Vietnam is a friendly and safe place to travel. With a sprinkling of common sense, your trip should be smooth and trouble free. Tourists usually complain about over-aggressive street vendors, tour operators with a bad attitude and dangerous driving. However, with a cool head and sensible planning, one can avoid these problems.
DO’S
* Greetings are no different to western countries, there are no cultural formalities that as a foreginer you would be expected to know or practise.
* Vietnamese dress conservatively. Despite the heat, it’s best not to show off too much skin. If you do, especially girls, you’ll only draw stares from the locals.
* Dress well when visiting pagodas. No shorts or tatty beer t-shirts. Shoes are fine, and rarely will you have to remove them. If unsure, just follow what the locals do.
* Drink plenty of bottled water, especially when walking around sightseeing. No need to carry huge bottles around with you, a vendor is never far away and no doubt they will find you before you find them.
* Keep your cash, credit cards, airline tickets and other valuables in a safe place.
* Travel with recommend tour agencies. Even if you plan to buy tickets when in country, research your journey a little first on the Internet. A good resource is Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree Forum, where fellow tourists discuss travel in Vietnam. This way you avoid unreliable tour agencies and badly run hotels.
DON’TS
* Wear a lot of jewellery or take a bag with you. Violent crime is highly unusual in Vietnam, but petty crime is more apparant. If you have a bag, or tout a digital camera around your neck, you are a potential target.
* When taking a ride by motorbike taxi (xe om) make sure your bag, if any, is not on display or easy to grab. Bag snatches, although still rare, are probably the most likely crime a tourist would encounter, and it raises the probability immensely if you are tailing a camera or a laptop in the wind.
* Don’t wear singlets, shorts, skirts or dresses, or revealing clothes to temples or pagodas.
* Physical displays of affection between lovers in public are frowned upon. That’s why you may come across couples holding hands but not hugging or kissing.
* Losing your temper in Vietnam means a loss of face. Keep a cool head and remain polite, you’ll have a greater chance of getting what you want.
* Remember, this is Vietnam, a devloping country, and things don’t quite work as you are maybe used to. Don’t be paranoid about your safety, just be aware of your surroundings.
By Jon Hoff, ConnectionsVietnam.com
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Vietnam Travel Tips - Do's and Don'ts in Vietnam
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Some Vietnamese Laws
Here are some laws of Vietnam
Law on construction : download
Law on investment: download
You can read those files with Mobipocket Reader
Currency
Vietnamese dong (VND) is the official currency in Vietnam.
- Paper notes include: VND 500,000; 200,000; 100,000; 50,000; 20,000; 10,000; 5,000; 2,000; 1,000; 500; 200 and 100. Coins include VND 5,000; 2,000; 1,000; 500 and 200.
Cheques with value as Vietnamese dong include: VND 1,000,000 and 500,000.
- Foreign currencies and tourist cheques can be exchanged into Vietnamese dong at banks or foreign exchange agencies.
- Credit cards are popularly used, especially in cities and big tourist centers.
Vietnamese dong can be changed into foreign currencies at the airport.
(Source: Vietnam National Administration of Tourism)
Customs
Customs procedures in Vietnam are quick and simple. To enter and exit Vietnam, visitors are required to fulfill the arrival - departure declaration.
Customs Information
1.- Passengers are given duty free allowance for not more than 1.5 liters of liquor with above 22 degrees of concentration of alcohol and 2 liters of liquor below 22 degrees of concentration of alcohol; 400 cigarettes; 100 cigars; 500 gram of raw tobacco.
- Other items which are allowed in accompanying baggage are duty free with value not over VND 5,000,000.
- Passengers bringing goods exceeding the amount as above stated are required to fill in the declaration form No.HQ/2002-PMD and pay duty(ies) according to Vietnamese laws.
2. Passengers whose goods are not subject to customs declaration on page 4, 5 (For customs declaration) do not have to declare.
Visa Procedure
Most visitors to Vietnam need a visa to enter the country. Visas are exempted for the citizens of the countries, which have signed a bilateral or unilateral visa exemption agreement with Vietnam, tourist visa may be valid for 15 to 30 days.
ourist visa can only be obtained in Vietnamese embassies, consulates abroad. Otherwise, you can get a visa at the border gates if you are invitees of some Vietnamese competent organs or you are travelling on a package tour organized by Vietnamese travel companies. To apply for a visa, the requirements are as follows:
* Entry permit form (which can vary from one Vietnamese embassies or consulate abroad to another) - There are two categories of this form: for foreigners and for Vietnamese overseas.
* Two photos (4cmx6cm or 3cmx4cm)
* Original passport
* Visa fee.
You should send your application and photos to a Vietnamese embassy or consulate abroad, which is most convenient to you. On your requirement, the reply will be returned by post (you must provide stamped envelopes with your name and address).
It is easier to get your visa from a Vietnamese travel agency. The nehossary information to the travel agency include:
* Full name
* Birthday and place of birth
* Nationality
* Job
* Number of your passport
* Entry and exit dates
* Country you plan to receive your entry visa from the Vietnamese embassies or consulates
Vietnamese overseas are required to provide more information:
* Year and reason to leave Vietnam
* Leave Vietnam by means
* Full names and addresses of relations in Vietnam
Visa exemption:
- Not more than 30 days: for citizens of Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Laos.
- Not more than 15 days: for citizens of Japan and South Korea, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland.
(Vietnamese diplomatic and official passport holders are exempted from visa requirements to enter Japan).
- French citizens holding valid diplomatic passports are exempted from visa requirements when visiting Vietnam and are allowed to stay for up 3 months at one time or on several visits within six months since their first immigration dates. Vietnamese citizens holding valid diplomatic passports also enjoy similar privileges.
- Citizens of Chile and Vietnam holding valid diplomatic or official passports from one of the two countries are exempted from needing entry, exit and transit visas in the other's territory and are allowed to stay for up 60 days on each visit.
Vietnam’s Five-year Socio-economic Development Plan, 2006-2010
The following article gives overall objectives, main targets, major tasks and resolutions set out in Vietnam’s five-year socio-economic development plan for 2006-2010 adopted by the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in Resolution No. 56/2006/QH11 dated June 29, 2006: I. Overall objectives and main targets 1. Overall objectives · Economic growth shall accelerate, with increased efficiency and sustainability of development, so as to soon take the country out of the current under-development state; · The people's material, cultural and spiritual life will be remarkably improved; · To speed up industrialization and modernization and develop a knowledge-based economy, forming the basis for making Vietnam a fundamentally industrialized country in the direction of modernization by 2020. · To maintain political stability, social order and safety. · To firmly defend national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security. · To continue strengthening and broadening foreign relations, enhancing Vietnam's position in regional and international arenas. 2. Main yearly targets for the next five years by 2010 a. Economic targets - GDP at comparative prices shall increase by more than 2.1 folds in 2010 over 2000. The GDP growth rate is projected at 7.5 - 8% a year, with a goal to achieve over 8% a year. The average per-capita GDP at current prices shall be US$ 1,050-1,100. - Of the GDP, the agricultural sector is seen to control 15-16%; the industrial and construction sector to account for 43-44%; and the service sector to represent 40-41%. - Export turnover shall increase by 16% a year. - The share of GDP contribution to the state budget shall reach 21-22%. - The whole society's investment capital shall make up around 40% of GDP a year. b. Social targets - Population growth rate shall be around 1.14%. - Agricultural labor shall account for less than 50% of the workforce. - 8 million jobs shall be generated; urban unemployment rate shall be less than 5%. - The rate of poor households shall drop to 10-11%. - To complete the general secondary education; trained laborers are expected to account for 40% of the workforce. - The rate of malnourished under-five children shall reduce to below 20%. c. Environment targets - The rate of forest coverage is to be 42-43%. - The rate of population having access to fresh water in urban and rural areas shall be 95% and 75%, respectively. - 100% of newly-built production establishments shall apply clean technologies or be equipped with pollution-reducing and waste treatment facilities; the rate of production and business establishments meeting environmental standards is to be over 50%; wastewater treatment systems will be built in 100% of cities of third- grade or more, in 50% of fourth-grade cities and all industrial parks and export processing zones; 80-90% of the solid wastes and 100% of medical wastes shall be gathered and treated to environmental standards. II. Major tasks & solutions in the five-year socio-economic development plan, 2006-2010 1. To bring into full play all potentials and resources to accelerate the economic growth rate, creating a breakthrough in construction of infrastructure, restructuring the economy in a comprehensive manner and raising competitiveness of the economy. To perfect the mechanism and policies on administration of development investment, to eliminate the ask-and-give mechanism, to remedy widespread investment situation, to combat loss, squander and outstanding debts, and to step up control over quality of investment projects on capital construction. To intensify in-depth investment, making qualitative changes in agricultural production and comprehensive development of the rural economy. To restructure agriculture and the rural economy along the direction of industrialization and modernization. To raise the level of research and application of scientific and technological advances to production, preservation and processing. To develop hi-tech agricultural production regions on a large sale. To maintain high growth rates while raising the quality of products and efficiency in industrial production; to improve the competitiveness of the industrial sector in order to maintain and expand domestic and overseas markets. To concentrate on the selective development of some potential industries and high-tech products. To step up development of the energy industry and industries of producing major capital goods, with importance being attached to the development of labor-intensive industries; to boost development of economic infrastructure for industrialization and modernization. To create a leap in the development of the service sector. To raise the quality of traditional services. To develop new services. To develop and raise the competitiveness of potential services. To radically renew the administrative mechanism and modes of public service provision-a breakthrough to take the process of socialization of cultural and social domains to a new stage of development. 2. To take initiative in integrating into the regional and world economies more intensively and extensively. To efficiently realize Vietnam’s commitments regarding trade, investment, services and so on with foreign countries and international organizations. To prepare itself to carry out commitments upon Vietnam’s entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO). To make the best of favorable conditions, bringing into full play the advantages and limiting the negative impacts resulted from the integration process, with a view to further attracting capital, state-of-art technologies and managerial experience. 3. To create a favorable environment for development of enterprises, with the focus being made on raising the quality and efficiency of their production and business operations; to rapidly increase exports, attract capital and technology, especially high technology, in order to reduce production costs and improve competitiveness of enterprises. To accomplish the restructuring, renewal and equitization of state enterprises under the provisions of the Enterprise Law. To strongly develop without any restriction on the scale of enterprises of various economic sectors, bringing the number of enterprises operating in Vietnam to around 500,000 by 2010. 4. To further renew and perfect institutions and regard the objective requirements of the market economy in economic activities. To concentrate on perfecting the institutions on development of markets for goods, services, real estate, labor, finance and science and technology. To renew planning on socio-economic development along the direction of bringing the positive impacts of markets to the fullest. 