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Cairo - Mounir El Fishawy
Thirty years after the end of the war, Vietnam dressed up the injuries of its victorious people, but the excitement of the victory didn't prevent it from working hard towards the reconstruction of its economy. The country’s development was in step with the rhythm of the extraordinary progress that enlivens south-east Asia and the world.
A visit to Vietnam provides tourists with a golden opportunity to take advantage of the extraordinary nature with which God endowed this country. Tourists will also meet its people who are well known for their courage, intelligence, creativity and generosity.
General information
The territory of Vietnam has the shape of the letter S. It is situated to the east of the peninsula of Indochina in the Asian southeast, a sinuous earth strip, enlarging somewhat to the north and to the south, with an area of 330 170 km². Its coasts, extend to some 3 000 km. Vietnam has common borders with China to the north and with Laos and Cambodia to the west.
Vast surfaces of plains are situated in the basins of the red stream and Lou and Jay streams in the north of the country. Their waters run from the northwest towards the southeast and end up in the Gulf of Bak Bou. From ancient times, Vietnamese residents in the northern regions concentrated their dwellings and activities very close to the Streams.
To the south of Vietnam, the Mekong splits up into nine rivers; the earth is reputed for its fertility and it is the greenest zone in the country.
The narrow strip of Vietnamese territory that joins the north to the south, is limited in the west by the mountains Trung Soon and a large number of short streams that flow towards the sea. The climate in this zone is rough and the area is prone to natural disasters.
Internationally renowned beaches
With coasts stretching 3 000 km, the tourist can benefit from the most beautiful beaches in the world, the most important being Gulf Ha Loueng. There are more than 3 000 small mountains on the coast, all registered by UNESCO as a universal heritage of humanity. Vietnam also has lush forests, exotic plants, flowers, as well very high mountains where the pleasant climate attracts visitors. There are also caves, lakes, waterfalls and rivers ideal for water sports.
The population of Vietnam has risen to 81 millions inhabitants, half of whom are women. There are 54 ethnic groups - the Viets or Kineh make up 88% of the population. Most of them live in the Red Stream, in the central inshore regions, in the Mekong Delta and in the big cities.
Multi-Ethnic Cultures
As a consequence of this ethnic plurality, one finds several cultures, traditions, customs and life styles, since every ethnic group is careful to preserve its heritage. However, all this plurality eventually integrates into a common entity: the Vietnamese. They have shown their unity in the past when they rose up as one against colonizers and aggressors. Today one sees the solidarity of the entire Vietnamese people in the battle of construction, development and progress.
For centuries most Vietnamese spoke the Han language, an old Chinese language. But, this valorous people wanted to affirm their identity by creating their own language, Vietnamese which imitates the original Chinese writing.
Vietnam, its tourism and its peoples are a special, exciting world. It is a combination of the steel will, the soft smile, generosity, the natural beauty and the multicultural society. A visit to this country is filled with excitement and suspense of a special kind. We hope to experience this soon during our visit to ASEAN countries. | 
