Vietnam

Vietnam is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula. With an estimated 96.46 million inhabitants as of 2016, it is the 15th most popular country in the world. Vietnam is bordered by China to the north,  Laos, and  Cambodia to the west, part of  Thailand to the southwest, and the  Philippines,  Malaysia, and  Indonesia across the South China Sea to the east and southeast.

Appearance
Vietnam often appears in a yellow-red hoodie and simple jeans (depends on person). Sometimes he/she can be seen wearing Ao Dai (Vietnam's traditional outfit)

Personality
Patriotic, Nationalist, Aggressive (when alert), Confident, Stubborn (sometimes),... are some of the words to describe Vietnam.

Likes

 * Eating Pho/ Vietnamese traditional food
 * Hang out with friends
 * President Ho Chi Minh
 * Freedom
 * Trying or inventing unique things

Dislikes

 * Invaders
 * Discrimination between 2 regions (North and South)
 * Being prompted
 * China (sometimes)

Flag meaning
Vietnam's flag is quite simple, a yellow star on a red background. The meaning of Vietnam's flag flies in the five-pointed star which stands for the five primary classes in the society at the time: the scholars, the peasants, the artisans/craftsmen, the traders, and the military. As for the red color of the background, it symbolizes the fights and victories in the wars throughout the history of Vietnam. Another meaning of it is to remember the Vietnamese soldiers who sacrificed themselves to protect the peace and independence of the country.

Origin of languages
Vietnamese contains a lot of words adopted from the languages of China as a result of centuries during which Vietnam was part of the Chinese Empire and as a result of trade and cultural ties of the Vietnamese with the Chinese.

Other Symbols

 * Animal: Water buffalo
 * Bird: Tiger shrike/ Thick-billed shrike
 * Flower: Pink lotus
 * Tree: Bamboo
 * Outfit: Áo dài

Nicknames

 * The Land of Blue Dragon

Ancient Vietnam
Vietnam's recorded history dates back to the mid-to-late 3rd century BC when Âu Lạc and Nanyue (Nam Việt in Vietnamese) were established (Nanyue conquered Âu Lạc in 179 BC). Northern Vietnam was since the late third millennium BC populated by early farming communities, that had expanded from the original centers of rice and millet domestication in the Yangzi and Yellow River valleys. The Red River valley formed a natural geographic and economic unit, bounded to the north and west by mountains and jungles, to the east by the sea and the south by the Red River Delta. According to legends, the first Vietnamese state was founded in 2879 BC, but archaeological studies suggest development towards chiefdoms during the late Bronze Age Đông Sơn culture.

Chinese Domination
Vietnam's peculiar geography made it a difficult country to attack, which is why Vietnam under the Hùng kings was for so long an independent and self-contained state. Once Vietnam did succumb to foreign rule, however, it proved unable to escape from it, and for 1,000 years, Vietnam was successively governed by a series of Chinese dynasties: the Han, Eastern Wu, Jin, Liu Song, Southern Qi, Liang, Sui, Tang, and Southern Han. During these 1,000 years, there were many uprisings against Chinese domination, and at certain periods Vietnam was independently governed under the Triệus, Trưng Sisters, Early Lýs, Khúcs, and Dương Đình Nghệ—although their triumphs and reigns were temporary.

During the Chinese domination of northern Vietnam, several civilizations flourished in what is today central and south Vietnam, particularly the Finance and Cham. The founders and rulers of these governments, however, were not native to Vietnam. From the 10th century onwards, the Vietnamese, emerging in their heartland of the Red River Delta, began to conquer these civilizations.

Đại Việt Empire
When Ngô Quyền (King of Vietnam, 938–944) restored sovereign power in the country, the next millennium was advanced by the accomplishments of successive dynasties: Ngôs, Đinhs, Early Lês, Lýs, Trầns, Hồs, Later Trầns, Later Lês, Mạcs, Trịnhs, Nguyễns, Tây Sơns and again Nguyễns. At various points during the imperial dynasties, Vietnam was ravaged and divided by civil wars and witnessed interventions by the Songs, Mongol Yuans, Chams, Mings, Siam, Manchus.