5. To enhance the nation's financial potential. To bring into full play and efficiently use financial resources of the state and society, at home and abroad, for development investment. To renew the mechanisms of administration of state finances and management of the state budget, ensuring the leading role of the central budget, stepping up decentralization and increasing powers and heightening the responsibility of different budget levels and budget-using units. To raise efficiency, publicity and transparency in the use and management of state budget funds, creating a marked improvement in the control of budget funds and intensifying the work of state audit in order to prevent waste, loss and corruption of state money and property. To formulate and administer monetary policies in a flexible manner, ensuring macro-economic stability, reining in inflation and ensuring the safety of the banking system, raising the quality of credit. To mobilize capital sources, while renewing and enhancing the capability to supply capital for development investment. To adopt a flexible exchange rate policy; to renew the mode of payment in the direction of increasing non-cash payment means and increasing the convertibility of Vietnamese currency. To improve the quality and efficiency of analysis and forecasts; to promote measures to manage and control the situation of market and price fluctuations, actively dealing with negative impacts of upheavals in world prices as well as prices of capital goods and essential consumer goods, meeting the requirements of integration while controlling inflation, and creating a stable environment for the development of production and the improvement of people's lives. To continue wage reform. To study and uniformly apply the minimum wage level to domestic enterprises and foreign-invested enterprises. To address irrationalities in wages and incomes of cadres and civil servants in the apparatus of state bodies, political institutions and socio-political organizations and the incomes of pensioners and state policy beneficiaries. 6. Socio-economic development in regions and territories must be along the direction of bringing into full play their respective advantages and competitiveness concerning natural resources, geographical position, and human resources, linking together branches and regions. To introduce open policies to develop key economic regions into the driving force of the national economy. Focus shall be made on the development of mountainous and border regions, ethnic minority areas and other difficulty-hit regions through various mechanisms and the state’s direct support, with a view to narrowing down gaps and differences in development levels, incomes and living standards among regions and among ethnic groups. 7. To arrange cost and time effective execution of projects and major national works, for which the National Assembly has adopted investment undertakings, and approved projects and national target programs. The execution of major projects, works and programs must aim to achieve the socio-economic development targets set forth in the 2006-2010 five-year plan; to concentrate on the objectives of economic growth and restructuring, poverty reduction, job generation, education, training and vocational development; to intensify control over diseases and caring for people's health. 8. To carry on innovation for education and training in a comprehensive manner. To develop appropriate scales and promote socialization, standardization and modernization in a bid to improve the quality of education and training. To ensure the quality of innovation in general education curricula at all levels; to renew university education; priority shall be given to the development of education and vocational training and ensure a rational human resource structure, meeting the requirements of the country’s industrialization and modernization as well as labor export. To concentrate investment on priority objectives, national programs for education and job-training development; and to provide support for social policy beneficiaries, ethnic minority people, handicapped children, and people in regions with exceptional socio-economic difficulties and in mountainous, island and border regions. Focus shall be made on fostering gifted pupils and scientific talents. To continue building the Vietnamese culture into an advanced one imbued with national identity- the objective and spiritual foundation of society. To conserve and promote the values of the nation's traditional culture. To encourage, mobilize and create conditions for the entire society to get involved in physical education and sports activities and develop the cause of physical training and sports. To ensure conditions for stepping up physical education in schools and the armed forces; to develop various forms of mass sports, attaching importance to improving the health of the elderly, disabled and children. To continue realizing and expanding the process of professionalization of high-achievement sports. 9. To raise the capacity and renew the mechanisms of management and organization of scientific and technological research. To speed up technological renewal in various economic sectors, develop high technologies and modernize traditional technologies. To incrementally develop information technology and biotechnology into economic branches with high growth rates, meeting domestic and export demands. To harmonize socio-economic development with a rational and efficient use of natural resources, environmental protection and improvement; to concentrate on redressing environmental pollution in industrial parks, residential areas, craft villages, and large cities; to raise the effectiveness of state administration of environmental protection. The sustainable development strategy in Vietnam is to be carried out. To organize the implementation of Agenda 21 on sustainable development at all levels and in all branches. 10. To take measures to control population growth. To improve the quality of population and rationally distribute population among regions. To elaborate appropriate planning and policies for the purpose of meeting the trend of restructuring population in rural and urban areas. To prioritize state capital and mobilize social capital for job creation. To raise the quality and efficiency of the use of labor resources. To continue restructuring labor along the direction of reducing the proportion of workers in agriculture- forestry-aquaculture while raising the percentage of industrial and construction labor, particularly labor in the services sector, in the total labor force. Focus shall be made on vocational training and job creation for peasants. To efficiently implement the program on labor export, increasing the percentage of skilled labor. To correctly and adequately collect compulsory social insurance, to well prepare and realize voluntary social insurance as well as unemployment insurance. To diversify resources and modes, to well implement the national program on hunger elimination, poverty reduction, and job creation; to encourage people to enrich themselves lawfully. To concentrate on investment in construction of economic and social infrastructure and support for poor people to improve their own lives. To promote introduction of special policy on investment support for production development, particularly supports for land for production, and for residential use, clean water, job training and job creation for ethnic minority people, people in remote and difficulty-hit regions; to prevent a relapse into poverty; and to promote socialization of hunger elimination and poverty reduction. To upgrade and develop the network of grassroots medical establishments, preventive medicine, general hospitals of provincial and district levels, regional medical centers, intensive-care medical establishments by promoting socialization of medical activities. To raise the capability to oversee, detect and control epidemics, particularly HIV/AIDS and newly arising epidemics. To implement the policy of free-of-charge medical examination and treatment for under-six children, free health insurance for the poor, elderly and policy beneficiaries. To reduce through medical insurance the hospital fees for above-six children of poor families. To develop and raise the quality of medical insurance, to well implement voluntary medical insurance, and incrementally proceed toward universal medical insurance for the entire population. To well implement the policies of preferential treatment towards people with merit, families of war invalids and martyrs and policies towards the elderly, the disabled, and social policy beneficiaries. To develop the social welfare network. To prevent and proceed to repel social evils of drug addiction, prostitution, and trafficking of children and women. 11. To raise the standard, material and spiritual life of women. To provide training and fostering to women in a bid to get them involved more in social activities and in governance and administrative agencies at all levels; to create conditions for women advancement in all the domains of political, economic, cultural and social life. To prevent and fight against domestic violence. To respect and guarantee for children the exercise of their rights towards their families and society in accordance with the international Convention on Children’s Rights and the Vietnam’s Law on Protection, Care and Education of Children. To effectively carry out the Law on Youth and the national strategy on youth development, facilitating youth to play their role as the shock force, voluntarily accomplishing their tasks. To implement policies and legislation on assurance of the rights to freedom of belief and religion. To create conditions for religious organizations to take part in social activities, making a contribution to national construction and development. 12. To enhance defense and security potentials and take the initiative in coping with all contingencies, firmly defending national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security, helping firmly maintain political stability, social order and safety. To promote development of the defense industry, linking defense requirements with public welfare demands. To combine strength in external relations activities for the purpose of practically serving the objectives of firmly maintaining political stability and security, developing the national economy, raising competitive capacity at home and abroad, and promptly and efficiently addressing emerging international issues. 13. To expeditiously perfect and ensure the consistency of the legal system in order to meet the requirements of building the socialist state ruled by law. To continually renew and raise the quality of legislative work, ensuring that legal provisions be specific, clear and transparent in order to gradually reduce the promulgation of regulations detailing and guiding the implementation thereof. To organize regular and efficient examination, inspection and supervision of the promulgation of regulations detailing and guiding the implementation of laws, decrees, and resolutions, as well as the observance of law in all aspects of social life. 14. To accelerate administrative reform and promote democracy in all aspects. To review and timely eliminate administrative procedures causing troublesome for organizations and individuals and hindering national development. To consolidate the apparatus of state agencies towards streamlining and more effective and efficient operation in line with new requirements; to clearly define the functions, duties and responsibilities of each agency and unit. To firmly maintain order, discipline and conduct of official duties. To raise ethical quality, capacity, responsibility and the sense of service of the contingent of civil servants and officials, especially heads of agencies and units. To detect in a timely manner and strictly handle officials and civil servants who break the law, or are degenerate, bureaucratic, or authoritarian. To further carry out the strategy on judicial reform, consolidating the organization and operation of investigating authorities, procuracies, courts, judgment-executing bodies, and legal support organizations and agencies, to efficiently struggle against crime of all kinds, particularly organized crime, creating a healthy environment for socio-economic development. To rationally promote the empowerment of district-level courts combined with the organization of regional courts under the judicial reform strategy. 15. To efficiently implement the Anti-Corruption Law and the Law on Practicing Thrift and Combating Waste. To ensure publicity and transparency in decisions on finance and the state budget. To resolutely handle persons who commit acts of corruption regardless of their positions, to apply measures to resolutely recover property belonging to the state, and to limit damage in corruption cases. To promptly commend, reward and apply measures to protect denouncers and people with merit in the struggle to prevent and combat corruption. To raise the responsibility of the heads of agencies, organizations and units in preventing and handling persons who commit acts of corruption, cover up, obstruct the fight against corruption or abuse the denunciation of corruption to slander and harm others, and, cause internal disunity and difficulties for managerial officials.
Vietnam's mechanical engeneering industry development strategy until 2010 & vision to 2020
1. Development viewpoints
· Mechanical engineering is one of the base industries, playing an important role in the economic development and consolidation of security and national defense.
· To focus on the efficient and sustainable development of the mechanical engineering industry by making best use of all domestic resources combined with external resources. To encourage all economic sectors to get involved in the development of the mechanical engineering industry in an organized manner with sound assignment and coordination, and meanwhile to continuously renew, restructure, fortify and develop state mechanical engineering enterprises into the mainstay of the mechanical engineering industry.
· To concentrate on developing a number of key mechanical specialties and products to cash in on natural and human resources in order to meet basic requirements of the country’s development cause.
· To enhance the capacity for self-research and manufacturing, promoting absorption and application of state-of-art sciences and technologies, so as to attain Asia’s medium-advanced technological level, and launching a wide range of highly competitive mechanical products.
· To step up specialization and cooperation, enhance capacity of the mechanical engineering industry, thereby creating a prerequisite for developing other industries.
