A country of southeast Asia in eastern Indochina of the South China Sea. Ruled by China from 221 B.C. to A.D. 939 and from 1407 to 1428, it was occupied by the French in the 19th century. After the fall of the French garrison at Dien Bien Phu in 1954, it was partitioned into North Viet Nam and South Viet Nam. The country was reunited in April 30, 1975 after the end of the Viet Nam War. Hanoi is the capital and Saigon the largest city.

Area: 329,707 sq km (127,301 sq mi)

Highest Point: Fan Si Pan; 3143 m (10,312 ft) above sea level

Lowest Point : Sea level along the coast

Average Temperatures:
* Hanoi: January 17° C 62° F; July 29° C 84° F
* Saigon: January 26° C 79° F; July 27° C 81° F

Average Annual Precipitation:
Hanoi: 1680 mm (66 in)
Saigon: 1980 mm (78 in)

Location: On the East coast of the Indochinese Peninsula in SE Asia

Neighbours: China on North; Laos, Cambodia on West.

Topography: Viet Nam is long and narrow, with a 1,400-mi. coast.
Delta in the S. The rest consists of semi-arid plateaus and barren mountains,with some About 24% of country is readily arable, including the densely settled Red R. valley in the N, narrow coastal plains incenter, and the wide, often marshy Mekong R. stretches of tropical rain forest.
Land and Resources: Viet Nam occupies the easternmost part of the Indochinese Peninsula, a rugged, elongated S-shaped strip of mountains, coastal plains, and river deltas.

Physiographic Regions: Viet Nam may be divided into four major regions. In the northwest is the mountainous southern extension of China's Yunnan Plateau. The country's highest peak, Fan Si Pan (3143 m/10,312 ft), is located near the border with China. To the east of the highlands is the Red River (also known as the Song Hong) delta, a triangularly shaped lowland along the Gulf of Tonkin (an arm of the South China Sea). To the south the Annamese Highlands, which run northwest to southeast, and an associated coastal plain form the backbone of central Viet Nam. The fourth and southernmost region is the Mekong River delta, a depositional area of flat land.

Soils: The soils of the Red River and Mekong River deltas, the two major deltas of Viet Nam, are composed of rich alluvium except where damming for flood control has altered the stream flow. Soils in the uplands are poor as a result of leaching of nutrients from the ground by the abundant rainfall.

Rivers: The Red River in the north and the Mekong River in the south are the two major freshwater streams. The Red flows almost directly southeast from the northwestern highlands, whereas the Mekong follows an irregular path from Cambodia, crosses southernmost Viet Nam, and empties in the South China Sea through a complex network of distributaries. Both rivers have been leveed to prevent flood damage.

Climate: Three basic climate types are found in Viet Nam. In the north, especially in the interior, the temperatures are subtropical. Shifting seasonal wind patterns result in dry winters and wet summers. The central and southeastern areas typify the tropical monsoon climate, with high temperatures and abundant precipitation. In the southwest, distinct wet and dry periods are evident, but temperatures are higher than in the north.
Vegetation and Animal Life: Abundant vegetation exists throughout Viet Nam except where the landscape has been denuded. Typical mixed stands in the rain forests contain a wide variety of pines, broadleaf trees, vines, and bamboos. Dense mangroves bordering.

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