Official Name:
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Area:
331,211.6 km2
Population:
The Vietnamese population exceeds 90,208,984 (April 2019) and is divided into 54 ethnic groups. The largest group, the Viet, or Kinh, accounts for 80% of the whole population and is concentrated mostly in lowland area, whereas most of ethnic minorities live in the high-land and the moutanious areas.
Capital:
Hanoi
Language(s):
Offical language: Vietnamese. Many people could speak English in big cities. Tour guides speaking English, French, Russian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese are generally available.
Religion(s):
There is no official religion in Viet Nam but Buddhisim is very popular and most Vietnamese worship their ancestors. Buddhist pagodars and Catholic churches generally constitude interesting tourist attractions. Some religions are more specific to the southern regions, such as Cao Dai sect, Hoa Hao sect, and Islam.
Currency:
Vietnamese dong (VND) is the official currency in Viet Nam.
- Paper notes include: VND 500,000; 200,000; 100,000; 50,000; 20,000; 10,000; 5,000; 2,000; 1,000 and 500. The paper denominations of 200; 100 and coins including VND 5,000; 2,000; 1,000; 500 and 200 are no longer used actually.
- Foreign currencies and tourist cheques can be exchanged into Vietnamese Dong at airports, banks or foreign exchange agencies.
- Credit cards are popularly used, especially in cities and big tourist centers.
Time:
Viet Nam time: GMT plus 7 hours
Working Hours:
- Governmental agencies work 8 hours/day from 8h to 17h (excluding one-hour lunch). Working days are from Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday are closed.
- Banks are open from 7h30 or 8h to 16h30. Some banks are open on Saturday morning from 8h to 11h30. Sunday is close.
- Almost shops are open from 8h or 8h30 to 21h or 22h.
Public Holidays:
- Saturdays and Sundays are holidays. There are ten public holidays in a year
- January 1: New Year’s Day (One day holiday)
- April 30: Sai Gon Liberation Day (One day holiday)
- May 1: International Labour Day (One day holiday)
- September 2: National Day of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam (One day holiday)
- Viet Nam Traditional Lunar New Year Festival – Tet Nguyen Dan: (Five day holiday) Tet holiday usually falls at the end of January or middle of February by solar calendar. The holiday begins on the two last days of the last lunar month and lasts through the first three days of the Lunar New Year (Tet Nguyen Dan)
- The 10th day of the third lunar month: The ancestors’ death anniversary of the whole nation (one day holiday)
Tour Info
Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism
Address: 80 Quan Su Street, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi
www.vietnamtourism.com