2. Objectives
a) Overall objectives:
Priority shall be given to the development of the following key mechanical specialties and products to meet basic requirements of the national economy:
- Complete equipment;
- Prime movers;
- Mechanical engineering for serving agriculture, forestry, fishery and processing industry;
- Machine tools;
- Construction engineering;
- Shipbuilding engineering;
- Electrical and electronic technical equipment;
- Automobile, communication and transport engineering.
b) Specific objectives:
By 2010, the mechanical engineering industry is expected to meet 45% - 50% of the country’s demand for mechanical products, of which exportable products are seen to account for 30% of its total production value.
3. Strategic Orientation for Development of a Number of Key Mechanical Specialties and Products
a) Complete equipment
· To enhance the capacity to manufacture complete equipment by means of advanced technologies. To manufacture sophisticated equipment as a substitute for imported products and step by step to proceed to export them. To raise the capacity for designing complete equipment, efficiently combined with technologies intended for specific industries.
· To invest equipment and technologies in fundamental processes, such as molding, forging and casting, in order to synchronize equipment with technologies, serving the manufacture of large and sophisticated details and assemblies.
· To utilize the availability of equipment of mechanical engineering enterprises across the country, and accelerate coordination in the assignment and cooperation in manufacturing complete equipment.
· To meet 40% of domestic demand for complete equipment by 2010. In the foreseen future, to concentrate on the fields, including manufacture of paper and pulp, cement, construction materials, oil and gas, electricity generation, supply of clean water, and processing industry, etc.
b) Prime movers
· To develop the manufacture of prime movers into an efficient industrial branch of Vietnam through in-depth investment programs and projects, modernize equipment and technologies, enhance the manufacturing capacity, and improve products’ competitiveness.
· By 2010, to meet 60 to 70 % of domestic demand for medium and small-sized prime movers, and manufacture hydraulic engines of 400 HP or more, with the rate of using local spare parts ranging between 35% and 40%.
c) Tractors and agricultural machines
· Tractors:
- To invest in the manufacture of two-wheeled tractors with a capacity of 6, 8 or 12 HP to cover domestic demand.
- To manufacture four-wheeled tractors of a capacity of 18, 20 or 25 HP, and gradually to proceed with the manufacture of four-wheeled tractors of up to 30 HP.
- By 2010, to manufacture medium-sized four-wheeled tractors with a capacity of 50 to 80 HP.
· Agricultural machines
- To concentrate investment on developing the efficient manufacture of agricultural machines, including farming and processing machines and equipment for preserving farm produce, with a view to meeting domestic demand and gradually proceeding to export them.
- To encourage local medium and small-sized mechanical manufacturers to take part in the manufacture of equipment and machinery for the purpose of serving agriculture and the processing industry in an organized manner, soundly assign and collaborate with mechanical engineering enterprises in and outside the province or city.
· Machine tools
- Priority shall be given to the development of the machine tool manufacturing industry in a bid to meet the demands of industries.
- To conduct research, design and manufacture of modern machine prototypes (application of PLC and CNC technologies) and special processing devices.
- To speed up modernization of the existing machine systems at industrial establishments via Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) Programs.
e) Construction engineering
- To make in-depth and investments in the manufacturers of construction machines with state-of-art equipment and technologies in order to serve the of production of construction materials, building of large works, urban and rural construction.
- To bring into play advantages of the manufacture of metal structures for construction and industrial projects, and concentrate on the manufacture of advanced highly- sophisticated construction equipment and machines, which are in great demand at home and abroad.
f) Ship engineering
· To develop Vietnam’s shipbuilding industry into an integrated economic and technical branch from training, research, designing, manufacture to sales of products, meeting the requirements of restructuring fleets operating at home and abroad. By 2010, Vietnam is expected to have a medium-advanced shipbuilding industry in the region, meeting the requirements of the country’s socio-economic development, helping consolidate security and national defense, and step-by-step proceeding to export ships.
· By 2010, the shipbuilding industry shall be fully capable of building almost all inland waterway transport means, project ships, fishing ships and vessels of under 15,000 DWT, satisfying 70% -75% of the demand for building multi-purpose ships of 15,000 – 50,000 DWT and oil tankers of 100,000 DWT. To repair all national ships of up to 400,000 DWT.
· To soon develop auxiliary industries, such as manufacture of steel sheets for shipbuilding, assembling of hydraulic engines of up to 6,000 HP and manufacture, and manufacture and assembling of inboard equipment, electrical and electronic appliances, and marine facilities, with a view to raising the rate of local parts used for building new ships to 60% by 2010 and to 70% by 2020.
g) Electrical equipment
· To make the electrical equipment manufacturing industry attain the advanced level in the region in terms of electrical equipment and materials by 2020.
· To make new investment and intensive investment in the manufacture of electrical equipment with advanced technologies in a bid to quickly enhance the capacity for manufacturing electrical equipment and improve products’ competitiveness for the purpose of meeting most of domestic demand, replacing imported equipment and boosting exports of electrical equipment to regional and word markets.
· In the short-term, to make in-depth investment and expand operations of the existing manufacturers to help launch large-sized transformers of up to 125 MVA and voltage of 220 kV, distribution and transmission facilities for the electricity industry, pressure equipment and other electrical devices for industrial and civil use.
h) Automobile engineering and communication and transport engineering
· On automobile engineering
- To develop Vietnam’s automobile industry on the basis of absorbing and applying the world’s advanced technologies, combined with the exploitation and gradual upgrading of current technologies and equipment, in order to meet most of domestic automobile demand, aiming at exports of Vietnam’s automobiles and spare parts.
- Common vehicles: To meet 40% - 50% of the domestic demand in terms of quantity by 2005 and above 80% by 2010, with the rate of domestically-produced vehicles being up to 40% and 60%. The rates of using local engines and gearboxes alone are projected at 50% and 90%, respectively.
- Specific purpose vehicles: To satisfy 30% of the domestic demand in volume with the localization rate of 40% by 2005, and proceed to meet 60% of domestic demand in quantity and to attain the localization rate of 60% by 2010.
- High-class tourist cars: The rate of local parts used for manufacturing high-class tourist cars at join-ventures is projected at 20%-25% in 2005 and 40% - 45% in 2010. To meet 80% of domestic demand for high-class trucks and buses, with the localization rate being 20% by 2005 and 35% - 40% by 2010.
· On transport engineering
- To make in-depth and additional investment in technologies and assembly facilities for manufacturing project vehicles and machines, such as thermal bituminous concrete mixers, bituminous concrete spreaders, road rollers of all types, stone-grinding and screening stations with a capacity of 100-300 tons an hour.
- To make intensive investment and update technologies used for manufacturing high-class train cars, with the localization rate being up to over 70% by 2005 and to 90% by 2010.
4. Policies and Measures to Support the Development of the Mechanical Engineering Industry
a) Market policy:
· The State will provide technical standards of key mechanical products as the basis for inspecting quality of domestic and imported products.
· The State will offer conditional protection on a term basis for a number of homemade mechanical products and introduce policies to promote sales of homemade mechanical products.
b) Policy to raise capital for the mechanical engineering industry
· The State will adopt a mechanism to support the borrowing of working capital by manufacturers of mechanical equipment and projects on the manufacture of complete equipment, which require a substantial capital for a long-term production cycle.
· Projects on the manufacture of key mechanical products shall be entitled to borrow credit loans with an interest rate of 3% a year, a loan period of 12 years and a two-year grace period according to Resolution No. 11/NQ-CP dated July 31, 2000 by the Government. Also, the borrowers shall begin repaying loans only from the fifth year of operation or be able to get a refund for the difference in interest rates in case of commercial loans.
· To speed up equitization of mechanical engineering enterprises, including sales of stakes to foreigners, in order to raise new investment capital and to diversify funding sources.
· The State will issue policies to encourage all economic sectors to invest in the manufacture of spare parts and components in a bid to enhance the capacity for specialization and cooperation within the mechanical engineering industry.
c) Tax policies
· To exempt or reduce tariffs on imported raw materials, components, and parts of key mechanical products in service of domestic production.
· To exempt or reduce taxes on mechanical products, which are manufactured in Vietnam for the first time, on a term basis .
d) Research and Development Investment Policy
· For key mechanical products, the State will consider granting financing support for technical services, such as hiring of experts, procurement of designs and technologies, and technology transfer, which are beyond the enterprise’s capability.
· Mechanical engineering enterprises will be eligible to set aside a maximum of 2% of their sale turnovers for research and development activities.
e) Personnel Training Policy
The State shall give priority to the investment in upgrading mechanics training institutions and partly finance programs and projects on overseas training and practice for excellent staffs and workers .
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
The Ministry of Transport of Vietnam
Travel Information of Vietnam
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
Vietnam borders with China in the north, Laos and Kampuchea in the West, and the Pacific Ocean in the east. Its lies in the centre of South-East Asia. Vietnam's territory stretches from Lung Cu village (Ha Tuyen province) in the north to Rach Tau hamlet (Minh Hai province) in the south. It is a S-shaped pennisula, with thousands of off-shore islands and archipelagoes; the biggest of which are the Hoang SA (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelagoes. Vietnam's mainland covers 331,689 square kilometres .
According to archaeological discoveries made at Do Mountain, it is believed that life in Vietnam began as far back as 300,000 years ago. Officially, the history of Vietnam stretches back 4,000 years when it was founded by the Hung Kings. It was then named Van Lang.
When speaking upon the history of Vietnam, it is important to note the large role played by the French in Vietnam. It began in 1858, when the French took over Danang in southern Vietnam. Over time, more and more territory was won over by the French. It wasn't until 1954, when the French surrendered to to the Viet Minh, ending the French Indochina War, that the French colonial control in Vietnam ended.
The immediate image in the minds of most people at the mention of Vietnam is that of the war fought against the United States some twenty years ago. Most people think of the country only in terms of the American conflict in Indochina. The war ended nearly twenty years ago, and today, despite lingering signs of past American involvement, the situation in Vietnam is markedly different. People have finally begun to look at the country from another perspective, now that travelers and tourists from the West are being welcomed into what was once a forbidden country. It may take a bit more effort and tenacity to plan an excursion into Vietnam than it would for another Southeast Asian country, but Vietnam has much to offer in terms of culture and sights.
2. WEATHER CONDITIONS
The weather in the southern part of Vietnam is tropical. It is monsoonal in the north, bringing a hot, rainy season from mid-May to mid-September and a warm, dry season from mid-October to mid-March. Occasional typhoons from May to January bring extensive flooding to the middle regions of Vietnam.
3. PEOPLE AND CULTURE
The vast majority of the population is Vietnamese with minute percentages of Chinese. The Viet culture originated on the delta of the Red River and the Ma River where the Viet people cultivated paddy fields. They led a simple farming life in small villages, usually living around a communal house. Today the people living in the countryside follow this lifestyle. The Viet people are influenced by Confucianism, in particular the principle of respect for their elders.
