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| | * [[Directory:Vietnam/Vietnam Historical Background|Vietnam Historical Background]] | | * [[Directory:Vietnam/Vietnam Historical Background|Vietnam Historical Background]] |
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| − | == Geography ==
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| | * [[Directory:Vietnam/Vietnam Geography|Vietnam Geography]] | | * [[Directory:Vietnam/Vietnam Geography|Vietnam Geography]] |
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| − | '''Location:''' Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia, bordered by the
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| − | Gulf of Tonkin and the South China Sea to the east, China to the
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| − | north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, and the Gulf of Thailand
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| − | to the south.
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| − | '''Size:''' Vietnam is long and thin, with an area of 330,363 square
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| − | kilometers.
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| − | '''Land Boundaries:''' Vietnam shares land boundaries with Cambodia
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| − | (1,228 kilometers), China (1,281 kilometers), and Laos (2,130 kilometers).
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| − | '''Disputed Territory:''' On December 30, 1999, China and Vietnam
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| − | signed a treaty that settled disputes over the two nations’ common
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| − | border. However, the Paracel and Spratly Islands in the South China
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| − | Sea are still regarded as disputed territory. Malaysia, Brunei, the
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| − | Philippines, and Taiwan also claim sovereignty over the Spratly
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| − | Islands, which are believed to be rich in oil and natural gas reserves.
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| − | In May 2004, the government authorized 50 tourists and 40 officials to visit the Spratly Islands
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| − | by boat. The other nations staking a claim to the islands protested what they interpreted as an
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| − | assertion of sovereignty by Vietnam. In October 2004, Vietnam invited bids for oil exploration in
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| − | the Spratlys, triggering a complaint from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In November
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| − | 2004, China retaliated by moving an oil-drilling platform into position to explore for oil in the
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| − | Paracels.
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| − | '''Length of Coastline:''' Vietnam’s coastline along the Gulf of Tonkin, the South China Sea, and
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| − | the Gulf of Thailand measures 3,444 kilometers.
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| − |
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| − | '''Maritime Claims:''' In June 2004, Vietnam’s National Assembly ratified an agreement originally
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| − | reached with China in December 2000 that established an internationally valid maritime border
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| − | in the Gulf of Tonkin. The ratification delay was attributable to concerns that the government
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| − | had made too many concessions during negotiations. In addition, in April 2004 China and
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| − | Vietnam agreed to a common fishing zone in the Gulf of Tonkin. Vietnam claims an exclusive
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| − | economic zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles, the approximate beginning of the continental shelf.
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| − |
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| − | '''Topography:''' Vietnam is a country of tropical lowlands, hills, and densely forested highlands,
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| − | with level land covering no more than 20 percent of the area. The country is divided into the
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| − | highlands and the Red River Delta in the north, and the Giai Truong Son (Central mountains, or
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| − | the Chaîne Annamitique, sometimes referred to simply as the Chaîne), the coastal lowlands, and
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| − | the Mekong River Delta in the south. The highest point in Vietnam is Fan Si Pan, at 3,143 meters
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| − | above sea level, in the northwest.
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| − |
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| − | '''Principal Rivers:''' A relatively dense network of rivers traverses Vietnam. The principal rivers
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| − | are as follows: in the north, the Red and Thai Binh; in the center, the Ca, Ma, Han, Thach Han,
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| − | and Thu Bon; and in the south, the Mekong and Dong Nai.
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| − |
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| − | '''Climate:''' Vietnam’s climate is tropical and monsoonal; humidity averages 84 percent throughout
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| − | the year. Annual rainfall ranges from 1,200 to 3,000 millimeters, and annual temperatures vary
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| − | between 5°C and 37°C.
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| − | '''Natural Resources:''' Vietnam’s main natural resources consist of coal, copper, crude oil, gold,
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| − | iron, manganese, silver, and zinc.
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| − |
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| − | '''Land Use:''' In 2003 Vietnam’s land use was distributed as follows: 21 percent, arable; 28
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| − | percent, forest and woodland; and 51 percent, other.
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| − |
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| − | '''Environmental Factors:''' The National Environmental Agency, a branch of the Ministry of
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| − | Science, Technology, and Environment, is responsible for environmental protection. At the
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| − | provincial level, the Departments of Science, Technology, and the Environment bear
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| − | responsibility. Non-governmental organizations, particularly the Institute of Ecological
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| − | Economics, also play a role. Urbanization, industrialization, and intensive farming are having a
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| − | negative impact on Vietnam’s environment. These factors have led to air pollution, water
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| − | pollution, and noise pollution, particularly in urban and industrial centers like Ho Chi Minh City
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| − | and Hanoi. The most serious problem is waste treatment. Land use pressures have led to
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| − | significant environmental problems, including severe deforestation, soil erosion, sedimentation
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| − | of rivers, flooding in the deltas, declining fish yields, and pollution of the coastal and marine
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| − | environment. The use of Agent Orange by the U.S. military in the Second Indochina War (1954–
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| − | 75) has had a lingering effect on Vietnam in the form of persistent environmental contamination
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| − | that has increased the incidence of various diseases and birth defects.
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| − |
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| − | '''Time Zone:''' Seven hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
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| | == Society == | | == Society == |
