CAPIZ STATE UNIVERSITY

GRADUATE SCHOOL
Roxas City – Main Campus

EDM. 217 – ECOLOGY ON EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION

ANDY L. VISTA DR. EDITHA C. ALFON

Reporter Course Facilitator

VIETNAM

Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is the easternmost country on the
Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest,
Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea, referred to as East Sea (Vietnamese: Biển
Đông), to the east. With a population of over 86 million, Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in
the world.

The people of Vietnam regained independence and broke away from China in AD 938 after their
victory at the battle of Bạch Đằng River. Successive dynasties flourished along with geographic and
political expansion deeper into Southeast Asia, until it was colonized by the French in the mid-19th
century. Efforts to resist the French eventually led to their expulsion from the country in the mid-20th
century, leaving a nation divided politically into two countries. Fighting between the two sides
continued during the Vietnam War, ending with a North Vietnamese victory in 1975.

Emerging from this prolonged military engagement, the war-ravaged nation was politically isolated.
The government’s centrally planned economic decisions hindered post-war reconstruction and its
treatment of the losing side engendered more resentment than reconciliation. In 1986, it instituted
economic and political reforms and began a path towards international reintegration. By 2000, it had
established diplomatic relations with most nations. Its economic growth had been among the highest in
the world in the past decade. These efforts resulted in Vietnam joining the World Trade Organization
in 2007.

Việt Nam was adopted as the official name of the country by Emperor Gia Long in 1804. It is a
variation of "Nam Việt" (南 越 , Southern Việt), a name used in ancient times. In 1839, Emperor Minh
Mạng renamed the country Đại Nam ("Great South"). In 1945, the nation's official name was changed
back to "Vietnam". The name is also sometimes rendered as "Viet Nam" in English.

Government and politics

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a single-party state. A new state constitution was approved in
April 1992, replacing the 1975 version. The central role of the Communist Party of Vietnam was
reasserted in all organs of government, politics and society.

Only political organizations affiliated with or endorsed by the Communist Party are permitted to
contest elections. These include the Vietnamese Fatherland Front, worker and trade unionist parties.
Although the state remains officially committed to socialism as its defining creed, Vietnam is now far
more capitalist than western nations.

The President of Vietnam is the titular head of state and the nominal commander in chief of the
military of Vietnam, chairing the Council on National Defense and Security. The current Prime
Minister of Vietnam, Nguyen Tan Dung, is the head of government, presiding over a council of
ministers composed of three deputy prime ministers and the heads of 26 ministries and commissions.

The National Assembly of Vietnam is the unicameral legislature of the government, composed of 498
members. It is superior to both the executive and judicial branches. All members of the council of
ministers are derived from the National Assembly. The Supreme People's Court of Vietnam, which is
the highest court of appeal in the nation, is also answerable to the National Assembly.
Beneath the Supreme People's Court stand the provincial municipal courts and the local courts.
Military courts are also a powerful branch of the judiciary with special jurisdiction in matters of
national security. All organs of Vietnam's government are controlled by the Communist Party. Most
government appointees are members of the party. The General Secretary of the Communist Party is
perhaps one of the most important political leaders in the nation, controlling the party's national
organization and state appointments, as well as setting policy.

The Vietnam People's Army (VPA) is the official name for the combined military services of Vietnam,
which is organized along the lines of China's People's Liberation Army. The VPA is further subdivided
into the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces (including Strategic Rear Forces and Border Defense
Forces), the Vietnam People's Navy, the Vietnam People's Air Force and the Vietnamese People's
Coast Guard.

Through Vietnam's recent history, the VPA has actively been involved in Vietnam's workforce to
develop the economy of Vietnam, in order to coordinate national defense and the economy. The VPA
is involved in such areas as industry, agriculture, forestry, fishery and telecommunications. The total
strength of the VPA is close to 500,000 officers and enlisted members. The government also organizes
and maintains provincial militias and police forces. The role of the military in public life has steadily
been reduced since the 1980s.

