Useful information about Vietnam. Useful information about Vietnam Brief history of the country

VIETNAM
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), a state in the eastern part of the Indochina peninsula, in Southeast Asia. It borders in the north with China, in the west with Laos and Cambodia, in the east it is washed by the waters of the South China Sea, including the Bakbo Bay (Gulf of Tonkin) and in the southwest by the Gulf of Thailand. The state consists of three historical regions: Northern (Bakbo), Central (Chungbo) and Southern (Nambo), which were called under the French, who conquered the country at the end of the 19th century, respectively Tonkin, Annam and Cochinchina.

Vietnam. The capital is Hanoi. Population 78 million (1998). Population density: 235 people per 1 sq. km. Urban population - 22%, rural - 78%. Area: 331,689 sq. km. Highest point: Mount Fansipan (3143 m) Official language: Vietnamese. Monetary unit: dong = 10 hao. National holiday: Proclamation Day of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam - September 2. National anthem: "March of the advancing army."

In 1945, the national movement known as the Viet Minh announced the formation of an independent Democratic Republic of Vietnam. In the first war in Indochina, which began in 1946, resistance fighters ousted French troops from the territory of the peninsula. In 1954 hostilities ended with the signing of an agreement between the warring parties. The country was divided along the 17th parallel. The partition was recognized as temporary, but the planned elections to unify Vietnam never took place. The northern part of the country became the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, or North Vietnam, with an area of ​​158,335 sq. km, where about half of the total population lived. Hanoi became the capital of the DRV. The other part - the Republic of Vietnam, or South Vietnam, occupied an area of ​​173,354 square meters. km. The capital was in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City). Both states suffered greatly during the war that broke out in the late 1950s. In the 1960s, the fighting became widespread and covered the whole of Vietnam. The war ended in 1975 with the victory of the communist forces. On July 2, 1976, the country was officially merged into the united Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
NATURE
Surface structure. The territory of Vietnam is elongated in the meridional direction (the distance in a straight line between the extreme northern and southern points is 1650 km), while from east to west in the widest place (from Monchkai to the Vietnamese-Laos border) its length is 616 km, and in the narrowest place (in Chungbo) - 46.5 km. Vietnam is located on the coastal tip of the continental part of Southeast Asia, which determines the large length of the coastline, which is 3260 km. The coastline resembles the letter of the Latin alphabet "S" and, starting at the border with China, ends at the southern cape of the Indochina Peninsula. The position of Vietnam at the junction of several natural zones, as well as the presence of an ancient geological structure, determine the diversity of its natural conditions . The relief of the country is mostly mountainous: over 3/4 of the territory is occupied by mountains, hills and plateaus. Vietnam also owns islands and archipelagos in the South China Sea and the Gulf of Thailand: Cat Ba, Tarasel Islands, Siratli Islands, Con Dao (Polukondor), Phu Quoc, and others. The continental shelf area is approx. 500 thousand sq. km. Vietnam is separated from neighboring states by powerful mountain uplifts associated with the Himalaya system. The Vietnamese name a series of parallel mountain ranges and highlands stretching from the northern border of the country to the southeast, towards the valley of the Hong Ha, or Red River (northwest of Hanoi), and the basin of the Ma River (southwest of Hanoi, near 20° N), the Hoanglyenshon Ridge. In translation, this means "Main mountain range", and within it for only approx. 200 km have several peaks with elevations of more than 2500 m. Above the rest, within the whole of Indochina, the city of Fansipan (3143 m), but in the basin of the Ma River, in the border zone with Laos, there are many more peaks whose heights are close to 3000 m. The Hoanglyenshon Ridge is composed mainly of igneous rocks. However, in the area between the Ma and Da rivers (21°N) and in the outlying mountain ranges adjacent to the coastal plains and deltaic lowlands, limestones and sandstones predominate among the rocks. The rivers cut narrow valleys in the mountains of Hoanglen Son, whose longitudinal profile, as a rule, has a V-shape, and in many places the rivers flow in gorges. Although the slopes of the mountains are usually covered with forest, during the rainy season, landslides and rockfalls are not uncommon, as well as mudflows and flash floods. The system of ridges and hills located south of the 20th parallel along the border with Laos and Cambodia, stretching for 1200 km and approaching Ho Chi Minh City from the north, is called Truong Son ("Long Mountains"). They can be crossed along the Haivan Pass ("Sea and Clouds"), which lies near 16°N. The northern part is known as Chyongshonbak ("Northern Chyongshon"), the southern part as Chyongshonnam ("South Chyongshon"). North Truong Son consists of several parallel chains, the highest of which are in the west. But in the east, they also hold back clouds and intercept winds, receiving abundant precipitation in autumn and until the end of winter. Some ridges stretch at different angles towards the coast and divide the coastal plains into various shapes - rectangles, squares and diagonally. Rivers and streams flow in a southeast and east direction. The highest mountains in the southern part of Vietnam, rising to 2200-2700 m, are located near the border with Laos. The most difficult limestone uplifts in the country have especially sharp forms - in the province of Quang Binh, between 17 and 18 ° N latitude. The orographic pattern of South Truong Son is formed by an intricate system of ridges, highlands, plateaus and valleys. To the south of the 15th parallel - in the northern half of Kon Tum province and the western part of Quang Gnai province - there is a group of peaks with heights of more than 2000 m. The highest of them is the Ngolin peak (2598 m) composed of granites. Altitudes up to 2100 m also marked the territory, which stretches south from the 12th parallel to almost 11 ° N.L. The middle position is occupied by five vast plateaus raised to a level of 500-800 m, covered with ancient basalt lavas, united under the general name Teinguen ("Western plateaus"). Extinct volcanoes are well marked in the relief. The most impressive of them is Hamrong ("Dragon's Mouth") on the Pleiku Plateau. This volcanic region is separated by rivers, some of which belong to the Mekong basin, and some flow directly into the ocean. Some powerful ranges of South Truong Son come close to the coast. The fact that the mountains of Vietnam are higher in the west and northwest determines the main direction of the flow of the rivers, which form low-lying plains in the coastal strip. The total volume of flow is 785 cubic meters. km, more than 76% falls on the Mekong (475 cubic km) and Hongha (121 cubic km) river basins. Other major rivers are Ma, Ka, Thubon. The main deltas are formed by the Hongha in the north and the Mekong in the south, and between them - in the territory from 20 to 11 ° N.L. - stretches a chain of narrow coastal lowlands and deltas of relatively small rivers. The lands in the lower reaches of the Hong Ha (its length in Vietnam is 508 km) were formed by alluvium, which was deposited at the bottom of an ancient shallow bay. On an area of ​​approx. 15 thousand sq. km, the absolute height of the surface is less than 25 m. The deposits were formed in the Holocene, and exceptionally fertile soils formed on them. Only on the northern and southern periphery of this plain is more ancient alluvium distributed; there are also limestone uplands and sandy hills. Due to the large volume of flow of local rivers, their deltas are annually pushed into the sea at a distance of up to 100 m. Since the Hong Ha delta has been inhabited for several millennia, the natural vegetation cover has been largely destroyed and it has undergone significant anthropogenic changes. Over the centuries, approx. 3000 km of dams: The Hongha, like the other rivers of the Bakbo (Da, Lo, Tai Binh), is characterized by a sharp level difference during the rainy and dry seasons. The Mekong Delta (its length within Vietnam is 250 km), on the contrary, is largely untouched by man, especially in the northwest (Dong Thap province) and in the extreme south (Ca Mau province). Delta area - approx. 50 thousand sq. km. It, too, was formed as a result of the deposition of river sediments in the sea bay, which once extended to the area of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat is now Phnom Penh. In fact, the Mekong Delta region begins near the Cambodian capital, which is divided into two main branches. In turn, these water arteries, passing through the territory of Vietnam for a third of their way to the sea, are divided into seven more channels. In the formation of a single alluvial lowland, two other rivers took part - Vamko and Dong Nai, which flow from areas located respectively to the northwest and northeast of Ho Chi Minh City. As a result, thanks to 9 estuaries, the Mekong received the name Culong ("9 dragons") from the Vietnamese. The river carries a lot of sediment, especially in its southern branches, and the rate of land advance on the sea reaches an average of 60-80 m per year. The Mekong Delta has the world's densest hydrographic network, including artificial canal systems. Therefore, almost everywhere you can swim on local sampan boats. The active development of the local lands began about 300 years ago, and now they produce 60% of all rice and most of the fruit harvested in the country. The narrow ribbon-like coastal plains of Chungbo arose as a result of the accumulative activity of streams flowing down the eastern slopes of the Truong Son Mountains. Almost all provincial borders are tied to rivers. Seaside lands, separated by mountain ranges and ridges of hills, are modest in size lowlands, the largest of which, in the north of Thanh Hoa province, covers an area of ​​3200 square meters. km. The area of ​​each of the other lowlands does not exceed 2000 sq. km, showing a clear downward trend towards the south.
Rivers Vietnam has large reserves of hydropower. The energy potential of the Hongha river is at least 1.5-2 million kW. On the river Da ("Black"), with the assistance of the USSR, the Hoabin hydroelectric complex was built. A special attraction of Vietnam is Halong Bay, recognized by UNESCO as another wonder of the world. On the azure sea space of this coastal bay, 1600 small islands and rocks of bizarre shapes resembling fighting cocks, frogs, ritual vases, etc. are scattered. On the rocky islands there are caves with stalactites and stalagmites. On the sea coast of Vietnam, where there are beaches with white and golden sands, there are resort and tourist areas: Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Do Son, etc.
Climate. Vietnam can be divided into 3 major climatic regions: northern, central and southern. Due to the diversity of the relief and the change in the direction of the winds during the year, significant internal differences can be traced in these regions themselves. The northern region, extending far north from the 18th parallel, is characterized by humid, hot summers, when the equatorial monsoon from the Pacific Ocean dominates, and damp, cool winters, when the action of cold northwest winds takes its toll. On the plains, including deltas, the temperatures of the three winter months average 17-20 ° C. But there are days when the thermometer drops below 5 ° C. In the Hanoi zone, where the absolute heights of the area are 5 m, in the coolest season the air it warms up to 14-16 ° C, but at night the temperature can drop to 2.7 ° C. Winters are long and severe in the highlands, frosts occurred in the border ranges. On such days in Sapa, at a level of approx. 1570 m, and snow fell in other elevated places. A constant drizzle is common from late January to mid-March. There is a summer, rainy season, lasting from April to October. From July to September, about 80% of the annual rainfall falls, in particular in Hanoi, 300 mm in each of these three months. In the hottest months, the average maximum air temperature in the capital is 31-32°C, and the recorded absolute maximum is 42.8°C. Since the difference between the average maximum and average minimum temperatures is 14-16°C, the climate of the northern region cannot be called tropical. Nevertheless, soils, vegetation, and fauna are distinctly tropical in nature; in this region of Vietnam, areas of primary tropical forests have been preserved, where trees reach a height of 50-55 m. On the contrary, the climate of the southern region, located west of 108 ° E. and south of 13° S, is a typical tropical monsoon. Winds from the north do not penetrate into southern Vietnam, so the thermal regime is stable throughout the year. In the Mekong Delta, for example, average temperatures are 26-27°C, their amplitude between the hottest and coolest months does not exceed 3-4°. Therefore, according to moisture supply, two seasons are distinguished - wet and dry. During the first, starting in April-May and ending in October-November, more than 90% of the annual precipitation (equal to approx. 2000 mm) usually falls, and during the second - only 7%. Sometimes in Vietnam there are droughts, its territory is subject to the invasion of typhoons. The climate of the central region is significantly influenced by the Truong Son Mountains and their spurs, extending towards the sea coast. They serve as a barrier that prevents the penetration of moist winds in summer. Rains come only in August and reach their maximum intensity in October - November, when clear weather sets in in other regions of the country. It happens that the wet period lasts until January. More precipitation, up to 3000-3500 mm on average per year, is received by the northern half of this climatic region. But they are confined primarily to the eastern ranges and foothills of Truong Son, to a lesser extent - to the coastal plains. On a mountain plateau at a level of 1800 m, there is the famous climatic resort of Dilat, where the air temperature does not exceed + 25 ° C all year round. The destruction of forests has led to the activation of destructive floods on the Chungbo rivers. In the wet season, powerful typhoon intrusions are not uncommon, and their strength decreases when they take over the southern parts of the area. The winter months are quite cool for an area between 16 and 20°N. In January, air temperatures are below 20 ° C. South of the 16th parallel, it is warm all year round, and the thermal regime is similar to conditions in southern Vietnam.
Minerals. The bowels of Vietnam, especially in its northern and northwestern regions, are rich in various minerals. The most important place among them is occupied by oil and gas found in the basins of the Hongha and Mekong rivers, and mainly on the continental shelf. The results of geological exploration work on the Hanoi trough indicate the presence of significant reserves of natural gas there. According to estimates, the total oil reserves on the continental shelf are approximately 2.5 billion tons. Coal reserves are estimated at 130 billion tons, of which 5.2 billion tons are bituminous coals, 125 billion tons are brown coals. The largest coal deposit in Southeast Asia is in Quang Ninh province (approximately 12-15 billion tons). There are deposits of iron ore, manganese, lead, bauxite, zinc, copper, chromium, graphite, asbestos, barium, mica, feldspar, gold, silver, titanium ores, and rare earth metals. Tin is being mined commercially (Tintuk in Bakbo), and there are huge reserves of apatite (Laokai in Bakbo - up to 1 billion tons). The soils of Vietnam, due to the conditions of a humid tropical climate, as well as their antiquity (there were no ice ages), reach several meters. The zonal soils of Vietnam are various types of laterite soils (red earth, yellow earth, mountain laterites). Today, unused and bare mountainous and hilly areas of the territory occupy an area of ​​14 million hectares (mainly in the mountainous and hilly part of Bakbo, in the west of the Tainguyen Plateau, in the coastal zone of Chungbo). Significant land areas are saline or have high acidity.
Vegetation and fauna. A significant part of the entire territory of Vietnam, mainly in the mountains, is covered with forests (7.8 million hectares). The total timber stock is estimated at 565.6 million cubic meters. m. Over 30 species of bamboo grow here. The operating stocks of timber are 226 million cubic meters. m. In the Vietnamese forests, there are thousands of valuable plant species, 76 of them give aromatic substances, 600 species - tannin, 200 - dyes, 260 species - oil. Raw materials for various industries are red shellac, cinnamon, anise, pine extract. Almost all forests are secondary, but areas of primary tropical rain forests have survived. The zonal vegetation types of Vietnam are mainly secondary moist evergreen tropical forests, and in those areas in the south of the country where rainfall is much less, there are savannas and sparse tropical forests. Many valuable tree species grow: ironwood, black, pink, camphor, ebony, sandalwood, etc. Due to the predominance of mountainous relief, altitudinal zonality of vegetation is superimposed on the latitudinal zonality of vegetation: mountainous areas in its lower part (up to altitudes of 800-1000 m in Nambo and up to 600-700 m in the colder Bakbo) are covered with humid tropical evergreen forests. Above them, up to 1700-2000 m above sea level. broad-leaved subtropical mountain forests grow with an undergrowth of various bamboos, and mixed forests appear even higher, where, in addition to oak, maple and ash, conifers are found. In the coastal zone, there are mangroves: in Nambo they reach a height of 25-30 m, in Bakbo - 2-3 m. The total area of ​​mangroves is approx. 400 thousand hectares, of which 300 thousand are located in Nambo and the southern part of Chungbo. In the lowlands of the country, groves of coconut palms are common. On the plateau in the southwestern region grow savanna forests and savannas with thickets of tough grasses and bamboo. The fauna of Vietnam is very diverse. In total, there are 170 species of mammals, 970 species of birds, 270 species of reptiles, more than 1000 species of marine and freshwater fish, as well as crabs, shrimps, mollusks. Panthers, leopards, tigers, monkeys (macaques and gibbons), bears (Tibetan and Himalayan), tree viverras, flying squirrels, large monitor lizards, white and green parrots, pheasants, peacocks are found in the rainforest zone. Many snakes (boas, cobras, etc.), turtles, lizards. Rhinos are rare. The Indian elephant, antelopes, deer, wild bulls, wild boars, eagles, partridges live in savannah forests and savannahs. Pink flamingos, storks, pelicans, herons, wild ducks, geese settle in river deltas and swamps. The fields flooded with water are rich in fish, small crabs. There are many freshwater fish in rivers and lakes. Marine resources are diverse and favor the development of not only fisheries, but also transport, tourism, and sanatorium and resort services. The stock of marine fish in the shelf zone is estimated at about 3 million tons of fish and 65 thousand tons of shrimps per year. There are also significant stocks of other seafood (shellfish, seaweed, etc.). In order to preserve wildlife and rare plants (including medicinal plants), Vietnam is creating 87 specially protected areas with a total area of ​​750,000 hectares, including 7 national parks, 80 wildlife sanctuaries and nature reserves. The area of ​​protected areas on the Tainguyen Plateau will be approx. 240 thousand hectares. It is planned to create national parks in the region of Babe Lake, on the island of Condao (Polukondor) and in other places.
POPULATION
demographic information. According to an estimate at the end of 1998, there were approximately 78 million inhabitants in the country. They belong to 54 ethnic groups, or "nationalities". Over 80% of Vietnamese are under 40 years old. Relatively complete demographic statistics refer to 1995. Then, out of 72,916 thousand inhabitants, 14,566 thousand were city dwellers and 58,350 thousand people were villagers (in the North, respectively, 5250 thousand and 31,450 thousand and in the South, 9316 thousand and 26,900 thousand . human). The population of the country increased in 1990-1995 by an average of 2.4% per year, and in the villages the figure was 2.6%, and in the cities 1.5%. In the northern part of Vietnam, this figure was 2.2% for the village and 3% for urban settlements (and in the delta region of the Hong Ha River, respectively, 1.8% and 3.4%), in the southern - 3.1 and only 0.7 %. Thus, the urbanization process in the Mekong Delta Plain actually turned out to be stalled. Moreover, in its "upper" areas, where the 3 largest centers - Ho Chi Minh City, Bien Hoa and Vung Tau - and the capitals of 4 administrative provinces are located, the rural population grew in the first half of the 1990s by an average of 4.4% annually. The urbanization trend in North Vietnam was partly the result of land scarcity and limited opportunities for rural development.
Ethnic composition of the population and languages. When the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) was proclaimed in 1945, there were up to 70 nationalities in the country. Linguistically, they belong to three families: Sino-Tibetan, Austroasiatic and Austronesian, and are further subdivided into a number of groups. Noticeable differences are also observed in the way of life and management practices. Some peoples have been engaged in plowed rice cultivation for hundreds and thousands of years, others in slash-and-burn agriculture, others have led a semi-nomadic lifestyle, earning their livelihood by gathering, hunting and fishing. Until 1945, the Vietnamese were primarily called lowlanders. Minorities that have mastered the hilly and mountainous areas traditionally isolated the numerically predominant population of the plains, calling it kin ("capital people"). Regardless of its origin, the term "Kinh" began to be officially used by the Vietnamese authorities after 1945 to distinguish the original lowland majority from small peoples, each of which now has its own name. Recently, the ethnonym "Vietnamese" has become common in this sense, and "Vietnamese" denotes the inhabitants of Vietnam in general. In 1998, the Viet were approx. 88% of all the inhabitants of the country, close to them in culture and language, the Muongs live in the highlands of Bacbo and the province of Nghe An. Two more large ethnic communities are settled on the plains: Chinese and Khmer (Cambodian). The Chinese, who number approx. 1 million people are concentrated primarily in the former city of Cholon ("Telon", i.e. "Big Market"), which has turned into a large district of Ho Chi Minh City, and control up to 40% of the national capital in Vietnam. Khmers, numbering approx. 850 thousand people, settled mainly in the Mekong Delta region and in Ho Chi Minh City. Other peoples of Vietnam are divided into the following language families and groups: Thai-speaking Austro-Asians - Thai, Nung, Thai, Lao, Zei, Shantai, Ly, Boi; in the languages ​​of the Meo-Zio group - Meo (Hmong), Zao; in the Mon-Khmer languages ​​- the Bokhnars, Sedangs, Mnongs, Ma, Koho, Khre, Stiengi, Khmu living in the southwestern part of the country. The Pleiku and Darlak Plateaus are inhabited by peoples who speak the Malayo-Polynesian Austronesian family - Jaray, Ede, Raglai, Tyru, Bih. The language of the Malayo-Polynesian group is also spoken by the Tyams (Chams), now a few descendants of the ancient people of rice growers who created in the 2nd century BC. AD on the territory of present-day Chungbo, the state of Champa (Champa) and a vibrant culture that was under strong Indian influence. The Sino-Tibetan family is also represented by the Tibeto-Burmese branch: Hani, Fula, Lahu, Lolo.
