Vietnam
The Country of the Week
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Hanoi (Ha Noi)
- Population
- 106,688,169 (2025 est.)
- Area
- 331,210 sq km
- Government
- communist party-led state
- Religions
- Catholic 6.1%, Buddhist 5.8%, Protestant 1%, other 0.8%, none 86.3% (2019 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Kinh (Viet) 85.3%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.9%, Muong 1.5%, Khmer 1.4%, Mong 1.4%, Nung 1.1%, other 5.5% (2019 est.)
- Currency
- dong (VND)
- Life Expectancy
- 76.1 years (2024 est.)
- Internet Domain
- .vn
- Climate
- tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March)
- Terrain
- low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest
- Natural Resources
- antimony, phosphates, coal, manganese, rare earth elements, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, timber, hydropower, arable land
- Major Exports
- broadcasting equipment, garments, integrated circuits, machine parts, footwear (2023)
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Overview
Vietnam's early history included periods of occupation by outside forces and eventual power consolidation under Vietnamese dynastic families. A succession of Han Chinese emperors ruled the area, which was centered on the Red River Valley, until approximately the 10th century.