During this time, the Đại Việt Empire conquered Champa and annexed most of its territory which is now central and southern Vietnam.

French Indochina
The French launched their first major attack the port of Đà Nẵng and captured Sài Gòn in 1859 and extended their control to Laos and Cambodia, forming French Indochina.

The French Empire reduced Vietnam to a French dependency for nearly a century, followed by occupation by the Japanese Empire. Political upheaval and Communist insurrection put an end to the monarchy after World War II, and the country was proclaimed a republic.

In September 1945, Hồ Chí Minh proclaimed the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) and held the position of the chairman (Chủ Tịch). Communist rule was cut short, however, by nationalist Chinese and British occupation forces whose presence tended to support the Communist Party's political opponents. In 1946, Vietnam had its first National Assembly election (won by the Viet Minh in central and northern Vietnam, which drafted the first constitution, but the situation was still precarious: the French tried to regain power by force; some Cochinchinese politicians formed a seceding government the Republic of Cochinchina (Cộng hòa Nam Kỳ) while the non-Communist and Communist forces were engaging each other in sporadic battle. Stalinists purged Trotskyists. Religious sects and resistance groups formed their militias. The Communists eventually suppressed all non-Communist parties but failed to secure a peace deal with France.

Full-scale war broke out between the Việt Minh and France in late 1946 and the First Indochina War officially began. Realizing that colonialism was coming to an end worldwide, France decided to bring former emperor Bảo Đại back to power, as a political alternative to Ho Chi Minh. A Provisional Central Government was formed in 1948, reuniting Annam and Tonkin, but the complete reunification of Vietnam was delayed for a year because of the problems posed by Cochinchina's legal status. In July 1949, the State of Vietnam was officially proclaimed, as a semi-independent country within the French Union, with Bảo Đại as Head of State. France was finally persuaded to relinquish its colonies in Indochina in 1954 when Viet Minh forces defeated the French at Dien Bien Phu. The 1954 Geneva Conference left Vietnam a divided nation, with Hồ Chí Minh's communist DRV government ruling the North from Hanoi and Ngô Đình Diệm's Republic of Vietnam, supported by the United States, ruling the South from Saigon. Between 1953 and 1956, the North Vietnamese government instituted various agrarian reforms, including "rent reduction" and "land reform", which resulted in significant political oppression. During the land reform, testimony from North Vietnamese witnesses suggested a ratio of one execution for every 160 village residents, which extrapolated nationwide would indicate nearly 100,000 executions. Because the campaign was concentrated mainly in the Red River Delta area, a lower estimate of 50,000 executions became widely accepted by scholars at the time. However, declassified documents from the Vietnamese and Hungarian archives indicate that the number of executions was much lower than reported at the time, although likely greater than 13,500. In the South, Diem went about crushing political and religious opposition, imprisoning or killing tens of thousands.

Vietnam War
Along with the split between northern and southern Vietnam in the geographical territory came the divergence in their distinctive choices for institutional political structure. Northern Vietnam (Dai Viet) opted for a centralized bureaucratic regime while the southern is based on a patron-client mechanism heavily relied on a personalized rule. During this period, due to this structural difference, the north and south revealed different patterns in their economic activities, the long-term effect of which persist up to today. Citizens that have previously lived in the bureaucratic state are more likely to have higher household consumption and get more engaged in civic activities; the state itself tends to have a stronger fiscal capacity for taxation inherited from the previous institution.