International relations

The current Vietnamese foreign policy is: "Implement consistently the foreign policy line of
independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development; the foreign policy of openness and
diversification and multi-lateralization of international relations. Proactively and actively engage in
international economic integration while expanding international cooperation in other fields. Vietnam
is a friend and reliable partner of all countries in the international community, actively taking part in
international and regional cooperation processes."

As of December 2007, Vietnam had established diplomatic relations with 172 countries (including the
United States, which normalized relations in 1995). Vietnam holds membership of 63 international
organizations such as the United Nations, ASEAN, NAM, La Francophonie, WTO and 650 non-
government organizations.[33]

Economy and foreign relations

Historically, Vietnam has been an agricultural civilization based on wet rice cultivating. The Vietnam
War destroyed much of the country's economy. Upon taking power, the Government created a planned
economy for the nation.

Collectivization of farms, factories and economic capital was implemented, and millions of people
were put to work in government programs. For a decade, united Vietnam's economy was plagued with
inefficiency and corruption in state programs, poor quality and underproduction and restrictions on
economic activities and trade. It also suffered from the trade embargo from the United States and most
of Europe after the Vietnam War. Subsequently, the trade partners of the Communist blocs began to
erode.

In 1986, the Sixth Party Congress introduced significant economic reforms with market economy
elements as part of a broad economic reform package called "đổi mới" (Renovation), resulting in a
Socialist-oriented market economy. Private ownership was encouraged in industries, commerce and
agriculture.

Vietnam achieved around 8% annual GDP growth from 1990 to 1997 and continued at around 7%
from 2000 to 2005, making it one of the world's fastest growing economies. [ Simultaneously, foreign
investment grew threefold and domestic savings quintupled. Manufacturing, information technology
and high-tech industries form a large and fast-growing part of the national economy. Vietnam is a
relative newcomer to the oil business, but today it is the third-largest oil producer in Southeast Asia
with output of 400,000 barrels per day (64,000 m3/d). Vietnam is one of Asia's most open economies:
two-way trade is around 160% of GDP, more than twice the ratio for China and over four times India's.
Vietnam is still a relatively poor country with an annual GDP of US$280.2 billion at purchasing power
parity (2006 estimate). This translates to a purchasing power of about US$3,300 per capita (or US$726
per capita at the market exchange rate). Inflation rate was estimated at 7.5% per year in 2006. Deep
poverty, defined as a percent of the population living under $1 per day, has declined significantly and
is now smaller than that of China, India, and the Philippines.

In 2009, the nominal GDP reached $92.439 billion, with nominal GDP per capita of $1,060. According
to a forecast in December 2005 by Goldman-Sachs, Vietnamese economy will become the 17th largest
economy in the world with nominal GDP of $ 436 billion and GDP per capita of 4,357 USD.
According to the forecast by the PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2008, Vietnam may be fastest growing of
emerging economies by 2025 with a potential growth rate of almost 10% per annum in real dollar
terms that could push it up to around 70% of the size of the UK economy by 2050.

As a result of several land reform measures, Vietnam is now the largest producer of cashew nuts with a
one-third global share, the largest producer of black pepper accounting for one-third of the world's
market and second largest rice exporter in the world after Thailand. Vietnam has the highest percent of
land use for permanent crops, 6.93%, of any nation in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Besides rice,
key exports are coffee, tea, rubber, and fishery products. However, agriculture's share of economic
output has declined, falling as a share of GDP from 42% in 1989 to 20% in 2006, as production in
other sectors of the economy has risen. According to the CIA World Fact Book, the unemployment
rate in Vietnam is 2.9% (30 April 2009 est.).

Among other steps taken in the process of transitioning to a market economy, Vietnam in July 2006
updated its intellectual property legislation to comply with TRIPS. Vietnam was accepted into the
WTO on November 7, 2006. Vietnam's chief trading partners include China, Japan, Australia, ASEAN
countries, the U.S. and Western European countries.

