Vietnam in brief
Location
Lying on the eastern part of the Indochinese peninsula, Viet Nam is a strip of land shaped like the letter “S”. China borders it to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, the East Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the east and south.
The country’s total length from north to south is 1,650km. Its width, stretching from east to west, is 600km at the widest point in the north, 400km in the south, and 50km at the narrowest part, in the centre, in Quang Binh Province. The coastline is 3,260km long and the inland border is 4,510km.
Coordinates
Latitude: 102º 08' - 109º 28' east
Longitude: 8º 02' - 23º 23' north
Viet Nam is also a transport junction from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
Population: > 86 million (as of 01/01/2008)
Administrative Units
Viet Nam is divided into 63 provinces and cities.
Topography
Three quarters of Viet Nam's territory consist of mountains and hills.
Climate
Viet Nam 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 the changes of the tropical humidity. In general, in Viet Nam 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.
Every year there are 100 rainy days and the average rainfall is 1,500 to 2,000mm. The humidity ranges around 80%. The sunny hours are 1,500 to 2,000 and the average solar radiation of 100kcal/cm2 in a year.
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One-pillar pagoda - Full size | Khue Van Pavilion - Full size | Ha Long Bay - Full size |
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Hoi An - Full size | Dai Noi - Hue -Full size | Phong Nha cave - Full size |
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Ben Nha Rong - Full size | Nha Tho Duc Ba - Full size | Independance Palace - Full size |
About Hanoi
Hanoi is the capital of Viet Nam, having a population of more than 6 million people (as of 01/01/2008). The capital comprises two different topographical features: the delta and the Middle Region of the North. Most of the deltaic land lies on both sides of the Red River and its tributaries (rivers Duong, Day, etc.). The Middle Region comprises Soc Son district and a portion of Dong Anh district, a prolongation of the Tam Dao mountainous mass stretching towards the Delta which is 7-10 meters or sometimes even hundreds of meters above the sea level. This is why Hanoi topography has an inclination in the direction North - South (from Soc Son - Dong Anh to Thanh Tri). Hanoi lies at the center of the triangular basin of the Red River. 50 km from Hanoi to the North lies the tourist site of Tam Dao, and the same distance to the South West is Ba Vi.
In Hanoi region, the chain of Soc Son (Soc Mount) is a prolongation of the mountainous mass of Tam Dao, which culminates at a height of 308 meters. This chain has different appellations: Ma Mount, or Temple (Den) Mount (because there is a temple on the summit of the mountain, called Soc Temple, at the place of which Giong Genius was deified, rising to the sky on his iron horse), or Ve Linh Mount. Soc Mount is situated in the commune of Phu Linh, Soc Son district. Besides these Hanoi has other hills and mountains rising above the flat ground: Sai Mount (Thuy Lam commune, Dong Anh district), Phuc Tuong Mount (Co Bi commune, Gia Lam district) and at the center of Hanoi, above the area of the old Botanical Garden stands the Nung Mount, also called Long Do or Khan Mount, giving more picturesqueness to the configuration of Thang Long.
In Hanoi there are four distinct seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. But it is able to be divided into two main seasons: the rainy season from May to September (it’s hot, heavy rain), and the dry season from October to April (it’s cold, little rainfall). The annual average temperature is 23.2oC, but in winter the average temperature is 17.2oC. The lowest temperature ever recorded was 2.7oC in 1955. The average summer temperature is 29.2oC, with the highest ever recorded being 42.8oC in 1926. On average, there are 114 rainy days a year with around 1,800mm of rainfall.
Currency
Viet Nam’s unit of currency is the Viet Nam Dong (VND). Major foreign currencies are exchangeable at Vietcombank and other Vietnamese Banks/Branches, ANZ Bank, Citi Bank and Indovina Bank... The exchange rate (as of 15 December 2009) is US$1 ~ VND18,400. Major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club, JCB) and most traveler’s checks are accepted. ATM machines that dispense VND are widely available but usually have a limit of VND2,000,000/transaction and VND10,000,000/day.
Electricity and Water Supply
The standard electricity supply in Viet Nam is 220 Volts, 50 Hz, AC. Most plugs are two-pin with rounded pins, except in international-standard hotels. Drinking tap water and un-boiled water is not recommended.
Phone services
Local phone services are reliable. Both GSM and CDMA mobile phone systems are in operation although the former is more popular. SIM cards are readily available for GSM mobile phones and can be bought in any convenience stores, post offices or hotels. Local calls from a prepaid mobile phone cost about 10 US cents/minute.
Internet
Broadband and wireless internet services are available in all major hotels and and at the meeting venues.
Time
Viet Nam’s standard time zone is GMT +7 hours.
Tourism
Information on tourism and other information can be found on the following websites:
http://www.vn-tourism.com
http://www.vietnamtourism.com
http://www.vietnamtourism-info.com/
