Vietnam, devastated during the internecine conflict and US military intervention, for a long time remained out of sight of the world community due to his poverty. Now, fortunately, this country has begun to slowly but very confidently develop industry and tourism, gradually gaining a place under the sun.
Facts about Vietnam
- The name of the country is literally translated from Vietnamese means “Southern Viet”, where “Viet” — this is the name of the titular nation.
- Ancient states existed on the modern lands of Vietnam as early as the 1st millennium BC
- Vietnamese judges consider cases in all processes together with a council of people’s assessors from 5- 9 people. There are about 10,000 such councils nationwide.
- Vietnam has four times as many security forces as military personnel.
- More than 80% of the Vietnamese territory is occupied by mountains of various heights (interesting facts about mountains).
- The largest and deepest rivers of Southeast Asia, the Mekong and Hongha, end their course in Vietnam.
- Scientists predict that by 2100 sea levels could rise by a meter, causing all cities and towns in the Mekong Delta to flood.
- Most Vietnamese ignore the world’s major religions and practice the traditional “cult of ancestors”. Its followers believe that ancestors are somehow magically involved in the life of their descendants, and therefore worship their deceased ancestors.
- Several years ago, Vietnam for the first time became the largest coffee exporter on the planet, surpassing the permanent leader, Brazil, in this parameter (interesting facts about Brazil).
- Vietnam has over 93,000 km of roads, but only 10% of them are paved.
- For the most part, the Vietnamese are terrible drivers who completely ignore the rules of the road.
- A train ticket for a foreigner here costs three times more than for local residents.
- Already in the 3rd century, the Vietnamese began to make paper from the bark and leaves of the tree of paradise, as well as from seaweed (interesting facts about algae).
- In ancient times, the Vietnamese considered their patron ancestor the dragon, who was also revered as the master of the water element.
- There are many traditional dances in Vietnam, each of which has a special meaning and rules of performance: in particular, the Vietnamese perform the dance of living chess pieces, the New Year’s unicorn dance, the plow dance, the rowing dance and the dance of praying for rain.
- Before In the middle of the 20th century, polygamy was very popular in Vietnam for many centuries.
- Over 70 years of participating in the Olympics, Vietnamese athletes have won two silver medals: one each in taekwondo and weightlifting.
- According to According to a popular local legend, the Vietnamese were the fruit of the union of a dragon and a fairy bird.
- Not far from the Vietnamese city of Da Nang, there is the longest cable car on the planet.
- If you look at the territory of Vietnam from a great height, its shape will resemble the letter S. Locals prefer the theory that their country resembles a yoke with two baskets of rice (interesting facts about rice).
- The most common Vietnamese surname is Nguyen. According to rough estimates, about 40% of the inhabitants of Vietnam are its carriers.