67 Facts About Vietnam

Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is one of only five remaining communist countries.

Originally, the country's name was two words: 'Viet Nam.'

Vietnam is located in Southeast Asia, to the east of the Indochinese Peninsula.

Vietnam's capital is Hanoi, the country's second-largest city by population.

Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's largest city.

Every September 2nd, Vietnam celebrates its National Day.

Vietnamese cuisine is divided into three major categories based on the country's three primary regions: north, south, and central.

Vietnam has a life expectancy of 75 years.

Education in Vietnam begins with five years of compulsory primary school from the ages of six to eleven.

Instead of bells, schools use traditional gongs to summon students.

Vietnam has a literacy rate of 94%.

The Vietnamese Dong is the country's currency.

Son Doong, the world's largest natural cave, is located in Vietnam.

Bin Chau Hotsprings in Vietnam is hot enough to boil eggs.

Egg coffee is a specialty, particularly in Hanoi.

Vietnam is roughly three times the size of Tennessee and slightly larger than Mexico.

The most common name in Vietnam is Nguyen, which is given to approximately 40% of the population.

The climate in Vietnam is tropical monsoon due to the country's location and topography.

Summers in Central Vietnam are typically hot and sunny.

Southern Vietnam has a hot and sunny climate.

Ha Long Bay in Vietnam is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has also been designated as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature since 1994. Ha Long Bay, also known as the 'Bay of Descending Dragons,' is a 120-kilometer-long coastline with a seascape of islands.

Vietnam's Fansipan mountain is the highest point in Indochina. It is known as "The Roof of Indochina" and has an elevation of 3,144 metres.

The scent of tropical flowers that fall into the water every autumn inspired the name of Vietnam's Perfume River.

The Red River runs through the north, while the Mekong River runs through the south. Both have fertile plains surrounding them that produce a large portion of the country's crop supplies.

Only the Vietnamese royal family and their eunuch servants had access to the Forbidden Purple City.

Cu Chi tunnels date back to the Vietnam War.

Many Vietnamese consider visiting the Reunification Palace to be a must.

Ho Chi Minh was the country's first president, and his body is embalmed and on display in a mausoleum.

Vietnam was invaded four times by China. Aside from that, other Asian and Western invaders attacked and divided the country on numerous occasions.

The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, was America's longest war.

The lotus is Vietnam's national flower.

The traditional Vietnamese funeral ceremony can last up to two years.

Tet Nguyen Dan is the most important festival for Vietnamese people. This festival, also known as 'Tet,' is similar to the Lunar New Year. It commemorates rebirth.

'Love Market' is a Vietnamese festival. It is observed to commemorate a tragic forbidden love story. Similarly, this festival provides an opportunity for current ex-lovers to meet on neutral ground.

Child labour trafficking is a serious issue in Vietnam. The most common target for trafficking gangs is rural villages. These perpetrators dupe parents into believing that they will provide their children with technical or vocational training.

According to the Happy Planet Index, Vietnam is the fifth happiest country in the world.

There are 54 ethnic minority groups in Vietnam. Dao, Hmong, Nùng, Tay, and Thai are among them. In the 1950s, prior to the Vietnam War, the Central Highlands was primarily populated by Degar, with over 40 tribal group variations. The lowlands were home to ethnic Chinese 'Hoa' and Khmer Krom groups.

Vietnam's national language is called Quoc-ngu.

Chunom, a writing system, was developed in the eighth century. This system is made up of slightly altered Chinese characters.

Motorbikes are the most common mode of transportation in Vietnam.

The ao dai is traditional Vietnamese women's clothing.

Vietnamese men's traditional clothing is nearly identical to that of women.

Vietnam follows the yin and yang principle as well.

Vietnamese cuisine is well-known for achieving a harmonious balance of the five Asian elements.

Baguettes and coffee are the most common Vietnamese breakfast.

Vietnam is also known for its street food culture.

Rice is a mainstay of Vietnamese cuisine.

The most well-known dish in Vietnam is phở. This noodle soup is from North Vietnam. It consists of rice noodles with scallions or bean sprouts in a chicken or beef soup.

Cooking a pig in Vietnam entails cooking the entire animal.

Vietnamese people consume snake wine for its health, vitality, and restorative properties.

Cats and dogs are popular ingredients in Vietnamese cuisine.

There is no official legal drinking age in Vietnam.

Vietnam ranks third among Asian beer consumers. Every year, approximately three billion litres of beer are consumed in the country. On the record, it is only second to Japan and China.

Vietnam has almost 50 national musical instruments.

The Quan Ho folk songs of Vietnam have been designated as UNESCO Cultural Heritage.

Sepak takraw is a traditional sport in Vietnam.

In Vietnam, water puppetry is a popular art form.

Vietnam is the world's largest cashew nut exporter. They also dominate the global export of black pepper and are the world's second-largest rice exporter.

Vietnam has the largest artificial sea in Southeast Asia.

Foreigners may apply for a Vietnam Temporary Residence Card.

Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer.

Vietnamese people believe in Tao Quan, also known as the Three Kitchen Gods.

In religious construction, Vietnamese pagodas and temples have various representations.

Buddhism is the most widely practised religion in Vietnam. It has 10 million adherents and 20,000 pagodas spread across the country.

Visitors to Buddhist pagodas should remove their shoes.

Although Vietnamese temples do not expect donations, they accept them graciously.

Catholicism is Vietnam's second-largest religion. It has approximately 6 million followers and over 6,000 churches spread across the country.