Vietnam: Introduction

Vietnam is a country located in Southeastern Asia bordering the Gulf of Thailand, the Gulf of Tonkin, and the South China Sea. Neighboring countries include Cambodia, China, and Laos. The geography consists of hills and densely forested mountains in the northwest. The government system is a communist state; the chief of state is the president, and the head of government is the prime minister. Vietnam has a mixed economy in which there is limited private freedom, but the economy remains highly controlled by the government. Vietnam is a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).