Vietnamese.
Territory - 331,210 km².

Population - 92 477 857 people The Vietnamese government recognizes 54 nationalities, of which the Kinh (Viet) is the largest, accounting for 86%.
Currency - Vietnamese dong.
Economy - economic life is based on public, collective and private property, but private enterprise is under state control. Industry: processing of agricultural products, clothing, footwear, oil production, shipbuilding. Natural resources: phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromite, oil and gas deposits on the sea shelf, timber, hydropower. Electricity is generated primarily by hydroelectric power plants. The development plans include the construction of the first nuclear power plant in Ninh Thuan province according to a Russian project and with the help of Russian specialists. It is assumed that the new nuclear research center "Center for Nuclear Science and Technology" will also be built by Russian specialists. Agriculture: rice, coffee, rubber plants, cotton, tea, pepper, soybeans, cashews, sugarcane, peanuts, bananas; bird; catch of fish and seafood. In 2012, Vietnam became the world's largest exporter of coffee beans for the first time in history.

Coffee plantation in Vietnam
Education – preschool education: from 1.5 to 5 years. When a child turns 4, he usually already knows how to read and count. Elementary education: upon reaching 6 years of age (1-5 grades). Incomplete education: from 6 to 9 grades. After 9 years of study, students take exams. Secondary education: studies literature, mathematics, law, history, biology and a foreign language. Gifted children can study a deeper and more complex program. After the end of the 12th grade, they take exams and receive a diploma of graduation. The level of knowledge is assessed on a ten-point scale. 5 points is the lowest, but a passing grade. Vietnamese schools do not have good financial support from the state. Incomplete secondary education is quite expensive; not many parents can afford to allow their child to study further. Teachers' salaries are very low.

Higher education: to enter the university, you need to pass 3 exams in different disciplines. There are public and private universities. There are many branches of foreign universities, colleges and technical schools.

Military establishment - The official name of the armed forces is the Vietnamese People's Army. It consists of the Border Guard Forces, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard, the Air Force and the Air Defense Force.

MiG-21 Vietnamese Air Force
Sport - popular football, table tennis, chess, traditional martial arts. Vietnamese athletes have taken part in the Summer Olympics since 1952. The Vietnamese have won two silver Olympic awards: Taekwondo Tran Hieu Ngan scored in Sydney in 2000, and weightlifter Hoang An Tuan in 2008 in Beijing.
Administrative division - 58 provinces and 5 large cities of central subordination with the same status as provinces (first level). Urban areas, cities of provincial subordination, small towns of local importance and rural areas - counties (second level). Urban neighborhoods, urban communes-communes and rural communes-communes (third level).
Religion - the main religion of the Vietnamese is the system of folk beliefs, the basis of which is the rituals of "tho kung to tien" (ancestor cult), strictly performed by the majority of the country's inhabitants. This cult does not have a formalized creed, hierarchy of the clergy and social organization (communities, parishes, etc.) and, therefore, does not have the status of a religious denomination. Buddhist temples are often the place of worship of ancestors, which is the reason for another popular misconception that more than 80% of Vietnamese are Buddhists.
Buddhists 9.3%, Roman Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Kaodai 1.1%, Protestant 0.5%. Orthodoxy in Vietnam is the smallest of the largest branches of Christianity in the country. Presented by the parish of the Russian Orthodox Church in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in the city of Vung Tau, where several hundred Russian-speaking employees of JV Vietsovpetro live and work.

Tourism

The importance of tourism is constantly growing. Popular resorts of the country are Mui Ne, Nha Trang, Dalat. Due to the strong winds, the coast at Mui Ne is popular with kite and windsurfers. The resort has a developed tourist infrastructure.

The beaches of Nyanchang are attractive. There are healing springs and mud: there is a mud bath in the city. The unique climate of the high-mountainous resort Dalat, located at an altitude of 1500 m, made it a favorite vacation spot not only among locals, but also among tourists from various countries.
Popular among tourists are the cities of Hanoi, Hue, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon).

Halong Bay

The bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located in Quang Ninh Province in the Gulf of Tonkin, South China Sea. It is a popular tourist destination.
The bay includes over 3000 islands, as well as small cliffs, cliffs and caves. Its area is about 1500 km². The terrestrial and underwater worlds are characterized by high biodiversity.
Halong translates as "where the dragon descended into the sea." According to legend, Halong Island was created by a large dragon. He always lived in the mountains, but when he went out, he gouged valleys and hollows of various shapes with his tail. After he plunged into the sea, the places dug by his tail were filled with water, and only small islands of land remained. Locals say to this day that a dragon lives in the bay.