The confessional composition of the population. Vietnamese society is prone to religious syncretism. This finds expression in the fact that the communal house (ding), which also serves as a village temple, contains altars with a pantheon of various local patron spirits and numerous images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas ("beings striving for enlightenment"), Confucius and historical figures. In Buddhist temples, they often worship not only the Buddha, but also local deities and spirits. In almost every peasant dwelling one can see one altar dedicated to the ancestors, and another to the Spirit of the Earth (Ong Dia). Most Vietnamese, regardless of religious preferences and political views, consider the memory of their ancestors to be their moral religious duty. The grave is the refuge of the dead, but in fact they are not dead: when a person becomes dead, his soul continues to exist and never disappears. The living and the dead live in the same world, but exist in different forms. Therefore, the ancestors take part in the daily affairs of their descendants and protect them, sometimes visiting during sleep or otherwise warning of imminent danger. Since the souls of ancestors play such an important role in the fate and well-being of descending generations, filial and child duties require observing a long mourning for the dead, caring for sacrifices, and maintaining graves and cemeteries in order. At the beginning of the 20th century in those areas of the Mekong basin where colonization and the development of new agricultural lands took place, two new religious sects arose: caodai ("Supreme Palace") and hoahao ("Harmony and nobility"). The first of them adheres to the syncretic doctrine, the canon of which is based on the teachings of Buddha, Christ, Confucius, Victor Hugo, Leo Tolstoy and other prominent personalities. The symbol of the Cao Dai sect is the so-called "Heavenly Eye", and is headed by its own "dad", who lives in Teinin province, in the western Mekong Delta. The second syncretic organization, hoahao, adheres to a combination of the ideas of Buddhism, Taoism and a number of other religious movements. In the 1940s and early 1950s, both sects laid claim to territorial spheres of influence and maintained their own militia forces. However, in the mid-1950s, using American financial and military support, Ngo Dinh Diem completely undermined their military and political positions. In the 1990s, there were approximately 1 million followers of Caodaism in the country and approx. 0.5 million hoahao followers. The Roman Catholic Church in Vietnam was distinguished by the fact that it always spoke in favor of the ruling circles, which provided it with a reliable official status. Since 1975 she has been collaborating with the communist regime. In 1998, there were approx. 2 million people. The Buddhists, on the contrary, adhered rather to a policy of confrontation with respect to the "tops". Buddhist monks continue to criticize some aspects of state activity and at times clash with the administration. There is a United Buddhist Church, but its adherents are far from united in their views. The mountain peoples of Vietnam have retained their early primitive beliefs, some of the Chams (Chams) adhere to Hinduism, the other part to Islam. There are few Protestants in Vietnam, mainly representatives of the mountain peoples.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL EVENTS
Central authorities. According to the constitution, the highest body of state power is the National Assembly. It consists of 450 deputies elected for a five-year term by direct universal suffrage. The duties of parliamentarians include the "appointment, suspension and dismissal" of the President, Vice President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers (only members of the National Assembly are nominated for these three posts), as well as the Chairman of the Supreme People's Court and other high officials of the state. The president is the commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces and leads the National Defense and Security Council. The President has the right to appoint, with the consent of the National Assembly, officials to a number of responsible posts, including the posts of the Chairman of the Supreme Court and the Prosecutor General. The prime minister, who is in charge of the day-to-day running of the government, appoints and removes members of the cabinet, but always with the approval of the National Assembly. The head of government may cancel or suspend the execution of resolutions and decisions adopted at the level of ministries and departments. He is responsible to the highest legislative body of the country, to which he is obliged to report regularly.
Local authorities. Administratively, Vietnam consists of 57 provinces, one special district and four cities of central subordination: the capital of Hanoi, Haiphong, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City (former Saigon, merged with the "upper city" of Cholon). These four metropolitan centers are under the direct administrative control of the government, but are essentially governed by the People's Committees. The provinces are divided into districts, in which, as everywhere in cities and villages (communities), there are People's Councils elected by the population. Since 1997, provinces and other administrative-territorial units have been granted the right to engage in foreign trade operations.
political organizations. The Communist Party of Vietnam was established in 1930. In 1998, it remains the only one in the country, since other previously operating parties - the Democratic and Socialist - ceased to exist in 1988. Among other political organizations, the Fatherland Front of Vietnam (established in 1955) stands out, which in 1977 included in its composition the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (1960-1977) and the Union of National, Democratic and Peace Forces of South Vietnam (1968-1977). The Fatherland Front includes the Communist Party of Vietnam, the Federation of Trade Unions (established in 1976), the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (established in 1931), the Vietnamese Women's Union (established in 1930), and other organizations. The leadership of the executive committees of the Fatherland Front and other mass associations, such as the Federation of Trade Unions, the General Peasants' Union and the Women's Union, have the right to attend meetings of the People's Councils and committees at various levels and express their point of view on local life issues. Although the constitution states that the Communist Party of Vietnam is "the leading force of the state and society," the party itself is limited in its actions "by the framework of the constitution and law." Moreover, partly because of the changes made to the Basic Law, there is an expansion of the real rights of the President, the Prime Minister and the National Assembly. As a result, and also due to institutional innovations, many functions from the center were transferred to the legislative and executive bodies in the provinces. But even today, according to a joint document of the Ministry of Finance and the Financial Control Committee of the CPV, dated September 1998, the budgets of party organizations at levels ranging from national to rural levels are 1.5-2 times higher than the total budgets of all state institutions operating at the respective levels. .
Judicial system. The judiciary includes the Supreme People's Court in Hanoi and subordinate people's courts in the provinces and major cities. The National Assembly may, in special cases, for example, when the interests of national security are affected, by its decision create a special judicial body. The Supreme People's Court exercises control over the work of the institutions under its jurisdiction. National minorities have the right to use their native language in court. At the state and provincial levels and in the army, there are people's inspectorates, each of which is led by responsible prosecutors; they perform the tasks of monitoring the implementation of the law in public institutions, private organizations, military personnel and civilians. The judge considers cases at trials jointly with the council of people's assessors, consisting of 5-9 people, which, when passing sentences, has two votes to one vote of the judge. There are over 10,000 such councils in the country.
Power departments. Data relating to the Vietnamese People's Army and other security forces are strictly classified in Vietnam. In November 1998, the National Assembly voted for the "transparency" of information in the field of public administration, after which the government developed a detailed program to familiarize the public with the financing of the services and departments led by it. However, the army and internal security agencies, as well as party organizations, were practically removed from the list. The number of army servicemen in the country is estimated at approximately 0.5 million people, the personnel of other law enforcement agencies - at 2 million people.
International relationships. As of 1998, more than 160 countries of the world recognized Vietnam. Relations with China were normalized in 1991. In July 1995, relations with the United States were officially restored, in the same month Vietnam became a full member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Within this organization, Viet Nam held a summit meeting in 1998 to discuss the Asian "financial crisis" and other issues of common interest. Vietnam is a member of the UN (since 1977), as well as a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum and the Asia-Pacific Economic Community (APEC). Vietnam also applied for WTO accession, in 1995 signed a cooperation protocol with the European Union. Vietnam is a member of the Non-Aligned Movement.
ECONOMY
After the withdrawal of Vietnamese military units from Cambodia in 1989, Vietnam was able to completely put an end to "war communism". Back in 1968, the VI Congress of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam changed the country's top leadership and initiated a process officially called "renewal", thanks to which the country emerged from a crisis and entered a period of relatively stable development and modernization. The far-reaching reforms outlined at the end of the congress were aimed at eliminating direct state interference in pricing, production and foreign trade. To speed up the inflow of funds and revitalize the private sector, Viet Nam has developed legislation regarding preferential taxation of foreign investors, created "export production zones" and stimulated the activities of foreign banks and other financial institutions. The formation of the legal framework necessary for the functioning of a market economy has also begun in the country. Since 1990, laws have been adopted: in the field of civil law, regulation of business activities, working conditions for firms, rules for their bankruptcy, etc. Reorganization and gradual privatization of public sector enterprises are being carried out. The number of state-owned enterprises decreased from 12,084 in 1991 to about 6,300 in 1995, mainly due to the closure and liquidation of weak enterprises subordinated to local authorities, as well as due to the merger of a number of enterprises. In 1999 it was supposed to carry out the privatization of 500, in 2000 - 1500 public sector enterprises. The move to market has brought impressive results. From 1990 to 1997, gross domestic product (GDP) increased annually by an average of 8.9%, while actual investment increased by about 25% per year. In 1995-1997, Vietnam was the leader among the ASEAN member countries in terms of economic growth. Government-sanctioned foreign direct investment, which in 1991 was approx. 2.3 billion US dollars, in 1997 reached 31.2 billion dollars, which accounted for 30% of all capital investments. In 1991-1998, there was a rapid growth in exports - from 2042 million to 9356 million dollars, or 27% per year, and imports - from 2105 million to 11390 million dollars, or 32% per year. In 1998 export of goods and services was estimated at 42% of GDP, import - at 47% of GDP. Despite the results achieved, Viet Nam is experiencing economic difficulties; underdevelopment of infrastructure, weakness of economic potential is expressed in the low level of production of main types of products per capita: electricity - 226 kW / h, coal - 117 kg, oil produced - 118 kg, rolled steel - 8.6 kg, cement - 83.3 kg , sugar - 7.8 kg, rice - 352 kg, mineral fertilizers - 12.8 kg, export volume - $ 96. USA (data 1997). In the same year, the national income per capita was approx. $ 300 The Asian financial crisis led to the fact that in 1998 imports into the country decreased in value by 3% while exports expanded by 0.9%. In the first 9 months of 1998, foreign direct investment decreased by 46% compared to the corresponding period in 1997, to $1.65 billion.
Foreign investment. Foreign investment is regulated by the Foreign Investment Law of November 12-20, 1996, which establishes four forms of direct investment: equity participation, joint ventures, enterprises with wholly foreign capital, and BOT (build - operate - transfer) and JV (build - transfer) agreements. broadcast). In 1998, Vietnam had 2,200 investment projects involving capital from 60 countries with a registered investment of $32 billion; the volume of realized investments amounted to $12 billion. investments were distributed as follows: oil and gas industry 26%, light industry, primarily food, 17.6; heavy industry 13.4; hospitality and tourism 16, communications 6.8, agriculture, forestry and fisheries 3.8, banking 2.2 and processing zones of imported raw materials 1.2%. Foreign and state investments, directed primarily to industry and the service sector, in the territorial plan gravitate mainly to large cities - Hanoi, Haiphong and Ho Chi Minh City. Thus, the observed geographical trend reinforces the imbalance in the incomes of the leading urban centers and the rest of the country. In 1995, the average per capita income in Hanoi was $695 and in Ho Chi Minh City $912, while in Vietnam as a whole it was approx. $220 From 1996 to 1998, GDP in these cities grew twice as fast as in the whole country, and three times faster than in rural areas. Of the 31.2 billion dollars of foreign direct investment authorized by the Vietnamese authorities at the end of 1997, the lion's share came from East and Southeast Asia (billion dollars): Singapore 6.3, Taiwan 4.3, Japan 3.6 , South Korea 3.1, Hong Kong 2.7, Malaysia 1.4, Thailand 1.1, Philippines 0.310, Indonesia 0.244. Among the European powers in this regard, France was the leader, among the American ones - the United States, with indicators of $1.5 billion and $1.4 billion, respectively. Receipts from the former and current socialist countries amounted to only $112 million from China and $99 million from China. dollars from Russia. In 1998, under the influence of the financial crisis that broke out in Asia, there was a mass exodus of European and American businessmen from Vietnam. Only in Ho Chi Minh City closed approx. 180 representative offices of foreign firms. Nearly half of luxury apartments in Hanoi are empty, and office and hotel rates have fallen by 60%.
International trade. The volume of exports in 1997 reached 9.1 billion dollars, which is 4 times higher than in 1990. Trade relations are maintained primarily with the states of East Asia and the European Union. In 1986-1990 approx. 40% of Vietnamese exports went to the USSR, approx. 70% import. In 1997, goods worth $130 million were purchased from Russia, and raw materials and other products worth $330 million were sold to Russia. Foreign sales of footwear, textiles and ready-to-wear clothes expanded most vigorously, the volume of which grew to $1,800 million a year. The share of finished products in Vietnamese exports is less than 35%. The main exports are rice, corn, coffee, tea, rubber, cashew nuts and other agricultural products, the export of which tripled in 1992-1996. At the same time, exports of coal, crude oil and various seafood more than doubled. In 1996, agricultural, forestry and fishery products accounted for 45% of all exports, crude oil and coal 20% and industrial products 35%. Vietnam attracts foreign businessmen, as it is a capacious market that does not place high demands on the quality of goods. In imports, the role of means of production increased (up to 33% compared to 22% in 1992) at the expense of intermediate products (56% versus 64%) and consumer goods (11% versus 14%). However, the foreign trade deficit remains at a high level (billion dollars): 1995 - 2.7, 1996 - 2.5 and 1998 - 2. In 1998, Vietnam exported 12.2 million tons of crude oil and 3.8 million tons rice. But due to the sharp fall in world prices for these goods, it was not possible to prevent a reduction in foreign exchange earnings from outside. As a result, the country is experiencing difficulties with the balance of payments, and its external debt has approached $ 11 billion. The slowdown in 1998 in the growth rate of exports of such important items as shoes, coffee, rubber and cashew nuts, and the simultaneous weakening of the inflow of foreign investment meant losses for Vietnam about 1 billion dollars
Banking system. In addition to the central State Bank of Vietnam, at the end of 1998 there were also 4 state-owned commercial banks in the country: the Commercial and Industrial Bank of Vietnam (Inkombank), the Foreign Trade Bank (Vietkombank), the Investment and Development Bank of Vietnam, and the Vietnamese Agricultural and Rural Development Bank. In addition, there are 52 joint-stock banks (the authorized capital of which is formed at the expense of the state, private firms and individuals) and over 10 branches of foreign banking institutions. The banking system of the country faces a number of problems. It is generally believed that it has an obligation to finance state-owned enterprises, even in the absence of real credit guarantees. In 1997, there were approximately 5,500 enterprises in the public sector, less than half of them were profitable, and approx. 1/4 suffered significant losses. The management of the joint-stock banks often lent money without proper preliminary ascertainment of the creditworthiness of the borrower. It has become a custom to "thank" the banking administration with a percentage of the loan received, which gives rise to abuses, primarily the allocation of funds against collateral unsecured by real assets. In addition, Vietnamese laws make it extremely difficult for a bank to transfer collateral property into its ownership in case the debtor refuses to fulfill its obligations. As a result, the share of non-performing loans increases. According to a document published by the State Bank of Vietnam in November 1998, 9.4% of all loans issued by state banks were overdue (including 14.5% in Vietcombank and 18.6% in Inkombank). In 52 joint-stock banks of the country, this cost indicator is also high - 16.6%, but they account for only about 10% of the total amount of loans issued in the country, while state banks account for up to 80% and foreign banks for the remaining approximately 10%. The total arrears of borrowers through joint-stock banks is estimated at $825 million. There is no similar information regarding state-owned banks, but it is obvious that the amount of loans not repaid on time should be at least $4 billion. According to official data published in the press , more than 80% of the collateral for which banks provide loans in Ho Chi Minh City is real estate. Since its price fell by 35-40% in 1998, this means that guarantees for the repayment of short-term debts have become even less reliable. The most dynamic trend in the national financial system seems to be the growth of the country's external liabilities. It is believed that up to 70% of direct investment from abroad comes in the form of borrowed capital, although exact figures have not been published. The debt to the British government agency, the Office of Foreign Affairs, is slowly declining, but in 1993-1998 it still exceeded $ 5 billion, and short-term debt on foreign trade transactions and deferred letters of credit probably reached $ 2.5 billion in 1998. Financial The crisis in Southeast Asia revealed many of the negative aspects of the investment climate and the weakness of Vietnam's monetary, financial and banking system. This is manifested primarily in the fact that the mechanism for regulating the exchange rate and the interest rate have not yet been adjusted by the market; the policy of distributing public investments turns out to be aimed at supporting weak investment projects; the credit policy of banks is of an administrative nature and does not contribute to the rational distribution of fund resources; the system of banks remains weak, many of which do not have significant capital and use backward banking technologies; the practice of "knocking out" state funds remains, and so on. Agriculture remains the main branch of the Vietnamese economy, ensuring the country's food security. The village is home to 78% of the population (1997). Already in the 1980s, the indicator of agrarian overpopulation was clearly manifested: the area of ​​agricultural land per each inhabitant was 0.1 hectares: historically there was an irrational distribution of the population, in which 80% of it lives on 20% of the country's territory. Vietnam also has over 13 million hectares of virgin and fallow lands, as well as lands located on the slopes of hills and at the foot of mountains, which can be put into economic circulation. Agriculture is characterized by the presence of three sectors: the state (state farms, specializing mainly in the production of industrial crops, raw materials for industry and for export), the private sector and the collective sector - cooperatives, production teams. Today, the private sector plays a major role in agriculture (about 90%). Functions of the so-called. renewed cooperatives are reduced to the provision of various services and assistance in production, as well as to the organization of various forms of social life in the countryside. In 1994, in the country, for every peasant household (on average 4.77 eaters, 2.29 workers) there were only 4143 square meters. m of agricultural land. Labor resources in the countryside are used only by 30-50%, i.e. the surplus self-employed population in need of employment is 6-7 million people. The already significant gap in the incomes of townspeople and villagers is widening. In most cases, primitive tools are used in agriculture. Only 10% of the land area is cultivated by machines. The volume of annual savings in peasant farms is very low (in 1993, on average, it did not exceed 700,000 dong per farm, that is, approximately $70). At the end of 1998, the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) in its report noted that over the past 10 years, food production in the country has increased by an average of 5.7% per year and the gross grain harvest has increased per capita from 281 kg to 398 kg. The share of family-peasant farms suffering from malnutrition has decreased from 30 to 17%, which in absolute terms is 2.4 million households, of which 300 thousand are assigned to the group with chronic starvation and 400 thousand to the group with periodic fasting. The agricultural sector creates 25% of GDP and 36.3% of all export products. Agriculture, forestry and fisheries employ 68.8% of the country's labor force, and these sectors are represented at about the same level in the "village" economy. In 1995, 27.5 million tons of food were produced in terms of rice, in 1996 - 29 million tons, in 1997 - 31.5 million tons.

