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Area:
329,707 sq km
(127,301 sq mi)
Highest
Point:
Fan Si Pan; 3143 m (10,312 ft) above sea
level
Lowest Point
:
Sea level along the
coast
Average
Temperatures:
* Hanoi: January 17° C 62°
F; July 29° C 84° F
* Saigon: January 26° C
79° F; July 27° C 81° F
Average Annual
Precipitation:
Hanoi: 1680 mm (66
in)
Saigon:
1980 mm (78 in)
Location:
On the East coast of the
Indochina Peninsula in SE Asia
Neighbours:
China on North; Laos,
Cambodia on West.
Topography:
Viet Nam
is long and narrow, with a 1,400-mi. coast.
Delta in the S. The rest
consists of semi-arid plateaus and
barren mountains, |
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with some About 24% of country is readily arable, including
the densely settled Red R. valley in the N, narrow coastal
plains in center, and the wide, often marshy Mekong R.
stretches of tropical rain forest.
Land and
Resources:
Viet Nam
occupies the easternmost part of the Indochina Peninsula, a
rugged, elongated S-shaped strip of mountains, coastal plains, and
river deltas.
Physiographic
Regions:
Viet Nam
may be divided into four major regions. In the northwest is the
mountainous southern extension of China's Yunnan Plateau. The
country's highest peak, Fan Si Pan (3143 m/10,312 ft), is located
near the border with China. To the east of the highlands is the Red
River (also known as the Song Hong) delta, a triangularly shaped
lowland along the Gulf of Tonkin (an arm of the South China Sea). To
the south the Anamneses Highlands, which run northwest to southeast,
and an associated coastal plain form the backbone of central Viet
Nam. The fourth and southernmost region is the Mekong River delta, a
depositional area of flat land.
Soils:
The soils of the Red
River and Mekong River deltas, the two major deltas of Viet Nam, are
composed of rich alluvium except where damming for flood control has
altered the stream flow. Soils in the uplands are poor as a result
of leaching of nutrients from the ground by the abundant
rainfall.
Rivers:
The Red
River in the north and the Mekong River in the south are the two
major freshwater streams. The Red flows almost directly southeast
from the northwestern highlands, whereas the Mekong follows an
irregular path from Cambodia, crosses southernmost Viet Nam, and
empties in the South China Sea through a complex network of
distributaries. Both rivers have been lived to prevent flood
damage.
Climate:
Three
basic climate types are found in Viet Nam. In the north, especially
in the interior, the temperatures are subtropical. Shifting seasonal
wind patterns result in dry winters and wet summers. The central and
southeastern areas typify the tropical monsoon climate, with high
temperatures and abundant precipitation. In the southwest, distinct
wet and dry periods are evident, but temperatures are higher than in
the north.
Vegetation and
Animal Life:
Abundant
vegetation exists throughout Viet Nam except where the landscape has
been denuded. Typical mixed stands in the rain forests contain a
wide variety of pines, broadleaf trees, vines, and bamboos. Dense
mangroves bordering the distributaries of the deltas often hinder
access to the water's edge. The tropical rain forests are inhabited
by large mammals such as elephants, deer, bears, tigers, and
leopards. Smaller animals, including monkeys, hares, squirrels, and
otters, are found throughout the country. Reptiles such as
crocodiles, snakes, and lizards, as well as many species of birds,
are also indigenous.
Mineral
Resources:
The
northern highlands of Viet Nam contain valuable minerals, including
iron, anthracite coal, phosphate, zinc, chromites, tin, and appetites.
Petroleum and natural gas deposits lie offshore. |