As a result of the Vietnam (Second Indochina) War (1954–75), Viet Cong and regular People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces of the DRV unified the country under communist rule. In this conflict, the North and the Viet Cong—with logistical support from the Soviet Union—defeated the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, which sought to maintain South Vietnamese independence with the support of the U.S. military, whose troop strength peaked at 540,000 during the communist-led Tet Offensive in 1968. The North did not abide by the terms of the 1973 Paris Agreement, which officially settled the war by calling for free elections in the South and peaceful reunification. Two years after the withdrawal of the last U.S. forces in 1973, Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, fell to the communists, and the South Vietnamese army surrendered in 1975. In 1976, the government of united Vietnam renamed Saigon as Hồ Chí Minh City in honor of Hồ, who died in 1969. The war left Vietnam devastated, with the total death toll standing at between 966,000 and 3.8 million, and many thousands more crippled by weapons and substances such as napalm and Agent Orange. The government of Vietnam says that 4 million of its citizens were exposed to Agent Orange, and as many as 3 million have suffered illnesses because of it; these figures include the children of people who were exposed. The Red Cross of Vietnam estimates that up to 1 million people are disabled or have health problems due to contaminated Agent Orange. The United States government has challenged these figures as being unreliable.

Post-Vietnam War
In the post-1975 period, it was immediately apparent that the effectiveness of the Communist Party (CPV) policies did not necessarily extend to the party's peacetime nation-building plans. Having unified North and South politically, the CPV still had to integrate them socially and economically. In this task, CPV policymakers were confronted with the South's resistance to communist transformation, as well as traditional animosities arising from cultural and historical differences between North and South. In the aftermath of the war, under Lê Duẩn's administration, there were no mass executions of South Vietnamese who had collaborated with the U.S. or the Saigon government, confounding Western fears. However, up to 300,000 South Vietnamese were sent to re-education camps, where many endured torture, starvation, and disease while being forced to perform hard labor. The New Economic Zones program was implemented by the Vietnamese communist government after the Fall of Saigon. Between 1975 and 1980, more than 1 million northerners migrated to the south and central regions formerly under the Republic of Vietnam. This program, in turn, displaced around 750,000 to over 1 million Southerners from their homes and forcibly relocated them to uninhabited mountainous forested areas.

Cambodian - Vietnamese War
Compounding economic difficulties were new military challenges. In the late 1970s, Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge regime started harassing and raiding Vietnamese villages at the common border. To neutralize the threat, PAVN invaded Cambodia in 1978 and overran its capital of Phnom Penh, driving out the incumbent Khmer Rouge regime.

During its prolonged military occupation of Cambodia in 1979–89, Vietnam's international isolation extended to relations with the United States. The United States, in addition to citing Vietnam's minimal cooperation in accounting for Americans who were missing in action (MIAs) as an obstacle to normal relations, barred normal ties as long as Vietnamese troops occupied Cambodia. Washington also continued to enforce the trade embargo imposed on Hanoi after the war in 1975.

Sino-Vietnamese War
In response to Vietnam's involvement in Cambodia, as an action to support the pro-Beijing Khmer Rouge regime, China increased its pressure on Vietnam and sent troops into Northern Vietnam in 1979 to "punish" Vietnam. China was also displeased with the Vietnam alliance with the Soviet Union as relations between the two countries had been deteriorating for some time. Territorial disagreements along the border and in the South China Sea that had remained dormant during the Vietnam War were revived at the war's end, and a postwar campaign engineered by Hanoi against the ethnic Chinese Hoa community elicited a strong protest from Beijing.

Đổi Mới Period
Đổi Mới was an economic reform program that involved some of the most influential high-ranking political of Vietnam during the mid-1980s.

Before the Đổi Mới period, Vietnam was suffering an economic crisis with inflation soared over 700%, economic growth slowed down, export revenues covered less than the import revenues, and Soviet aid decreased, causing Vietnam to be even more isolated.

During the Đổi Mới Period, the Vietnamese Government relaxed restrictions on private enterprise and released many labor camp prisoners, many of them were entrepreneurs. Vietnam's centralized economy to a "socialist-oriented market economy." Doi Moi combined government planning with free-market incentives. The program abolished agricultural collectives, removed price controls on agricultural goods, and enabled farmers to sell their goods in the marketplace. It encouraged the establishment of private businesses and foreign investment, including foreign-owned enterprises.