The main cultivated land areas are occupied by the cultivation of rice (on the plains - irrigated rice, on the mountain slopes, hills - upland). There are usually two harvests of rice per year. The yield in the Hongha River delta is 10-15 tons. In Vietnam, approx. 1500 varieties of rice - with white, yellowish, reddish-brown (dry rice) and even with almost black (it is considered healing) grain. There is also a so-called. fragrant and glutinous rice, which goes to the preparation of festive dishes. So-called. minor crops (other than rice), but on land unsuitable for rice cultivation: peanuts (peanuts), corn, soybeans, legumes, sweet potato, cassava. Among the industrial crops are textile and fibrous crops (cotton, jute, ramie, syt, mulberry), sugar (sugarcane), oilseeds (peanuts, sesame, coconut), stimulants (tobacco, ginger, black pepper, tea, coffee, betel), releasing juice and resin (hevea, lacquer tree, pine). The largest area falls on plantations of a rubber tree - hevea (about 200 thousand hectares). Many varieties of bananas, oranges, lemons, mangoes, grapefruits, papaya (melon tree), pineapples, coconuts, breadfruit, lychees and many other exotic fruits are grown from fruit crops. From vegetables that are grown mainly in winter, in addition to potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions imported from the temperate zone, numerous varieties of pumpkins, cabbage, vegetables, herbs, etc. grow. Animal husbandry remains a minor branch of agriculture, but its role is growing. Cattle (buffaloes and cows) are mainly used as draft power; dairy farming has only recently appeared. Pigs and poultry (chickens and ducks) are raised for meat. Fishing is carried out mainly in coastal waters: fishing for marine fish and crustaceans, collecting seaweed. Wood is harvested, including precious wood for export, cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, gum, rosin, raw materials for the production of tannins and dyes. According to the report of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, 130 projects in agriculture and rural development were financed in the country on the principles of ODA ("official development assistance" - the provision by foreign states or international financial organizations of subsidies or concessional loans for the needs of economic development); their total cost is approx. 1.5 billion dollars. The World Bank financed 6 of them in the amount of 465 million dollars, the Asian Development Bank 8 projects in the amount of 464 million dollars. dollars, the rest of the costs fell on government structures of different states. At the end of 1997, foreign direct investment in agriculture, forestry and fisheries reached 3.8 billion dollars, of which 2.06 billion were invested in 127 projects focused on organizing the processing of agricultural products, and 146 million dollars in 43 projects aimed at stimulating aquaculture.
Industry. Before the Second World War, when the Vietnamese economy was clearly colonial in nature, the share of industry was 10% (1939), by the end of the anti-colonial war of resistance (1946-1954) it had dropped to 1.5%. Vietnam is faced with the task of building up industrial potential and making profound changes in the industrial structure. In the 1950s-1980s, the foundations were laid for a number of branches of heavy industry, including such as the electric power industry, mechanical engineering (with dozens of large and medium-sized enterprises, hundreds of mechanical and repair shops), metallurgy, chemistry, and the building materials industry. Various branches of light industry have been developed. The main industrial centers were formed: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh-Bien Hoa, Haiphong, Da Nang, Quang Ninh, Vung Tau, Nam Dinh, Vinh, Viet Chi, Thai Nguyen, Khabak, Thanh Hoa. The leading role in the industry is played by Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, where a significant part of industrial production is still produced. The industry almost doubled its output in 1991-1996. The average annual increase in production amounted to 13.3%. This rapid growth was due to the successful transition from the system of state administration and subsidizing enterprises to the principles of a market economy, the establishment of broad foreign economic relations. An important role was played by the policy of restructuring and modernizing industry, attracting direct investment from abroad, and introducing new industrial technologies. From 1991 to 1995, the total investment in industry from various sources and economic sectors amounted to approximately 4.7 billion dollars, with funds received from the state amounting to 54% of total investment, foreign investment - 31%, funds invested by themselves enterprises - 3.5%. With the direct participation of foreign companies, the most important industries have been developed: oil and gas, production of cement, steel, electronics, clothing and textile products, processing of agricultural products. Foreign direct investment contributes to the formation and development of industries such as the automotive industry, the production of motorcycles. "Export production zones", "zones of concentrated industrial production" are being created, which have tax and other benefits, as well as other favorable conditions for attracting foreign investment (in Hai Phong, Da Nang, Can Tho, Noi Bai, Tant Thuan, etc.). If we compare the volume of gross output in 1991-1995 with the volume of gross output for the previous five years, then for the production of electricity it increased from 35.6 to 57.1 billion kWh. kW / h, crude oil - from 1.2 to 30.5 million tons, rolled steel - from 393 to 1241 thousand tons, fertilizers - from 2228 to 3340 thousand tons, cement - from 9.8 to 22, 5 million tons, paper - from 410 to 713 thousand tons. The openness of the economy, however, has negative consequences. The availability of imported goods, legally or smuggled in (an estimated $1 billion worth of imported goods from China alone) is taking a heavy toll on local production: diesel engine output fell 39%, insecticide pump output fell 57%. %, agricultural hand tools - by 31%, silk products - by 21%, cotton products - by 36%, other clothing - by 22%. Rich natural resources, the availability of cheap labor - relatively well-trained and educated personnel, gradual entry into the world economy and the effective use of market mechanisms contribute to overcoming the negative consequences.
Vietnam has significant opportunities for developing the electric power industry, with large reserves of oil, gas, coal and hydropower resources. The capacity of the generated electric power increased from 2161.7 MW in 1991 to 4360 MW in 1995. The largest hydroelectric complex Hoa Binh with a capacity of 2 million kW, as well as hydroelectric power plants in Thakba, Danim, Vinh Son, etc. , Falay), as well as hundreds of small hydroelectric power plants. A 500-kilovolt power line "North-South" has been built, the power grid with a capacity of 110-220 kilovolts and power lines with a capacity of less than 35 kilovolts have been expanded by approximately 2,000 km. The power grid covers all provinces, 442 counties (90% of the total) and 5450 communities (ie over 60%) are electrified. In recent decades, exploration has been carried out in Vietnam, and since the 1980s, oil production has been carried out. The joint Russian-Vietnamese enterprise Vietsovpetro has been operating since 1981, and there is the Vietnamese state company Petrovietnam. Vietnam has signed dozens of agreements with foreign partners on oil exploration and share sharing, including Shell, Mobil, British Petroleum, Pedco (Republic of Korea), Petronas Carrigali (Malaysia), Japanese "JVPC" (JVPC). Foreign partners transferred to Vietnam advanced technologies for the exploration and production of natural gas, corresponding to the world level. Two new large oil fields were put into operation on the continental shelf (Rong and Daihung). The country's largest coal basin is Quang Ninh, where mining is carried out both in mines and open-cast mining (in Caoshon). In 1991-1995, coal production remained at the same level as in 1986-1990 - 28.5 million tons. a metallurgical plant was built, then destroyed by American aircraft, but restored in 1973. The steel industry increased steel production from 149 thousand tons in 1991 to 550 thousand tons in 1995: the annual growth rate was 39%. In the same period, thanks to intensive investment, the production of rolled steel increased in Nambo and Tainguyen, as well as at the plants of the engineering industry (in Hanoi, Namdin, Camphe). It is planned in the coming years to increase the output of rolled steel to 1.25 million tons. Non-ferrous metallurgy is represented by the smelting of tin (Tintuk Combine), antimony (Thai Nguyen Province), chromites (Thanh Hoa Province), copper, and tungsten.
The foundations of mechanical engineering were laid only in the 1950s: in 1958, the Hanoi Machine Tool Plant was launched. By the mid-1980s, there were already approx. 699 various machine-building enterprises, which employed 130 thousand people. There were sub-sectors: tool factories, factories for the production of electrical equipment, agricultural machinery and equipment, metal products. The production of tools, diesel engines, mechanical pumps, small tractors, tractor-drawn agricultural implements, equipment for processing agricultural products, and agricultural implements has been launched. Motor boats, tugs, barges, small cargo ships, trailers and spare parts for locomotives, trucks and cars are produced. There are ship repair enterprises. The largest enterprises in the engineering industry are the Hanoi Mechanical Plant, the Chan Hung Dao Mechanical Plant (in Hanoi), the shipyards in Haiphong, the car repair plant in Gyalam, the Godam Machine Building Plant in Thainguyen, and the plant for the production and repair of mining equipment in Kamfa. In the industrial area of ​​Ho Chi Minh City - Buen Hoa, where a significant number of enterprises are concentrated, the assembly of diesel generators, low-power tractors, water pumps, mechanical plows, other agricultural equipment, cars, televisions, kinescopes, consumer electronics, sewing machines, bicycles, motorcycles, scooters. The chemical industry works to a large extent to meet the urgent needs of agriculture: the production of phosphorus fertilizers was brought up to 750,000 tons in 1995, and there is a large superphosphate plant in Lamthao (Bakbo). Relatively large capacities for the production of nitrogen fertilizers (110 thousand tons per year) are located in Bakziang (Bakbo). The most important raw material base for the production of mineral fertilizers is the Laokai (Bakbo) apatite mine, where a chemical fertilizer plant has been built. Chemical enterprises in Nambo mainly produce tires for cars and tractors and bicycles, rubber products, galvanic cells and batteries, plant protection chemicals, plastics, dyes, varnishes. The industry of oil refining and petrochemistry is being created. The large scope of construction in Vietnam stimulates the growth of the building materials industry, primarily cement production, which increased from 3.1 million tons in 1991 to 5.8 million tons in 1995. The largest enterprises in the industry: Bim Son and Hoang Thach cement plants, Haiphong cement plant , cement plants in Bien Hoa, Hatien, Vansa (Chungbo). Such branches of light industry as textile, leather and footwear, production of porcelain, earthenware, glassware, food, etc. have been developed. Of particular importance for Vietnam is a developed network of rice cleaning plants. In 1995, 62.5% of all Vietnamese industrial export products were light industry products. The handicraft industry plays an important role in the country's economy. In Vietnam, there are entire villages of handicraftsmen. Many crafts, such as pottery, silk weaving, carpet weaving, bronze casting, jewelry, wood and bone carving, horn and inlay work, have centuries-old traditions. In the early 1990s, the cottage industry produced approx. 30 thousand items of consumer goods. A significant share of Vietnamese exports are handicrafts, including handicrafts.
Transport. More than 40 thousand km of large and small navigable rivers and canals, over 3 thousand km of the sea coast - such is the length of Vietnam's water communications. In recent years, the sea and river fleet (tankers and container ships) has significantly replenished, although it does not include large vessels. A special place is occupied by coastal and river transportation. The main ports are Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hong Gai, Nha Trang, Hai Phong, Vung Tau. Land roads in Vietnam have a length of more than 310 thousand km, about a third of them are automobile. A feature of laying land communications in Vietnam is the need to build many bridges. The roads are paved with stone, and only 10% of them have an asphalt surface. A third of the roads are unpaved. The most important highways are Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi-Haiphong. The fleet of trucks is small (approximately 20-22 thousand). The length of the railway network is 2602 km (by the mid-1990s), mostly with a narrow gauge. Railway tracks with a wider gauge are only approx. 15.4% or 39.7 km. The main railway line Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City (1730 km) stretches across the country from north to south. The largest railway junction is Hanoi (60% of cargo turnover). 75% of rail traffic is in the northern part of the country. Railway transport is the weakest branch in the country's transport system, it is distinguished by the unsatisfactory condition of the tracks, the outdated fleet of locomotives and rolling stock, and slow speeds. Civil aviation is rapidly developing, serving 15 domestic lines with a length of over 62 thousand km. Vietnam has been a member of ICAO since 1980. The Vietnamese company "Vietnam Airlines" also flies on international lines (Moscow, Paris, Bangkok, etc.). The country has a dense network of airfields, and airports in cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang are designed for international traffic.
CULTURE
Architecture and fine arts. The surviving early monuments of fine art date back to the 1st millennium BC. - These are large bronze drums covered with drawings, representing an ancient model of the Universe. The flourishing of architecture and sculpture on the territory of Vietnam is associated with the formation in the 2nd century. Champa State. Cham art developed under the influence of India, as well as Cambodia: Hindu and Shaivist temples of the 7th-10th centuries. in Chakieu, My Son, Dong Duong, the temple of Ponagar (in Nha Trang), in the composition of which round sculpture plays a complementary role in relation to architecture. There are numerous tower-shaped Tyam temples ("Kalans"). The development of Vietnamese religious architecture is associated with Buddhism and Confucianism. Chinese influence is felt in the temples: the multi-tiered towers of the Temple of Fragrant Footprints of the Buddha (11th century), the temple in Bin Son (11-14th centuries), the architectural and park ensemble of the Confucian "Temple of Literature" (founded in Hanoi in 1070), the Buddhist temple of Tua Mot Kot ("Temple on one column", 1049, restored in 1955) in Hanoi, the Buddhist temple complexes of Kao (13-19 centuries), But Thap (16 century), the multi-tiered tower of Thienmu ("Heavenly Lady", 1600) in Hue, architectural and park ensemble of the Imperial Forbidden City (1808-1833) in Hue, palaces and mausoleums of the 19th century. in the vicinity of this city. Peculiar monuments of wooden architecture are preserved from the 16th-17th centuries. dini - communal houses dedicated to the cult of local patron spirits and decorated with carvings. A monument of military architecture is the Hanoi citadel with the Banner Tower (1812). From the end of the 19th century architectural forms are seriously influenced by Western architecture: urban ensembles, Catholic cathedrals, city theaters in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the building of the Historical Museum, the presidential palace, the Palace of Labor in Hanoi. Cult sculpture (stone, as well as wooden, lacquered and gilded) has a long history. Very expressive sculptural images of the 18th century are considered its pinnacle. Tayfyon Buddhist temple (near Hanoi). Vietnamese traditional painting is characterized by posthumous portraits, paintings of temples and palaces, and landscapes. Folk painting, as well as the art of decorative miniature nonbo mountains, reached a noticeable development. In 1925 in Hanoi was founded high school fine arts, active development of the experience of European painting and sculpture began, at the same time, peculiar techniques of painting on varnish and on silk appeared.
Literature. Ancient folklore is represented by a cycle of mythological legends about the Sovereign Dragon Laka (Lak Long Kuen), about the birth of the first people from eggs, a heroic tale about Fu Dong, legends about the construction of the Snail Fortress (Koloa), about the warrior sisters Chyng. The cycle of mythoepic tales of the Muongs The Birth of Water and the Birth of the Earth has been preserved. The earliest monuments of Vietnamese literature date back to the 10th-12th centuries. In the 13th-14th centuries. developed court poetry. Patriotic moods are expressed in poetry and rhythmic prose about the fight against the Mongol invasion in the 13th century: Appeal to the military leaders (1285) Chan Hyng Dao (1232-1300). In the 14th century a medieval novel is born, which was formed on the basis of the traditions of narrative folklore and historical chronicles: Collection of miracles and mysteries of the land of Viet (1329) by Li Te Xuyen. In the 15th century develops poetry in the spoken language, the founder of which was Nguyen Chai (1380-1442): A collection of poems in the native language. An important role in this process was played by the poet Le Thanh Tong (1442-1497) and the literary association Collection of Twenty-Eight Stars. In the 16-17 centuries. rhythmic prose, philosophical poetry became widespread: Nguyen Binh Khiem (1491-1585), Phung Khak Khoan (1528-1613). Late 17th - early 18th century. an extensive historical epic poem, the Book of the Heavenly South, was created. Origin in the literature of the 18th century. genre lyric poem(ngem) opened up opportunities for a deep disclosure of the spiritual world of man: the poetess Doan Thi Diem (1705-1748), the poet Nguyen Za Thieu (1741-1798). The heyday of the narrative poem (chuen), which reflected private life, began: Nguyen Huu Hao (? -1713), Pham Thai (1777-1813). The synthesis of the traditions of these genres was the poem by Nguyen Du (1766?-1820) Lamentations of a Tortured Soul (or Kieu) - an outstanding monument of Vietnamese classical poetry. The two-dimensional verses of the poetess Ho Xuan Huong (late 18th - early 19th century) affirmed the value of human sensual life. In prose, the genres of the epic novel (Emperor Le - the unifier of the country), essays (Le Kui Don, Pham Dinh Ho), descriptions of travels, including those to Europe: A Book of Records of Miscellaneous Affairs (1822) by Felipe Binya (1759-1832?) . From the second half of the 19th century Vietnamese literature developed in the face of resistance to French colonial expansion. A direction appeared, the founder of which was the poet Nguyen Dinh Thieu (1822-1888), associated with the national liberation movement. With the formation of colonial society, the satirical tendency intensifies. In the first quarter of the 20th century under the influence of European literature, modern prose genres are formed: short story, novel, drama. In the 1930s, the New Poetry movement emerged. Romantic (Nhat Linh, 1906-1963; Khai Hung, 1896-1947; Thach Lim, 1910-1942) and realistic (Ngo Tat Ta, 1894-1954; Nguyen Kong Hoan, 1903-1977; Wu Chong Fung, 1912) appear in literature. -1939; Nam Kao, 1915-1951) directions. In the last decades of the 20th century the structure of Vietnamese literature is gradually approaching the structure of the literature of European and American countries: prose writers Nguyen Hong (1918-1982), To Hoai (b. 1920), Le Lu (b. 1942), Nguyen Manh Tuan (b. 1945), poets Xuan Dieu (1916-1985), Te Lan Wien (b. 1919), Te Hanh (b. 1920), poet and playwright Nguyen Dinh Thi (b. 1924).
Theatre. The ancient theatrical forms in Vietnam are the cane puppet theater and the original water puppet theater, the stage for which is the water surface of a lake, pond or a special pool at the temple. The first mention of a water puppet theater dates back to the beginning of the 12th century. Traditional Vietnamese theater is musical, it is represented by two main genres: tuong and teo. Tuong was considered a "high" theatrical genre, there were tuong court troupes, as well as troupes at the houses of feudal lords. Tuong as a synthetic art is based on a combination of music, pantomime, dance, poetic words, partly acrobatics and fencing. Make-up, gestures, a few stage accessories have a symbolic meaning. In the center of the performance, tuonga is a heroic character performing a feat in the name of the motherland and the monarch. Tuong often borrowed plots from the novels of the Three Kingdoms, River Backwaters, and other Chinese classics. A noticeable influence on the development of tuong in the 17th century. rendered Dao Zui Tu (1572-1634): tradition ascribes to him the popular tuong Son hau. In the 19th century an authority was established to manage tuong troupes throughout the country, tuong at that time flourished in the work of the playwright Dao Tang (1846-1908); some cycles of performances lasted up to a hundred evenings. In the middle of the 19th century a folk comedy tuong appeared (Clamshells, Watchman Ken and head Neng). Another genre of national stage art is the teo folk theater, which is believed to have its origins in the peasant festivals of the Hong Ha Delta, held on the occasion of the harvest. The stage for the theo was the courtyard of the community house, the troupes were amateur or semi-professional. Theo theater absorbed folk melodies and dances. The orchestra that accompanies the performances uses folk musical instruments. Theo performances are based on folklore stories, stories of popular narrative poems: the performances of Thach Sanh, Quan Am - the maiden Thi Kinh. In the process of renewal of the Vietnamese theater in the 1920s, another type of musical theater emerged - cai luong. Popular musical melodies sounded from the stage, interspersed with prose and poetic dialogues. The musical part, the orchestra were modernized, the acting became more natural, scenery, a curtain, a stage appeared. The repertoire was formed not only by traditional plots, but also by performances on modern themes. An example is the work of the playwright Chan Huu Chang (1906-1966). The theater, in which music did not play a leading role, was created under the influence of French theatrical art in the 1920s. On the development of modern drama in the second half of the 20th century. the Russian theater school and the Stanislavsky system had a noticeable impact.
Public education. Five years of education is compulsory in the country. In 1994/1995, the enrollment in schools at all levels reached 14.6 million. However, by the mid-1990s, the proportion of illiterates in the countryside was still 20%. According to a 1996 survey, the most disadvantaged are the provinces of the Mekong Delta, where approx. 2.8 million people aged 10 and over. In the 1994/1995 academic year, the number of students in the country was 211 thousand. There are 102 higher and secondary specialized educational institutions in the country. Vietnam also has approx. 300 research institutions. Basic research is carried out by the National Center for Scientific Research and the National Center for Social and Human Sciences, which have a network of institutes, departments, laboratories in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Dalatk, Haiphong. Hanoi houses the National Library, the library of the Institute of Scientific Information on Social Sciences, the library of the Institute of Hieroglyphic Writing.
HISTORY
Vietnam's political history combined southward expansion, geographic regionalism (based on administrative division or the informal power acquired by provincial governors), and the desire of the central government to control the actions of local leaders. There were few periods of peace. According to the historical traditions of the Viet, one of the first Vietnamese states was Au Lak (258-111 BC), united with another state - Nam Viet. Its rulers, apparently, managed in the 90-80s of the 2nd century. BC. unite Tonkin (now the northern part of North Vietnam) with the southern Chinese lands. In 111 BC e. the army of the Chinese Han Empire overthrew the last monarch of the Vietnamese Chieu dynasty, probably also Chinese. Tonkin then became the Chinese frontier province of Zaoti (Jiaozhi). When the new rulers came into conflict with the feudal structures that existed in Vietnam, there was a rebellion led by the Trung sisters (39-43 AD), which led to a temporary end to Chinese rule. The second stage of Chinese dominance dates from 44, undermined by a rebellion of prominent representatives of the Li dynasty (544-602). After 939, when the founder of the Ngo dynasty gained strength, Vietnam managed to gain independence, although China retained elements of suzerainty until the period of French colonial rule.

