- Official name: The Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Vietnam map - Mainland Territory: 331,211.6 sq. km
- Population: 85,789.6 thousand inhabitants (Apr. 2009)
- National Capital: Hanoi
- Administrative Units: Vietnam is divided into 63 provinces and cities
Lying on the eastern part of the Indochinese peninsula, Vietnam 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.
- Latitude: 102º 08′ – 109º 28′ east
- Longitude: 8º 02′ – 23º 23′ north
Vietnam is also a transport junction from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
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.
Resources:
Vietnam has a variety of mineral resources. Located beneath the subsoil are precious stones, coal and valuable minerals such as tin, zinc, silver, gold and antimony. Vietnam also has large deposits of oil and gas on its offshore islands and on the mainland.
Topography:
Three quarters of Vietnam’s territory consists of mountains and hills. Vietnam is divided into four distinct mountainous zones.