The reform also s included the decentralizing the government, devaluing the dong, ending price controls, encouraging the establishment of private businesses, freeing markets, disbanding collective farms, giving land titles to farmers, relaxing regulations for foreign investors, streamlining the bureaucracy, closing down inefficient government monopolies and opening up farming and small service industries to individuals and families.

By the late 1990s, the success of the business and agricultural reforms ushered in under Doi Moi was evident. More than 30,000 private businesses had been created, and the economy was growing at an annual rate of more than 7%. From the early 1990s to 2005, poverty declined from about 50% to 29% of the population. However, progress varied geographically, with most prosperity concentrated in urban areas, particularly in and around Ho Chi Minh City. In general, rural areas also made progress, as rural households living in poverty declined from 66% of the total in 1993 to 36% in 2002. By contrast, concentrations of poverty remained in certain rural areas, particularly the northwest, north-central coast, and central highlands.

Government

 * Unitary Marxist–Leninist one-party socialist republic

Diplomacy
Africa: Americas: Asia: Europe: Oceania:
 * Algeria
 * Angola
 * Botswana
 * Burkina
 * Faso Burundi
 * Cape Verde
 * Central Africa Republic
 * Comoros
 * Dijibouti
 * Guinea-Bissau
 * Kenya
 * Lesotho
 * Madagascar
 * Mauritania
 * Mauritius
 * Sao Tome and Principe
 * Antigua and Barbuda
 * Argentina
 * Belize
 * Brazil
 * Canada
 * Chile
 * Colombia
 * Cuba
 * Dominica
 * El Salvador
 * Grenada
 * Guyana
 * Mexico
 * Peru
 * Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
 * Suriname
 * United States
 * Uruguay
 * Venezuela
 * Afghanistan
 * Armenia
 * Bahrain
 * Bangladesh
 * Bhutan
 * Brunei
 * Cambodia
 * China
 * Georgia
 * India
 * Indonesia
 * Iran
 * Iraq
 * Israel
 * Japan
 * Laos
 * Malaysia
 * Mongolia
 * Myanmar
 * North Korea
 * Pakistan
 * Philippines
 * Qatar
 * Saudi Arabia
 * Singapore
 * South Korea
 * Taiwan
 * Thailand
 * Turkey
 * United Arab Emirates
 * Uzbekistan
 * Albania
 * Belarus
 * Bulgaria
 * Czech Republic
 * Denmark
 * Finland
 * France
 * Germany
 * Greece
 * Vatican City
 * Hungary
 * Italy
 * Luxembourg
 * Moldova
 * Netherlands
 * North Macedonia
 * Poland
 * Portugal
 * Russia
 * Serbia
 * Slovakia
 * Spain
 * Sweden
 * Switzerland
 * Ukraine
 * United Kingdom
 * Australia
 * Fiji
 * New Zealand
 * Papua New Guinea
 * Samoa
 * Solomon Islands
 * Vanuatu

Geography
Vietnam occupies approximately 331,211.6 square kilometers and shares borders with the Gulf of Thailand, the Gulf of Tokin, and the Pacific Ocean along with China, Laos, and Cambodia. The S-shaped country has a total distance from north to south is 1,650 kilometers (1,030 miles) and is 50 kilometers (31 miles) wide at the narrowest point.

Vietnam is divided into eight regions, the highlands and the Red River Delta along with the Dãy Trường Sơn ( Central Mountains or Chaîne Annamitique, simply referred to as the Chaine) in the north, the lowland coastal contains the North Central Coast, South Central Coast and the Central Highlands, the Southeast region and the Mekong River Delta is in the south.

Being located in the tropics and strongly influenced by the South China Sea, Vietnam has a monsoon-influenced tropical climate. The north has a monsoon climate with four distinct seasons; spring, summer, autumn, and winter; while the south has a tropical monsoon climate with only two seasons; rainy and dry.

