Vietnam has a long history of resisting foreign rule, including Chinese, French, and Japanese occupations. It declared independence from France in 1945, leading to the First Indochina War and later the Vietnam War, which ended in 1975 with the reunification of North and South Vietnam. Since adopting economic reforms in the 1980s, Vietnam has become one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies.
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a country in Southeast Asia, located on the eastern edge of the Indochinese Peninsula. It shares land borders with China to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, and has a long coastline along the South China Sea to the east. Covering an area of approximately 331,690 square kilometers, Vietnam has a population of about 98 million people as of 2023, making it the 15th most populous country in the world. The capital is Hanoi, while the largest city is Ho Chi Minh City. The official language is Vietnamese. Vietnam operates as a socialist republic with a one-party system led by the Communist Party. The economy is one of the fastest-growing in the world, transitioning from agriculture-based to manufacturing and services, with key sectors including electronics, textiles, and tourism. Vietnam is known for its rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, and historical sites. The country is a member of international organizations such as the United Nations, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the World Trade Organization.