Vietnam
Population:There are about 94,000,000 people living in Vietnam in 2015, but there is no exact number. This is the closest to what it is currently. The population is estimated to about 92,547,959 as of July 1, 2014. The population of Vietnam represents 1.28% of the total world population. Currently, Vietnam ranks 14th place in the list of countries by population. The population density in Vietnam is 279 people per KM squared. Since 1960 the population has increased by 0.95%-3.04% annually.
3 Most Practiced Languages:The official language of Vietnam is Vietnamese. About 59 million people speak Vietnamese worldwide. In addition to Vietnamese speakers living in Vietnam, a great number of people speak it overseas. It is also the second language in neighbor countries such as Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. Another language that people living in Vietnam speak is Muong. Some people speak the language Viet-Muong which is one of the major branches of language. Vietnamese is spoken in three major dialects which correspond to the three main regions of Vietnam. The regions and dialects are Northern Vietnamese (Hanoi), Central Vietnamese (Hue), and Southern Vietnamese (Ho Chi Minh City). The main difference between these dialects is the pronunciation. One other practiced language is the Mon-Khmer.
Major Religions:Religion has had a deep influence on Vietnamese culture and the concept of life. The dominant religion is Buddhism which is also one of the world’s greatest religions. Buddhism was introduced to Vietnam under Chinese domination. Buddhism was originated in India by Gautama Buddha which means the “Enlightened One”. The Buddhist’s goal is to be freed from the circle of reincarnation and reach Nirvana, which is the state of redemption and great happiness. The majority of Vietnamese people qualify themselves as Buddhists but not all actively participate in Buddhist routines at the pagoda.
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General Geography & Environment:It is located on the eastern margin of the Indochinese peninsula and occupies about 331,211.6 square kilometers. This country is in an S shape and has a north to south distance of 1,650 kilometers and about 50 kilometers wide at the narrowest point. "The Red River Delta is a flat triangular region of 15,000 square kilometers is smaller, but more intensely developed and more densely populated than the Mekong Delta. The Highlands and mountain plateaus in the north and northwest are inhabited mainly by tribal minority groups. The Central Highlands are approximately 51,800 square kilometers of rugged mountain peaks, extensive forests, and rich soil. The Coastal Lowlands are narrow and flat. It extends from south of the Red River Delta to the Mekong River basin." The Mekong Delta covers about 40,000 square kilometers. It is a low level plain less than three meters above sea level.
Major Ethnicities:Vietnam has about 54 different ethnic groups. The Viet (Kinh) account for 87 percent of the population and they mainly live near the Red River delta which is the central coastal river. The other 53 ethnic minority groups, which total to over 8 million people, are spread out over mountain areas which cover two-thirds of the country’s territory, spreading from the north to the south. Among all of the ethnic minorities, the most populated are the Tay, Thai, Muong, Hoa, khmer, and nung, which has about 1 million people per ethnicity.
Popular Music:Vietnamese pop is very popular in Vietnam. Kpop is also very popular in Vietnam. "The songwriters of the 1970s are now" easy listening for the middle aged, while the modern TV scene is dominated by Korean and Cantopop influenced Vpop shows like Vietnamese Idol. Throughout its history, Vietnam's traditional music has been influenced by the Chinese musical tradition, along with Korea, Mongolia, and Japan. You can see some of their music here and here.
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Vietnam & Water:
What are some of the problems with the water supply?
"Vietnam has 2,360 rivers and it would appear to provide a copious amount of water, however due to the lack of physical infrastructure and financial capacity there is low utilization of the supply along with an uneven distribution of rainfall resulting in water shortages throughout the country. Although Vietnam as improved its water supply situation in the past decades, many rural parts of the country have not seen significant improvement." In addition, the uneven distribution of rainfall throughout Vietnam of 1,960 mm per year and the prolonged dry season result in critical shortages of water in many parts of the country.
How does insufficient access to clean water contribute to other societal problems?