Having achieved independence, the Vietnamese expanded their lands from Tonkin to northern Annam, ousted the Khmers and Chams - farmers, sailors and merchants. Pretenders to the Vietnamese throne often turned to Chinese emperors for help, whose invasions ended, as a rule, in failure. Even the Mongol armies of Khubilai, who undertook campaigns in the Hong Ha delta region, were twice (in 1285 and 1288) defeated by the Vietnamese commander Tran Hyng Dao. In 1407, a Chinese invasion temporarily restored the power of the Chan dynasty, which ruled from 1225 to 1400. During the liberation war led by Le Loi, the founder of the Le dynasty, the Chinese imperial troops were finally expelled from Vietnam in 1427. Under the Le dynasty (1428- 1789) significant progress was made in administration, improvement of legislation and development of culture. But since the 16th century Le reigned nominally. Initially, the powerful Mac family appropriated real power. At the end of the 16th century the power of the Chinh clan, which controlled the northern part of the country, was formalized, and with the departure of Nguyen Hoang to the south in 1558, the power of the Nguyen clan, which dominated the south, was formed; Le remained nominally sacred figures until the fall of the dynasty. The Nguyen gradually came to the fore, as they managed to expand their zone of influence, spreading it at the end of the 17th century. to the Mekong valley and then to the whole of Cochin (1757). The unstable balance of power between the Trinh and Nguyen houses was upset after 1773, when the three Taishon brothers rebelled against both ruling clans, which led to the split of the country. One of the exiled members of the Nguyen family, supported by the French, emerged victorious from internecine battles in the 1790s and subsequently proclaimed himself Emperor Gia Long (1802). The Nguyen dynasty, which ended with the abdication of Bao Dai in 1945, gradually weakened due to uprisings in the south and north of Vietnam, which facilitated French expansion in the middle of the 19th century. French interests in Vietnam were born with the penetration of French missionaries there in the 17th century. France subjugated in 1862 three eastern and in 1867 three western provinces of Cochinchina, which in 1874 acquired the status of a colony. Northern (Tonkin) and central (Annam) parts of the country were turned into protectorates. All three regions, together with Laos and Cambodia, formed French Indochina, which the new government sought to consolidate administratively with the help of a common budget and a unified public works program. During the colonial period, a state monopoly on salt, liquor, and opium was introduced, and the construction of railroads and auto-drawn roads was encouraged. In 1930, on the initiative of the Vietnamese National Party (Vietnam Quoc Zan Dang), created on the model of the Chinese National Party (Kuomintang), an armed Yenbai uprising broke out in the area northwest of Hanoi. After its suppression, the resistance movement was headed by the Communist Party of Indochina, formed in 1930 under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh. During the years when the Popular Front was in power in France, the Vietnamese communists, along with the Trotskyists (anti-Stalinist communists), expanded their influence and even participated in Cochin and Saigon in local government elections. In 1940 and 1941 the Communists led an unsuccessful uprising in the far south, while the Tai stirred up unrest in the north.
From July 1941 to August 1945, Japanese troops occupied all of Vietnam. In 1941, Ho Chi Minh founded the Vietnamese Independence Democratic Front, known as the Viet Minh. At the end of World War II, detachments of the Kuomintang Chinese entered the northern part of the country, and the British entered the territory of southern Vietnam. The Việt Minh, led by Ho Chi Minh, made Hanoi their base and formed People's Committees throughout Vietnam. On September 2, 1945, after the abdication of Emperor Bao Dai, the Viet Minh, which was favored by China, announced the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and formed a provisional government. France agreed to recognize the Democratic Republic of Vietnam as a "free state" with an army and a parliament, within the Indochinese Confederation and the French Community. However, in December 1946, France and the Viet Minh accused each other of violating the agreements, and war broke out in Indochina. France sought to win over the local population by placing Bao Dai as the head of a nominally independent government. However, the Viet Minh refused to recognize the new regime and after 1949 consolidated its position, relying on the growing support of China. France, in turn, received from 1951 major military and economic aid from the United States. Soon the French troops were surrounded and defeated at Dien Bien Phu, which hastened the achievement of an agreement by the international Conference in Geneva. Representatives of the United States, France, Great Britain, the USSR, China, Laos, Cambodia and two Vietnamese governments, Bao Dai and Viet Minh, took part in the work of this Conference. The agreement on the cessation of hostilities between France and the Viet Minh, signed in July 1954, provided for the temporary division of the country along the 17th parallel; the holding of the elections necessary for its reunification in July 1956; the withdrawal of French military units from the North and the prohibition of the buildup of armaments in any of the two zones; the formation of an international commission to oversee the implementation of the agreement. North Vietnam retained for subsequent years the basic state structures that began to take shape as early as 1946 and proclaimed a line of building socialism under the leadership of the Communist Party and President Ho Chi Minh. In South Vietnam, the Catholic Ngo Dinh Diem deposed Bao Dai in 1955 and took the presidency.
Diem managed to cope with the opposition of the warlords, the Cao Dai and Hoahao sects and the Dai Viet party, and he was re-elected president in 1961. The Saigon authorities tried to weaken the sympathy for the Viet Minh from its remaining supporters in the South, but faced active military confrontation in many rural areas, especially in Cochinchina. In 1960, opponents of the regime created the pro-communist National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (NLF). In the cities, non-communist opposition groups opposed Zien. The Buddhists denounced the regime for its discriminatory policies. Several Buddhist monks and nuns set themselves on fire in protest. On November 1, 1963, the military overthrew Ngo Dinh Diem and installed General Dong Van Min, but he was removed from power in January 1964. A series of coups followed. Unrest among Buddhists, Catholics, and students continued until civilian rule was restored in late 1964. In June 1965, General Nguyen Van Thieu took the post of head of state, and General Nguyen Cao Kyi took over the post of prime minister. In 1966, a specially elected Assembly adopted a constitution approved by the military, which entered into force on April 1, 1967. Presidential elections were held in September. Thieu and Kee were voted president and vice president respectively, but Truong Dinh Dzu, who called for an agreement with the NLF, was also supported. Up to a third of the total population living in the territory under the control of the NLF did not take part in the election campaign. Meanwhile, fighting broke out. American military advisers had been in the South since 1960, and yet the NLF was close to victory. In 1965, the United States sent its army units to the aid of the Saigon government, launched the first regular air strikes on the territory of North Vietnam, and significantly increased the bombing of the rebellious regions of South Vietnam. The NLF received military reinforcements from the North, aided by the USSR and China. The American military presence temporarily stabilized the situation, but in early 1968 units of the NLF and North Vietnamese conducted combat operations in almost all major South Vietnamese cities. In April, peace talks began between US and North Vietnamese representatives. Then gradually began a partial evacuation from the South of American troops, whose number at one time reached 536,000 people. In June 1969, the rebels created their own Provisional Revolutionary Government (PRG) in South Vietnam. Also in 1969, North Vietnamese President Ho Chi Minh died. From 1969 to 1971, the South Vietnamese army expanded the controlled zone under its control. The United States at that time withdrew its military units from the country, compensating for these steps with air bombardments. In 1971 Thieu was re-elected to the presidency. In the spring and early summer of 1972, the communists organized a major offensive, which proceeded very successfully until it was stopped by the actions of American aircraft and counterattacks by South Vietnamese troops. The United States countered this offensive by increasing air raids and mined North Vietnamese ports and shipping lanes in May. At the end of the year, the United States began a massive bombardment of the cities of North Vietnam. On January 27, 1973, the four parties involved in the war signed a peace agreement in Paris that provided for a ceasefire in the South, the recognition of the 17th parallel as a temporary demarcation line, and the withdrawal of all American troops from the country. It was supposed to convene the National Council and elections, which were supposed to decide the fate of the South Vietnamese government. The last American formations left Vietnam in April 1973, but the political clauses of the treaty were never implemented. The Saigon administration tried to run an election campaign on its own, which was opposed by the PRP, which demanded the creation of a tripartite council. Moreover, the fighting did not stop either. In May 1975, the Saigon army was forced to leave the area of ​​​​the central plateau (Teinguyen), after which it simply fell apart. A few weeks later, the armed forces of the PRG and North Vietnam surrounded the southern capital. Thieu resigned on April 21, and on April 30, 1975, the Saigon military units capitulated.
Initially, it seemed that both parts of the country could exist as independent, albeit closely related public entities. However, the communists were in a hurry with the process of unification and unification. In the summer and autumn of 1975 they nationalized the banks and large enterprises of the South. In April 1976, elections were held for a single National Assembly for the entire country. On July 2, 1976, the official reunification of Vietnam took place, proclaimed the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Most of the seats in the new government were taken by communists from the North. During the war, Vietnam was helped by both the USSR and China. In the late 1970s, the focus on close ties with Soviet Union. The socialist transformation of the economy in the South took its toll primarily on the vast Chinese community. Conflicts with the Vietnamese majority took the form of ethnic strife and negatively affected Vietnam-China relations. In addition, China took the side of the anti-Vietnamese Pol Pot regime in Cambodia. In December 1978, Vietnamese troops entered Cambodia and in early 1979 occupied the main part of its territory. In February 1979, the Vietnamese-Chinese war began, which was actively waged for a month, but did not bring any noticeable success to either side. In 1978-1980, at least 750 thousand people left the country (2/3 are ethnic Chinese). Many returned to their historical homeland by land, and some set off on a journey across the South China Sea by boat. The desire of the Vietnamese authorities to carry out socialist transformations already in the late 1970s led to negative consequences. The government in Hanoi concentrated all its efforts on military actions and clearly depended on the assistance of the USSR. The South Vietnamese economy, based on private enterprise, was artificially fueled by large cash infusions. In the 1980s, the government took a more pragmatic course, giving more latitude to local planners, lifting trade restrictions, and allowing farmers to sell some of their produce on the market. In the middle of the decade, however, huge budget deficits and issuance gave rise to rampant inflation. In 1989, the country adopted a long-term program of radical reforms, including measures to suppress inflationary trends, liberalize banking and other legislation, and stimulate the private sector in industry.
LITERATURE
Mazaev A.G. Agrarian reform in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. M., 1959 Fridland V.M. Nature of North Vietnam. M., 1961 Rastorguev V.S. Finance and Credit of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. M., 1965 History of Vietnam in modern times (1917-1965). M., 1970 Anosova L.A. Industry of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. M., 1973 Nikulin N.I. Vietnamese Literature. From the Middle Ages to the New Age. X-XIX centuries M., 1977 New history of Vietnam. M., 1980 Nguyen Phi Hoan. Art of Vietnam. Essays on the history of fine arts. M., 1982 History of Vietnam. M., 1983 The latest history of Vietnam. M., 1984 Isaev M.P., Chernyshev A.S. History of Soviet-Vietnamese relations 1917-1985. M., 1986 Voronin A.S., Ognetov I.A. Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Directory. M., 1987 Isaev M.P., Pivovarov Ya.N. Essay on agrarian relations in Vietnam. M., 1987 Anosova L.A. Vietnam on the Threshold of the 21st Century, Parts 1-2. M., 1993 Hu Quoc Wee, Trigubenko M.E., Anosova L.A. Vietnam. Directory. M., 1993 Deopik D.V. History of Vietnam, part 1. M., 1994 Pozner P.V. History of Vietnam in Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages up to the 10th century. AD M., 1994 Novakova O.V., Tsvetov P.Yu. History of Vietnam, part 2. M., 1995 Reform and renewal of the economy in Vietnam. M., 1996
- Vietnam. Landscape in the north of the country, Tintuka region. VIETNAM (Socialist Republic of Vietnam), a state in Southeast Asia, on the Indochina Peninsula. The area is 332 thousand km2. The population is 69 million people, mainly Viet (Vietnamese, 88%). ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

