Humbling Geography Game

Give it a whirl.

I got a -10 due to my lack of knowledge of Eastern Europe.

Foolish American.

Vietnam: Independence! Freedom!?! Happiness!

Vietnam!

Even though my learned instinct is to see Vietnam through the lens of war, it is in reality a economically emerging country filled with natural beauty and tranquil village life.




Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is the easternmost nation on the Indochina Peninsula. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, and Cambodia to the southwest. On the country's east coast lies the South China Sea.

Vietnam is densly populated, with a population of over 85 million people. Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world.




Motto:
Độc lập - Tự do - Hạnh phúc
"Independence - Freedom - Happiness"

Capital: Hanoi
Largest city: Ho Chi Minh City

Climate: tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March).

Terrain: low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest

Language: Vietnamese, an Austro-Asiatic language formerly known under the French colonization as Annamese. Much of the vocabulary is dervived from Chinese.

Nationalities
At present there are 54 different ethnic groups inhabiting Vietnam, in which Kinh (Viet) people make up nearly 90% of the whole population, and 53 other ethnic groups represent over 10%.

Government: Socialist republic

(Head of Vietnamese Communist Party with Castro in June 2007)

Currency: Dong. The most common bills available are the 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000, 20,000, and 50,000 notes. There are no coins. One US dollar equals13,500 dong.

Exports: Vietnam has a rapidly growing economy and their current major exports are: crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments, and shoes. The United States is the world's largest importer of Vietamese goods.

Brief History of power:

Legend has it that Vietnam's origin lay in the harmonious union of lac Long Quan, King of the Sea, and Au Co, Princess of the Mountains. Real life was not so paradisical, as Vietnam's early history--like its recent history--is characterized by a nearly continuous struggle for autonomy. First came an entire millenium of Chinese domination, which was finally thrown off in the 9th century. External control was imposed once again in the 19th century, when Vietnam was occupied by the French.

French rule lasted until WWII, when the country was invaded by Japan. At the war's end the predominantly Communist Viet Minh, which had led the resistance movement against the Japanese, declared the country's independence. The French Indochina War ensued, until France admitted defeat in 1954, and the Geneva Accords left Vietnam divided into a Communist north and an anti-Communist south.

By this time the U.S. had replaced the French as the primary sponsor of the anti-Communist government. Tension between north and south mounted over the next few years, until in 1964 full scale war erupted.

The conflict lasted for the next eight years, and involved hundreds of thousands of troops from the U.S. and other countries. In 1973 a cease-fire agreement allowed the U.S. the opportunity to withdraw its troops, and in 1975 the southern capital of Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese. An extended period of political repression followed, prompting massive emigration from the country. In 1991, with the fall of Communism and the end of the Cold War, many western powers re-established diplomatic and trade relations with Vietnam. The last country to do so, in 1995, was the U.S.

Religion and Customs:

The major religious traditions in Vietnam are Buddhism (which fuses forms of Taoism and Confusianism), Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism), Islam, Caodaism and the Hoa Hao sect.

Worship of Ancestor Custom

A very popular belief among Vietnamese is the custom of the ancestor cult. In every household, an ancestor altar is installed in the most solemn location.

Vietnamese believe that the soul of a dead person, even if dead for many generations, still rests along with their descendants on earth. The dead and living persons still have spiritual communion; in everyday life, people must not forget that what they enjoy and how they feel is the same for their dead relatives.

Custom of Chewing Betel and Areca Nuts:

The custom of chewing betel nut is unique to Vietnam. Old health books claim that "chewing betel and areca nut makes the mouth fragrant, decreases bad tempers, and makes digesting food easy". A quid of betel makes people become closer and more openhearted. At any wedding ceremony, there must be a dish of betel and areca nut, which people can share as they enjoy the special occasion.

Playing funeral music is one of the oldest professions in Vietnam. The music is meant to accompany the soul of the deceased person, as it travels to the Land of Buddha. In Vietnam, qualified funeral musicians can earn more money in one month than the average person earns in a year.

Celebration: The most important festival of the year is Tet, a week-long event in late January or early February that heralds the new lunar year and the advent of spring. Celebration consists of both raucous festivity (fireworks, drums, gongs) and quiet meditation. In addition to Tet, there are about twenty other traditional and religious festivals each year.

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FOOD!

Although rice is the foundation of the Vietnamese diet, the country's cuisine is anything but bland. Deeply influenced by the national cuisines of France, China, and Thailand, Vietnamese cooking is highly innovative and makes extensive use of fresh herbs, including lemon grass, basil, coriander, parsley, laksa leaf, lime, and chili. Soup is served at almost every meal, and snacks include spring rolls and rice pancakes.