In spite of the immense suffering of the Vietnamese and the somewhat ruined state of the country, they are generally warm and friendly, and surprisingly, the Vietnamese bear little if any resentment or bitterness toward Americans. Children in the streets will commonly greet visitors with the name Lien Xo, which means Russian, but they will easily be corrected if you respond, "Hello!" or "Good morning" and explain you are an American, European or Australian, etc.
Ethnic Groups:
The country is predominantly 85-90% Vietnamese, 3% Chinese, ethnic minorities include Muong, Thai, Meo, Khmer, Man, Cham, and other mountain tribes.
Languages:
Vietnamese is the official language; French, Chinese, English, Khmer and tribal dialects (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian) are also spoken.
Religion:
Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist, Roman Catholic, indigenous beliefs, Islamic and Protestant.
4. LOCAL CUSTOMS
Be firm, yet diplomatic when dealing with officials who will often be very rigid. In the case of misunderstanding, patience is the best policy.
Small gifts such as cigarette lighters, pens, foreign cigarettes, liquor, perfume and even shampoo are greatly appreciated by anyone you wish to make friends with in Vietnam.
Out of politeness, always ask permission before taking photos of people. The same rule of thumb also applies to photos taken in places of worship. Permission will almost always be granted.
A gentle handshake is the most appropriate manner of greeting.
Be very discrete about giving anything to beggars frequently encountered in Ho Chi Minh City. If anyone is seen giving handouts to a beggar, he or she may end up being pursued by a mob of other beggars. This does not help create a good image for foreigners; it gives them instead the reputation of being easy to hit up for money.
Beware of pickpockets. Keep your ID and passport in a safe place and carry only photocopies of those items.
Remove your shoes before entering Buddhist pagodas. Small donations placed in the boxes found in temples are appreciated. It is acceptable to keep your shoes on within Chinese pagodas.
Never let the soles of your feet face other people or any sacred monument, such as a statue of Buddha.
5. CURRENCY
The Dong (D) is the official currency in Vietnam.
Exchange rate is approximatley 1 USD = 15,000 Dong (Sep 01)
Bank notes currently in circulation are in denominations of 100 / 200 / 500 / 1,000 / 2,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 / 20,000 and 50,000 Dong
Notes under 200 Dong have little value and are rarely used.
The U.S. dollar is more or less a second currency in Vietnam. Other foreign currencies are not readily accepted. A large supply of US$1, US$5 and US$10 are almost essential for tipping, for small expenses and for hotel bills. U.S. money is so common that change will frequently be given in dollars.
You may bring in an unlimited amount of foreign currency as long as it is declared on the forms provided by customs officers. Foreign currency can be exchanged for dong at your hotel or at the State Bank of Vietnam.
6. THINGS TO KNOW
Population: About 78 Million People
Capital: Hanoi
Flag: The flag of Vietman is red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center.
Shop Hours: Shops run from 7 or 8am to 11 or 11:30pm. Some are open from 1 or 2pm to 4 or 5pm.
Bank Hours: Most banks are opened from 7am or 8am to 11am or 11:30am Some are open from 1pm or 2pm to 4pm or 5pm.
Holidays
January 1 Solar New Year's Day
January/February Tet (Tet Nguyen Dan). The most important Vietnamese annual festival. This marks the new lunar year and the advent of spring. This is a three-day holiday, usually at the end of January or the beginning of February (according to the solar calendar)
February 3 Anniversary of the Foundation of the Communist Party of Vietnam
April 30 Liberation Day, the day on which Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) fell to Hanoi in 1975. This holiday is commemorated nationwide.
May 1 Labour Day
May 19 Birthday of President Ho Chi Minh
September 2 National Day of Vietnam
Time: +7:00, Vietnam is 11 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and 14 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time.
Tipping: Tipping is not customary in Vietnam, but it is enormously appreciated. A 5-10% tip for a meal is a very small amount of money, but to the average Vietnamese, it could easily equal a day's wages. Avoid tipping too much, as it will set a precedent for others.
Restaurants: Government-run restaurants catering to tourists add a 10% service charge to the bill.
Porters: Porters, if they are available, can be tipped with American coins.
Hotel maids: Government-run hotels catering to tourists charge an automatic 10% service fee.
Taxis: Generous tips are not necessary. A small gratuity, however, is expected by cab drivers.
7. VISAS AND PASSPORT
Passports and visas are required for entry into Vietnam. The best place to obtain a visa for Vietnam is Bangkok. The visa will specify where you will be arriving and where you will be leaving, in addition to how long you can stay.
Formerly, tours had to be booked to obtain a visa, but this is no longer the situation. Potential visitors to Vietnam must fill out three applications for entry and exit visas, accompanied by three passport photos 4cm x 6cm. One of the applications must be sent to the most convenient diplomatic or consular mission of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The other two applications/photos are carried with you and handed in at the first point of entry.
If you require Asia Travel to assist you in the application, please send an email with the following information to:asiatrav@asiatravel.com:
Surname and first name
Date and place of birth
Nationality
Present place of residence
Profession
Time and point of entry and exit
Some Embassies of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam:
Australia
6 Timbarra Crescent
O'Malley
ACT 2603
Tel (062) 866059
France
62, rue Boileau
75016 Paris
Tel 4524-5063 or 4527-6255
Mexico
Sierra Ventana 255
11000 Mexico, DF
Tel 540-1612
Thailand
83/1 Wireless Road
Bankok
Tel (02) 251-7201
United Kingdom
12-14 Victoria Road
London W8 5RD
Tel 937-1912
8. CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
Duty-Free Items
Visitors may import 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco, 1 liter of wine, 1 liter of liquor and an unlimited amount of film. Commercial goods and items of high value being taken out of Vietnam require export permits from the Customs Service. Antiques may be confiscated permanently. No local currency may be taken out of the country.
The Customs Service Headquarters
21 Ton Duc Thang St.
Ho Chi Minh City
Tel 90095
9. TRAVEL TO THE COUNTRY
Airports
Noi Bai International Airport
Hanoi
Tan Son Nhat Airport
Ho Chi Minh City
Fares are significantly lower for those flying to Ho Chi Minh City. Although flights are available from the capitals of most Southeast Asian countries as well as from Sydney and Melbourne, the best place is from Bangkok as visas are easiest to obtain there.
Airlines
Vietnam Airlines (International)
116-118 Nguyen Hue Blvd.
Ho Chi Minh City
Tel (08) 292118
Vietnam Airlines (Domestic)
27b Nguyen Dinh Chieu St.
Ho Chi Minh City
Tel (08) 299980
Air France
Dong Khoi and Le Loi St. (Caravelle Hotel)
Ho Chi Minh City
Tel (08) 241278
Aeroflot
4H Le Loi St.
Ho Chi Minh City
Tel (08) 93489
Thai Airways
116 Nguyen Hue Blvd.
Ho Chi Minh City
Tel (08) 292118
Philippine Airlines
Ho Chi Minh City
Tel (08) 292200
MAS
116 Nguyen Hue Blvd.
Ho Chi Minh City
Tel (08) 30695
Trains
There are currently no train lines running between Vietnam and its neighboring countries.
Buses
Traveling by road from Cambodia is a slow and expensive alternative to flying. It is highly advisable that travelers fly in instead.
Ships and Ferries
There are no official passenger services. Travelers may be able to ride on a cargo ship to Ho Chi Minh City, Danang or Haiphong from Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Singapore and France. Check with the local shipping and travel agencies for rates and availability. A ferry service runs from Cambodia to Chau Doc in the Mekong Delta.
10. TRAVEL WITHIN THE COUNTRY
Cars
Car rentals are currently not in existence. Cabs, which are unmarked cars without meters, can typically be rented for the day for US$30 to US$40. Trains
The Vietnamese railway system runs from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi along the coast and links with Haiphong and the regions further north. Odd-numbered trains travel South, and even-numbered trains travel north. The fastest trains take at least 36 hours from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. Reservations should be made a day or more in advance. The major setback to the railways is that tourists are charged many times more than Vietnamese people in the form of an outrageously high surcharge. For long distance traveling, it is best to fly.
Buses
The bus system runs almost everywhere within the country, with stations built around the country dividing the territory into regions. Buses tend to be slow and unreliable.
11. SIGHTSEEING
Ho Chi Minh City
This is the largest city in Vietnam. It is the industrial, commercial and cultural center of the country. The central city area is still called Saigon.
WAR CRIME MUSEUM
This museum exhibit crimes committed by the Americans during the war. Photographs of the famous My Lai massacre, human embryos, genetically deformed babies and innocent civilians being tortured can be seen on display. An array of US armored vehicles, artillery pieces, bombs and infantry weapons are displayed in the courtyard. You can also see a guillotine used by the French to de itate troublemakers in the riots of the 1920s and a model of the famous tiger cages used by the South Vietnamese to house VC prisoners on Con Son island. The War Crime Museum basically reveals a different side of the stories about wars - the innocent victims of modern warfare.
HISTORICAL MUSEUM
Built in 1929 by the Societe des Etudes Indochinioses, it was formerly named Blanchard dels Brosse. A big statute of President HoChiMinh stands in the main lounge of the museum. The museum has an excellent collection of artifacts illustrating the primitive age, bronze age, the Tran dynasty and the Le Dynasty. Take a look at the array of musical instrument especially the special monocord of the one string musical instruments. There are many valuable relics taken from Cambodia's Angkor Wat.
REUNIFICATION PALACE
In 1868, the Norodom Palace (original name) was built for the French Governor-General of Indochina. A striking modern architecture was built when the original buildings were damaged by bombs. Rebuilt in 1962, it comprises of a ground floor, 3 main floors, two mezzanines and a terrace for helicopter landing. The palace includes many tastefully decorated rooms such as the reception room, the cabinet reference room, the study rooms, the credentials presentation room and the banquet room. It also has a basement with a network of tunnels connecting to the telecom centre and war room and one of the longest tunnels which stretch all the way to the Revolutionary Museum. The grounds outside contain one of the first tanks to burst through the gates of the palace to signify the end of the Vietnam War as well as the fighter plane which dropped further bombs towards the end of the war. Independence Palace was renamed the Unification Palace to denote the spirit and strong will for national independence and reunification
Ben Thanh Market
The Ben Thanh Market, formerly the main railway terminal, is the largest of the markets scattered throughout the city. A wide variety of goods are available, from imported electronics to imported perfumes.
Notre Dame Cathedral
This Catholic church was constructed in 1883 and is located near the Tu Do (Dong Khoi) Street, the former red-light district.
