Climate
Vietnam is located in both a tropical and a temperate zone. It is
characterized by strong monsoon influences, but has a considerable amount of
sun, a high rate of rainfall, and high humidity. Regions located near the
tropics and in the mountainous regions are endowed with a temperate climate.
Resources
Vietnam has a variety of mineral resources. Located beneath the subsoil are
precious stones, coal and valuable minerals such as tin, zinc, silver, gold
and antimony. Vietnam also has large deposits of oil and gas on its offshore
islands and on the mainland.
Topography
Three quarters of Vietnam's territory consists of mountains and hills.
Vietnam is divided into four distinct mountainous zones. |
Religion and Belief
The major religious traditions in Vietnam are Buddhism (which fuses forms
of Taoism and Confusianism), Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism),
Islam, Caodaism and the Hoa Hao sect.
Buddhism
Buddhism was first introduced to Vietnam in the 2nd century, and reached its
peak in the Ly dynasty (11th century). It was then regarded as the official
religion dominating court affairs. Buddhism was preached broadly among the
population and it enjoyed a profound influence on people's daily life. Its
influence also left marks in various areas of traditional literature and
architecture. As such, many pagodas and temples were built during this time.
At the end of the 14th century, Buddhism began to show signs of decline. The
ideological influence of Buddhism, however, remained very strong in social
and cultural life. Presenty, over 70 percent of the population of Vietnam
are either Buddhist or strongly influenced by Buddhist practices.
Catholicism
Catholicism was introduced to Vietnam in the 17th century. At present the
most densely-populated Catholic areas are Bui Chu-Phat Diem in the northern
province of Ninh Binh and Ho Nai-Bien Hoa in Dong Nai Province to the South.
About 10 percent of the population are considered Catholic.
Protestantism
Protestantism was introduced to Vietnam at about the same time as
Catholicism. Protestantism, however, remains an obscure religion. At present
most Protestants live in the Central Highlands. There still remains a
Protestant church on Hang Da Street in Hanoi. The number of Protestants
living in Vietnam is estimated at 400,000.
Islam
Islamic followers in Vietnam are primarily from the Cham ethnic minority
group living in the central part of the central coast. The number of Islamic
followers in Vietnam totals about 50,000.
Caodaism
Caodaism was first introduced to the country in 1926. Settlements of the Cao
Dai followers in South Vietnam are located near the Church in Tay Ninh. The
number of followers of this sect is estimated at 2 million.
Hoa Hao Sect
The Hoa Hao Sect was first introduced to Vietnam in 1939. More than 1
million Vietnamese are followers of this sect. Most of them live in the
south-west of Vietnam.
Mother Worship (Tho Mau)
Researchers describe the Vietnamese mother-worship cult as a primitive
religion. Mother, Me in the Vietnamese language, is pronounced Mau in
Sino-script. The mother worship cult might be originated from the cult of
the Goddess in ancient ages. In the Middle Ages, the Mother was worshipped
in temples and palaces. Due to the fact that it is a worshipping custom and
not a religion, the Mother worshipping cult has not been organised as
Buddhism and Catholicism have. As a result, the different affiliations of
the cult have yet to be consistent and different places still have different
customs.
The custom of Mother worship originated from the north. In the south, the
religion has integrated the local goddesses such as Thien Y A Na (Hue) and
Linh Son (Tay Ninh).
In fact, the Mother worship cult was influenced by other religions, mainly
Taoism. |