Nature

Vietnam is divided into three climatic regions: North, Central and South. Due to the diversity of the relief and the change in the direction of the winds during the year, significant internal differences are traced in the regions themselves. The northern region is characterized by humid hot summers during the equatorial monsoon from the Pacific Ocean and wet, cool winters. The southern region has a typical tropical monsoon climate. The climate of the Central Region is significantly influenced by the Truong Son Mountains and their spurs, which serve as a barrier that prevents the penetration of humid southwestern winds in summer.

Flora

A significant part of Vietnam's territory, mainly in the mountains, is covered with forests, these are mainly secondary moist evergreen tropical forests, and in those areas in the south of the country where the rainfall is much lower, there are savannas and sparse rainforests. In Vietnam, many valuable tree species grow: iron, black, pink, camphor, ebony, sandalwood, more than 30 types of bamboo are common. 76 species of forest plants provide aromatic substances, 600 species - tannin, 200 - dyes, 260 species - oil. Red shellac, cinnamon, anise, pine extract are used as raw materials for various industries.

Camphor tree
The lower parts of the mountains (up to heights of 800-1000 m) are covered with humid tropical evergreen forests. Above, up to 1700-2000 m, there are broad-leaved subtropical mountain forests with undergrowth of various bamboos, and even higher - mixed forests: oak, maple, ash and conifers.
Mangroves are common in the coastal zone. In the low-lying areas there are groves of coconut trees.

Fauna

The fauna of Vietnam is quite diverse: it has about 170 species of mammals, about 970 species of birds, 270 species of reptiles, more than 1000 species of marine and freshwater fish. In the coastal waters, crabs, shrimps, and shellfish are found.
In tropical forests, panthers, leopards, tigers, monkeys (macaques and gibbons), bears, tree civets, flying squirrels, large monitor lizards, white and green parrots, pheasants, and peacocks are common.

Woody civetres. The family of civerrids is considered, along with the canine family, to be the oldest in the order of carnivores. It is from the civet that hyenas and felines originated.
Rhinos are rare. There are many snakes (boas, cobras, etc.), turtles, lizards. The savannah forests and savannas are inhabited by the Indian elephant, antelopes, deer, buffaloes, wild boars, eagles and partridges. In river deltas and swamps, pink flamingos, storks, pelicans, herons, wild ducks, geese settle. The flooded fields are teeming with fish and small crabs. There are many freshwater fish in rivers and lakes.

Pink pelican
In order to preserve wildlife and rare plants (including medicinal ones), 87 specially protected areas with a total area of \u200b\u200b750 thousand hectares have been created in Vietnam: 7 national parks, 80 wildlife sanctuaries and reserves.

Culture

Aozai - a symbol of Vietnam

Aozai - Vietnamese costume, mostly for women. This is a long silk shirt worn over the pants. In modern life, aozai is worn by Vietnamese women at festive events, in a solemn atmosphere, aozai is the uniform of schoolgirls, students and employees of many companies in Vietnam. It is also worn in everyday life.

Aozai with a high collar, two floors, hemmed with silk and mesh, is usually decorated with floral, ornamental or theme embroidery. Aozai, along with wide trousers and a national non hat, is one of the symbols of modern Vietnam.
There is a male version of the Aozai, which has a wider cut and increased fabric density. At receptions, Vietnamese men wear aozai as a formal dress. In 2006, at the APEC summit organized in Vietnam, the leaders of different countries donned the Vietnamese aozai.