Presidential Palace
This building is now called the Reunification Hall. The center was built as a modern administration center and is where the war and the American involvement in Vietnam ended in April 1975, with tanks invading the compound. Guided tours will take visitors through the various rooms within the complex.
Cholon
Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown. Sights include the Binh Tay Market, the An Quang Pagoda (District 5) and the scenic Thien Hau Temple.
Vinh Nghiem Pagoda
A modern Japanese-style Buddhist temple, easily one of the largest and most impressive in Ho Chi Minh City.
Tay Ninh
Cu Chi Tunnels
An extensive network of nearly 200 miles (322mi) of Viet Cong tunnels used in the French Indochina war and American war. The tunnels have complete facilities, from kitchens to printing presses and even street signs, all of which were used to aid the NLF (National Liberation Front) military. Tours involve a description of the tunnels, after which tourists are allowed to crawl about the maze. Located in Tay Ninh (suburb of Ho Chi Minh City), 24 miles (39km) northwest of central Ho Chi Minh City.
CAO DAI TEMPLE
Cao Daism seeks to create the ultimate religion by fusing Buddhist, Taoist, Confucianist and Catholic beliefs into a synthesis of its own. Witness the solemn ceremony of the unique religion - Caodaism at Caodai Holly See at its noon tide prayer service with followers dressed in red, blue, yellow and white robes. There is the divine eye above the altar, the religion's official symbol. The temple has nine levels which signify the nine steps to heaven, each level marked by a pair of multicoloured dragons.
MEKONG DELTA
One of the world's largest delta, the Delta Region is formed by the various tributaries of the mighty Mekong River which begins its journey to the sea in Tibet and winds its way for 4500 km through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Southern Vietnam. The vietnamese name for the Mekong is Cuu Long which means "nine dragons" and this is represented by the nine exit points of the Mekong River as it flows into the sea. The land of the Mekong Delta is renowned for its richness. Known as Vietnam's breadbasket, it produces enough rice to feed the entire country with a sizeable surplus leftover. Take a sampan ride that meanders through small villages and experience the simple lives of the Mekong people
Vung Tau Beach
Located at the mouth of the Saigon River is the popular Vung Tau beach resort. Pineapple Beach is probably the most pleasant, with its villas and generally tranquil atmosphere. The temples are a definite must-see. The Niet Ban Tinh Xa is the largest temple in Vietnam. Tourist accommodations are available at the Hoa Binh Hotel, as well as the Thang Loi, Thang Thai and Tho Nguyet.
Nha Trang
The central region near Nha Trang features some of the most beautiful beaches in Asia. The ocean waters are transparent, and the sands immaculate, attracting more and more visitors in recent times. Tours cover the Cham Ponagar complex, the north tower of which was built in 817 A.D. Ruins of the long-deceased Champa still stand as a testament to this once prominent kingdom.
Dalat
The mountain resort among the Central Highlands has scenic surroundings as well as remnants of the French colonial era. The Ethnic Minority Museum is certainly worth visiting for those interested in the costumes, gongs, ornaments and other artifacts collected by locals from the Lam Dong province. As another point of interest, there is even an old abandoned nuclear power plant.
Danang City
Known as Tourane under the French, Danang is a seaport of endless stretches of unspoiled sandy beach midway between Ha Noi to the north and Ho Chi Minh City to the South. The city was also the center of civilization of the Champa Kingdom, a kingdom which flourished In the area as early as the 2nd century A.D. Appealing stone sculptures (from the 4th-14th centuries) of Vishnu , Shiva and other Gods of this Kingdom can still be found in the Cham museum located in the center of the city Towards the coast south of Danang are five large hills known as the Marble Mountain. Mysterious caves within the mountains shelter altars delicated to Buddha, Bodhisattvas and The different genies arising from the popular beliefs of the area's inhabitants. With its own international and domestic airport, Danang provides an ideal stopover based for excursions to the ancient town of Hoi An, the imperial city of Hue and My Son-site of the Ruins from the Cham civilization.
Cham Ruins
For those interested in seeing all that these fifteen towers have to offer, plan on spending a minimum of one day. These towers are located at My Son in the Duy Xuyen district.
Cham Museum
The Cham Museum built in 1915, expanded in 1935 , completed in 1936, is in a lovely setting And has large, open well lighted rooms with around 296 statues and artifacts of the Cham People dated back to the 7th century.
Marble Mountains
Consisting of five limestone peaks, about five (8km) miles south of town. They can be explored by following the paths leading to the peaks.
Non Nuoc Beach
China Beach, one the most wonderful beaches of Vietnam , was once an in country rest and Recreation centre for the US military during the Vietnam War.
Hoi An Ancient Town
Forty-five minutes by land south-east of Da Nang is the ancient town of Hoi An, which was one of the most important trading ports in Southeast Asia for merchants from China, Japan and afar for a couple of centuries ago. Originally a seaport in the Champa Kingdom, by the 15th century It had become a coastal town under the Tran dynasty. Also served as the hub of East-West c ultural exchange, Hoi An's ancient past is superbly preserved in its fascinating temples, pagoda, shop houses and home which make up the town's old quarter. Walking in the streets of this ancient town, one can observe the influence of the architecture, Sculpture and decorative styles of China and Japan and the skill of former Vietnamese architects Who have absorbed their influences and created something similar yet somehow uniquely different.
HUE
Hue, the imperial city, the citadel-city of Phu Xuan was originally built up during the end of 17th Century and became a political capital as well as the Imperial City of Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 till 2nd September 1945 when the Communist Party, leaded by President Ho Chi Minh had declared the Independent of the Nation and took over the power from the defeated Japanese Governor. Nowadays, this small & poetical city of 280.000 habitants becomes one of the main tourism site of Vietnam destination by its splendid tombs of the Nguyen emperors, several notable pagodas especially the Thien Mu Pagoda, the remains of Citadel as well as the romantic Perfume River where a cruise tour with Hue music performance in the moonlight was always provided since long time ago. Normally, visiting Hue within a day is a bit rush but still enough time to cover the main attractive sites such as The Citadel, The museum of antique, the tombs of Khai Dinh and Tu Duc emperors and a 02 hours cruise with stop over at Thien Mu pagoda.
Citadel & Forbidden City
This forbidden city of 10km. perimeter has 4 main entrance gates and well defended by kilometers of rampart was built in 1804 by the first emperor Nguyen Anh on a site chosen by geomancers and look likes a Chinese forbidden city in Beijin. Some parts of this forbidden city were totally destroyed during the war where now are under reconstruction providing UNESCO & Japanese non-government associations' fund. Lucky thing is most of the main area such as the citadel (the Imperial Enclosure), Flag Tower were remain intact where received hundred of visitors daily.
The Museum of Antique (Imperial museum)
This beautiful hall which house the Imperial Museum was built in 1845. The most precious artefacts were lost during the war (1954-1973) and the liberation day (1975) but ceramics, furniture and royal relics are remain until the present time.
Khai Dinh Emperor's Tomb
This is the final monument of the Nguyen Dynasty. The complex features ceiling murals, frescoes and a dragon staircase. Located on the slopes of the Chau E Mountain, six miles (10km) south of town. It takes almost 10 years (1920-1931) to finish this grandiose concrete tomb which is completely unlike the others tombs where there was a mixture of typical Vietnamese & French colonial architecture. After climbing 36 steps passing by rows of elephants, horses, civil & military mandarin you will be reached the main building where a full original artefacts are displayed to the public.
Tu Duc Emperor's Tomb
The most impressive of the tombs and pagodas at Hue. Located at the tributaries of the Perfume River, seven miles (11km) south of Hue, this complex has beautiful architecture, intricate decor and military statues. This majestic and serene tomb with lake view, grove of pines, temples, living house area is the most expensive tomb which was completely terminated after 5 years by thousands of labor-worker (1863-1868) for this intellectual-poet emperor.
Minh Mang Emperor's Tomb
The most impressive of the tombs and pagodas at Hue. Located at the tributaries of the Perfume River, seven miles (11km) south of Hue, this complex has beautiful architecture, intricate decor and military statues.
Thien Mu Pagoda & Perfume River Cruise
Unlike the typical boat used to provide in the past the present Hue cruise is providing a motorized boat which carry a 2 hours cruise along Perfume River including a 30 min stop over Thien Mu pagoda. This pagoda located on the hillock overlooking the Perfume River, built in 1844 by Thieu Tri emperor, 21m-high octagonal tower with seven-storey is one of the most famous structures in all over the country and become an unofficial symbol of Hue until now.
Hanoi
One Pillar Pagoda
Built in the 11th century, this pagoda sits on a stone pillar in the middle of a pond. This is one of the more unusual structures in Vietnam.
Lenin Park (Thong Nhat Park)
Built over a former marsh, this park surrounds a large lake containing a statue of Lenin, often the object of jokes among the locals. The park itself is quite beautiful.
Tran Nhan Tong Street.
National Preserve of Cuc Phuong
This national park is one of the last tropical primeval forest reserves on Earth. There are 64 species of fauna and thousands of species of flora, many of which are extinct everywhere else in the world. Bizarre and fascinating species of animals from flying lizards to monkeys dwell within the park's 61,000 acres. Caves and grottoes, where various artifacts have been discovered, are located in the mountains within.
Ha Nam Ninh Province. It is located approximately 62 miles (100 Km.) southwest of Hanoi.
Thu Le Park
Located northwest of Hanoi in the Thu Le village.
Haiphong
Cat Ba
This island is the largest in the Cat Ba archipelago. It is potentially one of the major beach destinations in Southeast Asia. This region has beautiful beaches and pristine waters. Within the mountains are caves and grottos. Located 36 miles (58km) east of Haiphong.
Halong Bay
One of Vietnam's most beautiful areas, Halong Bay has fascinating limestone formations, coves for nighttime excursions, sheer cliffs, grottoes, arches and scores of small islets.
12. DINING AND DRINKING
Vietnamese food varies from region to region. Almost 500 traditional dishes have been recorded! Rice and noodles are staple foods, served with nearly all meals. The most popular dishes are nema rán (spring rolls), bún thang (noodles with sliced pork, eggs, shredded chicken and shrimp), shellfish steamed with ginger and sea crabs fried with salt. Among common ingredients used are: shark fin, duck, pork paste, fish, spices, fruits, vegetables, crab meat, lobster and oysters.
Imported beer is available in Vietnam, although a number of domestic beers are brewed. Rice wine is very popular, and there are many brands available. There is a variety of fruit wines such as apricot, orange or lemon. Soft drinks are processed from the many varieties of tropical fruits available. Water from the tap should be avoided, even though it has already been filtered and sterilized at 10ºC. If you must drink it, boil the water first.
