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General Info |
| Geography |
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Vietnam covers and area off 330.363 sq.
km and is about as big as Italy or New Mexico. The country has three main
geographic regions - the tropical south dominated by the Mekong River
estuary, the dry central region, and the more temperate north comprising
the Red River delta and mountain highlands.
The estuary of the Mekong River system
in the southern part of Vietnam is flood prone and tens to be low lying,
flat and frequently marshy. However, the rich soil in the Mekong Delta
makes it the most fertile in the country, particularly for rice cultivation.
The area immediately north and east of Ho Chi Minh City is much more varied
low-lying tropical rain forest, upland forest, and the rugged terrain
of the Annamite Mountain chain.
Most of Northern Vietnam is mountainous
or hilly. A thick canopy of jungle covers the rugged highland areas. The
lowlands consist principally of the Red River Delta and coastal plains,
which extend northeast and south from the delta. Heavily populated and
intensively cultivated, the lowlands are almost entirely covered by rive
fields. Much of the delta region is seasonally flooded; a complex network
of dikes and levees prevents serious flood damage.
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