Aozai and Khandong Aozai at the APEC Summit, Hanoi, Vietnam 2006
The formation of Vietnamese culture was strongly influenced by the largest religious and philosophical teachings of the East - Buddhism and Confucianism. During some periods of history, Chinese culture was imposed by violent methods, especially in the 1st and 7th centuries.
In the village environment, a national cultural tradition, ding-lang, was formed: religious performances, complex ceremonies and rituals, cult architecture and sculpture, folk painting. Many of the traditional arts have survived to this day.
From antiquity, famous bronze items of North Vietnam are known, belonging to the Dong Son culture (IX-VIII centuries BC - I-II centuries AD), found at the end of the XVII century. Among the bronze finds are tools, jewelry, household utensils, bronze drums used during agricultural rituals.
In the era of Chinese expansion I-X centuries. glazed earthenware products are made of clay: bowls, lamps, incense burners, colored tiles. In the III century. the production of paper from the bark and leaves of the scarlet tree and seaweed begins. The art of artistic varnishes spreads, and weaving from jute, flax, and bamboo fibers develops. High level in the VIII-X centuries. reaches the art of making silk fabrics.
In the XI-XII centuries, in the era of Buddhism, temples, pagodas and monasteries were actively built. But the buildings of that period have practically not survived. An indispensable attribute of the temple decor was the image of the dragon, which was one of the four sacred animals, along with the phoenix, unicorn and turtle. The dragon was considered the patron ancestor of the Vietnamese and was revered as the master of the element of water.

Roof detail, imperial edging (Hue)
The motif of sacred animals is most common in the decorative arts of Vietnam. Other common elements are the "eight precious objects" symbolizing wealth and education: pumpkin fruit, brush tip, fig leaf fan, flute, basket of flowers, sword, gong, feather broom; “Eight fruits” - peach, pomegranate, plum, pear, “Buddha's hand” fruit (a kind of citron), grapes, calabash, round pumpkin; “Four plants” - peach blossom, chrysanthemum, bamboo, orchid; "four Seasons".

Citron
At the end of the XIX century. the popular picture is spreading. These paintings were made in many villages and, due to the low price, could be purchased by any peasant.

Folk painting "Wealth"
During the period of French colonization, the people of Vietnam get the opportunity to become familiar with European culture. Vocational schools and the Higher School of Fine Arts are opening in the country. The Vietnamese are discovering a new type of fine art - easel painting.

To Ngoc Wam "Girl at the Lily" (1943)

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Vietnam

Hue Monument Complex

Thien Mu pagoda

The complex includes several hundred architectural objects of the Nguyen dynasty (temples, palaces, mausoleums) in the city of Hue, built over a century and a half: the remains of the imperial citadel; Thien Mu pagoda with a seven-story twenty-meter octagonal tower Thap Phyok Duen dedicated to Buddha; royal tombs (eight huge complexes of tombs of monarchs, very different from each other in style and interior decoration: with temples, wooden buildings and pavilions, granite stairs, mosaics, bronze statues of people and animals, tombstone obelisks, towers, boat docks); Museum of Antiquity Hue. A monument of special value with wooden panels, on which his poems were inscribed with the hand of one of the emperors, pieces of royal furniture and clothing, a collection of bronze and ceramics exhibits and personal belongings of monarchs Fu Kam Cathedral. The temple, created in 1965 according to the classical Vietnamese traditions, but using the latest architectural concepts at that time.

Hoi An historic city

Old town view
In the 1st century. n. e. was the largest port in Southeast Asia. It was part of the Champa state. In the West it was known under the name of Fife. Hoi An is called an open-air museum city. Today, there are 844 officially recognized buildings of historical significance in Hoi An. Among them are ancient Chinese houses, Cham temples, shops, public buildings, graves. The city is also famous for its traditional and souvenir shops, a large number of sewing workshops.

Old temple

Michonne shrine

The temple complex of the Champa Empire in the central part of Vietnam was the capital of the empire in the 4th-12th centuries. The Champa culture was heavily influenced by Indian culture, this is reflected in the worship of the Hindu god Shiva and in art.
The excavations, funded by UNESCO, began in 2002.

The most famous tower, 24 m high, was decorated with sculptures of lions and elephants. It was destroyed by American bombing during the war in 1969. During these bombings, 50 of the 70 temples were completely or partially destroyed.

Fong Nya Kebang National Park

The park is located in Quang Binh province, 500 km south of Hanoi. It was created to protect the karst area, which contains approximately three hundred caves and grottoes, and which protects the limestone ecosystem of the Truong Son Mountains of the north-central coast of Vietnam.
The plateau on which the park lies is one of the most characteristic examples of the complex karst landscape in Southeast Asia. In April 2009, the largest cave in the world, Son Dong, was discovered by members of the British Speleological Association.
Fongya Kebang is famous for its system of caves and grottoes with a total length of about 70 km.

