What is culture? Culture is customs, social instructions, art and achievements. Culture is constantly evolving, shaped and modified by changing times, technological progress, terrain, and many other factors. As a nation develops and changes, its culture also changes. Nations arise throughout the world with their own civilization and their own individual principles leading to their own distinct culture. Some nations have become a mixture of many cultures. This shows that the nation has had a rich history. This essay will look at some examples of how Vietnam's location, terrain, and climate have influenced its culture. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Vietnam is one of the last five remaining communist countries in the world today. He bases his ideologies on Marxism and Leninism. The president is the head of the country and the prime minister is the head of the government. Vietnam has three branches of government: the executive branch, the legislative branch, and the judicial branch. Elections are held every five years in which everyone aged 18 or over has the right to vote. The people elect the popular council and charge it with acting in the name of the constitution. Vietnam is located on the east coast of mainland Southeast Asia and covers an area of ​​approximately 127,244 square miles, stretching 1,025 north to south and 373 east to west. The capital is Hanoi, located in the northern part of the country. Vietnam borders China to the north, the Tokin Gulf to the east, the South China Sea to the south and east, and Cambodia and Laos to the west. Its total land border is 2,883 miles and a coastline of 2,140. The climate of Vietnam is dominated by the monsoon season. It has an average temperature between 70 degrees and 90 degrees Fahrenheit with an average humidity around 85%. Vietnam is a country of hills, densely forested plateaus and tropical plains. The current population is 97,473,132 inhabitants, of which 35.8% live in the main cities. The national and official language of Vietnam is Vietnamese. Vietnamese has its origins in northern Vietnam. It was originally written with a modified set of Chinese characters which were later replaced with the script known as Chữ nôm. The Vietnam Army is one of the largest in the world with an active duty force of 412,000 Army personnel, 42,000 Navy personnel, 40,000 paramilitary Border Defense Corps and 30,000 Air Force personnel. They also have a reserve force of 4 to 5 million. Vietnam has had many conflicts over the last century. They fought their French colonial master in 1883-1913, 1916, 1917, 1930-1931, and finally gained their independence in the First Indochina War in 1954. They fought the Japanese in World War II alongside the French. In 1956 the Second Indochina War began and lasted until 1975 with the communist north conquering the south as the United States withdrew from South Vietnam. Vietnam's culture is ancient and heavily influenced by neighboring China. Vietnam gained independence from China around the 10th century. After its independence, Vietnam began to expand southward. This expansion led to the incorporation of the Khmer and Champa cultures. When the French brought Vietnam under colonial rule, they introduced Western culture, the Latin alphabet, and Christianity. When Vietnam reunited on April 30, 1975, the communist regime placed many restrictions on cultural exchanges with the West and focused more on cultural exchanges with other communist regimes such as the USSR, China and Cuba. Despite the centuries some elements of culture have not changed as respect for values..