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Vi那tNam＊s northern terrain is mostly mountainous or hilly, with some highland areas covered
by a thick green blanket of jungle, about half the total land area. |
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The Red River Delta and coastal plains in the lowland part of the North are heavily
populated and intensively cultivated almost entirely by rice fields. The Red River valley is a geological transform -
the collision of India and Eurasia tectonic plates. |
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Much of this Delta region is seasonally flooded, a complex network of dikes and levees help
to prevent serious flood damage. |
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The southern part of Vi那tNam is dominated by the estuary of the Mekong River system and is
low, flat, and frequently marshy. The rich soil in the Mekong Delta is the most fertile in the country. |
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Areas immediately north and east of Ho Chi Minh City in the Mekong Delta are much more
varied 每 with low-lying tropical rain forest, upland forest, and the rugged Annamite Mountain chain. |
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Location: |
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South-eastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and
South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia. |
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Geographic coordinates: |
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103.08E/8.3N - 108.00E/23.80 N |
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Map references: |
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Southeast Asia. |
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Area: |
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Total: 329,560 sq km
Land: 325,360
sq km
Water: 4,200 sq km |
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Area - comparative: |
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slightly larger than New Mexico. |
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Land boundaries: |
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Total: 4,639 km
Border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km,
Laos 2,130 km |
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Coastline: |
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3,444 km (excluding islands). |
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Maritime claims: |
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Contiguous zone: 24 Nautical Miles
Territorial sea: 12 Nautical Miles
Continental shelf: 200 Nautical Miles or to the edge of the continental margin
Exclusive economic zone: 200
Nautical Miles |
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Terrain: |
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Low, flat delta in south and north;
central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest. |
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Elevation extremes: |
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Lowest point: South China Sea 0 metres
Highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144
metres |
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Geography - note: |
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extending 1,650 kilometres north to south, the country is only 50 km across
at its narrowest point. |
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Climate |
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Vi那tNam's climate is as enigmatic as the country and it's peoples. |
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In the north, a hot rainy season prevails from May through September. The
average temperature in Ha Noi is about 86F during this period, with very high humidity. At times heavy summer rains
cause some sections of the city to flood temporarily due to the lack of proper drainage. |
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During the cooler, dry season in the north from December to March, the
average temperature is 68F, with overnight minimums sometimes around 40-42F. Due to the lack of heating in most shops
and offices during the dry season, it will feel considerably colder. |
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In the south, Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta experience a year-round
hot and humid tropical climate with daily temperatures normally exceeding 88F. |
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The rainy season lasts from April/May to November, with heavy rains adding
to the oppressive heat and humidity. The rainy season in Da Nang and Hue in the centre of the country lasts from
October to March. |
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