13. ENTERTAINMENT
Vietnam is not the place to go for the latest in nightspots, but a number of large hotels have nightclubs and dance halls. Bars are fairly easy to find, even in smaller hotels. Try asking the locals for the current popular spots.
14. EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Police: 113
Ambulance: 115
Ho Chi Minh City Police Station
161 Nguyen Du, Quan 1
Tel 99398 or 97107
Open from 8am-11am and 1pm-4pm
Hanoi Police Office for the Registration of Foreign Visitors
63 Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi
All visitors must register with the police within 48 hours of arrival. If you are on a tour, this should have been taken care of (but check anyway).
Fire Department: 08
First Aid: 05
International Dialing Access: Available at major tourist hotels and post offices
Country Code: 84
City Codes: Hanoi: 04 / Ho Chi Minh: 08
When calling from within the same city, delete the city code from the number. When calling to another city from within Vietnam, use the entire city code. When calling from outside Vietnam, delete the first digit (0) from the city code.
*source http://www.asiatravel.com/ *
Vietnam
Vietnam /viˌɛtˈnɑm/, /vjɛtˈnɑm/ (Vietnamese: Việt Nam), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Vietnamese: Cộng hòa Xã hội Chủ nghĩa Việt Nam), is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, and Cambodia to the southwest. On the country's east coast lies the South China Sea. With a population of over 85 million, Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world. The country is listed among the "Next Eleven" economies; according to government figures, GDP growth was 8.17% in 2006, the second fastest growth rate among countries in East Asia and the fastest in Southeast Asia. Late 2007, the ministry of finance said the GDP growth was estimated to hit a ten-year high record at 8.44% in 2007.
Etymology
Through the centuries, Vietnam has been called by many different names: Văn Lang during the Hùng Vương Dynasty, Âu Lạc during the An Dương Vương dynasty, Van Xuan during the Anterior Lý Dynasty, Đại Cồ Việt during the Đinh dynasty and Anterior Lê Dynasty. Starting in 1054, Vietnam was called Đại Việt (Great Viet). During the Hồ Dynasty, Vietnam was called Đại Ngu. Then, in 1804, King Gia Long planned to use the name of Nam Việt for Vietnam but the Qing dynasty of China disagreed and changed it to Việt Nam. In English, the two syllables were written into one: Vietnam. From 1839 to 1945, Emperor Minh Mạng renamed Việt Nam to Đại Nam.
The name Việt Nam had been used for this country before it became the official name in "Dư địa chí" of Nguyễn Trãi written in 1435 and perhaps even before. "Việt" is the name of the largest ethnic group in Vietnam: the Kinh (người Kinh) and "Nam" means "the South", affirming Vietnam's sovereignty from China (usually called "North country" to Vietnamese people).
History
Pre-Dynastic era
The area now known as Vietnam has been inhabited since Paleolithic times, and some archaeological sites in Thanh Hoa Province purportedly date back several thousand years. Archaeologists link the beginnings of Vietnamese civilization to the late Neolithic, Early Bronze Age, Phung-nguyen culture, which was centered in Vinh Phu Province of contemporary Vietnam from about 2000 to 1400 BCE. By about 1200 BCE, the development of wet-rice cultivation and bronze casting in the Ma River and Red River plains led to the development of the Dong Son culture, notable for its elaborate bronze drums. The bronze weapons, tools, and drums of Dongsonian sites show a Southeast Asian influence that indicates an indigenous origin for the bronze-casting technology. Many small, ancient copper mine sites have been found in northern Vietnam. Some of the similarities between the Dong Sonian sites and other Southeast Asian sites include the presence of boat-shaped coffins and burial jars, stilt dwellings, and evidence of the customs of betel-nut-chewing and teeth-blackening.
The legendary Hồng Bàng Dynasty of the Hùng kings is considered by many Vietnamese as the first Vietnamese state, known as Văn Lang. In 257 BCE, the last Hùng king lost to Thục Phán, who consolidated the Lạc Việt tribes with his Âu Việt tribes, forming Âu Lạc and proclaiming himself An Dương Vương. In 207 BCE, a Chinese general named Zhao Tuo defeated An Dương Vương and consolidated Âu Lạc into Nanyue. In 111 BCE, the Chinese Han Dynasty consolidated Nanyue into their empire.
For the next thousand years, Vietnam was mostly under Chinese rule.[1] Early independence movements such as those of the Trưng Sisters and of Lady Triệu were only briefly successful. It was independent as Vạn Xuân under the Anterior Ly Dynasty between 544 and 602. By the early 10th century, Vietnam had gained autonomy, but not independence, under the Khúc family.
Dynastic era
Battle of Bach Dang river. Silk painting by Năng Hiển.
Battle of Bach Dang river. Silk painting by Năng Hiển.[2]
In 938 CE, a Vietnamese lord named Ngô Quyền defeated Chinese forces at the Bạch Đằng River and gained independence after 10 centuries under Chinese control. Renamed as Đại Việt, the nation went through a golden era during the Lý and Trần Dynasties. During the rule of the Trần Dynasty, Đại Việt repelled three Mongol invasions.[3] Buddhism flourished and became the state religion. Following the brief Hồ Dynasty, Vietnamese independence was momentarily interrupted by the Chinese Ming Dynasty, but was restored by Lê Lợi, the founder of the Lê Dynasty. Feudalism in Vietnam reached its zenith in the Lê Dynasty of the 15th century, especially during the reign of Emperor Lê Thánh Tông. Between the 11th and 18th centuries, the Vietnamese expanded southward in a process known as nam tiến (southward expansion). They eventually conquered the kingdom of Champa and part of the Khmer Empire.[4][5]
Towards the end of the Lê Dynasty, civil strife engulfed much of Vietnam. First, the Chinese-supported Mạc Dynasty challenged the Lê Dynasty's power. After the Mạc Dynasty was defeated, the Lê Dynasty was reinstalled, but with no actual power. Power was divided between the Trịnh Lords in the North and the Nguyễn Lords in the South, who engaged in a civil war for more than a hundred years. During this time, the Nguyễn expanded southern Vietnam into the Mekong Delta, annexing the Champa in the central highlands and the Khmer land in the Mekong. The civil war ended when the Tây Sơn brothers defeated both and established their new dynasty. However, their rule did not last long and they were defeated by the remnants of the Nguyễn Lords led by Nguyen Anh with the help of the French. Nguyen Anh unified Vietnam, and established the Nguyễn Dynasty, ruling under the name Gia Long.
Western Colonial era
Vietnam's independence ended in the mid-1800s, when the country was colonized by the French. The French administration imposed significant political and cultural changes on Vietnamese society. A Western-style system of modern education was developed, and Christianity was introduced into Vietnamese society. Developing a plantation economy to promote the exports of tobacco, indigo, tea and coffee, the French largely ignored increasing calls for self-government and civil rights. A nationalist political movement soon emerged, with leaders such as Phan Boi Chau, Phan Chu Trinh, Emperor Ham Nghi and Ho Chi Minh calling for independence. However, the French maintained control of their colonies until World War II, when the Japanese war in the Pacific triggered the invasion of French Indochina in 1941. This event was preceded by the establishment of the Vichy French administration, a puppet state of Nazi Germany then ally of the Japanese Empire. The natural resources of Vietnam were exploited for the purposes of the Japanese Empire's military campaigns into the British Indochinese colonies of Burma, the Malay Peninsula and India.
First Indochina War
In 1941, Viet Minh - a communist and nationalist liberation movement emerged under Ho Chi Minh, to seek independence for Vietnam from France as well as to oppose the Japanese occupation. Following the military defeat of Japan and the fall of its Vietnamese colony in August 1945, Viet Minh occupied Hanoi and proclaimed a provisional government, which asserted independence on September 2.[6] In the same year the Provisional French Republic sent the French Far East Expeditionary Corps, which was originally created to fight the Japanese occupation forces, in order to pacify the liberation movement and to restore French rule. On November 20 1946, triggered by the Haiphong Incident the First Indochina War between Viet Minh and the French forces ensued, lasting until July 20 1954.
Despite fewer losses—Expeditionary Corps suffered 1/3 the casualties of the China and Soviet-backed Viet Minh—during the course of the war, the U.S.-backed French and Vietnamese loyalists eventually suffered a major strategic setback at the Siege of Dien Bien Phu, which allowed Ho Chi Minh to negotiate a ceasefire with a favorable position at the ongoing Geneva conference of 1954. Colonial administration ended as French Indochina was dissolved, and the contested State of Vietnam ceased to exist. According to the Geneva Agreements the country was divided at the 17th parallel into Ho Chi Minh's North Vietnam and Ngo Dinh Diem's South Vietnam after the example of Korea. This was intended to be temporary, pending an election in 1956, which never took place.
Vietnam War
The Communist-held Democratic Republic of Vietnam was opposed by the US-supported Republic of Vietnam. Disagreements soon emerged over the organizing of elections and reunification, and the U.S. began increasing its contribution of military advisers. U.S. forces were soon embroiled in a guerrilla war with the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NLF), the insurgents who were indigenous to South Vietnam. North Vietnamese forces unsuccessfully attempted to overrun the South during the 1968 Tet Offensive and the war soon spread into neighboring Laos and Cambodia, in both of which the United States bombed Communist forces supplying the North Vietnamese Army.
With its own casualties mounting, the U.S. began transferring combat roles to the South Vietnamese military in a process the U.S. called Vietnamization. The effort had mixed results. The Paris Peace Accords of January 27, 1973, formally recognized the sovereignty of both sides. Under the terms of the accords all American combat troops were withdrawn by March 29, 1973. Limited fighting continued, but all major fighting ended until the North once again sent troops to the South during the Spring of 1975, culminating in the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. South Vietnam briefly became the Republic of South Vietnam, under military occupation by North Vietnam, before being officially integrated with the North under communist rule as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on July 2, 1976.
Postwar
Upon taking control, the Vietnamese communists banned all other political parties, arrested public servants and military personnel of the Republic of Vietnam and sent them to reeducation camps. The government also embarked on a mass campaign of collectivization of farms and factories. Reconstruction of the war-ravaged country was slow, and serious humanitarian and economic problems confronted the communist regime. Millions of people fled the country in crudely-built boats, creating an international humanitarian crisis.[7][8] In 1978, the Vietnamese army invaded Cambodia (sparking the Cambodian-Vietnamese War) to remove the Khmer Rouge from power. This action worsened relations with China, which launched a brief incursion into northern Vietnam (the Sino-Vietnamese War) in 1979. This conflict caused Vietnam to rely even more heavily on Soviet economic and military aid.