vietnamese vodka

Alternative descriptions

Araka, aragy (Turkic) archi (Mongolian) ereh (Chuvash) a strong alcoholic drink made from milk, grapes, potatoes, grain among the peoples of Central and Western Asia and the Caucasus (ethnographic)

Oriental moonshine from the juice of a coconut or date palm

Strong alcoholic drink (barley, wheat, etc.)

Palm sap vodka

rice vodka

asian vodka

Rice or palm sap vodka (produced in South Asia)

Asian liquor

Central Asian vodka

Vodka from Asia

Palmyra vodka

Palm tree vodka

coconut vodka

Eastern moonshine

coconut moonshine

Palm vodka

Palm sap vodka

Palm tree alcohol

Eastern vodka

Rice Vodka in Asia

Palma, vodka

Gorilka on Asian table

Oriental home brewer

A Russian drinks vodka, but an Asian?

Vodka bought with tenge

asian alcohol

Asian homemade booze

. "swill" for the Central Asian boozer

Vodka in the mouth of an Oriental

Genus of vodka from Asia

Asian booze

What kind of vodka do some Asians drink?

From agave - pulque, but what about rice?

Oriental house drink

Alcohol from Asia

Alcoholic drink from Asia

Asian hangover culprit

Vodka comes from the Middle East

Asian sister of Russian vodka

Vodka of "Eastern" nationality

Raisin vodka

Palm Pit

asian liquor

Alcohol from Asia

Asian alcoholic drink

This is how vodka is called in Asia

Moonshine from koumiss

Palm sap alcohol

Alcohol from South Asia

Palm sap drink

Vodka with an Asian twist

Palm sap liquor

rice vodka

alcoholic drink

asian home brewer

Vodka with a Middle Eastern twist

Alcoholic product

Asian analogue of German whiskey

Vodka in the mouth of an Asian

Rice or palm pervach

Palm intoxicating

palm sap alcohol

Asian Moonshine

Vodka that “emigrated” to Asia

strong liquor

Vodka of Asian "nationality"

Asian vodka

Asian liquor, vodka made from rice or palm sap

. "Asian vodka

. "Drink" for the Central Asian boozer

Vodka - palmovka

tropical liquor

Finnish vodka

asian hot

Alcohol from the island of Java

Arabic vodka

In Ukraine, gorilka, but what about in Asia

Vodka "Eastern nationality"

Vodka "made in" Asia

Vodka "date"

Vodka of Asian "nationality"

Vodka in Asian style

Vodka that "emigrated" to Asia

From agave - pulque, and what from rice

What kind of vodka do some Asians drink

Kara backwards

Strong alcoholic drink

M. vodka, expelled from sugar cane, molasses, rice or raisins (fruit vodka, from grapes, etc., called rum and cognac). Arachnoy smell. Araka or araki cf. unwilling. sib. milk vodka of foreigners, distilled from smelly kvass; Chuvash, gossip. novoros. called vodka in places. rakitsa. Arach sib. sit araku; drive tavern vodka

Inverted Kara

Russian drinks vodka, and Asian

Palm sap liquor

Inverted Punishment

Kara in reverse

Kara backwards

Capital Hanoi Founded in the III century BC. Political system Vietnam is a parliamentary republic. The Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, adopted on April 15, 1992, is the fourth one after the 2nd World War (1946, 1959, 1980). Currently, there are 57 provinces in Vietnam, four cities of central subordination (million people): Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (over 5), Hai Phong (1.7) and Da Nang (0.7). The political system of Vietnam is defined in the preamble of the Constitution: "The party leads, the people rule, the state governs." Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia, located on the Indochina Peninsula. Borders In the north it borders with China, in the west with Laos and Cambodia. Washed by the seas From the south and from the east it is washed by the South China Sea. Largest cities The largest cities in Vietnam are Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. They are among the three most expensive cities in Southeast Asia. Time zone UTC+7. Flight time from Moscow Flight time to Vietnam from Moscow (Moscow - Ho Chi Minh City, Moscow - Hanoi) is 8 hours 50 minutes. - 9 hours 50 minutes Territory The territory of Vietnam stretches in a narrow strip in the meridional direction along the eastern coast of the peninsula for 1750 km. The length of the borders with China is 1281 km, with Laos - 1555 km, with Cambodia - 982 km, the length of the coastline is 3451 km, the area of ​​the mainland is 329560 km2. Vietnam is a country of mountains, plateaus and plateaus. The prevailing height of the mountains is from several hundred to 1000 m. The highest peak - Fansipan - is located in the northern part of the country (3143m). In the North and South of Vietnam, in the valleys of the Red and Mekong rivers, there are vast lowlands. Population Today, the population of Vietnam is about 82 million inhabitants. Of which 5.7 million live in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), more than 3 million people live in Hanoi. Ethnic composition: Vietnamese - 85 - 90%, Chinese - 3%, Khmers and other (about 60 in total) nationalities. The average life expectancy is 68 years. The literacy rate among people over 15 is 93.7%. Officially called the Kinh, the ethnic Viet speak Vietnamese and live in the lowlands of the country. This ethnic group dominates the political and cultural map of the country - in total, 54 ethnic groups are officially recognized in Vietnam. About a million ethnic Chinese in Vietnam, whose settlements are mainly located in the south. This group is one of the largest groups of national minorities, in addition, the Chinese have played a crucial role in the Vietnamese economy for quite a long period of time. After 1975, the Chinese community decreased somewhat, which was caused by the tightening of economic policy and the cooling of Vietnamese-Chinese relations. In the south of Vietnam, in the Mekong Delta, the Khmer Krom live - this ethnic group forms the majority of the rural population. Until the 17th-18th century, these lands belonged to Cambodia, but then they were conquered by Vietnam. According to official sources, the total number of this nationality is more than a million people (1.3 million). Language The language is Vietnamese (official), although different regions have their own dialects. There are dozens of different languages ​​spoken by various ethnic minorities; in addition, Khmer and Lao are spoken in some parts of the country. The most common languages ​​are Vietnamese and Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), English, French, Russian. Major Religions Buddhism is the most common religion in Vietnam, but there are other religions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam... Official currency The Vietnamese currency is Dong. Banknotes in denominations of 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, 20000, 50000, and 100000 are in circulation. Mains voltage is 110-220 volts, alternating current. Climate Vietnam has an amazingly varied climate due to the wide range of latitude and longitude. Although the entire country is located in the tropics and subtropics, the weather here can vary from freezing winters in the far northern mountains to the year-round subequatorial warmth of the Mekong Delta. Since about a third of Vietnam is above 500 m above sea level, most of the country has a subtropical or - above 2000 m - even temperate climate.