Religions

Religions of Vietnam
Religion Percentage
Buddhism    85%
Christianity    8%
Caodaism    3%
Others    4%

For much of Vietnamese history, Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism have strongly
influenced the religious and cultural life of the people. About 85% of Vietnamese identify with
Buddhism, though not all practice on a regular basis. [49][50][51][52][53][54][55] Most people ascribe to Tam Đạo
("Triple religion") (80% of people are worship the mixture of Mahayana Buddhism mainly, Taoism,
Confucianism with Ancestor Worship; 2% Hòa Hảo (a new 20th century religious movement that is
concentrated in the Mekong Delta)and 2% Theravada Buddhism, mainly among Khmer people in the
Mekong. The census of Government showed that only over 10 million people have taken refuge in the
Three Jewels. The vast majority of Vietnamese people of Asian religions practice Ancestor Worship.

About 8% of the populations are Christians, with about six million Roman Catholics and fewer than
one million Protestants, according to the census of 2007. Christianity was introduced first by the
Portuguese and the Dutch traders in the 16th and 17th centuries, and then further propagated by French
missionaries in the 19th and 20th centuries, and to a lesser extent, by American Protestant missionaries
during the presence of American forces during the 1960s and early 1970s, largely among the
Montagnards of South Vietnam. The largest Protestant churches are the Evangelical Church of
Vietnam and the Montagnard Evangelical Church. Two thirds of Vietnam's Protestants are ethnic
minorities.

Vietnam is deeply suspicious and wary of Roman Catholicism. This mistrust originated during the 19th
century when some Catholics collaborated with the French colonists in conquering, looting and ruling
the country and in helping French priests in uprisings against the emperors in attempts to install
Catholic emperors, such as in the Le Van Khoi revolt. Furthermore, the Catholic Church's strongly
anti-communist stance has made it and a government enemy. The Vatican Church is banned and only
government-controlled Catholic organisations are permitted. The country's relations with the Vatican
have improved, however, in recent years.

About 3% of the population is Cao Dai, a syncretic 20th century religion that is concentrated around
Tay Ninh Province.

Sunni and Bashi Islam, a small minority faith, is primarily practiced by the ethnic Cham minority,
though there are also a few ethnic Vietnamese adherents in the southwest. In total there are 70,000
Muslims; small Hindu communities (over 50,000 people) and a small number of Baha'is and Jews.

The communist government rejects criticism that it does not allow religious freedom. Only
government-controlled religious organizations are allowed and the United Buddhist Congregation of
Vietnam that formed in South Vietnam is banned in favor of the communist-approved body.

Education

Vietnam has an extensive state-controlled network of schools, colleges and universities but the number
of privately run and mixed public and private institutions is also growing. General education in
Vietnam is imparted in 5 categories: Kindergarten, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools,
and college/university. Courses are taught mainly in Vietnamese. A large number of public schools
have been organized across the country to raise the national literacy rate, which is already among the
highest in the world. There are a large number of specialist colleges, established to develop a diverse
and skilled national workforce.

A large number of Vietnam's most acclaimed universities are based in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Facing serious crises, Vietnam's education system is under a holistic reform launched by the
government. In Vietnam, education from age 6 to 11 is free and mandatory. Education above these
ages is not free; therefore, some poor families may have trouble paying tuition for their children
without some forms of public or private assistance. Regardless, school enrollment is among the highest
in the world and the number of colleges and universities increased dramatically in recent years, from
178 in 2000 to 299 in 2005.

Culture

Vietnam is an agricultural civilization based on wet rice cultivation with ancient Dong Son culture as
one of its defining aspects. The major stimulation of Vietnamese culture's development comes from
indigenous factors, with Chinese and Indian influence serving to further enrich it. Through history,
Cham culture and the cultures of other minority ethnic groups in Vietnam have been integrated with
Vietnamese culture in correlated effects.