Later
In a historic shift in 1986, the Communist Party of Vietnam implemented free-market reforms known as Đổi Mới (renovation). With the authority of the state remaining unchallenged, private ownership of farms and companies, deregulation and foreign investment were encouraged. The economy of Vietnam has achieved rapid growth in agricultural and industrial production, construction and housing, exports, and foreign investment. It is now one of the fastest growing economies in the world. See Economy section for more detail.
Government and politics
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a single-party state. A new state constitution was approved in April 1992, replacing the 1975 version. The central role of the Communist Party was reasserted in all organs of government, politics and society. Only political organizations affiliated with or endorsed by the Communist Party are permitted to contest elections. These include the Vietnamese Fatherland Front, workers and trade unionist parties. Although the state remains officially committed to socialism as its defining creed, the ideology's importance has substantially diminished since the 1990s. The President of Vietnam is the titular head of state and the nominal commander in chief of the military of Vietnam, chairing the Council on National Defense and Security. The Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung is the head of government, presiding over a council of ministers composed of 3 deputy prime ministers and the heads of 26 ministries and commissions.
The National Assembly of Vietnam is the unicameral legislature of the government, composed of 498 members. It is superior to both the executive and judicial branches. All members of the council of ministers are derived from the National Assembly. The Supreme People's Court of Vietnam, which is the highest court of appeal in the nation, is also answerable to the National Assembly. Beneath the Supreme People's Court stand the provincial municipal courts and the local courts. Military courts are also a powerful branch of the judiciary with special jurisdiction in matters of national security. All organs of Vietnam's government are controlled by the Communist Party. Most government appointees are members of the party. The General Secretary of the Communist Party is perhaps one of the most important political leaders in the nation, controlling the party's national organization and state appointments, as well as setting policy.
The Vietnam People's Army is the official name for the combined military services of Vietnam, which is organized along the lines of China's People's Liberation Army. The VPA is further subdivided into the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces (including Strategic Rear Forces and Border Defense Forces), the Vietnam People's Navy, the Vietnam People's Air Force and the coast guard. Through Vietnam's recent history, the VPA has actively been involved in Vietnam's workforce to develop the economy of Vietnam, in order to coordinate national defense and the economy. The VPA is involved in such areas as industry, agriculture, forestry, fishery and telecommunications. The total strength of the VPA is close to 500,000 officers and enlisted members. The government also organizes and maintains provincial militias and police forces. The role of the military in public life has steadily been reduced since the 1980s.
Provinces
Vietnam is divided into 59 provinces (known in Vietnamese as tỉnh, from the Chinese 省, shěng). There are also 5 centrally-controlled municipalities existing at the same level as provinces (thành phố trực thuộc trung ương).
The provinces are further subdivided into provincial municipalities (thành phố trực thuộc tỉnh), townships (thị xã) and counties (huyện), and then, subdivided into towns (thị trấn) or communes (xã).
The centrally-controlled municipalities are subdivided into districts (quận) and counties, and then, subdivided into wards (phường).
Geography and climate
Vietnam is approximately 331,688 km² (128,066 sq mi) in area (not including Hoang Sa and Truong Sa islands), larger than Italy almost the size of Germany. The perimeter of the country running along its international boundaries is 4,639 km (2,883 mi). The topography consists of hills and densely forested mountains, with level land covering no more than 20%. Mountains account for 40% of the area, with smaller hills accounting for 40% and tropical forests 42%. The northern part of the country consists mostly of highlands and the Red River Delta. Phan Xi Păng, located in Lào Cai province, is the highest mountain in Vietnam at 3,143 m (10,312 ft). The south is divided into coastal lowlands, Annamite Chain peaks, extensive forests, and poor soil. Comprising five relatively flat plateaus of basalt soil, the highlands account for 16% of the country's arable land and 22% of its total forested land.
The delta of the Red River (also known as the Sông Hồng), a flat, triangular region of 15,000 square kilometers[9], is smaller but more intensely developed and more densely populated than the Mekong River Delta. Once an inlet of the Gulf of Tonkin, it has been filled in by the enormous alluvial deposits of the rivers over a period of millennia, and it advances one hundred meters into the Gulf annually. The Mekong delta, covering about 40,000 square kilometers, is a low-level plain not more than three meters above sea level at any point and criss-crossed by a maze of canals and rivers. So much sediment is carried by the Mekong's various branches and tributaries that the delta advances sixty to eighty meters into the sea every year.
Because of differences in latitude and the marked variety of topographical relief, the climate tends to vary considerably from place to place. During the winter or dry season, extending roughly from November to April, the monsoon winds usually blow from the northeast along the China coast and across the Gulf of Tonkin, picking up considerable moisture; consequently the winter season in most parts of the country is dry only by comparison with the rainy or summer season. The average annual temperature is generally higher in the plains than in the mountains and plateaus and in the south than in the north. Temperatures in the southern plains (Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta) varies less, going between 21 and 28 degree Celsius (70 and 82.5 °F) over the course of a year. The seasons in the mountains and plateaus and in the north are much more dramatic, and temperatures may vary from 5 degree Celsius (41 °F) in December and January to 37 degree Celsius (98.6 °F) in July and August.
Nature
Vietnam has two World's Natural Heritage sites: Halong Bay and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and 6 World's biosphere reserves including: Can Gio Mangrove Forest, Cat Tien, Cat Ba, Kien Giang, Red River Delta, Western Nghe An.
Biodiversity
Vietnam is in the Indomalaya ecozone.
According to chapter 1 in National Environmental Present Condition Report 2005- Biodiversity Subject of Vietnam Environment Protection Agency,[10] in species diversity, Vietnam is one of 25 countries having high level in biodiversity all over the world, is ranked 16th of biologically diverse level (having 16% world's species) (page 9). 15,986 flora was identified of which 10% was endemic (p9). Statistic says that there are 307 nematoda, 200 oligochaeta, 145 acarina, 113 collembola, 7750 insecta, 260 reptilia, 120 amphibia, 840 aves and 310 mammalia of which 100 aves and 78 mammalia are endemic (p9,10). Vietnam also have 1438 fresh water microalgae (9,6% species in the world) (Table 1.2, p9). It is defined that there are 794 aquatic invertebrate and 2458 sea fish (p10,11). In recent years, there have been 13 genus, 222 species, 30 taxon of flora newly described and 6 mammalia have been discovered such as pseudoryx nghetinhensis, muntiacus vuquangensis, lophura edwardsi, rhinopithecus avunculus, livistona halongensis, geothelphusa vietnamica, etc (frame 1.4, p11,12). In agricultural genetic diversity, Vietnam is one of 12 world's original cultivar centers (p13). Vietnam National Cultivar Gene Bank is preserving 12,300 cultivars of 115 species (p14).
In chapter 4 of that report, it is said that Vietnam government spent 49.07 million USD for biodiversity in 2004 (p71) and have established 126 conservation areas including 28 national parks (p73).
Economy
The Vietnam War destroyed much of the economy of Vietnam. Upon taking power, the Government created a planned economy for the nation. Collectivization of farms, factories and economic capital was implemented, and millions of people were put to work in government programs. For many decades, Vietnam's economy was plagued with inefficiency and corruption in state programs, poor quality and underproduction and restrictions on economic activities and trade. It also suffered from the trade embargo from the United States and most of Europe after the Vietnam War. Subsequently, the trade partners of the Communist blocs began to erode. In 1986, the Sixth Party Congress introduced significant economic reforms with market economy elements as part of a broad economic reform package called "đổi mới" (Renovation). Private ownership was encouraged in industries, commerce and agriculture. Vietnam achieved around 8% annual GDP growth from 1990 to 1997 and continued at around 7% from 2000 to 2005, making it the world's second-fastest growing economy. Simultaneously, foreign investment grew threefold and domestic savings quintupled.
Manufacturing, information technology and high-tech industries form a large and fast-growing part of the national economy. Vietnam is a relative new-comer to the oil business, but today it is the third-largest oil producer in Southeast Asia with output of 400,000 barrels per day. Vietnam is one of Asia's most open economies: two-way trade is around 160% of GDP, more than twice the ratio for China and over four times India's.[11]
Vietnam is still a relatively poor country with an annual GDP of US$280.2 billion at purchasing power parity (2006 estimate)[12]. This translates to a purchasing power of about US$3,300 per capita (or US$726 per capita at the market exchange rate). Inflation rate was estimated at 7.5% per year in 2006. Deep poverty, defined as a percent of the population living under $1 per day, has declined significantly and is now smaller than that of China, India, and the Philippines. [13]
As a result of several land reform measures, Vietnam is now the largest producer of cashew nuts with a one-third global share and second largest rice exporter in the world after Thailand. Vietnam has the highest percent of land use for permanent crops, 6.93%, of any nation in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Besides rice, key exports are coffee, tea, rubber, and fishery products. However, agriculture's share of economic output has declined, falling as a share of GDP from 42% in 1989 to 20% in 2006, as production in other sectors of the economy has risen. According to the CIA World Fact Book, the unemployment rate in Vietnam is one of the lowest in the world at 2%, trailing behind only Azerbaijan, Cuba, Iceland, Andorra and Liechtenstein. Among other steps taken in the process of transitioning to a market economy, Vietnam in July 2006 updated its intellectual property legislation to comply with TRIPS. Vietnam was accepted into the WTO on November 7, 2006. Vietnam's chief trading partners include Japan, Australia, ASEAN countries, the U.S. and Western European countries.
Military
Military of Vietnam consists of Vietnam People's Army and the Vietnam People's Air Force. It also has a coast guard.
Transport
The modern transport network of Vietnam was originally developed under French rule for the purpose of raw materials harvesting, and reconstructed and extensively modernized following the Vietnam War. The road system is the most popular form of transportation in the country. Vietnam’s road system includes national roads administered by the central level; provincial roads managed by the provincial level; district roads managed by the district level; urban roads managed by cities and towns; and commune roads managed by the commune level.
Bicycles, motor scooters and motorcycles remain the most popular forms of road transport in Vietnam's cities, towns, and villages although the number of privately-owned automobiles is also on the rise, especially in the larger cities. Public bus operated by private companies is the main long distance travel means for many people. Traffic congestion is a serious problem in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as the cities' roads struggle to cope with the booming numbers of automobiles. There are also more than 17,000 kilometers of navigable waterways, which play a significant role in rural life owing to the extensive network of rivers in Vietnam.
The nation has seven developed ports and harbors at Cam Ranh, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Gai (Halong City), Qui Nhon, and Nha Trang.