The national condiment is nuoc mam, a piquant fermented fish sauce served with every meal.

Indigenous tropical fruits include bananas, pineapples, coconuts, lychees, melons, mandarin oranges, grapes, and exotic varieties like the three-seeded cherry and the green dragon fruit.

Vietnam and the Internet: Vietnam named as one of 13 "enemies of the internet" by Reporters Without Borders in 2006. The Communist Party has a strong grip on the media, including what content is posted and accessed on the internet. Internet providers face fines or closure for breaking the rules and "cyber dissidents" have been imprisoned; Internet cafes must register the personal details of customers

The Ministry of Culture and Information controls the press and broadcasting. The government has shut down several publications for violating the narrow limits on permissible reporting. Under a 2006 decree journalists face large fines for transgressions which include denying revolutionary achievements and spreading "harmful" information or "reactionary ideology".


Since Andy is going to Vietnam this fall and he has toads, here is a Vietnamese Mossy Toad
Enjoy Vietnam, Andy!

In Minneapolis:

Delicious Vietnamese restaurants...try to move beyond the sesame chicken!

Camdi
http://www.mndaily.com/drinkanddine/details/4/Camdi+Chinese-Vietnamese
Lotus
http://www.sotanlife.com/experience.php/section/home/page/estab_view/id/1771
Saigon Uptown
http://twincities.citysearch.com/profile/5583975/minneapolis_mn/saigon_uptown_restaurant.html
Bona
http://www.activediner.com/Bona-Vietnamese-Rtnt/restaurant/Minneapolis/MN/US/profile/138534

Vietnamese Community of Minnesota: http://www.vietnam-minnesota.org/

Sources
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1243338.stm
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/vm.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam
http://www.vietnamtourism.com/
http://www.geographia.com/vietnam/

Estonia: The non-Baltic Baltic State!

Estonia.

Estonia sits smack in the middle of multiple nations and is one of the three Baltic States (Estonia, Lativia, and Lithuania) that had once been occupied by the Soviet Union.

The climate in Estonia is temperate, characterised by warm summers and fairly severe winters. The topography of Estonia is mainly marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south.

Tallin is the capitol of Estonia and though it is a bustiling modern city, it is also one of the best-preserved mediaeval cities in Europe.

Other major cities include:
Haapsalu - a town known for mud baths and a 13th century castle
Pärnu - the summer capital of Estonia known for its beaches and parks
Viljandi - a castle town with a beatuiful lake view
Tartu - a city containing the oldest active University, since 1632 and Narva - a border town with a 13th century castle half in Estonia and half in Russia

History: Estonians have been living in this tiny portion of the Baltic lands since approximately 2,500 B.C., making them the longest settled of the European peoples. Due to Estonia’s strategic location as a link between East and West, it has been highly coveted through the ages by rapacious kings and conquerors. Eventually, on 24 February 1918, Estonia declared its independence. Its period of independence was brief, however, and Estonia was forcibly annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940. But in 1991 Estonians again reasserted their independence, and peacefully broke away from the Soviet Union.

Culture: Estonias have a great pride in their culture and traditions- they worked hard to maintain their language and cultural life all through their Soviet rule and other invasions.

The Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns. Estonians consider themselves a Nordic people rather than Balts, based on their linguistic, cultural and historical ties with Sweden, Denmark and particularly Finland.

Language: The national language is Estonian, a Finno-Ugric language and, along with its close relative Finnish as well as Hungarian, is one of the few official languages of the European Union that is not of Indo-European origin.

Indigenous Estonian-speaking ethnic Estonians constitute nearly 70% of the total population of about 1.3 million people. Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%, Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census)

This ad is allegedly Russian peoples living in Estonia urging them to learn the Estonian language.

Singing is a major part of the Estonian culture. In fact, mass protests involving singing banned Estonian songs between 1987 and 1991 are considered a major part of what earned Estonia independence after 50 years of Soviet occupation, coined the Singing Revolution.

I did find a blogger who was concerned that Estonian pop music is stuck in the Eighties....but I am not sure if that is special to Estonia.

Food: Traditional Estonian food has its roots firmly in the countryside, relying heavily on pork, potatoes and garden variety vegetables. The main culinary influences were from Germans, who ruled over Estonia for so many centuries. Throughout history, many other nations who ruled the region – Danes, Germans, Swedes, Poles and Russians – have influenced Estonian cuisine. Among the traditional dishes are marinated eel, blood sausage and sauerkraut stew with pork.



