View allAll Photos Tagged BorderCrossing
This is what the Tijuana-San Ysidro border crossing (Known to local residents [on both sides of the border] and frequent crossers as La Linea "The Line") looked like in 1969 – outdoors (but under a roof), and very basic. I can't show you what it looks like now, the Customs & Border Protection Gestapo police forbid any photos (even non-flash...) inside the border crossing building that now exists, citing "security concerns". (Huh? All a terrorist would have to do is walk through a couple'o times, rubbernecking...) Taken by a Kodak Instamatic (model 104, IIRC - the camera is long since gone!) on Kodak Verichrome Pan (ISO 125) film. (126) Not vignetted, that's the white border that photos used to have
The following paragraph applies to the next three shots (in my photostream) as well:
Scanned by a now forgotten scanner model (not my current Epson V700...) into my computer and uploaded to a Yahoo group, then downloaded to my current computer (the old one with the original file on the hard-drive is down) and uploaded to Flickr®.
Geotag is approximate - they've re-built over this spot, and my memory of the shot (and the next three...) is 45 years old!... (as of 2014)
I am, BTW, a native US citizen...
Part of my new "Walking into Tijuana" series, # 3 - walk this alleyway, turning a slight left behind the Customs and Border Protection cars/pickups/vans, but in front of that cinder-block outbuilding. Taken by a Nikon F3 with a Nikkor 50mm ƒ 1.4 AIs lens on Kodak U-Max 400 film.
Scanned into computer by an Epson V700, with the Epson software.
The series assumes you know how to take the "Blue Line" San Diego Trolley to San Ysidro (or get there on the bus...)
Malden Rest Area, Doey Thruway, NEW YORK STATE...Heading North To Albany and Point further..U.S. Customers and Immigration..American Rule of Law... Border Maggots...CBSA..Depuis
Esztergom bridge over the Danube, passing from Esztergom (foreground) to Štúrovo (Slovakia) in the background.
© All rights reserved - No usage allowed in any form without the written consent of the photographer
When I departed from Vietnam en route to Cambodia, we crossed the border by heading up the Mekong River to Phnom Penh via high speed boat. Consequently, we had two border crossing points, one for Vietnam (which is where this was taken) and one for Cambodia. Here, we didn't even have to get out of the boat as our guide dealt with all the paperwork.
There were lots of kids who were very playful. One or two of the border guards kept trying to chase them away from the tourists (not our idea!)...and the kids would sneak up on the guards and then dive into the water to avoid them. At one point I had them (trying) to shout back various (polite!) Scottish phrases and extolling the virtues of my favourite football team. It was the most enjoyable transtion between two countries that I've ever experienced. This shot was taken as our boat was pulling away.
USA border crossing from Canada
Crossing the border into Champlain, Clinton County, New York USA United States of America from Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle which is a municipality in Les Jardins-de-Napierville Regional County Municipality, Québec, Canada
Champlain–St. Bernard de Lacolle Border Crossing
This crossing is open 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
It is sometimes locally referred to as the Blackpool Border Crossing
For more on The United States of America (USA) visit:
For more on Canada visit:
us-keepexploring.canada.travel/
The bus will start returning to New York City. We will stop by at the duty free shops in Canada for famous souvenirs such as Canadian ice wine and the maple syrup.
3-Day Quebec Winter Carnival (Ice Hotel) Tour from New York
Tour Code: 672-1058
Visit:
Montréal, Québec, Canada
L'oratoire Saint Joseph du Mont Royal / Saint Joseph's Oratory of Mount Royal
Hôtel de Ville de Montréal / Montreal City Hall
Place Jacques Cartier / Jacques Cartier Square with the Admiral Horatio Nelson Column monument
Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal / Notre-Dame Basilica
Vieux Montréal / Old Montreal
Chinese dinner in Le quartier chinois de Montréal / Chinese dinner Chinatown Montreal
Biodôme de Montréal / Montreal Biodome
Stade olympique / The Olympic Stadium with the Montréal Tower (the highest inclined tower in the world)
IGL The Canadian Duty Free Shop Canadian Ice Wine sampling in St. Bernard de Lacolle
Ville de Québec, Canada / Québec City in Québec, Canada
Carnaval de Québec / Quebec Winter Carnival
1640 Restaurant in Ville de Québec / 1640 Restaurant in Quebec City
Vieux Québec Ville de Québec / Old Quebec in Quebec City
Fairmont Le Château Frontenac / Fairmont Frontenac Hotel
The Hôtel de Glace / The Ice Hotel
Chute Montmorency / Montmorency Falls
Border crossing from USA to Canada and Border crossing from Canada to USA at the Champlain–St. Bernard de Lacolle Border Crossing
Lunch in Peru New York
For more information on 3-Day Quebec Winter Carnival (Ice Hotel) Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-tour-to-toronto-and-n...
Fore more information on Take Tours visit:
Hashtag metadata tag
#US #USA @UnitedStates #UnitedStatesofAmerica #TheUnitedStatesofAmerica #America #American #NorthAmerica #NorthAmerican #USBorderCrossing #USABorderCrossing #BorderCrossing #BorderCrossing #border #borders #Canada #Canadian #Blackpool #BlackpoolBorder #BlackpoolBorderCrossing #Champlain #ChamplainNY #ChamplainNewYork #NY #NewYork #ILoveNY #ILoveNewYork
Photo
Champlain, Clinton County, New York State, USA The United States of America Country, North America Continent
February 8th 2015
(EN) The other side of the wall: The photo shows the same scene as the previous one, just shoot from the barricade in North Nicosia / Lefkoşa - even the three people from the previous shot appear again (I shot it approximately 2 hours later than the firs one). In the picture, one can see the Greek blocade and the workers in front of it. The road connecting the two parts of Nicosia hadn’t been used since decades, so a lot of work had to be done in order to open it again. I was by far not the only curious, there were even queues for the only place where one could spot over the barricade and the café in front of it was quite full.
