Vietnam is located on the eastern side of the Indochinese Peninsula. A long, narrow strip of country lying between two major river systems, Vietnam bears the scars of one of the longest and most devastating wars of the second half of the twentieth century. Historically, it was for more than a thousand years under Chinese domination, achieving a degree of independence in AD 939.
Christian missionary activity began in the 17th century and it was a French colony from 1883. During WWII a communist-led resistance movement fought the Japanese, and later fought the returning French, defeating them decisively in 1954. The country was divided into two mutually hostile regimes, with a communist government in the north and a French, and later US backed government in the south. The north initiated 20 yrs of insurgency and then full-scale war (the north backed by the USSR, the south by the USA with at one stage 500,000 troops), eventually winning in 1975 and establishing the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
About 66% of Vietnam’s land area is dominated by the heavily forested terrain of the Annam Highlands. At either end of the country are intensively cultivated and densely populated river deltas – the Red River Delta in the north, which is also fed by waters from the valley of the Da, and the Mekong delta in the south. Both are major rice-growing areas. Rice is the main staple and export crop, Vietnam being the world’s third largest exporter. Other food crops include sweet potato and cassava. On the mountain slopes of the Annam Highlands tea, coffee, and rubber plantations have been established. Most mineral resources are located in the north and include anthracite and lignite. Coal is the main export item and is the principal energy source.
From 1976 a typical communist command economy was imposed, along with collectivised agriculture. From 1986 and through the early 1990’s a more liberal policy encouraging outside investment was introduced and during this period real growth averaged more than 8% annually. There is little evidence of a relaxation of the political grip of the Communist Party to match the attempted economic liberalization. |
