| DID YOU KNOW THAT...Madame Ngo Dinh Nhu was | | | | number of schools in response to demands for |
| one of most elegant women of the 20th | | | | educational opportunities by the people. |
| century.In the 1950s and 1960s,she was first | | | | |
| lady of South Vietnam. She was born in 1924 | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...In 2000, Bill Clinton,who |
| in Hanoi,Vietnam.In fact, she was compared | | | | was president of the United States |
| with ladies such as Jacqueline Kennedy | | | | (1993-2001), was given a hero´s welcome in |
| Onassis (former first lady of the United | | | | Vietnam as he became the first American |
| States), Dewi Sukarno (ex-first lady of | | | | president to visit the Asian country. |
| Indonesia), Grace Kelly ( former princess of | | | | |
| Monaco) and Eva Duarte de Peron (former first | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...The "ao dai" is the most |
| lady of Argentina).In the 1960s, Madame Ngo | | | | popular national costume in Vietnam. |
| Dinh Nhu popularized the traditional | | | | |
| Vietnamese "ao dai" (long dress). She | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam is one of the ten |
| currently resides in France, where she is | | | | member countries of the Association of |
| writing her autobiography.She speaks fluent | | | | Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). |
| English, Vietnamese and French. | | | | |
| | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...Hanoi is well known for |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam is the home to | | | | its famous restaurants. Some of the |
| Historic City of Hue-one of the ancient | | | | restaurants are built along the Red river to |
| wonders of the world. During the Nguyen | | | | provide diners with a riverside view of |
| dynasty (1802-1945), Hue was the capital of | | | | Hanoi´s sunset. |
| Vietnam. More than 10 palaces in Hue provide | | | | |
| some of the best remaining examples of | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam hosted delegates |
| Vietnamese architecture in Asia. It is the | | | | from 21 contries at the 2006 APEC Summit. |
| monument that best symbolizes Vietnam. Hue | | | | |
| has been recognised as a World Cultural | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...The Phong Nha-Ke Bang |
| Heritage Site by the United Nations | | | | National Park is a World Heritage Site in |
| Educational Scientific and Cultural | | | | Vietnam. |
| Organisation (UNESCO). | | | | |
| | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...AmeliaVega, Miss Universe |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...Hieu Ngan Tran is one of | | | | 2003,went to Hanoi to attend the 2003 Miss |
| the Vietnam´s best known and well-loved | | | | Vietnam pageant. |
| athletes. She is a taekwondo athlete who | | | | |
| competed in the women´s featherweight | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam competed at the |
| category at the 2000 Olympic Games and won | | | | modern Olympic Games for the first time at |
| the silver medal. The silver medal for | | | | the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, |
| Vietnam was the first ever won by that | | | | Finland. |
| country in Olympic competition. | | | | |
| | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...The 11th Taekwondo World |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam is famous for its | | | | Championship was held in Ho Chi Minh City, |
| hospitality, and the average visitor will | | | | Vietnam, in June 2001. |
| have no difficulty in adapting to local | | | | |
| traditions. | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT....Like Carlos Noriega |
| | | | (Peru), Abdul Ahad Mohmad (Afghanistan), |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...The Vietnamese film | | | | Jugdermedidiyn Gurragcha (Mongolia) and |
| industry has been honoured at film festival | | | | Salman al-Saud (Saudi Arabia), Pham Tuan was |
| and award ceremonies around the world. The | | | | one of the best astronauts in the Third |
| prizes attained include the Golden Lion for | | | | World. He was the first Vietnamese astronaut |
| best film awarded by the Venice International | | | | and the first Asian in space. Pham Tuan flew |
| Film to Anh Hung Tran´s Cyclo (1995) ; the | | | | aboard the shuttle Soyuz-37 in July 1980. He |
| Jury Prize awarded by the Sundance Film | | | | was in space for more than 7 days. Pham Tuan |
| Festival to Tony Bui´s Three Seasons | | | | was given a hero´s welcome when he |
| (1999); and the Grand Jury Prize awarded by | | | | returned to country after completing its |
| the Pusan International Film Festival to Luu | | | | historic orbital space flight. |
| Hynh´s The White Silk Dress Press (1999). | | | | |
| | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam is one of the |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...Madame Nguyen Thi Binh | | | | best-watered areas in Southeast Asia. Five |
| became the first female vice president of | | | | main rivers flow eastward across the country. |
| Vietnam in 1992. She became head of the | | | | They are Mekong, Red Can, Srepok and Black. |
| Vietnamese women´s movement in the 1960s | | | | |
| and 1970s. | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...Hanoi hosted the Fifth |
| | | | Asia-Europe Summit Meeting (ASEM) in 2004. |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...Like its Thai cousin, | | | | |
| Vietnam is world-famous for its traditional | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam has rich mineral |
| cuisine. At Paris´s top restaurants, | | | | deposits (oil, coal, gas, manganese, bauxite |
| visitors can savor the true taste of | | | | and phosphates), large forests, and good |
| Vietnamese cuisine. | | | | farm. |
| | | | |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam has long been | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...The Scent of Green Papaya |