Thang Long Imperial Citadel (Hanoi)

Remains of the Imperial City were discovered at the site of the Badinh Assembly Hall when it was demolished in 2008 to make way for a new parliament building. Various archaeological finds that have been found are on display at the National Museum. Until now, only a small part of Thang Long has been excavated. The royal palaces and most of the buildings in Thang Long were destroyed to some extent by the end of the 19th century. due to the actions of the French army during the conquest of Vietnam (Thang Long is the old name of Hanoi).

Huo Dynasty Citadel

The citadel of the Ho dynasty in Vietnam is the center of the former capital of Vietnam in the late 14th-early 15th centuries, the political, economic and cultural center of the northern region of Vietnam from the 16th to the 18th centuries.
The citadel system includes stone walls made of large stone blocks, the outer defensive wall of the citadel, and the Namzhao altar (site of the Celestial Master's ceremony). Cultural layers underground store information about palaces, temples, roads, decorative arts, even ancient villages, landscapes are preserved in a relatively intact state, clearly reflecting the historical period of the culture and civilization of Vietnam.

Other sights of Vietnam

Cattienne (national park)

The park is home to lowland tropical forests with a large number of protected species of animals and plants. The park was founded in 1978. 105 species of mammals, more than 360 species of birds, 120 species of reptiles and amphibians and more than 150 species of freshwater fish live here. The park is inhabited by about 440 species of butterflies and many species of other insects.

Yellow-cheeked crested gibbon - one of the inhabitants of the park

Perfume pagoda

An extensive complex of Buddhist temples and shrines built in the limestone mountains in Hanoi, it is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the country. It hosts a major religious festival, Huong, which attracts pilgrims from all over Vietnam. The temples that make up the Perfume Pagoda complex are scattered among the hills in the forest on the Huong Mountains.

Petroglyphs in Shapa

Stones with petroglyphs in the city of Shapa (Sapa), Vietnamese province of Lao Cai, were discovered by a French archaeologist in 1925. The stones depict stairs, people, a road, circular grooves, male and female figures.

Nha Trang

Coastal city and capital of Khanh Hoa province. Nha Trang is famous for its beaches, there are very good conditions for snorkeling. The city is the center of marine science based on the Oceanographic Institute.

Can Tho

The largest city in the Mekong Delta. Like any other city, it has its own attractions and features. A special feature of Can Tho is the floating markets where people buy and sell things on the river.

History

In the 1st millennium BC. e. on the territory of modern southern China and modern northern Vietnam, there were several states of ancient Vieta.
But already at the end of the II century. BC e. the country falls under the rule of the Han emperors. Chinese rule lasted here until the 9th century, although it should be said about short-term independence as a result "Uprising of two sisters". Chung sisters (about 12 AD - 43 AD) - the leaders of the uprising against the Chinese governors. They are considered Vietnam's national heroines. Chung Chak and Chung Ni were nam the Vietnamese nation did not exist in those years.

The Chung Sisters Lead Elephants to Battle. Drawing by Bắc Ninh
At the same time, Buddhism, preached by Indian monks, was spreading in the country, which coexisted with traditional cults of ancestors and the forces of nature.
In 880, the Chinese troops left their South Vietnamese governorship, and in 968 the territory was united by Din Bo Lin under the name Daikoviet - The great ancient Viet. The heating of the central government began. But in the second half of the XIII century. the Mongols began to invade Daiviet and other states of Southeast Asia, with whom the Vieta fought desperately. In 1407, the country was again seized by the Chinese, Le Loi in 1427 proclaimed himself the new emperor, founding the Late Le dynasty, which ruled until the end of the 18th century.
In the second half of the 15th century. Vietnam is again switching to an offensive policy, capturing neighboring Champa and the eastern regions of Lansang. Buddhism is inferior to Confucianism and traditional beliefs. By the end of the first quarter of the 17th century. the actual power in the country belonged to two influential clans: in the north of the Nghe An province - the Chiney family, in the south - the Nguyenam.
Thirty Years Civil War (1773-1802) ended with the creation of a unified state based on Confucian principles. At the beginning of the XIX century. strengthened Vietnam waged a long struggle with Siam for control over Cambodia.
In 1858, under the pretext of the Vietnamese government's refusal to accept demands for free trade, the French invasion of Vietnam began. All of southern Vietnam fell under French influence. In 1882 the French took Hanoi, and in 1883 they signed a protectorate treaty with Vietnam. The colonial regime was finally established in 1885.
In the second half of the XIX century. Vietnam falls into colonial dependence on France. The country is artificially divided into three parts: the Cochin Khin colony (South Vietnam), the Annam protectorates (Central Vietnam) and Tonkin (North Vietnam). Together with Laos and Cambodia, Vietnam became part of French Indochina.
But in the 1930s, a powerful national liberation movement began in the country, led by the Communist Party of Indochina, its leader was Ho Chi Minh.

