Most visitors to Vietnam are overwhelmed by the sublime beauty of the country's natural setting: the Red River Delta in the north, the Mekong Delta in the south and almost the entire coastal strip are a patchwork of brilliant green rice paddies tended by women in conical hats.

There are some divine beaches along the coast, while inland there are soaring mountains, some of which are cloaked by dense, misty forests. Vietnam also offers an opportunity to see a country of traditional charm and rare beauty rapidly opening up to the outside world.

Facts

Full Name
Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Capital City
Hanoi (pop 3.5 million)

Area
329,566 sq km
127,245 sq miles

Population
81,624,700

Time Zone
GMT/UTC +7 ()

Languages
Vietnamese (official)
Russian (other)
French (other)
Chinese (other)
English (other)

Religion
Buddhism is the principal religion but there are also sizeable Taoist, Confucian, Hoa Hao, Cao Daists, Muslim and Christian minorities

Currency
Dong (D)