Officially known as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, this country is located on the Southeast Asian Indochinese Peninsula.
This Asian country is bordered by China to the north, and Laos and Cambodia to its west. In addition, it also has maritime borders with Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines.
Vietnam is a popular destination for tourists, and its capital city is Hanoi.
Continue reading and discover all these amazing facts about Vietnam.
Vietnam Facts
1. Vietnam’s history is filled with wars and invasions
Vietnam was first ruled by the Hung Dynasty, in the 3rd century BC. Then, Chinese troops were given the order to invade northern parts of Vietnam, and then they ended up staying in the country for many hundreds of years.
Later, in 1858, France invaded Vietnam, and right until 1954, Vietnam was still considered as a member of the French Indochina.
As if this wasn’t enough, the French ruled the Asian country until 1954, and then Vietnam was divided into North Vietnam and South Vietnam, and a period of intense violence and war started to occur.
There was another war called the Second Indonesian War, and it lasted from 1955-1975. However, in Vietnam, this war is referred to as the Resistance War Against America, because Vietnamese people were fighting against the United States’ troops.
2. Vietnam is considered as one of the most beautiful countries on earth
They are surrounded by sandy beaches with crystal clear water. An interesting fact about Vietnam is that its shape looks like the letter S.
Vietnam is very long, but it is also very narrow. Its highest point is Fan Si Pan, which is also referred to as the Roof of Indochina, and it’s a mountain that is elevated up to 3,143 meters above sea level.
3. The country is also home to several dozens of different cultures
And the Vietnamese government recognizes at least 54 different ethnic groups in the country.
However, the majority of the citizens in Vietnam are from a group called Viet people.
Other important groups are the Thai and Khmer people. Lastly, there is a big Chinese community in Vietnam, and there are many descendants of French individuals as well.
Vietnam’s flag also takes into consideration the diversity of its nation, and the golden star’s five points are trying to represent soldiers, youth, workers, farmers, and intellectuals who have been born in the country, a fun Vietnam fact.
4. They love to produce and export coffee and cashew nuts
Not only is Vietnam’s coffee unique and very tasty, but they are also very good at exporting it, and they are considered as the second-biggest producer and exporting nation in the world.
Vietnam’s coffee is very cheap, and it is considered as being of a high standard in the international market.
Other products Vietnam produces are rice, tea, soybeans, and peanuts.
In addition, Vietnam also exports cashews nuts, and they are, in fact, the biggest producers of this type of nuts. However, the way in which they treat workers in farms around the country has led to a huge international backlash from consumers.
5. If you love animals, you definitely need to go to Vietnam
Vietnamese people are known for their hospitality but they are also known for being very nice to animals.
This may be because they are one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, where more than 800 different species of birds live, and where more than 300 mammal species can be found.
They also have the Red Shanked Douc, which is a type of monkey that can only be found in this country, an interesting fact about Vietnam.
Elephants, tigers, dolphins, and water buffaloes can also be seen in Vietnam.
6. They celebrate the New Year twice
And they love it! The first celebration happens on January 1st as most countries do. However, they also follow their own traditions and celebrate the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, which is called Tet.
This celebration coincides with the Chinese New Year as well, so communities in both countries, and all over the world, get to share a second New Year, a fun Vietnam fact.
Vietnamese people tend to buy new traditional clothes to celebrate the New Year, and they also visit most temples in order to pay their respects.
It is also normal for them to leave a table outside of their houses. There, they will place flowers, fake money, fruits, and many other national dishes.
This is done as a way of inviting the gods into their houses, and as a way of celebrating with them a variety of traditional dishes.
7. Motorbikes are a must in this country
In fact, motorbikes are the main ways of transportation in Vietnam. They are everywhere!
It has been said that at least 37 million motorbikes were registered in 2013, in comparison to the 2 million people who own a car.
Only the super-rich people can afford to have a car in Vietnam, not only because of the high taxes they must pay but also because of the high maintenance costs having a car involves.
Lastly, public transportation is available, but it is really bad. This is why people prefer to own a motorbike, and, even though traffic is a nightmare, they would still reach their destinations quicker than if going by car or in public transport.
Conclusion
Vietnam is a country that has many visible contrasts, and, despite having suffered throughout the years – thanks to the wars that were continuously going on there – Vietnamese people are one of the friendliest and most welcoming individuals on earth.
This Asian country is also known for its beautiful landscapes, mountains, tropical weather, and sandy beaches. More tourists are deciding to go to Vietnam as it is a very cheap destination, but it also offers a great deal of history.
And even though there is still a lot to be done in Vietnam in terms of overcoming issues, it can be argued that this nation is one of the fastest-growing nations in the world at the moment, and it is also proving to be a very important economic international hub.
I hope that this article on Vietnam facts was helpful! If you are interested, visit the Country Facts Page!
