Vietnam

At a glance Land People Economy Achievements and challenges Links with Australia   Vietnam at a glance Did you know? The narrow central strip of the country links the two main rice producing areas making it look like rice baskets being carried on a bamboo pole across the shoulders. Region South-east Asia Population 82,262,356 (2007 estimate) Land Geography: flat, river deltas in north and south; hilly to mountainous in central and north-west. Climate: Tropical monsoon People Religion: Buddhism, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christianity, Muslim and indigenous beliefs Languages: Vietnamese; some English, French, Chinese, Khmer and local languages Economy GDP per person (PPP); $3,100 GDP by sector: Agriculture20.1%, Industry: 41.8%, Services: 38.1% Government Communist state Land Physical geography Vietnam is an ‘S’ shaped country. A long, narrow coastal plain links the Red River delta in the north and Mekong River delta in the south. It is 1,650 kilometres from north to south but is only 50 kilometres across at its narrowest point. The total area is 329,560 square kilometres. The mountain range stretching the length of the country covers about two-thirds of the country. The highest peak in Vietnam is Fan-si-Pan, 3143 metres, in the extreme north. Climate Due to variation in latitude and topography, climatic conditions in Vietnam vary widely. The major regions are the tropical, southern lowlands, the wet, temperate central highlands and the cool mountainous northern area. Typhoons can affect the north and central areas between July and November. Environment The monsoonal climate leads to a rich and diverse vegetation. Population pressure, chemical residues from the war and logging have impacted on the forested areas and the wildlife dependent on them. Following the banning of unprocessed timber exports, education programs, reforestation projects and declaration of a system of national parks the situation has begun to improve. Animals include elephants, rhinoceros, tiger, leopard, black bear, snub-nosed monkey, crocodile and turtle. A number of previously unknown species have recently been discovered including the sao la, a cattle like animal. There are more than 800 types of trees including ironwood, oak, teak and mahogany. People Most of Vietnam’s population of 85 million lives in the densely settled Red River and Mekong River deltas. Only about 22% of the population live in urban areas. The major cities are Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) with a population of 4 million, Hanoi, the capital city, with 3 million people and Haiphong 1.5 million people. The ethnic minority groups, totalling over 8 million people, live mainly in the mountainous areas and also the Mekong Delta (Khmer). People Culture and identity Around 80% of Vietnam's population of 85 million are ethnic Vietnamese. They are influenced by Confucianism, in particular the principle of respect for their elders. There are also Chinese, Thai, Khmer, Cham people and about 53 ethnic minority groups who are known as Montagnards as they live in the mountainous areas. These minority groups follow their own customs and traditions and mostly live a nomadic life. Popular artistic forms include: silk painting, theatre, puppetry, music and dance, lacquerware and ceramics. Health There is a state system of social security and the health care system is extensive and well planned. The average life expectancy is 71 years (male: 68.27 years, female: 74.08 years). Infant mortality rate is 24.3 per 1000 live births. The most common diseases affecting general health are malaria, tuberculosis, intestinal infections, diphtheria and chicken pox. Around 85% of the population have access to safe water while only 61% have access to safe sanitation. Government health programs are improving hygiene habits and limiting the spread of disease. The contribution of traditional medicine practices, including acupuncture, is important in health care system. About 263,000 (0.5%) people are living with HIV/AIDS (mainly injecting drug users) Religion and beliefs The majority of Vietnamese are Buddhist. There are two sects developed from Buddhism, Hoa Hoa and Cao Dai. Cao Dai is influenced by Confucianism, Taoism and Christianity. Due to strong Chinese influence Confucianism and Taoism are also followed. Christianity, predominantly Roman Catholic in the general community and Protestantism in the Montagnard communities and Islam are also followed. Animism, belief in spirits, is strong in rural and highland areas.  