The climate is Tropical and monsoonal. Humidity averages 84 percent throughout year. The official language is Vietnamese, but other languages such as French, various Chinese dialects, tribal languages, and English are spoken througout the country. In terms of ethnic groups, the Vietnamese account for 87.5 percent of the country's population. Hoa Hao, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Hinduism, and animism.
Education consists of nine years of primary and junior high school, three years of secondary school.
First nine years compulsory. Manual labor comprises 15 percent of primary curriculum and 17 percent of secondary. Ninety-three colleges and universities, with close to 130,000 students enrolled, are able to admit only 10 percent of applicants. Education emphasizes training of skilled workers, technicians, and managers. Students nevertheless tend to avoid vocational schools and specialized middle schools because they are believed to preclude entry to high-status occupations.