Vietnam

Vietnam is a Southeast Asian country on the South China Sea known for its beaches, rivers, Buddhist pagodas and bustling cities. Hanoi, the capital, pays homage to the nation’s iconic Communist-era leader, Ho Chi Minh, via a huge marble mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) has French colonial landmarks, plus Vietnamese War history museums and the Củ Chi tunnels, used by Viet Cong soldiers.

History
Vietnam has a history of tribes uniting to form strong dynasties. ... In 1893 the French incorporated Vietnam into French Indochina. France continued to rule until it was defeated by communist forces led by Ho Chi Minh in 1954. The country became divided into Communist North Vietnam and the anti-Communist South.

Government
The Government is still Communist by name. However, the socialist system has been almost entirely disbanded. Free speech is still frowned upon, but as long as the general populist is getting rich, no one cares. This is the basic People's Congress setup like Chinas, but without so much bureaucracy. The only state company is Vietnam Oil, which provides space and workers for SovOil refineries from Hoi An to Phon Thiet.

Geography
Vietnam is located on the eastern margin of the Indochinese peninsula and occupies about 331,211.6 square kilometers, of which about 25% was under cultivation in 1987. It borders the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and Pacific Ocean, along with China, Laos, and Cambodia. The elongated roughly S shaped country has a north-to-south distance of 1,650 km (1,030 mi) and is about 50 km (31 mi) wide at the narrowest point. With a coastline of 3,260 km (2,030 mi), excluding islands, Vietnam claims 12 nautical miles (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) as the limit of its territorial waters, an additional 12 nautical miles (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) as a contiguous customs and security zone. It has an exclusive economic zone of 417,663 km2 (161,261 sq mi) with 200 nautical miles (370.4 km; 230.2 mi).

The boundary with Laos, was settled on both an ethnic and geographical basis, between the rulers of Vietnam and Laos in the mid-seventeenth century. The Annamite Range as a reference, was formally defined by a delimitation treaty signed in 1977 and ratified in 1986. The frontier with Cambodia, defined at the time of French annexation of the western part of the Mekong Delta in 1867, remained essentially unchanged, according to Hanoi, until some unresolved border issues were finally settled in the 1982-85 period. The land and sea boundary with China, delineated under the France-China treaties of 1887 and 1895, is "the frontier line" accepted by Hanoi. China agreed in 1957-58 to respect that border line. However, in February 1979, following the Sino-Vietnamese War, Hanoi complained that from 1957 onward China had provoked numerous border incidents as part of its anti-Vietnam policy and expansionist designs in Southeast Asia. Among the territorial infringements cited was the Chinese occupation in January 1974 of the Paracel Islands, claimed by both countries in a dispute left unresolved in the 1980s.

Society
Vietnamese society has traditionally revolved around loose-knit villages and patriarchal extended families and clans that worshiped their ancestors back nine generation or more. ... In Vietnam these are very much based upon age and status. This derives from Confucianism, which emphasizes social order.

Ho Chi Minh City - 10.4 Million
Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam with a population of around 10,408,400 people. As was the case with the city of Can Tho, Ho Chi Minh City was also under Cambodian control until it was annexed by Vietnam in the late 17th Century. Ho Chi Minh City was the capital of the French colony of Cochinchina (1862-1949) and then later the capital of South Vietnam (1955-75). Similar to Ha Noi, Ho Chin Minh City is also a independent municipality and is a special class type city. During the Vietnam war Ho Chi Minh City was known as Saigon. The Battle of Saigon in 1968 during the Tet Offensive was a key point in the war. In April of 1975 North Vietnam captured Saigon and in 1976 when the country was officially reunified, the city was renamed after Ho Chi Minh. Ho Chi Minh City has a coast with the South China Sea to its south and is a large city, covering around 0.63% of Vietnam's land. Over 90% of Ho Chi Minh City's population are Vietnamese, but the city is the location of the largest Chinese community in the country. The city is the economic powerhouse of Vietnam, accounting for close to 20% of the entire country's GDP, and 28% of its industrial output. The city is also the biggest tourist draw in the country, with estimates that 70% of tourist visit the city due to its mix of French colonial buildings, various historical structures, museums, restaurants and more.

Ha Noi - 9 Million
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is known for its centuries-old architecture and a rich culture with Southeast Asian, Chinese and French influences. At its heart is the chaotic Old Quarter, where the narrow streets are roughly arranged by trade. There are many little temples, including Bach Ma, honoring a legendary horse, plus Đồng Xuân Market, selling household goods and street food.

Hai Phong - 2.4 Million
Hai Phong is a major port city in northeastern Vietnam, across from Cat Ba Island. Its leafy boulevards are lined with French colonial–era landmarks such as the neoclassical Opera House and Queen of the Rosary cathedral, dating to the 19th century. Hai Phong is also home to Du Hang Pagoda, an elaborate Buddhist temple, and Hai Phong Museum, which explores the city's long history.