Vietnam occupies a land area of 330,000 sq. km. and measures 1,650 km from its northern border with China to its southernmost tip at the Eastern Sea. Situated in the heart of Southeast Asia, with 3,260 km of spectacular coastline, Vietnam offers ideal advantages for economic development, trade and tourism. Mountains and tropical forest cover three quarters of Vietnam, but the flatlands make up the most heavily populated portion of the country. The country's two "rice bowls" lie in the Red River delta in the North and the Mekong River delta in the South.
Hanoi, the nation's capital, lies on the banks of the Red River. It is not only the country's political, cultural and educational capital but also the most important economic center in the North. Ho Chi Minh City, the new name for Saigon, lies just north of the Mekong Delta in the South, and is the largest city in Vietnam. The city, with a population of five million, functions as the country's economic heart and business hub. Danang, in the central part of the country, is the third largest city and an important port.
Vietnam has two climates. The southern and central regions have a tropical climate with dry and rainy seasons and are normally humid throughout the year. In the north, the four seasons, including a distinct winter, are more defined. Average annual rainfall is about 223 cm.
Vietnamese history dates back more than 4,000 years to when the ancient Vietnamese people founded their first nation under the name "Van Lang".
The recent history of Vietnam is best characterized as one long, continuous struggle for freedom and independence. The country was ruled by the Chinese feudalists for nearly a thousand years from 111 B.C. to 939 A.D. It was also colonized by France for almost a century, from 1859 to 1945.
During the Second World War, Vietnam was occupied by Japanese troops, but the French administration continued until March 9, 1945 when it was toppled by the Japanese. Vietnam regained its power from the Japanese in August 1945 and was declared independent on September 2 in the same year, giving the birth to the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Right after the declaration of independence, the country was immediately plunged into a war against the French attempts to re-colonize, which lasted for another nine years. The war ended in 1954, leaving the country divided at the 17th parallel.The north remained as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, led by the communists, while the south fell under the influence of the West, namely the United States.
The US involvement in Vietnam grew in the 1950s and escalated into a full-fledged war in March 1965 when the first US troops landed in Vietnam. Although US troops were completely withdrawn by the end of March 1973 as a result of the Paris Peace . Accords, the war continued until April 30, 1975, when the south was liberated. The nation was reunified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in January 1976. However, the legacy of war did not end until 1979.