Vietnam Facts

While most people know of the country of Vietnam because of the infamous Vietnam War, there are many interesting facts about this historic country. The capital of Vietnam is Hanoi. Current population estimates indicate that the country is home to over 85 million people, a number which continue to grow. The main industries in Vietnam are food processing, creating clothing and shoes, and building machines. Agriculture plays a large role in the country's economy, and rice, corn, and potatoes grow well in the country. Fishing is also a major industry, as the eastern boarder of the country is the China Sea. Vietnam currently exports oil, fish, rice, rubber, and coffee.

Vietnam has a rich history that has been steeped in conflict. The country has been independent for almost a thousand years, with a few periods of occupation in that time frame. Both the French and the Japanese occupied the country at one point during its history. The Japanese occupied Vietnam during World War II but were pushed out by Ho Chi Minh and his allies. Vietnam was then divided into two separate communist and noncommunist countries. The United States worked with the noncommunist South Vietnamese to stop the Communist party from taking over, but this conflict, now known as the Vietnam War, ended with U.S. troops went home in 1973, at which time North Vietnam took over the country and united it as a Communist country.

Vietnam has several public holidays. The largest holiday in Vietnam is the Vietnamese New Year, which occurs sometime during the end of January and the beginning of February. Liberation Day, another important holiday in Vietnam, is held on April 30th, marking the day Vietnam was reunited under the Communist regime. September 2nd is National Day, which celebrates the independence of the country.

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