During the Second World War, Vietnam was captured by the Japanese, who first disarmed and then completely neutralized the French garrisons. But by the end of the war, the Japanese were forced to withdraw their troops to strengthen the defense of Japan and Manchuria, the communists took advantage of this: they elected a Provisional Government headed by Ho Chi Minh and announced the creation of a new state throughout Vietnamese territory - Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV).
But the French wanted to restore the colonial system - on November 20, 1946, they shelled and occupied Haiphong and Lang Son. A "nation-wide, all-round and long war" began with a protracted partisan character. Northern Vietnam became the main arena of battles, but the French suffered a major defeat and were forced to retreat, suffering heavy losses. France abandoned offensive operations, went over to the defense of the occupied regions of the DRV and decided to "fight against the Vietnamese by the hands of the Vietnamese themselves." In May 1948, the colonialists formed the puppet government of Nguyen Xuan in the occupied territory, and a year later announced the creation of the state of Vietnam, headed by the former emperor Bao Dai (the last representative of the Nguyen dynasty). In the 1950s, the United States began direct intervention in the war on the side of France.
In 1953, the Vietnamese People's Army launched a general offensive on all fronts, which lasted until July 1954. In the spring of 1954, it defeated the forces of the French colonial army at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. Major military defeats and anti-war protests in France itself forced the French government to negotiate a settlement of the Indo-China problem. In July 1954, at the Geneva Conference, agreements were signed to restore peace in Indochina. The armed forces of the DRV and France were to cease fire and, within 300 days, complete the regrouping of troops in two zones, respectively, to the north and south of the demarcation line, established approximately along the 17th parallel. After 2 years, it was planned to hold general elections, which were to form a unified government of Vietnam and complete the unification of the country. The signing of the Geneva Agreements meant international recognition of the sovereignty and independence of Vietnam. Before the elections, the territory of Vietnam was temporarily divided into two halves along the Benhai River. This did not suit the United States - the elections were disrupted, in the south the Republic of Vietnam was proclaimed with the capital in Saigon, headed by Ngo Dinh Diem.

Partition of Vietnam
In 1959, the leadership of the northern Democratic Republic of Vietnam came to the conclusion that it was necessary to unite the country by force. The National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam was created, which, with partisan operations, tried to undermine the influence of the Saigon regime in the periphery and in 1965 controlled about 30% of the territory of South Vietnam. The United States took advantage of the Tonkin incident (firing by Vietnamese boats on an American destroyer, allegedly in neutral waters) and began systematic bombing of the DRV, began the transfer of troops to South Vietnam. The Vietnam War began.

It was one of the largest military conflicts in the second half of the 20th century. The decisive actions of the partisans in the south and the successful confrontation of the DRV with air strikes (with significant support from the USSR) led to impressive losses among the Americans and forced Washington to sign the Paris Peace Agreements in 1973, according to which American troops were withdrawn from Vietnam. Without American support, the Saigon regime, in deep crisis, quickly fell as a result of the North Vietnamese advance. On April 30, 1975, South Vietnamese troops surrendered Saigon.

On July 2, 1976, the North and South of Vietnam merged into the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. In 1976, a new constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was adopted, and Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City.
In February - March 1979, an armed conflict broke out between Vietnam and China, in which other countries were also involved. The SRV army managed to stop the offensive of the Chinese troops invading the country, inflicting heavy losses on them. The diplomatic intervention of the USSR forced the PRC to abandon further actions against Vietnam. After that, armed incidents periodically occurred on the Sino-Vietnamese border.
Relations between the PRC and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam were restored only in 1991 following the results of high-level talks held on November 5-10.
Currently, Vietnam has experienced a partial liberalization of the economic system and a significant expansion of contacts with foreign countries, with some weakening of party control over all spheres of public life.

Modern Hanoi

- a state in Southeast Asia, located on the Indochina peninsula.

