China borders it to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, the East Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the east and south. The country’s total length from north to south is 1,650km. Its width, stretching from east to west, is 600km at the widest point in the north, 400km in the south, and 50km at the narrowest part, in the centre, in Quang Binh Province. The coastline is 3,260km long and
the inland border is 4,510km. Vietnam is capped by two delta regions at either end of the country - the Red River in the North and Mekong (Cuu Long) in the South, connected by a fertile strip of Central Highlands and the extensive Truong Son Range. Its capital, Hanoi, is situated on the Red River delta. The second largest administrative city, Ho Chi Minh City, is located on the banks of Saigon River in the south. The total population of Vietnam is over 83 million (as of 2005), of which Vietnamese (Kinh) ethnicity makes up more than 85 per cent, along with 53 ethnic minority groups. Buddhism and Catholicism are Vietnam’s dominant religions, along with other religions, such as Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Protestantism and Muslim. Traditional Vietnamese handicraft has a long history and a diverse range of products, which have become well-known at home and abroad. Today, some handicraft industries are still preserved and developed, offering jobs and incomes to many laborers and contributing to exports, like ceramics, silk weaving, lacquer making, rattan & bamboo weaving, conical hat making, bronze casting and woodworking etc. Amongst traditional crafts, the most salient are Ceramics, Silk, Rattan and bamboo weaving. Vietnam is especially renowned for its finely crafted lacquer objects. Both beautiful and durable, they include wall paintings, vases, jewelry boxes, trays, chessboards, and folding screens. Along with our fine ceramics and delicately embroidered fabrics, these products have captured the imagination of our visitors from abroad. Travel opportunities within Vietnam are plentiful. Within Hanoi itself, cultural and historical remnants reveal a rich past replete with heroic legacies. World famous Halong Bay in Quang Ninh province is a short 2 hours from the city; its jade-like waters hold 1,969 islands. Halong Bay and Phong Nha-Ke Bang national park have been recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage site. Hue Imperial City, Hoi An Ancient Town and My Son Sanctuary in Quang Nam province have each been declared by UNESCO as World Cultural Heritage sites. Nha nhac (the Royal Refined Music) of Hue and the Central Highland gong culture were recognized by UNESCO as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”.