Food and shelter Rice and noodles with vegetables and pork, poultry, beef, seafood or fish and a variety of fresh herbs and fish sauce are the main ingredients. Large bowls of noodle soup, pho, with vegetables and meat, are common. Fried or fresh rice paper rolls are popular snacks. The French colonial influence is seen predominantly through baguettes. Fruit is abundant and some of the unusual items include dragon fruit, longan, mangosteen, pomelo, three-seed cherry and water apple. Meals are cooked a small burners, placed on the table for everyone to select from and are eaten with chopsticks. The elderly have first choice and parents use their chopsticks to select food for small children. Homes are generally small but vary greatly according to the weather and the materials available. They may be made of cement or bricks with a metal roof, or of bamboo or clay with a thatched roof. Boats and houses on stilts with curved roofs are traditional in the delta regions. A room or corner is often set aside for an altar for ancestor worship. Economy Wealth and poverty There are marked income and consumption level differences with the top 10% of the population using nearly one third while the lowest 10% having just 3.6%. About one fifth of the population, mainly in rural areas, live below poverty line, but broad economic growth along with government programs such as ‘hunger eradication and poverty reduction’ which provides fee exemptions for education and health care to the poorest, and loans for income generation, have begun to improve the situation.  Education and work In Vietnamese culture education is highly prized and respected. Education is compulsory at primary level and the number of students undertaking secondary and higher education is rapidly increasing. There is a high adult literacy rate of 94%, although the rate is much lower among ethnic minorities, especially women. Half of the workforce is engaged in agriculture. The rapid growth has contributed to the unemployment rate of 2%. Industries and products Agricultural products, rice, rubber, coffee and tea are the main source of income. The major industries are steel, coal, electricity, oil, food processing and machinery, fertilizer, cement, paper, shoes and clothing manufacture. Trade Vietnam’s major exports include crude oil, fish and seafood, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, clothes and shoes. The United States, Japan, Australia, Germany, China and Singapore are the main countries receiving these goods. Vietnam imports machinery, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel products, raw cotton, grain and cement and  motorcycles mainly from Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, China and Thailand. Achievements and challenges The north and central areas of Vietnam are subjected to typhoons during the months of May to January. Extensive flooding occurs frequently in the Mekong River delta. Recent education programs, policy changes and the development of national parks are addressing issues of deforestation from slash and burn agriculture and commercial logging. Political and economic reforms, doi moi, beginning in 1986, led to improvements in the economy and human rights. Land reform, privatisation of land use, and the opening of the agricultural sector to market forces converted Vietnam from a country facing chronic food shortages in the early 1980s to the second-largest rice exporter in the world. Progress slowed in the late 1990s but further reforms have led to increased expansion of industry. Poverty is mainly in rural areas with minority groups and women suffering most. Links with Australia Australian troops were fighting against the communist North Vietnamese from 1962 - 1972. The results of the war led to three waves of migration from Vietnam to Australia. These were children orphaned during the war and wives of soldiers who arrived before 1975, refugees between 1975 and 1990 and family reunions since 1990. The Vietnam-born community in Australia was 154,830 in the 2001 Census. New South Wales had the largest number with 63,020 followed by Victoria (56,680),Queensland (11,570) and South Australia (10,490). Australia established diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1973. During the 1980s, when Vietnam was internationally isolated, Australia provided aid to Vietnam through multilateral organisations such as the United Nations Development Programme. In 2005 Vietnam imported Australian goods worth $A668 million; exports to Australia totalled $A3.4 billion There were nearly 13,400 Australian tourists to Vietnam in 2006. This has included many Vietnamese revisiting their former homeland. Vietnam is one of the main recipients of aid from Australia. The objectives in 2003-07 programs include assisting Vietnam to develop policies, which will ensure that poor people will benefit from greater international trade; providing better access to clean water and sanitation, improving agricultural efficiency and access to markets for poor farmers. Tertiary study in Australia is also a major component of the cooperation program. Main sources: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html http://www.sbs.com.au/ http://hdr.undp.org/ http://www.dfat.gov.au/

Working in the rice paddy. Tim Acker/AusAID   Preparing dinner on the back landing. Will Salter/AusAID