The people are getting sick; dehydrated; and some die. This is happening because the people are drinking contaminated water which leads to water disease and can potentially kill the person. Some of the water bacteria that makes people sick are Cholera; Cyclosporiasis; Giardiasis and Typhoid Fever. With them getting sick it causes the people not to be able to go to school or work and if it is work then they will not be able to provide money for their family. Diseases also spread throughout the country making tourists spread contagious diseases to their own country. With more diseases being spread by poor hygiene, it affects students, victims, parents, hospitals, etc.
How are some of the water problems being addressed?
The biggest one is not having enough clean water. It is reported that only 39% of the rural population has access to safe water and sanitation😢. Another water problem in Vietnam is that About 7 million people living in northern Vietnam have a severe risk of arsenic poisoning and since elevated levels of arsenic can cause cancer, neurological and skin problems, this is a serious issue. The surface water in the rivers is locally polluted by organic pollutants such as oil waste and solids. The geography and topography of Vietnam also makes the country susceptible to natural hazards such as typhoons, storms, floods and drought. This then leads to a multitude of problems such as water pollution and waterborne diseases along with an impact on agricultural lands and livestock.
"Vietnam has 2,360 rivers and it would appear to provide a copious amount of water, however due to the lack of physical infrastructure and financial capacity there is low utilization of the supply along with an uneven distribution of rainfall resulting in water shortages throughout the country. Although Vietnam as improved its water supply situation in the past decades, many rural parts of the country have not seen significant improvement." In addition, the uneven distribution of rainfall throughout Vietnam of 1,960 mm per year and the prolonged dry season result in critical shortages of water in many parts of the country.
How does insufficient access to clean water contribute to other societal problems?
The people are getting sick; dehydrated; and some die. This is happening because the people are drinking contaminated water which leads to water disease and can potentially kill the person. Some of the water bacteria that makes people sick are Cholera; Cyclosporiasis; Giardiasis and Typhoid Fever. With them getting sick it causes the people not to be able to go to school or work and if it is work then they will not be able to provide money for their family. Diseases also spread throughout the country making tourists spread contagious diseases to their own country. With more diseases being spread by poor hygiene, it affects students, victims, parents, hospitals, etc.
How are some of the water problems being addressed?
The biggest one is not having enough clean water. It is reported that only 39% of the rural population has access to safe water and sanitation😢. Another water problem in Vietnam is that About 7 million people living in northern Vietnam have a severe risk of arsenic poisoning and since elevated levels of arsenic can cause cancer, neurological and skin problems, this is a serious issue. The surface water in the rivers is locally polluted by organic pollutants such as oil waste and solids. The geography and topography of Vietnam also makes the country susceptible to natural hazards such as typhoons, storms, floods and drought. This then leads to a multitude of problems such as water pollution and waterborne diseases along with an impact on agricultural lands and livestock.
Photographs are courtesy of the following websites:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/VietnameseProvincesMap.png
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Population_development_in_Thailand.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Longji_terrace_-_03.JPG
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Amitbabha_and_female_devotee_detail.jpg&imgrefurl=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Vietnam&h=746&w=994&tbnid=c4NPB4SVTU70XM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=183&docid=tM3xwpmL-B8lmM&usg=__kIRAdrJuJU0Dnsx9EAsSV3R5u5Q=&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_w_vkxt7JAhUBXWMKHQt5CcMQ9QEIIDAA
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eustaquio/4018712126
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/India_-_Sights_%26_Culture_-_garbage-filled_canal_(2832914746).jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Girls_carrying_water_in_India.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Rice_planting.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/VietnameseProvincesMap.png
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Population_development_in_Thailand.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Longji_terrace_-_03.JPG
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Amitbabha_and_female_devotee_detail.jpg&imgrefurl=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Vietnam&h=746&w=994&tbnid=c4NPB4SVTU70XM:&tbnh=137&tbnw=183&docid=tM3xwpmL-B8lmM&usg=__kIRAdrJuJU0Dnsx9EAsSV3R5u5Q=&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi_w_vkxt7JAhUBXWMKHQt5CcMQ9QEIIDAA
https://www.flickr.com/photos/eustaquio/4018712126
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/India_-_Sights_%26_Culture_-_garbage-filled_canal_(2832914746).jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Girls_carrying_water_in_India.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/Rice_planting.jpg