Government: Estonia is a parliamentary democracy with three branches of power: legislative, executive, and judicial.

Estonia has been a member of the European Union since May 2004 and of NATO since March 2004.

Estonia has gained a reputation for being at the cutting edge of technology. A June 2007 survey found that 768,000 Estonians - 65% of the population - use the internet. The country held the world's first parliamentary "e-vote" in 2007.

Taxes: In 1994, Estonia became one of the first countries in the world to adopt a flat tax, with a uniform rate of 26% regardless of personal income. In January 2005 the personal income tax rate was reduced to 24%. A subsequent reduction to 23% followed in January 2006. The income tax rate will be decreased by 1% annually to reach 18% by January 2011.

Currency: The national currency of Estonia is called the Kroon and was introduced on 20 June 1992. The Kroon is abbreviated as EEK. The smaller unit is called the Sent, 1 kroon = 100 sents. The kroon is pegged to the EURO at 1 EUR = appr. 15.65 EEK.

The Estonian government is now intending to adopt the euro as the country's currency in 2010. Its economy is rated as "high income" by the World Bank.

Exports: Estonia exports machinery and equipment, wood and paper, textiles, food products, furniture, and metals and chemical products. Estonia also exports 1.562 billion kilowatt hours of electricity annually.

Religion: Religion According to a recent Eurostat poll, in 2005, only 16% of Estonian citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", whereas 54% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 26% that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God, or life force". This, according to the survey, would have made Estonians the most non-religious people in the then 25-member European Union.

Historically, Estonia used to be stronghold of Lutheranism due to its strong links to the Nordic countries.

Saunas: Estonia is truly sauna-obsessed. In the capital city of Tallinn‘s Old Town, there‘s a Sauna street and a medieval "Sauna Tower."

A sauna is a magical place in Estonian lore - childbirth, dying and healing of diseases were performed here. At nighttime it was visited by both good and evil spirits. People tried to avoid sauna at dark times of the day.

Behavior: Estonians are economical with their feelings, on the whole, not eager to display great joy or sadness. At official meetings people shake hands, privately, they avoid both handshakes and hugging; a friendly 'hello!' is a good enough substitute.

In the worst cases, instead of polite superficiality, Estonians display a rather discourteous indifference. More often, however, they express a sincere and unselfish desire to communicate, and at times, an almost startling eagerness.

http://www.visitestonia.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonia
http://www.culture.ee/
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/europe/estonia/
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/en.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/1106425.stm
http://www.estonica.org/index.html
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/estonia.html
http://palun.blogspot.com/2007/03/eighties-disco-hell.html

Ecuador: There is no "Q" in the name!!

Ecuador!

Hard Facts:

Capital: Quito
Main cities: Principal cities: Guayaquil, Quito, and Cuenca

Population: 13,755,680 (as of July 2007)

Location: Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Official Language: Spanish, but also Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Official currency: The almighty US dollar!

Climate: tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Terrain: Ranges from coastal lands, mountain ranges, and Amazon rainforest. One of 17 Megadiverse countries.

Noted factoids:
Galapagos Islands are a part of Ecuador. Some famous scientist guy was obsessed with the place.

Over 40 indigenous tribal cultures have been documented in Ecuador.

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Religion: 95% Catholic

Exports: oil, bananas, flowers and shrimp


Natural hazards: frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity, floods and periodic droughts. Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world.

Panama Hat invention of Ecuador- not Panama!

In Ecuador, Tuesday the 13th is considered a very unlucky day. No one should ever get married or travel on that day.

Formerly a part of the Inca Empire, conquered by the Spanish in 1533, gained independence around 1830, currently celebrating 28 years of unstable civilian democratic government.

Thousands of Columbians seek refuge in Ecuador to escape violence in their home country.

Ecuador qualified for the world cup finals in 2002 and 2006.

Ecuador won its first Olympic gold medal in 1996- Jefferson Pérez, on the 20 km race-walk.

Foods vary by region, but guinea pig or “cuy” is a frequent food on special occasions.

PC ownership: 20.3 computers per 1,000 people

In Minnesota:

There is an estimated 10 to 15,000 Ecuadorians living in the Twin Cities.

The Guayaquil Restaurant at Bloomington Ave and Lake Street is fantastic, and actually has a tasty American style breakfast.

An Ecuadorian consulate opened on Lake Street in Minneapolis in 2005.

Sources:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ec.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecuador
http://www.ecuadorexplorer.com/index.html
http://www.experiment.org/index.html