Vietnam occupies a land area of 331,114 sq. km. It shares boundaries in the west with Cambodia and Laos and in the north with China. The South China Sea is to the east and south. Situated in the heart of Southeast Asia. with 3,260 km of spectacular coastline, Vietnam offers ideal advantages for both trade and tourism.

Mountains and tropical forest cover three quarters of Vietnam, but the flatlands make up the most heavily populated portion of the country. The country's two "rice bowls" lie in the Red River delta in the north and the Mekong River delta in the south.

Hanoi is in the north and is the country's capital, while Ho Chi Minh City, in the south is the largest commercial city. Danang is the third largest city and an important shipping port located in the central part of the country.

Vietnam has a tropical monsoon climate. The north is cool and damp in winter, hot and rainy in the summer. The southern climate is more even. Rains are highly unpredictable; the centre of the country is most subject to typhoons.

Vietnam's population was estimated at 82 million in 2004 but in fact was probably somewhat higher because of under recording. The average population density is 248 people per sq. km., with the densest areas concentrated in the south. The annual growth rate is 1.44%.

Vietnam is a young country with an estimated 65% of the people under the age of 30. Of the 54 ethnic groups. those of Kinh (Vietnamese) decent account for 84% of the total population. The literacy rate is about 91%. Approximately 74% of the population is employed in agriculture.

Vietnam’s largest city is Ho Chi Minh city in the South with an actual population over 8 million. The capital, Hanoi is in the North and has a registered population of 4 million.

Vietnamese history dates back more than 4,000 years to when the ancient Vietnamese people founded their fist nation under the name "Van Lang " in 287 B.C.

The history of Vietnam is best characterized as one long, continuous struggle for freedom and independence. The country was ruled by the Chinese for nearly a thousand years from 111 B.C. to 939 A.D. It was also colonized by France for almost 100 years from 1859 to 1945.

During the Second World War, Vietnam was occupied by Japanese troops, but the French administration continued. Vietnam was declared independent on September 2, 1945, but immediately plunged into a war against the French attempts to re-colonize, which lasted for another nine years. The war ended in 1954, leaving the country divided at the 17th parallel. The north became the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, led by the communists, while the south fell under the influence of the West, namely the United States.

The U.S. involvement in Vietnam grew steadily in the 1950s and escalated into a full-fledged war in March 1965 when the first U.S. troops landed in Vietnam. Although U.S. troops were completely withdrawn by the end of March 1973 as a result of the Paris Peace Accords, the war continued until April 30, 1975, when the south was liberated. The nation was reunified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in January 1976.

However, the legacy of war did not end until 1979. The country is currently at peace.

Four great philosophies and religions have shaped the spiritual life of the Vietnamese people: Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism and Christianity. Over the centuries, Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism have fused with popular Chinese beliefs and ancient Vietnamese animism to form what is known collectively as the Triple Religion, or Tam Giao. Confucianism. more a system of social and political morality than a religion, took on many religious aspects. Taoism, which began as an esoteric philosophy for scholars then mixed with Buddhism, is popular among the peasants, and many Taoist elements became an intrinsic part of popular religion. If asked their religion, most Vietnamese people are likely to say that they are Buddhist, but when it comes to family or civic duties they are likely to follow Confucianism and they turn to Taoist conceptions in understanding the nature of the cosmos.

The native language is Vietnamese. English is increasingly favoured as a second language. Some French and Russian are spoken.

The Vietnamese currency is the dong. which is commonly abbreviated as VND. The currency is not fully convertible. Although the government recently declared that all transactions inside Vietnam should be carried out in VND. it is still quite common to see bills presented and paid in US dollars.

Business hours are generally Monday through Friday between 8:00 am and 5:00 p.m., with a one hour break for lunch between 12:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. However, government workers tend to take longer break so nothing can be done between 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Most of local companies work on Saturday or at least Saturday morning. Shops are usually open until 9:00 p.m. or later, while restaurants may stay open as late as 10:00 p.m. or 11:00 p.m. for 7 days a week.

There are five official holidays amounting to a total of eight days in Vietnam. The most important is the four-day lunar new year; known as Tet, which often falls in late January or early February. Officially, the holiday only lasts four days, but some businesses are closed for longer than the prescribed government holiday. Business generally slows down for one week before and one week after the celebration. The other important public holidays are listed below :

• January 1: New Year's Day
• April 30: Liberation Day, the date on which Saigon surrended is commemorated nationwide.
• May 1: Labour Day
• September 2: Vietnam National Day

Telephone calls

International phone charges from Vietnam are among the highest in the world. Hotel telephone charges are even more expensive. But using Internet protocol (VoiP) by dialling 171 or 178 before traditional IDD number would be much cheaper, about US$ 1 per minute. Most post offices and many tourist hotels in Vietnam offer domestic and international fax, telegraph and telex services.

E-mail and Internet Access

Internet Cafés have become widespread in Hanoi, especially in the old quarter. Accessing the net usually costs 3,000 – 7,000 VND per hour at Internet Café and its speed is rather quick at shops having ADSL.

Post

Domestic postal rates are cheap; it only costs 800 d to mail a letter. International postal rates are similar to what you pay in European countries. Express Mail Service is available to many countries . Domestic EMS between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city, Da Nang or Nha Trang promises next-day delivery, and rates are very reasonable.

International Flights

International flights are available from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam Airlines as well as other major airlines have representative offices in both cities. It is advisable to reconfirm at least twenty-four hours before departure because many flights are overbooked and reservations are frequently canceled.

Domestic Flights

Daily flights on Vietnam Airlines and Pacific Airlines are available to most major cities within Vietnam.

Around town

Metered radio-taxis are available in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Taxi fare is around US$ 0.50- US$ 0.70/km in Hanoi and US$ 0.60 - US$ 0.80km in Ho Chi Minh City depending on the taxi company and the type of taxi used. Most hotels and travel agencies can provide a car and driver on a daily or weekly basis.

In the evening. a relaxed way to get between two points is to take a three-wheeled "cyclo" (bicycle rickshaw). This is not recommended for daily transportation or meetings. When you do take a cyclo, be sure to negotiate the fare beforehand.