Page+2+Vietnam

=Geographical Information=

Map of Vietnam 1999
[|www.askasia.com]

__Absolute Location:__ 16 degrees N; 106 degrees E
==__Brief history__: The Vietnamese descended from the Mongols from China and migrants from Indonesia. The country's first ruler was Hung Vuong, who founded it and diveded it up into three regions in 2879 BC. China had power over the new country and called the nation Nam Viet. In the fifteenth century, the French conquered Nam Viet and took control over its government. They unified the three parts and named the country Vietnam. But after World War Two, Vietnam declared their independence from France when the communist forces under Ho Chi Minh defeated them. Not long after the war, Vietnam was involved in another international conflict, the Cold or Vietnam war. The north section of Vietnam was allied with the Soviet Union and the south had formed an alliance with the United States.After many Vietnamese deaths, the US withdrew from Vietnam and the war ended. Vietnam suffered economicly in the 1980's due to political repression because they were a communist country. Currently, Vietnam is enjoying some economic growth, though reports of corruption in the country have risen.== Info adapted from http://tps.dpi.state.nc.us/connectasia/Vietnam/vietnam_history.htm

=Economic Information=

__Agriculture:__ Some crops grown in Vietnam are //cotton//, paddy rice, rubber, tea, pepper, soybeans, cashews and //sugar cane.//
Cotton [|www.earth-wear.com] //.// Sugar Cane [|www.calibercreations.org]

__Natural Resources__: Some inportant natural resources found in Vietnam are phosphates, manganese, chromate,oil, natural gas, and //coal//.
Coal [|www.mii.org]

__Current Enviromental Issues:__ Some enviromental issues that are going on in Vietnam are //soil// //degradation, water pollution//, and ground water contamination.
Soil degradation [|cattle_2.jpg|www.alfredhartemink.nl/.../ Erosion_ cattle_2.jpg] Water pollution [|**www.env.go.jp/en/wpaper/ 1995/eae240000000005.html**]

Page 3 Vietnam