Vietnam Location: Southeastern Asia. Bordering: Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin. China, Laos, and Cambodia. Geographic coordinates: 16 N, 106 E Area: 125,622 mile2 Natural resources: phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, forests
South: Dry Season, Raining Season Climate South: Dry Season, Raining Season North: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter. Dry Season Spring Fall Raining Season Winter Summer
Population Population: 83,536,000 (2005) Birth rate: 17.07 Death rate: 6.2 Population growth rate: 1.04% Ethnic Groups (1999): Kinh (Viet) 86.2% Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.7% Muong 1.5% Khome 1.4%, Hoa 1.1%, Nun 1.1%, Hmong 1%, Others 4.1%
Religion Ancestor Worship 80.8% Buddhist 9.3% Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%, Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%,
Currency Vietnam Dong (VND) 1 USD = 15,367.5 VND
Traditional costumes “Ao Dai” Royal custom Wedding dress Traditional Family Custom High School Uniform
Special Foods Banh Chung and Banh Tet Nem Ran (Spring roll) (Boiled rice and pork cakes) Nem Ran (Spring roll) Banh Beo xu Hue (Hue bloating fern-shaped cake) Pho (Rice noodle soup)
National Holidays NOEL Tet Holiday (Lunar New Year) Mid-Autumn Moon Festival National Day
Vietnamese Dances Royal Hat Dance Leaf Hat Dance Royal Fan Dance Modern Fan Dance
Foreigner and Vietnamese Culture Traditional Custom - Aodai Chopstick and Noodle Traditional Transportation - Cyclo