Vietnam Geography

Viet Nam is located in the southeastern extremity of the Indochinese peninsula, bordering China to the North, Laos and Cambodia to the West, the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean to the East and the South. It is an S-shaped long strip of land, stretching from 23°23’ to 8°27’ North latitude. The country has a total length of 1,650 km stretching from the northernmost point to the southernmost point and its east-to-west width is 500 km at the widest part and 50 km at the narrowest. Accordingly, Vietnam’s territory is very diverse. It encompasses a number of hills, mountains, deltas, coastal lines and continental shelf, of which mountains and hills make up more than three quarters of Vietnamese total lands. Regions with elevations less than 1,000 metres above sea level make up 85% of the territory. Mountainous regions over 2,000 meters above sea level only account for 1%. Mountain ranges and hills form a large bow facing the South China Sea with 1,400 km length from the Northwest to the Southeast. The highest mountain ranges are all scattered in the West and Northwest. Fan Xi Pan Massif, at the height of 3,143 meters, is considered as the roof of Indochina.

Downwards the Central, the mountain range seems lower and ends with a coastal strip of lowland.  This terrain is characterized by dunes and lagoons in the east towards the coast and terrace of ancient alluvial deposits towards the mountains.

Heading from Hai Van Pass to the South, the topography is less complex. A stretching limestone mountain range is completely replaced by large granite mountains followed by a vast plateau known as the Central Highlands which are dotted with magnificent waterfalls.

Yet, only one fourth of the Vietnamese territory is covered with deltas separated in many regions by mountains and hills. The two largest with fertile arable are Red River Delta of 16,700 sq km in the north, and Mekong River Delta of 40,000 sq km in the south. This, coupled with above geographical features, makes Vietnam resemble a bamboo pole supporting a basket of rice on each end.

In addition, Vietnam boasts a long coastline of 3451 km including countless divine beaches; some is shaded by coconut palms and casuarinas (Hoi An and Nha Trang), others bounded by seemingly endless expanses of sand dunes (Mui Ne) or the rugged spurs of Truong Son Mountains.

With such nature- prioritized geographical features, Vietnam is increasingly confirming its image as the must-see destination in Southeast Asia.