"VIETNAM - DOI MOI AT THE EDGE OF ASIA" Vietnam by mtncorg

Vietnam lies along the coast of SE Asia encompassing two large river deltas - the Red to the north and the Mekong to the south - with the coast and mountains lying between. The country is the 13th most populous in the World which since it is the 65th largest in area means there are a lot of people crammed together. At times, it seems that the whole country is one large street village with a few rice fields hidden away out back.
Many people think of Vietnam in terms of the long wars fought here - first against French colonialism and then to unify the country. Something like 500,000 died in the first conflict which lasted from 1946 to 1954. Up to 5 million perished in the second conflict before the country was unified in 1975 under communist rule. Another decade of backward economic progress followed the unification before the policies of Doi Moi - renovation - were announced changing the economy from a centrally-directed economy of Stalinisque mechanistics to a more open socialist-oriented market economy allowing the country to finally begin to regain itself after so many dark years. While still a relatively poor country, Vietnam has made rapid strides since the 1990's - especially after the US embargo was lifted and relations between the two countries were normalized.

The country has much to offer tourists from its unique history to the cultural and topographical beauty that can be discovered throughout its breadth.