Many of the rich natural resources and ecosystems on the coast would also be threatened. Climate change could lead to an increase in weather extremes throughout the country. Vietnam has a tropical, monsoon-influenced climate with marked variations in temperature and rainfall. The strongest variations in temperature and rainfall occur in the northern plains of the Red River Delta and in the coastal areas of central Vietnam. These areas are already vulnerable to weather-related disasters such as typhoons, flooding, and cold spells.
Drought too can be a problem, particularly in the south.
All of these weather variables could change, particularly if, as computerized climate models suggest, global warming affects the strength and location of monsoons. If the monsoons shift northward, for example, the rainfall in northern Vietnam would increase. In the south, meanwhile, water availability would probably decline as warmer temperatures encourage evaporation losses. Agriculture is the most vulnerable sector of the economy. Rice is the main food crop and contributes significantly to the national economy, particularly since increased production in recent years has turned Vietnam into one of the world s major rice exporters.