Vietnam has experienced a series of dramatic changes: from a 2,000-year-
old kingdom with an emperor and ruling class of mandarins, to a French colony, to a divided country with two opposing philosophies of government, to reunification in 1975. Along the way, its people have experienced oppression, hardship, and poverty, but today Vietnam is a modern country filled with potential. The land is fertile and supports an agricultural economy based on the growing of rice and other crops. A wide variety of minerals are found in the mountains, and the seabed off the coast holds rich deposits of oil. Despite Vietnam’s ongoing economic liberalization and the pressures of rapid development, this dignified country has managed to preserve its rich history and culture.