2nd September: Vietnam Independence Day

Today is Vietnam Independence Day - here are 10 things you may not know about Vietnam.

1. Its capital city, Hanoi, is over 1,000 years old. Its 1,000 anniversary was in 2010 and a 4 km ceramic mosaic mural, The Hanoi Ceramic Mosaic Mural, was created to mark the occasion. Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city.
2. The shape of the country resembles a narrow letter "S". It covers a total area of approximately 331,210 km2 (127,881 sq mi), almost the size of Germany, and at its narrowest point is just 50 kilometres (31 mi) across.
3. Vietnam is the largest exporter of cashews in the world, 37% of the global supply, and the second largest exporter of Rice.
4. The most common surname in Vietnam is Nguyen, which can also be used as a first name. About 40% of the population have this name, and it was the birth name of Ho Chi Minh.
5. Ho Chi Minh, (known affectionately as ‘Uncle Ho’) is still lying in state in a mausoleum in Hanoi, 40 years after his death. For nine months of the year, it is possible for the public to view his body. For the remaining months, the body is transported to Moscow for "maintenance."
6. Vietnam is home to one of the world's rarest animals, the saola. The species, related to cattle, Goats and antelopes, is only found in the Annamite Range of Vietnam and Laos. It was only discovered, defined and photographed in 1999. An adult saola stands at about 80–90 cm at the shoulder, with its entire body length measuring around 150 cm (the tail measures an additional 25 cm). They are chocolate brown in colour with white markings.
7. Gongs, not bells, call Vietnamese children to school.
8. The Vietnamese language is unique as it is not related to any other language, and is the only language in East Asia that uses the Latin alphabet. It is also nearly impossible for foreigners to learn as it has six tones, and the meaning of a word can change according to the tone it is spoken in.
9. Phan Xi Păng, located in Lào Cai Province, is the highest mountain in Vietnam, standing 3,143 m (10,312 ft) high.
10. New Year, or Tet festival, is a very important day of the year. The people celebrate New Year, Christmas, and everybody's birthday all on one day. Just before the big day, the kitchen god, Ong Tao, is said to visit each family and report back to the God of Heaven on what the family has been doing during the year. The God of Heaven uses this report to determine what sort of luck to send the household in the coming year.