The official spoken and written language of Vietnam is Vietnamese.

Vietnam is considered a part of the East Asian Cultural Sphere, or Sinosphere, due to highly significant
cultural influences from China throughout its history.

In the socialist era, the cultural life of Vietnam has been deeply influenced by government-controlled
media and the cultural influences of socialist programs. For many decades, foreign cultural influences
were shunned and emphasis placed on appreciating and sharing the culture of communist nations such
as the Soviet Union, China, Cuba and others. Since the 1990s, Vietnam has seen a greater exposure to
Southeast Asian, European and American culture and media.

One of the most popular Vietnamese traditional garments is the "Áo Dài," worn often for special
occasions such as weddings or festivals. White Áo dài is the required uniform for girls in many high
schools across Vietnam. Áo Dài was once worn by both genders but today it is worn mainly by
females, except for certain important traditional culture-related occasions where some men do wear it.
Vietnamese cuisine uses very little oil and many vegetables. The main dishes are often based on rice,
soy sauce, and fish sauce. Its characteristic flavors are sweet (sugar), spicy (serrano peppers), sour
(lime), nuoc mam (fish sauce), and flavored by a variety of mint and basil.

Vietnamese music varies slightly in the three regions: Bắc or North, Trung or Central, and Nam or
South. Northern classical music is Vietnam's oldest and is traditionally more formal. Vietnamese
classical music can be traced to the Mongol invasions, when the Vietnamese captured a Chinese opera
troupe. Central classical music shows the influences of Champa culture with its melancholic melodies.

Vietnamese literature has a long history. Folk literature has been developed for centuries with many
great arts, including a typical 6-8 verse poem kind named "ca dao," a system of tales about village
establishers and heroes which served as cultural base for many cultural regions (for example, "Saint
Gióng tales"). Written literatures dates from Ngô Dynasty with some admirable artists like Nguyễn
Trãi with "Bình Ngô đại cáo," Trần Hưng Đạo with "Hịch tướng sĩ," Nguyễn Du with "Truyện Kiều"
(English: The Tale of Kieu) and Nguyễn Đình Chiểu with "Lục Vân Tiên." Some genres play an
important role in performance like "hát nói" in ca trù. Some poet unions have been formed like "Tao
Đàn." The mordenization of literature has happened since Western cultural effect began in 19th
century. The first transformation movement was "Thơ Mới" from 1932 to 1945. Since then,
Vietnamese literature has continued to develop.

Martial arts are the most common sports for centuries because Vietnamese has faced too many wars
and unprecedented natural events. Vovinam and Bình Ðịnh martial art are two of the most well-known
Vietnamese martial arts. Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Vietnam. Sports and games such
as badminton, tennis, ping pong, and chess are also popular with large segments of the population.
Volleyball, especially women's volleyball, is watched by a fairly large number of Vietnamese people.
The (expatriate Vietnamese) community forms a prominent part of Vietnamese cultural life,
introducing Western sports, films, music and other cultural activities in the nation.

Vietnam is home to a small film industry.

Among countless other traditional Vietnamese occasions, the traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of
the most important. Many of the age-old customs in a Vietnamese wedding continue to be celebrated
by both Vietnamese in Vietnam and overseas, often combining both western and eastern elements.

Media

Vietnam's media sector is controlled by the government to follow the official communist party line,
though some newspapers are relatively outspoken. The Voice of Vietnam is the official state-run radio
broadcasting service that covers the nation. It also broadcasts internationally via shortwave, renting
transmitters in other countries and provides broadcasts from its website. Vietnam Television is the
national television broadcasting company. As Vietnam moved toward a free-market economy with its
Đổi mới measures, the government has relied on the print media to keep the public informed about its
policies. The measure has had the effect of almost doubling the numbers of newspapers and magazines
since 1996. Vietnam is putting considerable effort into modernization and expansion of its
telecommunication system, but its performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern
neighbors.