VIETNAM CULTURE AND SOCIETY

1. VIETNAM CULTURE AND SOCIETY Huyen Nguyen Jan 2012

2. Vietnam • Au Lac – “country” • An Nam • Nam Viet • Vietnam – the Viets of the South

4. Population: 90,549,390 • Annual population growth rate (2011): 1.077% • Area: 331,698 km2 • Density: 259/km2 • 2nd in GMS; 3rd in ASEAN; 13th in the World Median age total: 27.8 years male:26.8 years female:28.9 years (2011 est.) Source: http://www.indexmundi.com/vietnam/demographics_profile.html

6. 63 provinces and cities • 54 ethnic minority groups • Dominant culture: Kinh • The largest ethnic minority groups include the Hmong, Dao, Tay, Thai, and Nung

7. Red river in the north: 1149km, starts from China, in Vietnam 510 km • Mekong river in the south meet the south china sea: 2 rivers and 220-250 km each – Hau Giang & Tien Giang

9. Socialist Republic of VietnamCộng hòa Xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam Motto: Độc lập – Tự do – Hạnh phúc"Independence – Freedom – Happiness" Party flag National flag Emblem

11. Capital: Hanoi • Largest city: Ho Chi Minh City • Official language: Vietnamese • Official script: Vietnamese Alphabet • Independence: September 2, 1945. • New constitution: April 15, 1992

14. Government structure: • Single-party constitutional republic (Communist Party). • Communist government with a capitalist economy

15. Provincial People’s Council Provincial People’s Committee District People’s Council District People’s Committee Political system The Communist Party of Vietnam National Assembly Government Mass Organisations CPV Province CPV Province MO Province • Fatherland Front • Labour Confederation • Women’s Association • Youth’s Union • Red Cross • Farmer’s Association • Veterans’ Association CPV District CPV District MO District CPVCommune CPVCommune Commune People’s Council Commune People’s Committee MOCommune CPV Village CPV Village MO Village CPV Hamlet CPV Hamlet MO Hamlet

16. Currency: VND Dong • GDP (2010): $102 billion. • Real growth rate (2010): 6.8% • Per capita income (2010): $1,168 Source: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/4130.htm

17. Source: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/4130.htm

18. *Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries rice, coffee, cashews, maize, pepper, sweet potato, pork, peanut, cotton, & seafood products

19. Industry and construction • mining and quarrying • manufacturing • electricity, gas, water supply • cement, phosphate • steel Source: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/4130.htm

20. Services • Tourism • wholesale and retail • repair of vehicles and personal goods • hotel and restaurant • transport storage • telecommunications Source: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/4130.htm

21. Principal exports crude oil garments/textiles Footwear fishery and seafood products rice, pepper, coffee & rubber wood products & handicrafts Trade (2010) • Major export partners • U.S • EU • ASEAN • Japan • China • South Korea. • Major import partners • China • ASEAN • Japan • Taiwan • South Korea • EU Principal imports • machinery • oil and gas • iron and steel • garment materials • plastics Source: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/4130.htm

22. two World Natural Heritage sites: Halong Bay and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park • six World biosphere reserves including: Can Gio Mangrove Forest, Cat Tien, Cat Ba, Kien Giang, Red River Delta, Western Nghe An

23. The Kissing Rocks around 1,553 km2

27. Legend: Lac Long Quan and Au Co

28. History • The early days: earliest human habitation of northern vietnam was about 500,000 years ago • 1000 years of chinese domination: the chinese conquered the red river delta in the 2nd century BC (impose a centralised state system on the vietnamese). Chinese rule ended in AD 938 • The coming of the europeans: the first portuguese sailors came in 1516

29. The French takeover: the France’s military in Vietnam began in 1847 • Independence: 2 September 1945 • Franco-Viet Minh war: 1946-1954 • End of colonial rule: 7 May 1954 • American War: 1960 • Reunification: 1975 • 1986 Doi Moi (Economic reform), the first step towards re-engaging with the West, is launched • 2006: Join WTO

30. Beliefs Land of many gods • Buddhism • Taoism • Confucianism • Cao Dai • Hoa Hao Buddism • Catholics, Christians and Muslims • Ancestor worship

31. Cao Daism • Founded in the early 1920s • a fusion of various religious beliefs-one of the world’s most unusual religions • Two million followers • Headquarter: Tay Ninh, 96km northwest of HCMC

35. Hoa Hao Buddhism • Founded in the Mekong Delta in 1939 • A reformed Buddhism • Based on the common people and embodied in personal faith rather than elaborate rituals • Approximately 1.5 millions

36. Ancestor worship • Before the arrival of Confucianism or Buddism • Based on the belief that soul lives on after death and becomes the protector of its descendants. • The vietnamese worship and honour the spirits of their ancestors regularly, especially on the anniversary of their death

38. Wedding

42. Funeral

45. Family relationships • Three generations • Extended family • Strong sense of collective responsibility and mutual obligation

47. Tet • Tet Nguyen Dan – Lunar New Year • The most significant date in the Vietnamese calendar. It’s a time when families reunite; ancestral spirits are welcomed into the family home • The festival fallssometime between 19 January and 20 February, same dates as Chinese new year. The first three days after new year’s day are the official holidays

48. Lunar calendar 12 zodiacal animals – represent one year in a 12 year cycle

49. New Year’s Day Lunar New Year’s Days Anniversary of the death of Hung Vuong’s King Victory’s Day and Labour’s Day Independence Day Jan 1st - 1 day 4 days April 12th – 1 day April 30 and May 2 – 2 days Sept 2nd – 1 day Public Holiday

50. Source: Lonely planet – Vietnam-9th Edition. Published Aug 2007 by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd