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Carter Lorenzen

5/23/14
Williams 4
Vietnam

The Capital city of Vietnam is Hanoi.


























Carter Lorenzen
5/23/14
Williams 4

Statistics
Human development index: 0.617, rank 127
GDP per capita: $4000
GNI per capita: $2970
Literacy rate: 93.4% of total population, 95.4% for men, 91.4% for women.
Life expectancy
-Male: 70.44 years
-Female: 75.65 years
Infant Mortality Rate: 18.99 deaths/ 1,000 live births
HIV/Aids percentage: 0.4% of populations, 259,200 living with HIV/AIDS
Maternal Mortality Rate: 59 deaths/ 100,000 births
Adult Obesity Prevalence: 1.7% (America is at 33%)
History
What was Vietnam like prior to imperialism? Before imperialism by the French, Vietnam was
largely controlled by china, they had brief periods of independence but were often reconquered by
China.
When was Vietnam colonized/ imperialized? After the French had beaten the Chinese in a war in
1885, French Indochina was formed in October of the year 1887. French Indochina consisted of modern
Vietnam.
When did they get their independence? At the Geneva conference in April 1954 Indochina was
granted independence from France.
List 3 specific ways imperialism altered Vietnam? It caused the United States of America to get
involved in Vietnam which led to Diem winning the election in the south. The Vietnamese people
developed a strong attachment to their land and the natural world. Due to imperialism Vietnam is home
to fifty-four official ethnic groups.
Current Situation
Government: Vietnam has 58 provinces and 5 municipalities. Vietnam is currently a Communist
state. Their legal system is a civil law system.
Economy: Unemployment rate is around 3.2%, Import partner is predominantly china. Has a
labor force of 52.29 million. 48% of labor force is in agriculture.
Carter Lorenzen
5/23/14
Williams 4
Health: 6.8% of GDP is average health expenditure. There are 1.22 physicians to 1000
population. 12% of children under the age of 5 are underweight. There are 2.2 hospital beds to every
1000 of the population.
Ethnic of civil conflict/unrest: Vietnamese citizens protested the Chinese move and attacked
Chinese citizens on May 18 of 2014. On April 20
th
2014 two Vietnamese border guards fight with Chinese
citizens illegally entry Vietnam and are killed. On May 15
th
thousands of workers rampage and set fire to
foreign factories when china places oil rig in disputed water off Vietnam.
3 Interesting facts.
Vietnam rice production ranks second in the world, after Thailand.
Hundreds of local festivals will be held to celebrate spring and the New Year.
85% of Vietnamese classify themselves as Buddhist.



















Carter Lorenzen
5/23/14
Williams 4

News Article Summary
On May 14
th
2014 thousands of Vietnamese workers rampaged and burned down many foreign
factories in and near Ho Chi Mihn City. They were outraged over Chinas latest attempts to control the
South China Sea. They tried to control the South China Sea off of Vietnams coast. Among the factories
attacked and burned was a Chinese shoe factory. There is animosity in the region against China because
of their efforts to claim most of the seas. Not only in Vietnam was there conflict also in the Philippines
formal protests were launched, neither countries have gained support from other Southeast Asian
countries. Most of the current anger against China is because China decided to set up an oil rig of the
Vietnamese coast which they escorted by coast guard and other vessels. When rioters from an American
factory started throwing gasoline soaked rags into factories came back the American factory with other
rioters, the guards pointed to Vietnamese and American flags that were flying over the factory they
rioters did not attack. Vietnam does not have a treaty with the United States like other countries such as
japan or the Philippines so it would not be smart for them to attack China and start a war. Leaders are
having a difficult time deciding how to respond because diplomacy has failed. Some factories tried to
ward off the rioters with banners saying No Chinese working here. Companies that had hung sings
that were written in Chinese or had Chinese flags were damaged or destroyed. Other plants with other
flags or banners were left alone by rioters. Some countries such as South Korea and Taiwan need
Vietnam because of its rather cheap labor. China however does not need to keep the Vietnamese happy
because they have cheap labor in their own country and dont need to go to Vietnam for most of their
manufacturing and labor needs. There is very much tension between the Chinese and Vietnamese and
the problems facing the Vietnamese leaders do not seem to have a good way to be resolved and the
War of words between Vietnam will continue.
Carter Lorenzen
5/23/14
Williams 4
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/15/world/asia/foreign-factories-in-vietnam-weigh-damage-in-anti-
china-riots.html?_r=0

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