Vietnam Vs. America

The official country name of Vietnam is the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The capital is Hanoi and the population of this country is 81,624,716 (July 2003). Ethnic groups include the Vietnamese (80-95%), Chinese, Hmong, Thai, Cham, and other mountainous groups. Languages used are Vietnamese (Official), English (second most favored), French, Chinese and Khmer. Some of the many religions practiced are Buddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (Roman Catholic, protestant) and Muslim. The life expectancy for a person living in Vietnam is approximately 67.58 years for the male and 72.7 for the females. Literacy is ages 15 and over can read and write.

Government in Vietnam is a Communist State, and the right to vote is age 18. The currency is the Dong which is the basic unit.

Countries bordering Vietnam include China, Laos, Thailand and Cambodia. The geography is based on low flat delta in the north and south, central highlands and hilly mountainous in the far north and northwest. The size of Vietnam is 127, 242 Square Miles.

Independence was brought on September 2nd, 1945. Before independence was brought to Vietnam, France had occupied all of Vietnam by 1884. Independence was declared after World War 2, but the French continued to rule until 1954 until they were defeated by the Communist forces under Ho Chi MINH, who took control of the north. The US then tried help strengthen the Vietnamese until with drawing in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnam forces overran the south. The economic reconstruction of the reunited country has proven been difficult as the aging Communist Party leaders have barely moved a finger to help do what's necessary for the free market.

The official country name of the US is the United States of America. The capital is Washington D.C. and the population of this country is 292,342,590. Ethnic groups include Caucasian, Negro, Asian, Latin or Hispanic, Alaskan and Hawaiian or