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Located in South East Asia, Vietnam starts to emerge as a major tourist attraction. Vietnam has two main cities, the political capital Hanoi and the economic capital Ho Chi Minh City (also known as Saigon).

Population (2005 estimate.): 83,535,576

Capital: Hanoi

Flag: The flag of Vietnam is red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center.

Square Miles: 125,138 square miles (325,359 sq. km)

Borders: 2,386 miles (3,841km) total, bordering the countries of Cambodia (west), Laos (west) and China (north).

Coastline: 2,153 miles (3,466km) excluding islands.The coastline lies on the South China Sea.

Terrain: The north and south parts of Vietnam are characterized by low, flat deltas. Central Vietnam consists mostly of highlands. Hilly, mountainous terrain is prominent in the far north and northwest. The peninsula is S-shaped, and there are thousands of offshore islands and archipelagos. The largest islands are the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos.

Climate

Vietnam is located in both a tropical and a temperate zone. It is characterized by strong monsoon influences, but has a considerable amount of sun, a high rate of rainfall, and high humidity. Regions located near the tropics and in the mountainous regions are endowed with a temperate climate.

The monsoon climate also influences to the changes of the tropical humidity. In general, in Vietnam there are two seasons, the cold season occurs from November to April and the hot season from May to October. The difference in temperature between the two seasons in southern is almost unnoticeable, averaging 3ºC. The most noticeable variations are found in the northern where differences of 12ºC have been observed. There are essentially four distinct seasons, which are most evident in the northern provinces(from Hai Van Pass toward to the north): Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

In the north, the rainy season is from August until November. Typhoons are frequent, but not too much of a problem. The north can be quite chilly in winter (Dec - Feb)

The climate in the Delta is sub-equatorial with two main seasons. The wet season lasts from May to October with short downpours occurring almost every day. The dry season lasts from November to April with the last three months of this period being very hot and humid.

Annual rainfall for the South is approximately 80 inches (2,000 millimeters) while temperatures remain relatively constant - on average between 77 and 95 F (25-35 C). Between July and November, Vietnam is hit by random, violent typhoons that develop off the coast in the South China Sea. They typically hit the central and north coasts and have been with increasing frequency over the past few years.  

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