similar to the reverse shape of California and is smaller than that state.
Total land area of the whole country, north and south, is approximately 127,000 square miles. South Vietnam is about 65,000 square miles, a little smaller than the state of Washington. North Vietnam makes up the remaining 62,000 square miles.
Description
Vietnam is a land of diversity. In this beautiful country, one may find mountains; plains alternating with deep valleys; cultivated green fields; and sparsely settled savanna lands. Even small areas of land resembling deserts are found in Vietnam. About half of the country is jungle, with 80 per cent of the land covered with trees and bushes.
Central Vietnam is characterized by a chain of mountains, ranging in height from 3,500 to 10,000 feet.
One of the most common Vietnamese descriptions of their country, is that it looks like a bamboo pole holding a bucket of rice on each end.
Lush rice lands are found both in the delta of South Vietnam along the Mekong river, and in North Vietnam along the delta of the Red River. Consequently, this is why it is described as a bamboo pole with two big rice bowls on each end of the country. The pole is the long, slender part of Vietnam characterized by the mountain ranges.
Central Vietnam does not enjoy the fertile lands that are found in the north and south. It is like a long irregular corridor joining the north and south. Made up of small hill plains and mountains, it is drained by relatively short streams.
There are many picturesque scenes and enjoyable cities in Central Vietnam including the most important city of the south, Saigon.
In sharp contrast with the deltas displaying seasonal crops are the tropical forests, providing a natural habitat for countless wild animals.
In the central area of the country, which is not suitable for agriculture, rubber plantations abound in the rich volcanic soil.
Population
The population range for South Vietnam is 15 to 16 million people. In the north, it is 16 to 17 million.
The majority of people in Vietnam live in the rice-producing regions. The Red River delta in North Vietnam is more heavily populated than the delta region of the Mekong in the south. As many as 1,000 to 3,000 people may live on one square mile of land in the Red River delta. Figures for the southern delta show between 200 to 500 people residing on one square mile of land. In the mountain regions of Vietnam, as few as five or six people may live on a square mile of land.
Hydrography
The principal river of North Vietnam is the Red River (Son Hong Ha) which begins in the Yunnan province of China and flows through North Vietnam spreading into a delta before emptying into the Gulf of Tonkin. It is sometimes called the "mother river" because its alluvium fertilizes the lands of North Vietnam. Other rivers are the Clear River (Lo-Giang) and the Black River (Da-Giang). Main streams are the Day, the River of Nam-Dinh, the Canal of Rapids and the Canal of Bamboos.
The Red River delta is joined to another, the Song Tai-Binh which is made up of the three united rivers, the Cau, Thuong, and Luc-Nam.
The best-known river in the Central region is the Perfume River in Hue province. Other small rivers abound in this area including the Ca, Ma, Gianh, Thu Bon, Tra-Khuc, and Da-Rang.
By far the most important river in the southern part of the country is the huge Mekong, which winds over 2,500 miles from the highlands in Tibet to the South China Sea. The entire delta region of South Vietnam is furrowed by many streams, tributaries of larger rivers and numerous canals which make up an excellent network for navigation and irrigation.
Some of the other rivers and streams in the south are the Dong Na (splits into the Donnai and River of Saigon); the Vam-Co and the branches of the Mekong, Tien-Giang (upper river) and the Hau-Giang (lower river).
Climate
The climate of Vietnam, just as its geography, is subject to many variations.
North Vietnam
The climate in the north is very similar to that of southern China. It is characterized by great seasonal differences in temperature, and sudden changes are not uncommon.
There are two main seasons in North Vietnam, winter and summer. Winter generally lasts from November to April with rather pleasant cool weather. The average temperature in this season is about 60°F. This season is usually rather dry. The summer season begins in May and lasts till October. It is a time of tremendous heat, heavy rainfall, and typhoons. The average temperatures range between 86° and 89°F. The daily temperatures may run in the 90's during this season.
South Vietnam
The south has a monsoon climate with rather consistent average temperatures of between 77° and 86°. There are two main seasons—wet and dry. The dry season lasts from November to April with barely a day of rain and then changes to the rainy season which lasts from May to October.
November is usually the month of transition. There is an exception to this in the region of Phan Thiet to Phan Rang where the rains come from September to December. Typhoons are common along the coast between July and November.
The hottest and most unpleasant time in South Vietnam is generally between February and April when the atmosphere is humid and the many storms seldom break into a cooling rain.
In Central Vietnam, the climate is a transition between the climates of the north and south.
HOTTEST MONTHS
| North Vietnam | June, July, and August. |
| South Vietnam | March, April, and May. |
AVERAGE ANNUAL TEMPERATURES
| Saigon | Between 77° and 86°. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Saigon was 57°. Mean maximum temperature is approximately 95° in April. Mean minimum—approximately 70° in January. |
| Dalat | Temperatures here are considerably lower with a 60-70 0 range in winter. The highs and lows for the year are around 80° and 40°. Ideal weather is from November to March, during the dry season. |
| Hue | Between 68° and 86°. |
| Hanoi | Between 63° and 86°. |
Rainfall
Rainfall in Vietnam is heavy. The yearly average is about 59 inches. The maximum annual amount of rain is usually registered at Hue where it often reaches 110 inches. At Hanoi, the rains begin at the end of May and reach their height in August, with 14 inches for that month. The dryest region is Gap Padaran where the yearly amount is only three inches.
Saigon's monthly rainfall average during the rainy season is approximately 50 inches.
WILDLIFE
Flora
As in all tropical countries, Vietnam has a range of plants that vary from those of great beauty
