VIETNAM

Vietnam

VIETNAM

Vietnam has its shape like an S on the map, and the country is big about the size of New Mexico, and its capital is Hanoi (Northern Vietnam). Population is about 89 million in 2010. According to CIA website, age distribution is 0 to 14 years: 25.2%, 15 to 64: 69.3%, 65 years and over: 5.5%. The average GDP per capital in 2006 was approximately 715 dollars and per capita income was 1,168 dollars. Vietnam spends 5 to 6% of GDP on healthcare (both public and private expenditure). With the increasing population rapid 2.23%, Vietnam has to face a big obstacle about food production for its country. Therefore, Vietnamese Government has a plan for reducing fertility rate in 20 year, instead an average family can have three to four children, and now Government wants them to reduce to two kids. The reason behind Vietnam has the most rapid rate of increasing population because most of the girls in Vietnam, they get married before age 19, even though the law sets legally married at age 22. Most dense population is in North (Delta River) it has almost 75% of the population, and another dense population is in South (Mekong River).

Vietnam only has two seasons (rain and dry), so their primary agriculture is cropping rice. The disadvantage about this country is flooding from Delta river and Mekong river that happens every year, even until now a lot of Vietnamese people who lived near this river they lost their house, sometimes they even lost their spouses or siblings. Vietnam was fought many wars to become an independent country like today.

About 100 B.C.E, China conquered Vietnam, so most of Vietnamese in Northern had been absorbed Chinese culture, but people on Southern had been preserved their own language as well as their own culture. In early, 10th century, Vietnam has fought off China and took its freedom back.

Unfortunately in 19 century, Vietnam is once again occupied by French and at the end of WWII; Japan took over and ruled Vietnam. Viet Minh communist had been fought back Japanese and finally got back its independence. Nevertheless, from 1953 to1973, Vietnam had to face another war with U.S, until 1991 Cold war was over and Vietnam established a Communism country also had a trade relation with other foreign countries.

Vietnam has rich spiritual cultures, for example, like Buddhism, Taoism, and Christianity. The biggest holiday in Vietnam is Tet (Lunar New Year) and the whole country take one week long to celebrate the holiday. The most popular food that only makes for this special holiday is Banh Tet. Besides this traditional holiday, Vietnamese people love soccer.

In 2011, Vietnam faced the problem of poverty, besides dealing with poverty; Vietnam tried to transform its health system to Universal Healthcare, but it is going to be a big challenge for Vietnam, because the private sector (out of pocket paying) is growing rapidly and 90% of the poor live in a rural area.

In mid 1980, the government subsidized healthcare system in Vietnam, ...