The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a former French colony. Located in Southeastern Asia, it consists of 58 provinces. It borders Cambodia, Laos and China. The most important provinces are Ho chi Minh, Ha noi and Thanh Hoa. Vietnam is the 19th largest country in Asia with a surface area of 331,212 square kilometers. Its climate is tropical in the south and monsoonal in the north. Its terrain is characterized by mountains in the north, central highlands and flat deltas.
The overall population is over 98.5 million people. The capital of the country is Hanoi. The most populous city with more than 9 million inhabitants is however Ho Chi Minh City. Other important cities of the country are Haiphon, Da Nang and Can Tho.Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) is the major airport. It has an estimated annual passenger volume of 36 million. Next comes Noi Bai International Airport (HAN). Together, they connect the country to locations around Asia and the world. Vietnam achieved independence from France in 1956. Its culture is influenced by Confucianism, Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism, and French history. The majority of the country does not practice any religion. The nation's official language is Vietnamese. The legal system is founded on civil law. The government is a communist state. President Nguyen Phu Trong is the country's head of state. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc heads the government. Elections take place every five years. The Vietnamese dong (VND) is the official currency of the country, with a current exchange rate of VND 23524.98 to the US dollar. Vietnam has a state planned economy, generating a GDP of approximately $770 billion. This makes it the 5th largest economy in South East Asia. It has a per capita income of $8,066. The main GDP contributing sectors are services and industry. Textiles, garments, shoes, rice, coffee, rubber, and tea are the country's most important exports. Vietnam is a well-developed tourist destination with several attractions. It is renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage Sites and natural beauty. Major locations include Halong Bay, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Phong Nha-Ke Bank National Park, My Son, Hoi An, and Hanoi. Vietnam is becoming an increasingly popular tourism destination. The majority of the 18 million annual tourism visitors come from neighboring Asian countries, the United States, and Europe.
