Population & Culture

The Vietnamese population is mainly rural: almost 80% work the land, to which they are deeply attached. Throughout the country, travellers will notice the festive atmosphere of the villages and the different festivals that are part of this population.

Vietnamese markets are full of products that are sold or exchanged. The floating markets in the Mekong Delta offer a wonderful spectacle of barges and junks full of merchandise, assembling on the river every morning. The market is a wonderful area to meet the local residents. For some people it is also the best place to meet a significant other! In the highlands of North Vietnam, young adults of the area come to these quaint markets searching for a potential mate.

Culture
According to Vietnamese legend, the founders of Vietnam were the 100 children of a Nordic (NORDIC _ IS THIS CORRECT?) princess from the mountains named Au Co. She gave birth to all of her children by mating with a sea dragon named Long Quan and hence produced this people under the dual sign of the mountains and of the sea.

Two major ancient cultures, the Chinese and the Indian, are very present in the Vietnamese culture, which has survived wars and invasion attempts for thousands of years.

In this country of approximately 80 million residents, the Kinhs or Viets represent 90% of the population. To this main group is added 54 other ethnic minorities populating the different areas of Vietnam. These ethnic minorities, such as Tay, Thia, Muong, H’mong, Dzao, and Dzay, live mainly in the highlands. After years of having passionately resisted invasions by foreigners, they have all developed their own language and cultural identity.