By seasonality, the climate is monsoonal, that is, there are no pronounced winters and summers, and the seasons are determined by the direction of the winds and the humidity of the air masses they carry. Due to the monsoonal climate, Vietnam is slightly cooler in winter and not as hot in summer as other countries at the same latitude. But, at the same time, even in Northern Vietnam the winter is much warmer and shorter than in the Crimea, Sochi, Turkey.

The main disadvantage of Vietnam's climate is high humidity during the rainy season. During this wet season, it rains for 1/2 to 2 hours. The rest of the time there is no rain, and often the sun even peeks out.

Between July and November, strong and unpredictable typhoons often form over the ocean east of Vietnam, hitting central and northern Vietnam with their destructive force.

The duration of sunshine is from 1500 to 2000 hours, the average solar radiation is 100 kcal/cm2 per year.

Vietnam is divided into three climatic regions: North, Central and South. Due to the diversity of the relief and the change in the direction of the winds during the year, there are significant differences in the weather in the regions themselves.

The climate of central Vietnam (from the resort of Nha Trang to the ancient capital of Vietnam, Hue) is determined by the Truong Son mountain range, but practically does not differ from the weather in the south of the country. Most of the precipitation in the coastal strip falls between December and February, and the dry season in Nha Trang lasts from June to October. Absolutely unique weather - in the mountain resort of Dalat, located 150 km west of Ho Chi Minh City: here, at an altitude of 1000 m above sea level, the climate is close to subtropical all year round. Cool (+22..+25°C) weather during the day, and in the evening and morning hours it can be quite cold here even for Europeans. However, at the same time, unlike the usual tropics, the ozone freshness of the air is clearly felt in the mountains, which makes the resort especially attractive.

In the north of Vietnam (from Hanoi to the seaside resort of Halong) there are two seasons, more clearly defined than in the south - winter and summer. Winter, cool and wet, lasts from November to April, in February and March it constantly drizzles "fun". At the same time, the temperature drops to +10..+12°C, which is very cold for the tropics. From May, the summer season begins abruptly: heat, high humidity, temperatures up to +40°C.

The best time to visit Vietnam when rain is least likely is from April-May to October-November.

Finance

What money to take with you The dollar is the most popular foreign currency and is accepted almost everywhere, but when paying with dong, it is less likely that you will overpay. Where to change Foreign currency exchange is carried out in banks, which are available at all airports, hotels, jewelry stores. Exchange rate fluctuations are insignificant. Vietnam is a very convenient country in terms of currency exchange. Anywhere - in a cafe, on the street, in national parks- You will be accepted in dollars and given change in dongs. The only exception is, perhaps, only state museums, where the entrance fee is usually 10,000 dong, but they can take 1 dollar without change. Approximate rate: 1 USD=16000 VND. Credit cards Credit cards are becoming more common - they are accepted in large shops, hotels and restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi (the most widely used are "Master Card" and "Visa", the commission is usually about 3%). ATMs (located in the buildings of banks, large shops and hotels) issue only dongs. Shopping Shopping in Vietnam is incredibly rich and varied. Exotic Asia all the time. Here, silver items are very beautiful, excellent prices for jewelry, dishes, fabrics, and amazing exotic souvenirs are worth a penny.

Vietnam is an ideal country for shopping, as there are a huge number of all kinds of shops, bazaars and markets. For example, the city of Hue is famous throughout Vietnam for its magnificent conical hats. The city specializes in “poetry hats” through which, when looked at the light, black carved patterns can be seen embedded between layers of intertwined palm leaves. Hue also has Vietnam's largest selection of the most beautiful rice paper and silk designs, but the asking price is four times the real price. You can often bargain for 50% off just by starting to leave the souvenir shop.

In Hanoi, on the streets of Hang Gai and Hang Bac shops you can buy souvenirs of the hill tribes of Vietnam. Also in the capital there is a large selection of clothing items in the traditional oriental style - silk robes, kimonos, jackets and whole suits for both sexes. The best antique shops in the city are clustered on Hang Gai and Hang Khai streets.

If you buy inexpensive electronics, it is best to do it in Ho Chi Minh. In Hoi An, the selection of souvenirs is amazing. Here, if you wish, you can buy antiques, handicrafts, locally produced clothes.

Factory-type souvenirs include: bronze figurines of Buddhas, fake antique ivory opium pipes, porcelain services painted with hieroglyphs. An incredible amount of jewelry, silverware can be seen in the main urban markets of the country. Throughout the country, you can buy collections of bronze coins from the era of the empire - however, only a connoisseur will be able to distinguish one coin from another and tell which one was minted when.

In the most exquisite jewelry centers of the world, you can find products made from natural stones mined in Vietnam. Pearls are most profitable to buy in settlements on the coast near its extraction or cultivation. In the vast majority, artificially grown river is sold, less often - cultivated sea. Sea pearls, although grown on plantations, are more valuable than river ones. His peas should be large and irregular in shape. Often there are plastic fakes with applied paint. The cost of good pearls in Vietnam is about 30% less than in Russia and Europe. There is no guarantee of buying good pearls in branded stores. The guarantee is the ability to identify good pearls yourself.

The best pearls in Vietnam are grown on the island of Phu Quoc. The further south, the better the quality of sea pearls, all other things being equal. Pearls grown in the South China Sea will impress lovers of fine jewelry.

Sapphires. You need to know this stone well in order to make a bargain. Silver rings with ivory and pearls. Vietnam has some of the cheapest silver jewelry and tableware in the world. Gold in Vietnam for its inhabitants is the main store of value, so it is expensive.

It is profitable to buy ceramics in the suburbs of Hanoi - Bat Trang. It has many small factories and workshops for the manufacture of porcelain tableware. At some factories, you can even order the shipment of the product to your home in Russia, paying all expenses in advance. On the road from Hanoi to Ha Long, there is a ceramic market, where prices are also lower than in the capital, and the choice is wider in a relatively small area.

It is beneficial to buy Vietnamese furniture, if you can call it shopping. But, it makes sense if you can send it cheaply by container to Russia on some Russian ship located in the ports of Haiphong or Saigon. Furniture with handmade elements such as woodcarving and inlay is several times cheaper in Vietnam than similar furniture in Europe.

Vietnam becomes "the second workshop of the world" after China. A lot of clothes and shoes made in Vietnam are exported to the USA, Japan, Europe. Western tourists love shopping in Vietnam not only because of the souvenirs, but also because of the very good value for money. Shoes are made of natural and artificial leather, silk with and without embroidery, wood, etc., the main manufacturers here are Nike and Adidas. Clothing is also sewn under world famous brands.

Large selection of natural silk products (women's dresses, men's ties). Experienced advise buying silk products a size larger, because it shrinks.

In numerous art galleries you can buy paintings by local masters. Landscapes of the country are depicted in a unique manner of combining oriental culture and modern writing techniques. Various paintings for every taste, which will decorate the most sophisticated interior.

Products of plant origin, without permitting phytosanitary documents confirming quarantine safety. With a high degree of probability, it will be confiscated and destroyed by customs officers in Russia. The most frequently seized are greens, fruits, vegetables, lotus tubers, ginger, palm leaves, beans and sweet potatoes.

Tipping State hotels and restaurants usually add 5% to the bill for services, so there is no need to leave a tip. In private establishments, tips should be determined on the spot - some of them do not provide any bills at all (and menus!), others determine the size of the tip themselves. The cost of food In democratic street cafes - food everywhere is quite cheap and of high quality. The cost of lunch is from 2 to 25 dollars. Taxi Services There are taxi services in any major city in Vietnam. Taxi can be called from any hotel, cafe or shop. You can also quickly take a taxi on the street.

Taxi services in Vietnam are not expensive, but there is an interesting feature, the smaller the taxi, the cheaper the fare will be. Fare payment - by meter. Landing cost - 0.50 US$, and further for each kilometer - 0.50 US$. A taxi can take you to any city in the country, but the cost of the trip must be negotiated in advance. In general, long distance trips are cheaper. The approximate cost of a taxi from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet Mui Ne is from $70. And from the center of Ho Chi Minh City to the airport, a taxi will cost 5-6US$.

Taxi drivers are friendly and hardworking people, they are respected, as this is considered a good job.

As for remote regions, there taxi drivers earn extra money on scooters and small minibuses, gasoline prices in the regions are too high. There are absolutely no gas stations, and gasoline itself can be bought at any store.
Public transport Urban transport is well developed only in the major cities of Vietnam, but even there there are difficulties with movement. There are 13 bus routes in Hanoi, but traffic on them is irregular, and the network of stops is very confusing. The fare on a public bus within the capital is about 0.1 USD per trip. Tickets can be purchased at the station.

The basis of public transport in Vietnam is made up of taxis and a variety of motorcycle and cycle rickshaws ("cyclo" or "cyclo").

Pedicabs usually attack tourists, trying to give them a lift somewhere, even if the tourists resist. At the same time, they inflate the fare by several times or, if there are several tourists, upon arrival they report that they called the amount for only one passenger. In order not to be deceived by a rickshaw, you should know that a 15-minute ride costs about $1.

Motor rickshaws are much calmer, and both the local population and visitors are more willing to use their services.

In cities, you can take a taxi - depending on the class of the car, the fare will cost about $ 1.5 per landing and 50-60 cents per kilometer. The price must be discussed in advance and it is desirable to fix it somewhere! It is possible that by the end of the trip the driver will try to “forget” the amount named at the beginning ...

Car rental Foreigners in Vietnam rarely rent only a car, preferring to rent a car with a local driver. There are several reasons for this.

Only a ninth of all roads in Vietnam are paved, while the rest are either gravel or unpaved.
- Roads are often washed out, they are constantly loaded with mopeds, motorcycles, bicycles and agricultural machinery.
- The local traffic police do not recognize any driving license other than Vietnamese, which will take at least 2 months to process.

The cost of renting a car is low. Everywhere in the country you can rent a motorcycle or bicycle. A deposit will be charged at the time of signing the lease.

customs control

The import of foreign currency is not limited, but the total amount must be declared, since the export of foreign currency is allowed only within the declared amount.

Import into the country is prohibited:
- Drugs and drug-containing medications without a medical prescription for their use (the sanctions for importing drugs are extremely high, up to the death penalty).
- Firearms, pornography, printed materials, CDs, audio and video recordings that offend local traditions.

Export prohibited:
- Antiques and precious stones.
- National currency.

When exporting commercial goods or products of high value, the permission of a customs expert is required.

The import of foreign convertible currency is not limited, but it is necessary to declare the amount over 3 thousand US dollars. It is necessary to declare gold if its quantity exceeds 300 g. Imported household and computer equipment is subject to mandatory declaration, all undeclared equipment will be allowed to be exported only if customs duties are paid or if a purchase receipt is available from local trade organizations. It is recommended to keep proof of all expenses incurred in the country during the stay.

It is allowed to export without duty:
- 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars or 500 gr. tobacco
- 2 liters of alcoholic beverages with a strength of up to 22 degrees or 1.5 liters of strong alcoholic beverages (the total volume of imported alcohol is not more than 3 liters)
- 5 kg of tea
-3 kg of coffee
- a reasonable amount of perfumes and perfumes
- other goods with a total value of not more than 5 million dong (300 US dollars).

Transport

Getting from one Vietnamese city to another is not difficult - this country has excellent transport links. You can travel around Vietnam by road, air, and water. Domestic airlines, urban transport, sea and river passenger fleet and railways are at the service of local residents and tourists. However, local peculiarities should be taken into account.

Almost all cities in Vietnam are connected by roads, except for the island ones, but with a length of 93 thousand kilometers, only 10 thousand km of asphalt cover. The rest of the tracks are dirt and gravel. Roads outside of major cities are narrow and constantly clogged with vehicles ranging from buses to carts. The idea of ​​traffic rules in Vietnam is quite peculiar and parking spaces are difficult to find, so foreigners are advised to rent cars with a local guide. To rent a car, you must have an international driver's license or pass an exam at the local police and get a mark in your national driver's license. You can rent a motorcycle, scooter and even a bicycle.

International airports are located in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Da Nang. Inside Vietnam, Vietnam Airlines (Vietnam Airlines), a cheaper airline, Pacific Airlines, and a very small one, VASCO, fly. In November 2007, another private airline, Vietjet Aviation, was licensed.

In major cities and resorts, there are taxis from Vietnam Airlines to get to the airport. They are cheaper than city ones.

If you decide to travel around the country, then the best way to do this is by rail, and although the trains are old and worn out, they are much more convenient and safer to get to the place than by bus. The monopoly of railway transportation is the state enterprise "Vietnamese Railways". You will be offered several types of trains, these are hard and soft seating, hard, soft sleeping cars and air-conditioned sleeping cars. The price varies depending on the class and type, but, anyway, train trips are very inexpensive. The service is also different, for example, soft sleeping cars are made in a modern European style, but it’s not recommended to ride in hard ones at all, there are too many passengers. Tickets must be purchased in advance and kept throughout the trip.

Vietnam has a well-developed water mode of transport. The main ports are located in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hong Gai, Nha Trang, Hai Phong, Vung Tau. The rivers can be navigated in small passenger boats.
If you need to go somewhere by water transport, you can order a small boat or a boat, negotiate the fare with the owner of the transport or the captain of the vessel.

Intercity buses are a cheap means of transportation in Vietnam, and you can get on them almost anywhere in the country. But basically most of the buses are in a deplorable state. The bus ride will take quite a long time, as they do not reach high speed. This is due to the fact that the country has very bad roads and no one follows the rules of the road. For rich Vietnamese citizens and tourists, there are special "big bus" regular buses, which are air-conditioned and have a separate seat for each passenger, but even they rarely reach speeds of more than 50 km / h.

