South-East Asia.

GMT + 7.

329,247 sq km (127,123 sq miles).

83.6 million (UN estimate 2005).

253.9 per sq km.

Hanoi. Population: 3.2 million (official estimate 2005).

Vietnam shares borders to the north with the People’s Republic of China and to the west with Laos and Cambodia. The South China Sea lies to the east and south. The land is principally agricultural with a central tropical rainforest.

Socialist republic since 1980. Gained independence from France in 1954.

President Nguyen Minh Triet since 2006.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung since 2006.

Reforms have resulted in Vietnam having one of the fastest growing economies in the region during the last decade but there has been no parallel development in the country's political environment: Vietnam is still a one-party communist state. The country is ruled by a triumvirate of a president, prime minister and the secretary general of the Communist Party, the latter the most powerful man in the country. The current president and prime minister are both seen as economic reformers and both hail from southern Vietnam. In order to achieve continuing economic progress they will have to propose more privatisation and deregulation and will have to fight Communist Party diehards in the process.

Vietnamese is the official language. English, French, Chinese and occasionally Russian and German are spoken.

Buddhist majority. There are also Taoist, Confucian, Hoa Hao, Caodaist and Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic) minorities.

220/110 volts AC, 50Hz; two-pin flat plugs are in use.

Handshaking and a vocal greeting is normal. Clothing should be kept simple, informal and discreet. Avoid shorts if possible as they are usually only worn by children. Footwear should be removed when entering Buddhist pagodas. Vietnamese people should not be touched on the head.

Photography: There are restrictions at ports, airports and harbours, and in similar areas elsewhere. It is courteous to ask permission first before taking photographs of people.