Official name of Vietnam:
Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Territory of Vietnam:
The area of \u200b\u200bthe state of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is 329560 km².

Population of Vietnam:
The population of Vietnam is over 83 million people (83,535,576 people).

Ethnic groups of Vietnam:
Officially, there are 54 nationalities in Vietnam. In practice, some small ethno-linguistic groups are combined with larger ones, and the real number of ethnic groups is noticeably higher. The official nationalities of Vietnam are grouped into 8 official groups according to language: Viet-Muong (i.e. peoples speaking the languages \u200b\u200bof the Vietnamese group of Mon-Khmer languages), Mon-Khmer (peoples speaking the other Mon-Khmer languages), Tibeto - Burmese, Chinese, Thai, Miao-Yao, Cham (peoples who speak the Cham languages) and others (includes only peoples who speak the Kadai languages), as well as foreigners.

Life expectancy in Vietnam:
The average life expectancy in Vietnam is equal to 70.05 years (see the Rating of the countries of the world by average life expectancy).

Capital of Vietnam:
Hanoi.

Major cities of Vietnam:
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Hanoi.

Official language of Vietnam:
Vietnamese.

Religion in Vietnam:
Freedom of religion is declared in Vietnam. The majority of the population of Vietnam are Buddhists, with a wide representation of hoa-khao (koa-kao), kaodaism and Christianity (dominated by Catholics and a small Protestant community), as well as traditional local beliefs and Islam.

Geographical location of Vietnam:
Vietnam is a state in Southeast Asia, located on the Indochina Peninsula. From the east, Vietnam is washed by the South China Sea, from the west - by the Gulf of Thailand. The length of the sea coast of Vietnam is 3960 km. The territory of Vietnam includes the islands located in the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, incl. part of the Paracel Islands and the Spratly Islands. The largest of them are: Phu Quoc (568 km²), Catba (180 km²), Con Dao (50 km²).

In the north, Vietnam borders with China (the length of the border is 1,300 km), in the west - with Laos (650 km), in the southwest - with Cambodia (930 km). From north to south Vietnam stretches for 1,650 km, from east to west for 600 km in the north, 400 km in the south and about 50 km in the central part of Vietnam.

Rivers of Vietnam:
Red River, Mekong, Black (tributary of the Red).

Administrative divisions of Vietnam:
Vietnam is divided into 59 provinces. Along with this, there are 5 cities of central subordination, which have the same status as the provinces.

State structure of Vietnam:
The National Assembly of Vietnam (NA) is a unicameral supreme representative body that exercises legislative power, decides on the main issues of domestic and foreign policy of the state, and exercises supreme control over the activities of all state bodies. It elects from among the deputies the Standing Committee, the President and the Vice-President, the Council of Ministers (government), the Chairman of the Supreme People's Court, and the Prosecutor General of the Supreme People's Prosecutor's Office. It consists of 498 deputies, elected from administrative-territorial units and from social and political organizations and unions. Elected for 5 years, its sessions are held 2 times a year. Over 90% of the NA deputies are members of the CPV.

The Standing Committee of the National Assembly (Standing Committee of the National Assembly) is a body constantly functioning between sessions of the National Assembly.

The President of Vietnam is the head of state and represents Vietnam in the international arena.
He is elected by the National Assembly for 5 years from among the deputies, is responsible and accountable to the National Assembly. It promulgates and interprets legislative acts, and proposes to the National Assembly the candidatures of Vice President, Prime Minister, President of the Supreme People's Court and Prosecutor General. In accordance with the decision of the National Assembly or the SC, the National Assembly declares martial law, general or partial mobilization, etc. The President exercises overall command of the Armed Forces and heads the National Defense and Security Council.

The Council of Ministers is the government of Vietnam, the highest executive and administrative body of state power.
Accountable to the National Assembly, and in the intervals between sessions - to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly and the President of Vietnam. The government includes 20 ministries and 6 state institutions with the status of ministries. The term of office of the head of government is 5 years.

The local government system corresponds to the administrative division of Vietnam.
Each administrative unit has a government body elected by the local population - the People's Council. The term of office of the People's Councils of provinces, cities of central subordination and administrative units equivalent to them is 4 years. The term of office of the remaining councils is 2 years. The executive bodies of the People's Councils and local administrative authorities are the People's Committees.