| famous for its magnificent temples and | | | | was the first great Vietnamese movie of the |
| palaces. | | | | 20th century. This film was nominated for the |
| | | | Best Foreign Language Category at the 1993 |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam has one of the | | | | Academy Awards. The movie enjoyed the |
| lowest unemployment rates in the Third World. | | | | highest-grossing opening in Vietnam film |
| | | | history. |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...The development of | | | | |
| traditional Vietnamese sports is vital to the | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam has eight |
| preservation of Vietnamese culture. Takraw, | | | | idols:Anh Hung Tran (film director), Pham |
| or kick volleyball, is a traditional sport in | | | | Tuan (astronaut), Thuy Tran (modeling agent), |
| Vietnam. In this sport, a ball is passed | | | | Nguyen Thi Phoung (ecologist), Hieu Ngan Tan |
| from player to player by hitting it with the | | | | (sportswoman), Madame Ngo Dinh Nho (former |
| head and feet. Takraw also is widely played | | | | first lady of Vietnam), Tony Bui (film maker) |
| in Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Cambodia. | | | | and Nguyen Thi Binh (vice president of |
| | | | Vietnam). |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...The bio-diversity of | | | | |
| Vietnam is one of its greatest riches.The | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...More than 20 million |
| country has six world´s biosphere | | | | people in Vietnam ride a bicycle. |
| reserves: Can Gio Mangrove Forest, Cat Ba, | | | | |
| Cat Tien, Kien Giang, Red River Delta, and | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam has an area about |
| Western Nghe An. | | | | 1 per cent as large as that of the United |
| | | | States. |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...The United States of | | | | |
| America recognizes Vietnam as an independent | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...Le Duc Tho was a diplomat |
| country since 1995. In 1996, president Bill | | | | who always worked for a unified Vietnam. He |
| Clinton appointed Douglas Peterson to serve | | | | was born on October 14, 1911, in Phan Dinh |
| as United States ambassador to Vietnam. | | | | Khai,Vietnam. Certainly, Le Duc Tho worked |
| | | | with Henry Kissinger (secretary of state of |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam is world-famous | | | | the United States) to end Vietnam war, and in |
| for its animal wildlife. This wildlife | | | | 1973 the two men were awarded the Nobel Peace |
| -which includes elephants, buffaloes, tigers, | | | | Prize. The award citation said, "On January |
| monkeys, rhinoceroses, snakes and turtles- | | | | 23 of this year a ceasefire agreement was |
| attracts thousands of tourists to Vietnam | | | | concluded between the United States and the |
| each year. | | | | Vietnamese Democratic Republic.At its meeting |
| | | | on October 16 the Nobel Committee of the |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam maintains | | | | Norwegian Storting decided to award the Peace |
| diplomatic relations with 140 countries in | | | | Prize for the 1973 to Henry Kissinger and Le |
| the world, including France, China, Japan, | | | | Duc Tho, the two chief negotiators who |
| Thailand, Cambodia, Canada, South Korea, | | | | succeeded in arranging the ceasefire after |
| Germany, New Zealand, Australia, Russia and | | | | negotiating for nearly four years..." |
| Malaysia. | | | | |
| | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam has been chosen |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...Ha Long Bay is generally | | | | to host the 2008 Miss Universe. Vietnam won |
| considered to be the most beautiful scenery | | | | the right to host the 2008 Miss Universe by |
| in the whole of Vietnam. It consist of 1,969 | | | | one vote over Japan. |
| islands and islets situated in the Gulf of | | | | |
| Tonkin. This zone is known for its | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...President George W.Bush |
| spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. It | | | | became the first U.S. president to visit |
| is one of the most popular spots in Asia. | | | | Vietnam in the 21st century. |
| Ha Long Bay has been recognized as a World | | | | |
| Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO. | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam is about 8 times |
| | | | the size of Switzerland. |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam joined the United | | | | |
| Nations in 1977. | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam competed at the |
| | | | 2006 Asian Games in Doha,Qatar. It finished |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...Hanoi is the capital city | | | | 19th in the medal count, with 23 (3 gold), |
| of Vietnam. It is the most important | | | | trailing China, South Korea, Japan, |
| economic, industrial and cultural center in | | | | Kazakhstan, Thailand, Iran, Uzbekistan, |
| the country. | | | | India, Qatar, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, |
| | | | Saudi Arabia, Bahrein, Hong Kong, North |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...The best-known Vietnamese | | | | Korea, Kuwait and Philippines. |
| works of art the thousands of pagodas found | | | | |
| throughout the country. | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT...Vietnam is famous for its |
| | | | beautiful beaches along the Pacific Ocean: |
| DID YOU KNOW THAT...The education has | | | | Bai Chay, Tran Phu, Nha Trang,China Beach,Mui |
| received increased emphasis in Vietnam since | | | | Ne Beach,Hon Chong Beach and Bai Tam. |
| the country became independent in 1976. | | | | |
| Certainly, Vietnam has greatly increased the | | | | DID YOU KNOW THAT... |