Vietnam

Vietnam stretches along the eastern coast of mainland Southeast Asia, bordered by China, Laos, Cambodia, and the South China Sea. The north features the Red River Delta and terraced mountains near Sa Pa, the center narrows into the Hai Van Pass, and the south opens into the Mekong Delta with floating markets and mangrove forests. Tropical monsoons bring heavy rains, and long coastlines host fishing villages, resorts, and busy ports at Haiphong and Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnam is a socialist republic led by the Communist Party. The National Assembly passes laws, a president serves as head of state, and a prime minister directs the government. Provinces oversee schools, health clinics, and disaster response, while the central government builds expressways, hydropower dams, and digital networks. Compulsory education and healthcare programs aim to raise living standards in both urban and rural areas.

The country's history includes Bronze Age Dong Son culture, Chinese dynasties, independent kingdoms such as Đại Việt, and French colonial rule. The August Revolution of 1945 declared independence, leading to the First Indochina War, followed by the Vietnam War that ended in 1975 with reunification of the north and south. Since the Đổi Mới economic reforms of the late 1980s, Vietnam has opened to trade, joined ASEAN and the World Trade Organization, and expanded ties with many nations.

Vietnam's economy relies on agriculture, manufacturing, and services. Farmers grow rice, coffee, pepper, cashews, and dragon fruit, and aquaculture produces shrimp and catfish for export. Industrial parks assemble electronics, garments, and furniture, while scooter factories and shipyards support domestic transportation. Solar farms in the Mekong region, wind turbines along the central coast, and metro lines in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City modernize infrastructure.

Culture highlights áo dài traditional dress, lacquer painting, water puppetry, and music styles from folk quan họ duets to modern pop. Buddhism, Confucian values, and ancestor worship influence family life, while Catholic churches and other faiths contribute to the plural landscape. Street food stalls serve phở noodle soup, bánh mì sandwiches, spring rolls, and iced coffee sweetened with condensed milk. Festivals such as Tết Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn lantern walks, and boat races in the Mekong Delta bring communities together.