福特
越南(Vietnam)
正式名稱越南社會主義共和國（Socialist republic of Vietnam）
南亞國家。面積331,041平方公里。人口約79,939,000（2001）。首都︰河內。越南人幾乎佔全部人口的90%，少數民族有華人、赫蒙（苗）人、傣（泰）人、高棉人和岱人。語言︰越南語（官方語）、法語、漢語、英語和高棉語。宗教：佛教、道教、儒教、天主教、伊斯蘭教和新教等。貨幣︰新盾。越南國土長約1,650公里，最大寬度340～550公里，最窄56公里。越南北部多山，番西邦山是全國最高峰，高達3,141公尺。紅河為主要的河流，湄公河三角洲位於南越，連線這兩大河流三角洲的是一條狹窄的沿海低地平原，長約1,000公里。森林密佈的安南山脈延伸至越南中西部，約佔越南陸地面積的2/3。北越有豐富的礦產資源，尤以無煙煤和褐煤最重要。在南方近海處蘊藏有石油。重要的糧食作物包括稻米、甘蔗、咖啡、茶和香蕉。其他重要的工業有食品加工、漁業、制鋼以及製取磷酸鹽和磷酸酯。政府形式為社會主義共和國，一院制。國家元首是國家主席，政府首腦為總理。
西元前200年左右，一個有獨特的語言和文化的越南民族開始形成，並建立了獨立的南越王國，西元前1世紀該王國後併入中國。到西元10世紀，越南最終擺脫了中國的統治。15世紀後半期，來自北方的越南人逐漸侵佔南部地區。17世紀初該國分裂為兩部分，北部稱東京，南部稱交趾支那。1802年重新統一。法國經過好幾年的努力試圖在此區擴大殖民，1859年法國奪取了西貢，隨後也控制了其他地區，直到第二次世界大戰。1940～1945年日本侵佔越南；第二次世界大戰結束時，宣告獨立，但遭到法國反對。越南人在第一次印度支那戰爭中與受美國金援的法軍作戰，最後以1954年越南人在奠邊府戰役中的勝利而告終，法國軍隊被撤離越南。同年在日內瓦簽訂條約，以北緯17為臨時分界線，將越南暫時分為兩個部分，北部歸胡志明之下，南部為保大之下。1956年排定的統一選舉遲遲未能舉行，保大於是宣佈南越獨立（越南共和國），同時共產主義在北越成立（越南民主共和國）。北越游擊隊在南越的活動和南越出現親共叛亂導致美國的干預並參與越戰。1973年簽訂停火協議，美國軍隊撤離。不久內戰硝煙再起。1975年北越對南越進攻，南越政府垮臺。1976年南北越實現統一，成立越南社會主義共和國。自1980年代中期，越南政府推行了一系列經濟改革措施，開始同亞洲和西方國家改善關係。1990年代與美國進行正常化關係。
English version：
Vietnam
Nation,South Asia. Area: 127,816 sq mi (331,041 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 75,124,000. Capital: Hanoi. Almost 90% of the total population is Vietnamese; minorities include Chinese,Hmong,Thai,Khmer,and Chan. Languages: Vietnamese (official),French,Chinese,English,Khmer. Religions: Buddhism,Taoism,Confucianism,Roman Catholicism,Islam,Protestantism. Currency: New dong. Vietnam is about 1,025 mi (1,650 km) long,210-340 mi (340-550 km) wide at its widest parts,and 35 mi (56 km) wide at its narrowest part. northern Vietnam is mountainous where Fan-si-pan,the country's highest peak,rises to 10,306 ft (3,141 m). The Red River is the principal river. southern Vietnam is dominated by the Mekong River Delta. A low-lying,narrow coastal plain about 620 mi (1,000 km) long connects the two major river deltas. The densely forested Annamese Cordillera extends through western central Vietnam and covers two-thirds of the total land area. northern Vietnam is rich in mineral resources,especially anthracite and lignite coal. Some petroleum deposits exist off the southern coast. Significant food crops include rice,sugarcane,coffee,tea,and bananas. Food processing and fishing are important industries,as are the manufacture of steel and phosphates. It is a socialist republic with one legislative house; its chief of state is the president,and its head of government is the prime minister. A distinct Vietnamese group began to emerge c. 200 BC in the independent kingdom of Nam Viet,which was later annexed to China in the 1st century BC. The Vietnamese were under continuous Chinese control until the 10th century AD. The southern region was gradually overrun by Vietnamese from the north in the late 15th century. The area was divided into two parts in the early 17th century,with the northern part known as Tonkin,and the southern part as Cochin China. In 1802 the northern and southern parts of Vietnam were unified under a single dynasty. Following several years of attempted French colonial expansion in the region,the French captured Saigon in 1859 and later the rest of the area,controlling it until World War II (see French Indochina). The Japanese occupied Vietnam 1940-45,and declared it independent at the end of World War II,a move the French opposed. They fought the First Indochina War until French forces with U.S. financial backing were defeated at Dien Bien Phu in 1954; evacuation of French troops ensued. Following an international conference at Geneva,Vietnam was partitioned along the 17th parallel,with the northern part under Ho Chi Minh,and the southern part under Bao Dai; the partition was to be temporary,but the reunification elections scheduled for 1956 were never held. Bao Dai declared the independence of South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam),while the Communists established North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam). The activities of North Vietnamese guerrillas and pro-communist rebels in South Vietnam led to U.S. intervention and the Vietnam War. A cease-fire agreement was signed in 1973,and U.S. troops were withdrawn. The civil war soon resumed,and in 1975 North Vietnam invaded South Vietnam and the South Vietnamese government collapsed. In 1976 the two Vietnams were united as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. From the mid-1980s,the government enacted a series of economic reforms and began to open up to Asian and western nations. During the 1990s the U.S. moved to normalize relations with it.