Demography
Population
Recent census estimates the population of Vietnam at beyond 84 million. Vietnamese people, also called "Viet" or "Kinh", account for 86.2 percent of the population. Their population is concentrated in the alluvial deltas and coastal plains of the country. A homogeneous social and ethnic majority group, the Kinh exert political and economic control. There are more than 54 ethnic minorities throughout the country, but the Kinh are purveyors of the dominant culture. Most ethnic minorities, such as the Muong, a closely related ethnic of the Kinh, are found mostly in the highlands covering two-thirds of the territory. The Hoa (ethnic Chinese) and Khmer Krom are mainly lowlanders. The largest ethnic minority groups include the Hmong, Dao, Tay, Thai, and Nung.
Languages
The people of Vietnam speak Vietnamese as a native language. In its early history, Vietnamese writing used Chinese characters. In the 13th century, the Vietnamese developed their own set of characters called Chữ nôm. The celebrated epic Đoạn trường tân thanh (Truyện Kiều or The Tale of Kieu) by Nguyễn Du was written in Chữ nôm. During the French colonial period, Quốc ngữ, the romanized Vietnamese alphabet used for spoken Vietnamese, which was developed in 17th century by Jesuit Alexandre De Rhodes and several other Catholic missionaries, became popular and brought literacy to the masses.
Various other languages are spoken by several minority groups in Vietnam. The most common of these are Tày, Mường, Khmer, Chinese, Nùng, and H'Mông. The French language, a legacy of colonial rule, is still spoken by some older Vietnamese as a second language, but is losing its popularity. Vietnam is also a full member of the Francophonie. Russian — and to a much lesser extent German, Czech, or Polish — is sometimes known among those whose families had ties with the Soviet bloc. In recent years, English is becoming more popular as a second language. English study is obligatory in most schools. Chinese and Japanese have also become more popular.
Religions
For much of Vietnamese history, Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism have strongly influenced the religious and cultural life of the people. About 85% of Vietnamese identify with Buddhism even though they do not practice on a regular basis.[14][15] About 8% of the population are Christians (about 6 million Roman Catholics and less than 1 million Protestants, census of 2007). Christianity was introduced first by the Portuguese and the Dutch traders in the 16th and 17th centuries, then further propagated under the French colonists in the 19th and 20th centuries, and to a lesser extent, by American Protestant missionaries during the presence of American forces during the 1960's and early 70's. The largest Protestant churches are the Evangelical Church of Vietnam and the Montagnard Evangelical Church.
Vietnam has great reservation towards Roman Catholicism. This mistrust originated during the French colonial time when some Catholics collaborated with the French colonists as espionage agents and militiamen to suppress the Vietnamese independence movement. Furthermore, the Church's teaching regarding communism made it an unwelcome counterforce to communist rule. Relationship with the Vatican, however, has improved in recent years. Membership of Sunni and Bashi Islam is usually accredited to the ethnic Cham minority, but there are also a few ethnic Vietnamese adherents of Islam in the southwest. The total number of Muslims remains very small nevertheless. The communist government has from time to time been criticized for its religious restrictions although it has categorically denied that such restrictions exist today.
The vast majority of Vietnamese people of Asian religions practice Ancestor Worship, although this may not be strictly considered a religion.
From the articles of Religions by country, Religion in Vietnam and Demographics of Vietnam; 85% is nominal/secular Buddhists including predominant 83% East Asian Buddhist or "Triple religion" (80% of people are worship the mixture of Mahayana Buddhism mainly, Taoism, Confucianism with Ancestor Worship; 2% Hòa Hảo with 1% of some new Vietnamese-Buddhist sects as Tứ Ân Hiếu Nghĩa, Pure Land Buddhist, etc) and 2% Theravada Buddhism, mainly among Khmer people but the census of Government showed that only 16% have taken refuge in the Three Jewels; 8% Christians (7% Catholics and 1% Protestants); 3% Cao Đài; 2.5% Tribal animism; less than 70 thousand Muslims; small Hindu communities (over 50 thousand people) and a small numbers of Baha'is.
Education
Vietnam has an extensive state-controlled network of schools, colleges and universities but the number of privately-run and mixed public and private institutions is also growing. General education in Vietnam is imparted in 5 categories: Kindergarten, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and college / university. Courses are taught mainly in Vietnamese. A large number of public schools have been organized across cities, towns and villages with the purpose of raising the national literacy rate which is already among the highest in the world. There are a large number of specialist colleges, established to develop a diverse and skilled national workforce. A large number of Vietnam's most acclaimed universities are based in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Facing serious crises, Vietnam's education system is under a holistic reform launched by the government. In Vietnam, education from age 6 to 11 is free and mandatory. Education above these ages is not free, therefore some poor families may find it hard to come up with the tuition for their children without some forms of public or private assistance. Regardless, school enrollment is among the highest in the world and the number of colleges and universities increased quite dramatically in recent years, from 178 in 2000 to 299 in 2005.
Science
In the past, Vietnam did not have "science" in its generally accepted meaning, but many fields were well developed, especially social science and humanities. It has at least ten centuries of commentary and analytic writings. Among the best known works are those of "Đại Việt sử ký toàn thư" of Ngô Sĩ Liên. Writings that deal with geography, nature, customs and people were written by "Dư địa chí" of Nguyễn Trãi. In mathematics, operations (including power and extract the root) of primary arithmetics and surveying, measurement (length, area, volume...) of primary geometry were taught in schools using the famous textbook: "Đại thành toán pháp" of Lương Thế Vinh. Lương Thế Vinh had notion of zero and Mạc Hiển Tích used the term "số ẩn" (unknown/secret/hidden number) to refer to negative numbers. Much knowledge was collected into encyclopedia: "Vân đài loại ngữ" of Lê Quý Đôn and "Lịch triều hiến chương loại chí" of Phan Huy Chú.
Presently, Vietnamese scientists have been devoting themselves to contribute to human's knowledge such as Hoàng Tụy based the foundation of global optimization by finding out "Tụy's cut".
Culture
The spoken and written language is Vietnamese.
The culture of Vietnam has been influenced by neighboring China. Due to Vietnam's long association with the south of China, one characteristic of Vietnamese culture is financial duty. Education and self-betterment are highly valued. Historically, passing the imperial Mandarin exams was the only means for Vietnamese people to socially advance themselves.
In the socialist era, the cultural life of Vietnam has been deeply influenced by government-controlled media and the cultural influences of socialist programs. For many decades, foreign cultural influences were shunned and emphasis placed on appreciating and sharing the culture of communist nations such as the Soviet Union, China, Cuba and others. Since the 1990s, Vietnam has seen a greater exposure to Southeast Asian, European and American culture and media.
One of the most popular Vietnamese traditional garments is the "Áo Dài", worn often for special occasions such as weddings or festivals. White Áo dài is the required uniform for girls in many high schools across Vietnam. Áo Dài was once worn by both genders but today it is worn mainly by females, except for certain important traditional culture-related occasions where some men do wear it.
Vietnamese cuisine uses very little oil and many vegetables. The main dishes are often based on rice, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Its characteristic flavors are sweet (sugar), spicy (serrano peppers), sour (lime), nuoc mam (fish sauce), and flavored by a variety of mint and basil.
Vietnamese music varies slightly in the three regions: Bắc or North, Trung or Central, and Nam or South. Northern classical music is Vietnam's oldest and is traditionally more formal. Vietnamese classical music can be traced to the Mongol invasions, when the Vietnamese captured a Chinese opera troupe. Central classical music shows the influences of Champa culture with its melancholic melodies. Southern music exudes a lively laissez-faire attitude.
Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Vietnam. Sports and games such as badminton, tennis, ping pong, and chess are also popular with large segments of the population. Volleyball, especially women's volleyball, is watched by a fairly large number of Vietnamese. The (expatriate Vietnamese) community forms a prominent part of Vietnamese cultural life, introducing Western sports, films, music and other cultural activities in the nation.
Vietnam is home to a small film industry.
Among countless other traditional Vietnamese occasions, the traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of the most important. Regardless of westernization, many of the age-old customs in a Vietnamese wedding continue to be celebrated by both Vietnamese in Vietnam and overseas, often combining both western and eastern elements.
Media
Vietnam's media sector is controlled by the government to follow the official communist party line. The Voice of Vietnam is the official state-run radio broadcasting service that covers the nation. It also broadcasts internationally via shortwave, renting transmitters in other countries and provides broadcasts from its website. Vietnam Television is the national television broadcasting company. As Vietnam moved toward a free-market economy with its Đổi mới measures, the government has relied on the print media to keep the public informed about its policies. The measure has had the effect of almost doubling the numbers of newspapers and magazines since 1996 . Vietnam is putting considerable effort into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system, but its performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern neighbors.
Tourism
Vietnam's number of visitors for tourism and vacation has increased steadily over the past ten years. About 3.56 million international guests visited Vietnam in 2006, an increase of 3.7% from 2005. The country is investing capital into the coastal regions that are already popular for their beaches and boat tours. Hotel staff and tourism guides in these regions speak a good amount of English.
International rankings
Organization Survey Ranking
Heritage Foundation/The Wall Street Journal Index of Economic Freedom 142 out of 157
The Economist Worldwide Quality-of-life Index, 2005 61 out of 111
Reporters Without Borders Worldwide Press Freedom Index 155 out of 167
Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 111 out of 163
United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index 109 out of 177
World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report 77 out of 125
Notes:
1. ^ Chinese Colonization (200BC - 938AD)
2. ^ Spears offer insight into early military strategy
3. ^ The Tran Dynasty and the Defeat of the Mongols
4. ^ The Kingdom of Champa
5. ^ The Le Dynasty and Southward Expansion
6. ^ http://coombs.anu.edu.au/%7Evern/van_kien/declar.html Declaration of Independence, Democratic Republic of Vietnam] - Vietnam Documents
7. ^ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The State of The World's Refugees 2000 - Chapter 4: Flight from Indochina. Retrieved on 2007-04-06.: Three million fled Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos combined; close to a million Vietnamese were helped by the UNHCR.
8. ^ Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Boat people: A Refugee Crisis. Retrieved on 2007-04-06.
9. ^ Agroviet Newsletter September 2005
10. ^ Báo cáo Hiện trạng môi trường quốc gia 2005 - (Vietnamese)
11. ^ Vietnam Vrooooom: Asia's second-fastest-growing economy takes the global stage. - CNN Money
12. ^ Source for GDP: Economist Intelligence unit
13. ^ Economy of Vietnam - CIA World FactBook
14. ^ US Department of State: Background Note: Vietnam
15. ^ The Largest Buddhist Communities - adherents.com. This quotes a much lower figure than the 85% quoted by the US Department of State
(source: wikipedia.org)