Telecommunications

Access to the Internet and e-mail can be obtained in the numerous Internet - cafes in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. Access prices are quite low. Cellular communication is developing very quickly, although it lags behind neighboring countries in terms of level. GSM 900 operators are represented by Vietnam Mobile Telecom Service and Vietnam Telecom Service (GPC). Moscow operators MTS and Beeline have agreements with Vietnamese mobile operators.

Telecommunications Vietnam's communications system is currently undergoing significant upgrades and expansion, but continues to lag behind regional neighbors. All provincial regions of the country are connected by digital communication lines with Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, but the general communication system is still based on outdated relay equipment.

International telephone calls can be made from almost all major cities and towns, but for this you will have to use the services of call centers (located mainly in the building of post offices and in large organizations, the cost of a minute of conversation with Russia is about $ 4) or from rare yet specialized public telephones (they work with Vinafon plastic cards). Inside the country, you can call from almost any pay phone (the cost of a minute within Hanoi is about 10 cents, long-distance calls cost from $0.3 to $0.7).
Calls to Russia To call from Vietnam to Moscow, you need to dial: 007 + area code + subscriber number. Calls from Russia To call from Russia to Vietnam, you need to dial: 8 - 10 - 84 + area code + subscriber number. Area codes The international dialing code of the country is 84. Codes of some cities: Kien Giang - 77, Bimshon, Dong Son, Thanh Hoa - 37, Binmin - 70, Binchan - 8, Bien Hoa - 61, Wanchan - 29, Vinbao, Kienan - 32, Vinlin - 53 , Vinh Phuoc - 211, Vung Tau - 64, Viet Lam - 19, Godau, Tay Ninh - 66, Dak Lak - 50, Da Lat, Lam Dong - 63, Da Nang - 511, Dong Dang, Lang Son - 25, Dien Bien Phu, Laichiau - 23, Kailau, Tien Giang - 73 , Cam Ranh - 58, Cao Bang - 26, Con Dao - 64, Lao Cai - 20, Longan - 72, Luong Son - 18, Nam Dinh - 350, Nghean - 38, Ninh Binh - 30, Ninh Thuan - 68, Travinh - 74, Tuen Quang - 27, Thai Binh - 36, Thainguyen - 280, Thua Thien Hue - 54, Phu Yen - 57, Phu Tho - 210, Ha Giang - 19, Hai Duong - 320, Hai Phong - 31, Hanam - 351, Hanoi - 4, Hatay - 34, Hatinh - 39, Hoa Binh - 18, Ho Chi Minh City - 8, Hung Yen - 321, Chaudok - 76, Shoktrang - 79, Son La - 22. Useful phones Emergency numbers:
Police - 113
Fire - 114
Ambulance - 115
Central office of the customs service: 9 - 00 - 95

National cuisine

Vietnamese cuisine is varied and delicious. It is famous for its unusual and refined tastes, it differs from Thai and Chinese, from Korean and other national cuisines of Southeast Asia.

This is the only cuisine in the world that refutes the old culinary precept: a bad smell means a bad taste. Vietnamese cuisine owes its specific aromas to plants: lemongrass, mint and many others. Vietnamese spices are unusual, many of them grow only in this country.

The basic product is rice flavored with a variety of spices and specific sauces. In Vietnam, rice is the head of everything, and cooking it is considered a great art. The Vietnamese eat rice up to half a kilogram a day, mainly in order to slightly "dilute" the incredible astringency and spiciness of the main dishes. Rice is the basis of Vietnam's most popular dish, tün, patties.

Traditional favorites of Vietnamese cuisine among the locals are fish, chicken and pork dishes along with cooked vegetables and rice or noodles. In addition, young bamboo shoots are eaten in Vietnam - a very healthy and tasty product, although it does not have a pleasant smell. Even the Vietnamese themselves consider "repulsive smell with excellent taste" as a characteristic feature of their cuisine.

The national cuisine is quite different in different regions of Vietnam: in the North, Central and South. Each of them has its own unique Vietnamese recipes and cooking traditions. The north is best known for its famous noodle soup, grilled meats and seafood.

In the Centre, especially near the ancient capital of Hue, perhaps the most complex dishes of Vietnamese cuisine are prepared. This is due to the imperial past of the city, when chefs sought to create special and exotic dishes of Vietnamese cuisine for the emperor and his court.

In the South, there is a great abundance of spices, and accordingly, all Vietnamese dishes are much more spicy. In addition, with 3000 km of coastline, there is a wide variety of delicious seafood for Vietnamese cuisine: crabs, shrimp, lobsters, squids, and, of course, hundreds of varieties of fish.

There are a lot of different fruits in Vietnam: banana, coconut, durian, grape, guava, breadfruit, Java apple, lemon, lychee, dragon's eye or longan, mango, Vietnamese apple, papaya, pineapple, grapefruit, rambutan, Siamese persimmon or sapodilla, pa-anona (tender, juicy and sweet fruit, but spoils quickly), watermelon, tangerine, orange, mangosteen or manglis, momordica, persimmon, pear, milk fruit, sugar cane, etc.

The Vietnamese eat the meat of some mammals and reptiles that are not eaten in Europe. In the Mekong Delta three hundred years ago, snakes swarmed over every square meter of land and water. They were natural food.

Doctors consider the meat and bones of a hungry boa constrictor to be useful. snakes. The waiter makes a small very precise incision on a live snake, takes out the heart and bleeds. The man who ordered the dish is invited to eat a beating snake heart. Blood is poured into glasses, mixed with rice vodka and drunk by all those present. Then snake bile is added to the rice vodka. Half an hour later, ready-made snake meat is served, which is stewed or fried with spices and nuts. The snake's head is cut off during cooking to prevent poison from entering the dish. The hard tail is boiled in a thick rice broth.

In Vietnam, the rat is considered a delicacy - very tender meat. Cats are also a delicacy. Restaurants specializing in cats began to appear. Dog meat dishes in Vietnam are not rare, but very common. A dog in Vietnam, to the same extent as in Europe, is not considered a friend of man. Dogs are raised on farms where they do not have nicknames. At home festivities, dog dishes are a table decoration. Dog meat fried, boiled, cutlets, shish kebabs. All dishes are seasoned with spices and herbs and served without a side dish.

In Vietnam, not only meat is often eaten, but also the skin, ears, skin and teeth of animals. Consumers of products obtained from exotic living beings believe that in this way they will get rid of all kinds of diseases and ensure a long life and male power.

Food costs in Vietnam are considered the most minimal in the world, as there is an abundance of food and especially fruits all year round. If you are a vegetarian or a fruit lover, there will always be a large selection on the table at any time of the year - from the usual oranges, tangerines, pineapples and bananas to such juicy and nutritious fruits as breadfruit, letchi, dragon's eye, lucuma (egg fruit), papaya and chrysophyllum (milk breast).

Institutional work

Shops are open almost every day, seven days a week from 7:30 to 17:30 - officially, and unofficially - until late in the evening. Banks are open from 7.30-8.00 to 15.30-16.30. Day off - Saturday and Sunday.

Holidays and non-working days

Public holidays:
January 1 - International New Year.
March 8 - Women's Day.
March 26 - Youth Day.
April 30 - Victory Day.
May 19 - Ho Chi Minh City's birthday.
May 1 - International Labor Day.
June 1 - Children's Day.
July 27 - Memorial Day.
August 19 - Revolution of 1945.
September 2 - Independence Day.
September 3rd - Death of Ho Chi Minh City.
November 20 - Teacher's Day.
December 22 - Defender of the Fatherland Day.

customs and practices

The traditions of Vietnam have evolved over many centuries. Of particular importance for the Vietnamese are religious traditions, which used to play such a big role in people's lives that they literally painted the day, placing superstitious prohibitions on many seemingly harmless things and actions.

This is explained by the fact that culture here originated long enough to have mythological views in its origins, such as, for example, mixing or substituting essence and attribute of essence. The most striking reflection of this feature, perhaps, can be called the great importance that Vietnam still attaches to the name.
As you know, pagan cults identify the object and its name and endow the word with literally infinite power. Carelessly said, even with good intentions, it, according to local beliefs, is able to jinx it or attract evil spirits that are constantly hunting for human virtues. That is why every believing Vietnamese has a name that is known only to his closest people - a "true" name that preserves its essence and is protected by another, "public" from evil forces. For the same reason, it is not customary to praise children here, who, by the way, are often called “first son” or “second daughter” outside the home.

Another precaution of the superstitious Vietnamese is the strict preservation of personal space: when talking, it is not customary to come close to the interlocutor, and even more so to touch his shoulder or, especially, his head. It is believed that it is in these parts of the body that the patron spirit (like a guardian angel) and the soul of a person live, and a careless gesture can disturb them. According to the sign, if you accidentally hit one shoulder, you should immediately touch the other, otherwise you will bring trouble on a person. Knowing these customs, it is not surprising that handshakes are not common in Vietnam, and a slight bow is still the traditional greeting.

Unusual for Europeans is the manner of the locals to carry on a conversation: they never look into the eyes of the interlocutor. Do not think that they are trying to deceive you, because such behavior is considered here, on the contrary, as a manifestation of politeness. Just like the constant half-smile and avoidance of denial. A well-bred Vietnamese, even when he disagrees with something, will not say the word "no", which is considered a sign of bad taste. Rejection is expressed in soft constructions, most often in expressions like: "Let's postpone this until the next time."

Of course, all these and many other traditions of Vietnam are folk and today they have been assimilated with Western ones, softened or modified. However, none of the traditions that were considered significant in the past have disappeared in the present: the Vietnamese honor their ancestors and sacredly keep the rich heritage of their culture.

Not all peoples of the world have the custom of honoring the foremother. Among the Viet, this custom, which has survived to this day, expresses gratitude and respect for their ancestors.

Throughout their thousands of years of history, the Vietnamese have revered the bird-fairy Au Co, the legendary foremother of the Vietnamese people, as an immortal symbol of the source of life. According to legend, the fairy Au Ko married King Lak Long Quan - the father of the first of the Hung kings - and gave birth to a hundred eggs. One hundred first Viet emerged from the eggs, who populated the country and built the state of Vietnam. The custom of honoring the foremother Au Ko is supported nationwide. It is closely associated with the ancestral cult typical of the paddy rice civilization of the Red River Delta.

Precautionary measures

Airport Precautions:
– watch your luggage, do not leave it unattended even for a short time;
- do not use the services of private porters;
- do not change large sums of money at the airport, because you will not need them on the way.

Precautions and recommendations for staying in a hotel:
– keep money, documents and valuables in a safe;
- if the room has a mini-bar, then all drinks taken from it during your stay at the hotel must be paid on the day of departure at the hotel's accommodation service;
- be sure to leave the keys at the hotel. From 10:00 to 12:00 your room is cleaned, beds are made and towels are changed.

Excursion Precautions:
– before each tour, check the availability of tickets for this tour;
– do not be late for boarding the bus at the beginning of the tour. During the tour, arrive on time to the place designated by the guide during stops during the excursion program;
Outdoor Precautions:
- make a photocopy of your personal documents, and if possible, do not carry the originals with you.

Brief information about the country

Date of Independence

Official language

Vietnamese

Form of government

Parliamentary republic

Territory

331,210 km² (66th in the world)

Population

92 477 857 people (14th in the world)

Vietnamese dong (VND)

Timezone

Largest cities

Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi

$276.6 billion (42nd in the world)

Internet domain

Telephone code

Vietnam- a multinational republic, the culture of which was formed under the influence of local tribes, neighboring countries and colonizers. As a result, we have before us a modern country with a developed economy, playing an important role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and in the world as a whole. Direct access to the China Sea and rich nature gave impetus to the development of tourism - today Vietnam is one of the most popular countries among lovers of exotic holidays.

Video: Vietnam

Basic moments

The population of Vietnam, which covers an area of ​​331,210 km², according to the latest data, is about 90 million people. Representatives of such ethnic groups as the Vietnamese, Thai, Thai, Khmer and others live here. The official language in the country is Vietnamese, but schools also study English, French, and Chinese, so there will be no problems with communication in big cities. Employees of the tourism sector also often speak Russian.

Vacationers choose Vietnam primarily for the sea and clean beaches. Also of great interest are the culture and ancient history of the country, which dates back to the 4th-3rd centuries. BC.

Brief history of the country

Modern Vietnam with its unique traditions is the result of a mixture of cultures and customs of different tribes. On its territory, powerful civilizations arose and fell into decay, which were forced all the time to restrain the raids of more powerful neighbors, including China and Mongolia.

For a long time, the country was fragmented, and only at the end of the 18th century, after a long civil war, Vietnam became a single state led by the Nguyen dynasty. The 19th century brought a new yoke here, which this time came from Europe. So, France captured the entire southern part of Vietnam, and the northern and central regions were under its direct influence, albeit less tangible. It was a French colony until the outbreak of World War II, when it was taken over by Japan. As a result of a series of unanimous decisions of representatives of the communist movement, in 1945 a coup took place, and Ho Chi Minh took power.

The Democratic Republic of Vietnam tried to establish relations with France on equal terms, but the negotiations did not lead to anything - the First Indochina War began, which lasted 9 years.

The ever-increasing influence of the Communist Party was the reason that the United States provoked the disruption of the general elections that would have allowed the creation of a unified state. A military conflict arose, in which the forces of America and the USSR were involved. The long bloody war ended with the merging of the North and the South into a single Socialist Republic of Vietnam, which was reformed in 1992 and headed for liberalization and democratization.

In our time, the state is rapidly developing in economic, scientific and industrial directions. Tourism plays a significant role.

Cities of Vietnam

All cities in Vietnam

Nature of Vietnam

Relatively small in area, Vietnam is distinguished by its natural and climatic diversity. In this regard, the country is clearly divided into three zones: North Vietnam (Bakbo), Central Vietnam (Chungbo) and South Vietnam (Nambo). It is this division that predetermined internal differences in the economy and the general way of life of people in different regions of Vietnam.

Vietnam is a country of mountains and mountain plateaus. For 1200 km from the northwest to the southeast stretches the chain of Annam mountains (Chyongshon), reaching an altitude of 2500-2700 m above sea level. These are not the highest mountains in Vietnam: the highest point of the country, Mount Fansipan (3143 m), is located in the north, “occupied” by the spurs of the Yunnan Highlands. The mountains of North Vietnam are steep, with rugged slopes and narrow river valleys. Toward the south, the Annam Mountains pass into low (on average 1000 m above sea level) plateaus separating Vietnam from Laos and Cambodia. Five such plateaus - Kontum, Pleiku, Darlak, Lamvien and Zilin - are united under the general name Tainguen, or "Western Plateaus".

The plains in Vietnam stretch in the deltas of the largest Mekong and Red rivers, and also stretch in a narrow strip along the sea coast. Above sea level, the plains are raised by only 1-3 m, and some areas even lie below the zero mark. During the monsoon rains, they are completely flooded with water and turn into real lakes. During typhoons, coastal areas of the plains are often invaded by sea waves, washing over sandy banks and dunes.

Climate

Although Vietnam is located south of the Tropic of the North, the average air temperature here is lower than in neighboring countries lying at the same latitudes. The reason for this is the mountains, which occupy 80% of the territory of Vietnam. In addition, almost all the mountain ranges in the country stretch from north to south and do not shield the country from the intrusion of cold air masses from Tibet and Central Asia. As a result, real climatic anomalies are not uncommon in winter in the northern part of tropical Vietnam, when the temperature drops to +10 °C and even +5 °C. The difference between average winter and summer temperatures in Hanoi is quite large: from +17 °С in winter to +29 °С in summer. Because of the winter "frosts" in Bakbo, many tropical fruits do not grow well, and rice yields are not as high as in the South.

