Vietnam Geography Overview

Geography of Vietnam

• The north-to-south distance of Vietnam is approximately 1,025 miles (1,650 km).
• Vietnam is narrowest at about 30 miles (48 km) wide.
• Vietnam claims territorial waters up to 200 nautical miles from its coastline.
• The country's exclusive economic zone covers approximately 1 million square miles.

Border and Physiography

• The boundary with Laos was formally defined in 1986.
• Vietnam's primary physiography consists of hills and mountains, with low-lying deltas along the coasts.

Rivers and Deltas

• The Mekong River, approximately 1,200 kilometers long, rises in China's Yunnan Province.
• The Red River Delta has historical significance as a hub for agriculture and trade.
• Agricultural activities have been an integral part of the culture and economy of the delta region.

Land and Climate

• Mountains and hills cover about 80% of Vietnam's area, with less than 20% consisting of low-lying coastal plains.
• Air becomes saturated, leading to precipitation, when it cools to its dew point.

Precipitation and Clouds

• The main difference between fog/mist and precipitation is the size of water droplets.
• Altocumulus clouds are likely to form when moisture is lifted over a layer of sub-freezing air at the surface.
• Short, intense periods of rain in scattered locations are described as "heavy thunderstorms".
• The focus for forcing and rising air near the area of freezing rain is the updraft.

Weather Patterns

• Most of the fresh water on the planet is deposited by precipitation.
• Lake-effect snowfall becomes a concern near large lakes.
• Heavy snowfall can occur within a cyclone's comma head and within lake effect precipitation bands.
• Desert climate is possible in areas with compressional heating.
• Rainy seasons in savannah regions are brought by the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).