Family
'The type of relationship shown here is based on factual and controversial relationships and decisions by many. This is only optional'
 * Mongolia — grandfather/stepbrother (depends on the person)
 * Taiwan — aunt/grand aunt (depends on the person)
 * China — father (depends on the point of view)
 * North Korea — stepmother
 * Japan — stepbrother/stepsister
 * Thailand — brother/sister
 * Myanmar — brother/sister
 * Philippines — wife (depends on the person)
 * Cambodia — brother/sister (indirect)
 * Laos — sister/brother
 * Somalia — Lover (depending on person)

Optional
'WARNING: There is controversy about the type of relationship of countries that were former European colonies with the current Western countries. So the following countries are only optional:'
 * France — stepmother/adoptive mother

Friends

 * USSR — "He helped me during and after the Vietnam War. He is a good friend... Rest in peace..."
 * Russia — "We helped each other, he's a nice friend."
 * Laos —"One of my closest friends."
 * Cuba — "COMRADE! My loyal friend! When I needed him he's there for me and when he needs me, I do the same. "
 * ​​​​​​ France — "Since you apologized and fixed your mistakes in our relationship I forgive you but don’t forget what you did to me! We are friends and you help me a lot, so thanks for that! I'll also start helping you back if you need it. I will help rebuild the Notre Dam. I feel bad for you!"
 * Philippines — "My wife/best friend, even though I'm a communist. You still accept me and friend me for who I am. I appreciate that. You even let me join the ASEAN and show me to a lot of people! I cherish you deeply for this"
 * United States — "We are cool partners! I gave him the best lesson of his life to start an unbreakable partnership. He and I can get along smoothly. Please apologize for the Vietnam War!
 * India — "Great friend! Best trading partner and I have to say that I love your Indian soap operas, they're really great!"

Neutral

 * South Korea — ”Great friend. My people love his K-Pop and his products but I won’t forget what your soldiers did to my people back in the Vietnam war. Overall we’re cool now. There’s just tension between us.
 * Japan — "My people loves your anime and products. We both agreed to stay our relations as neutral"
 * North Korea — “We’re just not close as we used to besides, I’m seeing a different side of you that I don’t like”

Enemies

 * China — "You failed to take over me after so many times and still got kick out by me. You did help me during the Vietnam war but then decided to be a huge jerk when you try to take my land! In case you forgot HOÀNG SA (Paracel Islands) AND TRƯỜNG SA (Spratly Islands) IS MINE AND ALWAYS BE MINE!!! "

Past Versions

 * Dainam (Feudal dynasty )
 * French Indochina

China
The countries were enemies until the relationship between them strengthen due to the support of Communism on the North half of the country until it waned due to disputes over the territorial issues and the prolonged border war. In real life and politically they both hate each other.

Cuba
The countries relationship is extremely good! Cuba is Vietnam's best friend. Cuba supported Vietnam in times of war and even now, Cuba willing to help Vietnam, and Vietnam's government appreciates what they did for Vietnam. Fidel Castro - a Cuban revolutionary, politician, and Cuba's president (from 1976 to 2008) said about the Vietnam-Cuba relationship: ''"For Vietnam, we are willing to sacrifice our blood". ''That's not all, because they have more than that. But still, these are enough for their strong friendship.

Philippines
Since the end of the Cold War, relations between the countries have warmed significantly. Vietnam is sometimes referred to as the only communist military ally of the Philippines. The two nations enjoy education, tourism, agriculture, aquaculture, trade, and defense. Both countries have a long history together and still maintain a warm relationship. Both nations have overlapping claims in the Spratlys but have never made military confrontations as both view each other as diplomatic allies and ASEAN close friends.

Trivia

 * Their relationship with China, France, and United States of America are formerly enemies.
 * Vietnam is the number one country in the world in terms of rice exports.
 * 1957 to 1975 saw war between North and South Vietnam. Countries including the United States, Russia, and China, became involved. The country was reunified under a communist regime. The 1990's saw economic progress as a free-market system and trade with the West began again.
 * The currency of Vietnam is called đồng (vnd).
 * Vietnamese food is considered one of the healthiest cuisines in the world with its combination of fresh ingredients like fresh herbs, seafoods, fruits and vegetables along with fish sauce, shrimp paste, soy sauce, rice and more.