The climate of Vietnam is largely determined by the winds prevailing at one time or another of the year. In summer it is the south and southwest monsoons bringing rain, and in winter it is a dry wind blowing from the northeast.

While Northern Vietnam suffers from sudden changes in air temperature, the South of the country enjoys serene warmth all year round. The difference between the lowest and highest temperatures in Nambo is only 4 degrees (+26/+30°C). Central Vietnam is a kind of transition zone between North and South: it is hotter here than in Bacbo and cooler than in Nambo.

The city of Dalat is considered the best and most comfortable in terms of climate: here the temperature is + 24 ° C all year round.

Vietnam is not only mountains and winds, it is also a country of water. On average, 2000-2500 mm of moisture is shed on it per year. The rains that fall in the Chungbo Mountains are especially generous. Here, the “wet” season comes much later than in the rest of Vietnam: the summer southwest monsoon pours downpours on the western, Lao slopes of the Annam Mountains, and only moisture delivered by winter winds from the Gulf of Tonkin falls on “its” territory.

In the north, in the Red River Delta, in the dry winter months, a specific local rain, mya funn (or krashen), is often drizzling, unable to really wet the ground, but helping plants survive the seasonal drought on a starvation water ration.

Spring and autumn in Vietnam are a time of monsoons and changeable weather. In addition, in autumn, the coastal regions of Bakbo and Chung-bo are annually visited by typhoons once or even twice.

Rivers and lakes

The largest rivers flow in the South and North of the country. The palm belongs to the Mekong (Ku-ulong in Vietnamese). Of the 4400 km of its total length, Vietnam accounts for the shortest section of the lower reaches, but the Vietnamese are not upset - they completely own the delta of the "Father of the Rivers". The water level in the Mekong Delta is completely dependent on the amount of precipitation falling in the upper reaches of the river. If in the rainy summer months it carries 100 thousand cubic meters of water per second into the sea, then in winter the flow decreases to 4 thousand cubic meters. The Mekong Delta is replete with muddy channels and wetlands, sometimes stretching for tens of kilometers.

Halong Bay

In the northern part of the country, not far from the capital, there is one of the most picturesque bays in the world, whose magnificent views annually attract tens of thousands of tourists from all over the world. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and is rightfully considered one of the wonders of the world. It is famous, first of all, for its limestone islands crowned with dense vegetation. In total, there are about three thousand of them, and, according to legend, these are the bends of the body of an ancient dragon, trying to hide under water from the wrath of a god. By the way, this is where the famous scene of the movie "Avatar" was filmed.

The two largest islands of the bay are inhabited, there is also a large floating village - the houses are built right on the water, and the only mode of transport is boats and boats.

Hoi An (Hội An)

A small fishing town in the central region of Vietnam is a favorite place for foreign tourists. It is chosen for a visit due to clean sandy beaches and a large number of historical and cultural attractions, visiting which will make your vacation interesting. This city is sometimes called "an open-air museum" and "Vietnamese Venice". Its former glory as a major seaport is reminiscent of the canals that have survived to this day, passing through several blocks. A unique atmosphere reigns here, so it is worth setting aside a few days to visit Hoi An.

Nha Trang

Choose those who are accustomed to outdoor activities and eventful city life. This resort attracts with its 7 km long beach and clear water. Tourists who come to Vietnam to improve their health can visit a mud bath and hot springs. Also here is one of the visiting cards of the country - a pagoda with a white figure of Buddha sitting on a lotus flower.

Another reason to visit is the dive centers. This resort is recognized as the best place for scuba diving - in addition to the rich wildlife, divers are attracted by coral gardens. You can see the bay from above by buying a ticket for the cable car, which is the longest in the world.

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Caves of Vietnam

The nature of this country never ceases to amaze - in addition to the sights located on the surface, there are also a huge number of underground wonders. Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng National Park (Vườn quốc gia Phong Nha-Kẻ Bàng) is a caver's paradise. A unique ecosystem with rare species of plants and birds is preserved here. It is surrounded by impenetrable forests and high mountains. For visiting as part of special groups, the caves of Thien Duong, Thien Son, Phong Nha are open. The latter is famous for karst formations of bizarre shapes, whose names speak for themselves: "Lion", "Royal Court", "Buddha" and so on.

The highlight of the park, which was discovered not so long ago, is Son Doong Cave (Sơn Đoòng), recognized as the largest in the world. This is a whole underground world with rivers, lakes, vegetation.

culture

The Viet culture was originally formed as a culture of rice farmers. The main occupation of people determined the way of life, the menu of national cuisine, the nature of holidays and entertainment. Rice crops, cultivated for the first time in Indochina, occupy 85% of the total area of ​​plowed land in Vietnam. Other food crops in Vietnam are grown only on those lands that, for some reason, are unsuitable for rice crops. The Vietnamese are familiar with about 200 varieties of this cereal - with white, yellow, reddish and even black grains. In South Vietnam, "floating" rice is grown, yielding crops in any flood: no matter how high the water rises, the ear of the plant always remains on the surface due to the rapidly elongating stem... The most important property of rice is that its grains are covered with a dense skin , can be stored for a long time in a humid climate without the need for expensive elevators. The word "rice" for Viet is a synonym for the word "food". If he does not empty at least one cup of rice at a meal, no delicacy will give him the feeling of a full, finished meal. Once in Vietnam, it was even customary to greet a friend with a polite phrase, “Did you eat rice?”.

rice checks (so called specially flooded fields) in the flat regions of the country they form an almost continuous water mirror, streaked with lines of dams and roads, dotted with islands of villages. In water-filled fields, fish are often bred, which brings a double benefit - it not only goes to food, but also eats the larvae of harmful insects. There are no fences between the neighbors' fields - they are replaced by small dams that serve as paths for the peasants. The Viet villages are not particularly picturesque, moreover, the buildings are often hidden from the eyes of a stranger by trees and bamboo thickets. At the same time, any, even the smallest village, is a cozy, harmoniously arranged and completely ordered world, where everything is in its place.

Unlike many peoples of Southeast Asia, the Vietnamese build their traditional dwellings not on stilts, but directly on the ground. Anything can be used as wall material - from split bamboo to brick. The center of the peasant estate is a residential building, to which outbuildings adjoin on both sides, forming a secluded courtyard. In front of the kitchen there are usually large water vessels made of stone or fired clay. The main place in the master's house is the ancestral altar, decorated with lacquer plates with the names of deceased family members and their photographs. Traditional furniture is simple and unsophisticated: a wooden chest for utensils and several wooden bunk beds. The roof of the house rests on pillars, between which a hammock is hung for midday rest. The Viet peasants successfully replace the dining table and bedding with wicker mats. Traditional utensils are made from bamboo and clay, and in the South also from coconut shells.

The traditional Viet costume consists of a loose straight blouse with patch pockets, wide trousers, a belt and a headdress. Peasants most often sew everyday clothes from black or dark brown cotton fabric. The traditional dress of women is called ao dai (in the south - ao ai). This outfit consists of trousers and a straight-fitting tunic dress with a stand-up collar and deep side slits. Festive ao zai is sewn from silk fabric of bright colors and looks extremely impressive. Married Vietnamese women collect their hair in a bundle and wrap it around their heads, the hair of unmarried women is usually loose. In heat and rain, people of both sexes wear the famous conical non hats, tied under the chin. These hats, woven from palm leaves, have become the most famous symbol of Vietnam around the world. The Vietnamese, in turn, borrowed something from the Europeans. So, on the head of a village man in northern Vietnam, you can often see a khaki headdress, introduced by the French colonialists and firmly established in the army.

Vietnamese cuisine

The cuisine of Vietnam was formed taking into account the natural features of the country, as well as under the influence of China and Japan. It is dominated by seafood, pork, nuts and legumes. Rice occupies a special place in traditional cuisine. It is used to make noodles, flatbreads and "paper", which serve as the basis for many dishes.

The Viet use cattle as draft power: cow and buffalo meat is rarely eaten, and milk is drunk only if it is coconut or soy. By the way, soy milk, and with it the soy "cottage cheese" (known to us as tofu) came to Vietnam from China and became widespread in the northern regions of the country. Another dish borrowed from the Chinese is noodles. She obviously came to court here: throughout the country, from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, the day of a Vietnamese city dweller cannot be imagined without a few cups of pho soup, consisting of broth, noodles, boiled meat, soy sprouts and greens.

The composition of Vietnamese cuisine includes a variety of products and spices - tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, beans, tapioca, peanuts, garlic, onions, sesame seeds, ginger, peppers ... Many dishes in Vietnam are made from banana, while some of its varieties are good only fried or baked. Of the traditional condiments, nuoc mam salty sauce (better known as fish sauce) and nuoc leo sauce are especially popular. The first is made from small fish fermented with salt in large clay vats. This sauce is suitable for long-term storage. In restaurants, you can often find on the table nuok cham - a liquid seasoning consisting of fish sauce, garlic, vinegar, rice wine and pepper. Nuok leo is made from pork fat, liver, garlic, onion, peanuts and sesame seeds - it is served with portioned dishes. In southern restaurants, fish dishes are often served with tamarind and mango sauces.

Like the Chinese, the Vietnamese are known for their fondness for exotic foods that not every European would dare to try. Such are silkworm pupae, scorpions, crickets... Along with marine mollusks, the Viet willingly eat land snails, and marine crustaceans coexist on their table with freshwater "rice crabs".

Perhaps the most famous dish of Vietnamese cuisine is German pancakes. They are prepared like this: pork stuffing, vegetables and spices are wrapped in the thinnest rice “paper” (banchang). Very similar to it are various steamed dishes made of glutinous rice or tapioca stuffed - the word "banh" is included in the names of such dishes.

You should definitely try the rice paper rolls. The filling can be anything - from meat to fruit. These dishes are very satisfying, but at the same time light and healthy.

For tourists, Vietnamese cuisine has prepared many surprises. Here you can try culinary masterpieces, whose names alone shock many people. However, the most daring dare to experiment and discover the taste of baked bat, cobra salad and other delights with pleasure.

Snakes - the Vietnamese have a special relationship with them. These reptiles are eaten here just as freely as we, say, chickens. Moreover, they are considered healing - for example, by eating the raw heart of a cobra, a person gains health and longevity. In this case, the blood organ must be swallowed while it is still beating.

From the meat of the snake, which is butchered right in front of the visitors, another 2-3 dishes are prepared. It can be rolls, soup, salad with vegetables, as well as fried skin. You can order such delicacies in tourist restaurants in the city center, but experienced tourists are advised to go to small cafes where locals relax. They have a special atmosphere, and prices are several tens of dollars lower. On average, such a dinner will cost from 470,000 VND (approximately $ 21) - the cost depends on the level of the restaurant and the poisonousness of the snake.

If you have never tried fried bamboo, you should definitely go to Vietnam. This dish is especially popular here, as young shoots have many useful properties. The only negative of all this is an extremely unpleasant smell, which, by the way, can be said about many traditional dishes, including fried herring.

Another exotic animal whose meat is worth tasting when going to Vietnam is the crocodile. It is desirable that it be a young individual - then it will be soft and juicy. Soups, salads and other delicacies are prepared mainly from “sirloin” parts - paws and tails. The price for such a delicacy ranges from 130,000-450,000 VND, in dollars it is about $ 6-20.

There is a traditional delicacy in Vietnamese cuisine that causes an ambiguous reaction among the most squeamish foreigners. We are talking about duck eggs with embryos. In appearance, they are quite frightening, but the delicate taste compensates for external shortcomings. At the same time, tourists can choose eggs that have more yolk, or are almost filled with “meat”. They are inexpensive and sold right on the streets - this is an analogue of our fast food, only instead of pies and sandwiches - unhatched chicks.

In addition, in Vietnamese cafes specializing in national dishes, you can order dog meat, fried rats, bats with spicy sauce, sea worms, pond and pig frogs, and other exotics. Of course, before you eat any of the above, you need to make sure that the food preparation took place in appropriate sanitary conditions.

In a village house, food is served on a large round wicker tray with a deep bowl of rice in the center. She is surrounded by cups with spices, bowls of vegetable soup and other dishes.

If rural Viet people traditionally drink green tea, then city dwellers prefer coffee brought to Vietnam during the era of French rule. Vietnamese coffee is excellent, and it is prepared in a cafe in a very peculiar way. "Coffee maker" is a metal container with a lid, put on a glass. Several holes are drilled in the bottom of this device, thanks to which steep boiling water slowly seeps into the glass through a layer of ground coffee. The resulting fragrant drink is drunk in the morning with condensed milk, and in the hot time of the day - with ice cubes.

Rice for the Vietnamese is not only food, but also the raw material for making ruou wine. This drink is especially favored by the inhabitants of the "rice baskets" - the Mekong Delta and the Red River. The most common variety of rice wine is village mash, which is made from boiled rice aged in an earthenware vessel for three months. Such a drink is served on the table in a ceramic jug, closed with a lid with small holes. Bamboo tubes are inserted into them according to the number of participants in the feast. Wine is drunk through a straw directly from a jug standing in the center of the table. An appetizer can be dried fish or vegetable slices topped with nuok mam fish sauce. Most often, tourists manage to taste such a drink in the Mekong Delta, in the vicinity of Ho Chi Minh City.

Vietnamese people love beer. In the evenings, in any street tavern, you can see people relaxing after work with a glass of bia hoi - a traditional light beer sold on tap. The aluminum jar of this peculiar "malt lemonade" can be found under the sign Bia Tuoi (bia tuoi, or "fresh beer"). Especially a lot of these signs can be found in the Hanoi Old Town, on the corner of the streets of Ta Hien (Ta Hien St.) and Luong Ngoc Quyen (Luong Ngoc Quyen St.). Influenced by Europeans at the beginning of the 20th century. in the country began the production of lager beer familiar to us, now existing in the form of various brands. The most common brands are "Tiger", "Saigon" and "333" - the latter name sounds like "ba-ba-ba" in Vietnamese.

Traditional soft drinks include coconut milk, iced lemon juice (tian da) and freshly squeezed orange juice (kam wata).

In Vietnam, especially in the south, there is no shortage of fruits. Along with the well-known pineapples, bananas or citrus fruits, visiting the country gives you the opportunity to taste such curiosities as lychee, cherimoya, mangosteen, tamarind, papaya or the famous durian. This fruit has earned the nickname "king of fruits" due to its taste, but the smell of the peel of a ripe durian is considered disgusting by many. In some countries in Southeast Asia, entering public places with durian is strictly prohibited.

public holidays

In Vietnam, there are official holidays with a fixed date.

• January 1 - New Year
• February 3 - Founding Day of the Communist Party of Vietnam
• April 30 - Saigon Liberation Day
• May 1 - International Labor Day
• May 19 - Ho Chi Minh's birthday
• July 27 Day - memory of the victims of the war
• September 2 - Independence Day
• December 25 - Christmas

Many major Vietnamese holidays are based on the lunar calendar, so their dates change.

• January February. Tet Nguyen Dan (Lunar New Year), or Tet, the main holiday. Many people celebrate it for a whole week, but the official celebrations last three days.
• January February. Dong Da - commemorates the victory over the Chinese in 1789
• March, April. Thanh Min (Day of Remembrance of the Dead). The Vietnamese visit the graves of deceased relatives.
• April May. Le Fat Dan is the celebration of the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha.
• June July. Trung Nguyen (Day of the Wandering Souls), the second most important holiday of the year. People make offerings to the souls of the dead.
• November December. Birthday of Confucius.