Major Cities: With 5.6 million people, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) is the most populous city. Hanoi has a population of 3 million. Other major cities are Danang, Haiphong, and Can Tho.

Independence: Vietnam declared independence from Japan and France on September 2, 1945. However, Vietnam remained under French control until the communist Viet Minh defeated French forces at Dien Bien Phu in 1954.

Public Holidays: Official holidays are New Year’s (January 1), Tet or Lunar New Year (movable date in January or February), Liberation Day to commemorate the fall of Saigon (April 30), Labor Day (May 1), and Independence Day to commemorate Japan’s withdrawal following its defeat in World War II (September 2).

Flag: Red, with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center.

RECENT NEWS ARTICLES

Business flocks to thriving Vietnam  -  24 Oct 2006
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Vietnam and Cambodia agree to improve co-operation efficiency  -  24 Oct 2006
Nhan Dan,Vietnam and Cambodia have agreed to continue their close co-ordination and co-operation in order to develop their relationship in a more efficient manner. ...

Cindy Sheehan: Is it Vietnam Yet?  -  24 Oct 2006
BuzzFlash,This reminds me of Richard Nixon's "secret plan" to remove US troops from Vietnam that he touted in his narrow electoral victory over Hubert Humphrey in 1968. ...

China, Vietnam pledge to further strengthen cooperation on ...  -  24 Oct 2006
People's Daily Online,He made the remarks when meeting with a visiting delegation from the Control Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), led ...

China and Vietnam put business first  -  24 Oct 2006
Asia Times Online,HANOI - China and Vietnam have put aside their past antagonisms to forge a potent new economic partnership, representing Beijing's most sensitive and yet ...

Ministry of Finance Vietnam and IBM Reaffirm Commitment to the " ...  -  24 Oct 2006
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Former Envoy Awarded Friendship Medal From Vietnam  -  24 Oct 2006
ScandAsia.com,By Atthiya Pumchan. Former Swedish ambassador to Vietnam Anna Lindstedt received Friendship Medal at the Vietnamese embassy in Mexico on Friday October 20. ...

Kumho Breaks Ground On Vietnam Plant  -  24 Oct 2006
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Vietnam hospital performs countryâ€™s first surgery for bulging ...  -  24 Oct 2006
Thanh Nien Daily,Hanoiâ€™s Hospital 103 successfully performed Tuesday its first-ever operations to treat patients with protruding eyeballs due to Basedow's disease. ...

Vietnam : WTO accession to adversely affect textile industry  -  24 Oct 2006
Fibre2fashion.com,Vietnamâ€™s accession to WTO is scheduled for November this year, which is being appreciated by some enterprises and feared by others. ...

Vietnam police seek indictment of busted drug gang  -  24 Oct 2006
Thanh Nien Daily,...hail from Son La or Hanoi. Vietnam has some of the toughest drug laws in the world. Possessing, trading, or trafficking 600 grams ...

Korean tyre maker starts work on Vietnam plant  -  24 Oct 2006
Auto Asia (subscription),Koreaâ€™s number two tyre manufacturer, Kumho, has started building its fourth overseas plant in the southern Vietnamese town city of Binhduong. ...

Vietnam : Shoes likely to remain attractive even after 14% levy  -  24 Oct 2006
Fibre2fashion.com,Nevertheless, Vietnam Leather and Footwear Association (Lefaso) informs that different level of duties would be levied on varied products. ...

This series of profiles of foreign nations is part of the Country Studies Program, formerly the Army Area Handbook Program. The profiles offer brief, summarized information on a country’s historical background, geography, society, economy, transportation and telecommunications, government and politics, and national security. In addition to being featured in the front matter of published Country Studies, they are now being prepared as stand-alone reference aides for all countries in the series, as well as for a number of additional countries of interest. The profiles offer reasonably current country information independent of the existence of a recently published Country Study and will be updated annually or more frequently as events warrant.