Vietnam is a magnificent country situated in Southeast Asia.
The official name of Vietnam is the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The country is known for its history, rivers, beaches, and Buddhist pagodas.
The name of the country 'Vietnam' is actually made up of two words, 'viet' and 'nam'. Although the origin of these words is unclear, the meaning of 'Vietnam' can be explained using two languages.
According to ancient Chinese, the word 'viet' referred to a 'group of people from outside the country's borders'' and 'nam' stood for 'to the south'. Together, Vietnam could mean 'people of the south'.
Meanwhile in ancient Vietnamese, 'viet' stands for 'fairies and dragons'. Some experts have commented that this refers to the origin of the people of Vietnam. Moreover, while the western world uses the single word spelling of the country's name, its citizens, neighboring countries, and the UN make use of the two words spelling, Viet Nam.
Vietnam is situated on the easternmost part of the Indochina Peninsula. The official language of the country is Vietnamese. The country shares its borders with Cambodia, China, and Laos. The currency of Vietnam is dong (VND).
Read on to know more Vietnam facts that you are sure to find very intriguing and exciting. Once you are done reading this fun facts article, you might also be interested in discovering Slovakia facts and Virginia facts here at Kidadl.
Vietnam's History And Culture
The country of Vietnam has a rich historical background. The culture of Vietnam is a complex one that has been influenced by Chinese, French, Japanese, and American colonialism. Some Vietnam facts about the country's history and culture are listed below.
The traces of the very first civilizations in Vietnam can be found around 5,000 years ago. They settled around the Red River Valley, and they developed until 207 BC.
Then, the region was taken over by a Chinese lord, and he created a kingdom named Nam Viet. This kingdom was considered to be a part of the Chinese Empire. Later in 111 BC, the Chinese authorities were forced out of the region when a Vietnamese commander called Ngo Quyen started a revolt.
The dynasties that came after changed the name from Nam Viet to Dai Viet in addition to increasing the boundaries of the region towards the south. However, the region of Dai Viet became divided into two opposing kingdoms, the Trinh on the north side and the Nguyen on the south side.
The country was named Vietnam after a Nguyen lord defeated the Trinh with the help of the French in 1802. Yet, it all backfired in a way when France took over Vietnam in 1890.
Japan had briefly taken control of the country during World War II. However, when they lost the war, they were driven out, and the leader of the Vietnamese Communist Party, Ho Chi Minh, declared Vietnam an independent country. Yet, there were still conflicts within the country which later resulted in the Vietnam War.
The culture of Vietnam respects the traditions and values of humanity, harmony, community, and family. Vietnam does not have an official religion followed by the majority of the population. However, many people follow Taoism, Buddhism, and the Three Teachings of Confucianism.
Although most Vietnamese people live in the countryside in Vietnam, a change has been seen in recent years where the population is shifting to the cities.
An important Vietnamese festival is the Tet Nguyen Dan, better known as Tet, is similar to a lunar new year. This festival celebrates the concept of rebirth.
A traditional Vietnamese outfit that is very popular with Vietnamese people is the Ao Dai. The Ao Dai is a flowing robe that both males and females can wear. It is accompanied by conical hats called Non la to complete the look.
The most popular sport played in Vietnam is soccer. It is enjoyed by the majority of the youth of the country. There is also an annual competition of soccer called the V-League that has taken place every year since 1980. Other popular sports played in Vietnam are badminton, table tennis, martial arts, volleyball, and chess.
Vietnam's Art And Architecture
As is the case with Vietnamese culture, the architecture of Vietnam is also influenced by the colonial impact. Vietnam has a lot of traditional art forms that are unique and quite old. Vietnam facts about the art and architecture of the country are quite an interesting read.
The well-known Dong Son drums of Vietnam are artifacts from the culture of the Bronze Age. There is a Vietnamese art form called water puppetry that is quite popular. This art form actually dates back to the 11th century.
Chinese culture had introduced the art forms of painting and calligraphy to Vietnam. The art form of calligraphy is known as Thu Phap in Vietnamese. Meanwhile, the most popular form of art in Vietnam is the Vietnamese silk painting.
Vietnamese architecture is quite diverse. It ranges from Chinese-style pagodas and traditional stilt houses to thin tube houses and French colonial architecture. There is an ancient town called Hoi An which was a 15th century trading port that still exists. A dramatic depiction of ancient royal art, geomancy, and architecture is Hue's Royal Tombs.
