Vietnam geography

GEOGRAPHY

Lying on the eastern part of the Indochinse peninsula, Vietnam is a srip of land shaped like the letter “S”. China borders it to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, the East Sea to the east and the Gulf of Thailand to the east and south.

The country’s total length from north to south is 1,650km. Its width, stretching from east to west, is 600km at the widest point in the north, 400km in the south, and 50km at the narrowest part, in the centre, in Quang Binh Province. The coastline is 3,260km long and the inland border is 4,510km. Vietnam is also a transport junction from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

CLIMATE

Vietnam’s weather varies from the sub-tropics in the North to the tropics in the South. The humidity is high, with average ranging around 84% a year. Moderated by two monsoons, the average temperature (from 22 to 27) is lower than other countries also in the equatorial regions. The weather varies greatly from North to South, depending on elevation and type of landscape.

Northern weather

Northern Vietnam (from Hue up North) has four seasons with a cold winter and hot summer. The temperature ranges from 5-6C in winter to up to 35C in summer. The further North it is, the colder it gets. In mountainous regions in the far North (such as Sapa) the temperature some times drops below zero. Rainy months are August, October, November. February and March have persistent, light, drizzling rain.

Central Vietnam

Temperatures are high all year round. The temperature tends to be warmer and more humid than the South in the middle of the year and cooler during the dry season from November to April. Flooding may occur from October to December.

Southern Vietnam

Has a distinct dry season (from November to April) and wet season (from May to October). Average temperature ranges from 25-30C. During wet months, heavy and short downpours may occur in mid-afternoons.