In terms of religious architecture, while the temples are constructed to honor the historical figures, it is the pagodas that are meant for the purpose of worship and offerings. The My Son Sanctuary in Vietnam is an architectural portrayal of the Hindu tower temples that evolved over 10 centuries.
Another architectural feature of Vietnam is the rice terrace which is created in that particular way so that the rice crops can grow along the sharp mountainsides.
Vietnam's Food And Cuisine
Vietnam is known for its amazing cuisine and traditional food that will make your mouth water. The people of Vietnam believe in Tao Quan or Three Kitchen Gods who live among the families and observe their lives. Vietnamese cuisine follows a remarkable balance of the five Asian food elements of spicy, bitter, salty, sour, and sweet.
The delicious food of Vietnam consists of rice, vegetables, chicken, beef, pork, and seafood. Rice is the staple Vietnamese food. It is present in most Vietnamese dishes. Apart from rice, pho is the other most popular food in Vietnam. Pho is a soup dish consisting of rice noodles, broth, spring onions, sprouts, and chicken or beef slices.
Another Vietnamese food that is well-known is Banh Mi. This is a type of sandwich with baguette bread and savory ingredients. Xoi is a Vietnamese dessert that is popular and is sticky sweet rice cakes. These are made of coconut milk and mung beans, along with some food coloring.
A unique part of Vietnamese cuisine is snake wine. This drink is made by soaking the whole body of a snake into rice wine to collect its essence. Snake wine is consumed for vitality and health benefits. While Vietnam is known for exporting cashew nuts, these nuts have also become part of the country's cuisine.
Interesting Vietnam facts also include the aspect that there is a fruit in the country known as breast milk fruit. It is also commonly known as the star apple and is found in Southeast Asia.
The Biggest Cities In Vietnam
Vietnam has an 'S' shape. This means that when you look at the country from the sky from a certain height, the shape of the country resembles the English letter 'S'. Wouldn't it be exciting to know how big the cities of this uniquely shaped country are? Listed below are some of the biggest cities in Vietnam.
The largest city in Vietnam is Ho Chi Minh city. This city is an independent municipality along with a special class type city.
Vietnam annexed Ho Chi Minh city from Cambodian control in the 17th century. This city was named after the first president of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh. The city shares a coast on the south side with the South China Sea.
Although more than 90% of the city's population is Vietnamese, it is also the place where the largest Chinese community of the country can be found. The mausoleum of the very first president of Vietnam is also found in this city.
Hanoi is not only the capital of Vietnam but is also the second-largest city in the country. Hanoi is also an independent municipality and special class type city.
While the city has mountains on the northern and western sides, it has a flat terrain on the southern and eastern sides, also part of the Red River Delta. The city of Hanoi is not only a fast-growing city but is also deeply connected to the culture of the country with its numerous historical sites.
Haiphong is the third-largest city in Vietnam. Like Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, Haiphong is also an independent municipality. However, it is a first-class type city. Haiphong is known for its industries.
Other notable big cities of Vietnam include Can Tho, Bien Hoa, and Da Nang.
The Vietnam War
One of the most remarkable moments of Vietnam's history was the Vietnam War. The details about the war are as follow.
The Vietnamese call this war, the American War. It is also popularly known as the Second Indochina War. The conflict arose from the two divided beliefs of South Vietnam and North Vietnam, and the war was fought in these two regions.
While communist North Vietnam wanted to unify the two parts of the country under Communism, South Vietnamese opposed this idea as the majority of the people in the south were anti-communists.
It all started when the Viet Minh, an armed front led by Ho Chi Minh, fought and won against the French in 1954. The country of Vietnam was already divided at that time.
Around 1957, a group of rebel communists called the Viet Cong started to fight against the people of its own territory.
Viet Cong, like Viet Minh, consisted of armed forces. While the Soviet Union was supporting these two Communist fronts, China and other Communist allies, South Vietnam was being supported by countries such as France, the United States, and South Korea.
The involvement of the American forces proved to be a very damaging move for the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. This war lasted for about 20 years and was won by the Communists but at the cost of thousands of lives.
Moreover, due to the consequences of this war, the American government and the Vietnamese government did not get involved with each other again until 1995, when they resumed diplomatic relations.
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