(DE) Die andere Seite der Mauer: Auf dem Bild ist die gleiche Strasse zu sehen wie auf dem vorherigen, allerdings von der anderen Seite her fotografiert, nämlich von der Barrikade in Nord-Nikosia / Lefkoşa aus - sogar die drei Arbeiter aus dem vorherigen Bild erscheinen erneut, obwohl ich das Foto etwa zwei Stunden später und nach einem Grenzübertritt gemacht habe. Die Strasse, welche die beiden Stadtteile verbindet, war jahrzehntelang ausser Gebrauch und in einem entsprechenden Zustand (ebenso die Häuser an dieser Strasse), deshalb gab es für die Eröffnung des Übergangs eine Menge Vorarbeiten zu erledigen.
Ich war bei weitem nicht der einzige Neugierige, manchmal musste man gar in Schlangen anstehen, um auf die aufgeschichteten Ziegelsteine stehen zu können, welche den Blick über die Barrikade ermöglichten. Auch das Café direkt davor machte an diesem Tag (und an den folgenden wohl noch mehr) gute Geschäfte, gegenüber wurde ein offenbar lange leer stehendes Ladenlokal gerade wieder in Schuss gebracht.
Andere Reiseberichte / Other travel reports:
2014 Bangladesch (mit Indien und Nepal) / Bangladesh
2012 Jugra (Autonomer Bezirk der Chanten und Mansen) / Yugra
2011 Ägypten während der Revolution / Egypt during Revolution
In the borderland of the Rhine Valley, the Police of Switzerland and Austria cooperate in cross-border operations. A swiss (left) and an austrian (right) policeman at a general vehicle spotcheck. Bus stop Aecheli Heerbrugg, Switzerland, Jan 18, 2008.
View of the Somaliland border gate at Tog Wajaale, seen from Togochale (Somali Regional State, Ethiopia). Tog Wajaale is a busy village, divided into two by a dry creek which marks the border.
On the Somaliland side of the border, there are quite up-to-date passport checking facilities (even several passport scanners and computers with flat screen monitors - what a contrast to the typical big book on the Ethiopian side!), sponsored by a British programme.
However, most people (and animals) don't care, they just cross the border without any control. And many people do this, because of the famous market on the Somali side, where e.g. electronic goods are sold which aren't available in Ethiopia. Even people from Jijiga come here for that. The Ethiopian side is also attractive for the Somalis, because there are four banks in this village. The reason for that is that Somaliland - as an unrecognized state - doesn't have access to the international banking system, so some people manage their accounts through Ethiopian banks in Togochale.
Grenzübergang zwischen Raeren (Belgien) und Aachen (Deutschland)
The old customs house at the Koepfchen border crossing between Belgium and Germany near Aachen
Sasabe, Arizona, population 11.
"The official border-crossing point in this southern Arizona town is one of the loneliest outposts on the entire 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border. The Sasabe Port of Entry is so isolated U.S. officers once set up a barbecue grill on the front deck to fend off boredom. The grill has since been wheeled away. But the armed U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to the port still spend much of their time standing around in their crisp blue uniforms with little to do but wait for the next car or pickup to pull into the single entrance lane from Sonora into Arizona. On average, just 165 cars, trucks or pedestrians pass through the Sasabe port a day,"
sign spotted in the Southwest - doesn't it look like the little girl is being pulled along like a balloon?
The Rio Grande forms the border between Texas and the Mexican state of Coahuila. After 9/11, visitors to Big Bend National Park were no longer allowed to cross into the border town of Boquillas del Carmen to have lunch and buy souvenirs. Now, Mexicans cross the border and leave crafts on the US side in the hopes tourist will buy them and leave the money. Mexicans watch from the other side and periodically come across to fetch the money and replace the merchandise. These two guys are getting back to Mexican territory.
Sasabe, Arizona is a tiny community immediately north of the international border with Mexico. It hosts a minor border crossing, an adobe sales outlet, a public school, a guest ranch, a general store with fuel pumps, a weekend bar, and a post office.
Crossing the border from USA into Canada on foot across Rainbow Bridge.
To get to Canada from the USA, cross Rainbow Bridge from Niagara Falls, New York USA into Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada. To leave the United States of America, walk through a self locking metal turnstile gate without needing to show any id at this point, half way across the Rainbow Bridge there is a bronze plaque on the bridge fence indicating the United States / Canada International Boundary Line, this area is also notated with the Canadian flag flying next to the USA flag. To enter Canada after crossing the International Boundary Line you must show your passport to customs agents before entering the country of Canada, there is no fee for this process but when you want to cross the same bridge back into the USA there is a .50 cent fee.
Walking across Rainbow Bridge takes under10 minutes, the time to show your passport to the agent at the Canadian border and the agents at the USA when returning to The United States of America cannot be determined as the time varies based on how many border agents or people trying to enter the country at any given time.
There are excellent views of Niagara Falls from both the USA and Canada, but they are both very different, the view of the falls from Canada shows a more natural less built up look, where as the view of Niagara Falls from the USA shows more of a city built up look.
For more information on crossing Niagara Falls Bridge visit:
For more information on Ontario Canada visit:
For more info on Niagara New York USA visit:
Border crossing during free time of
2-Day Niagara Falls Tour from New York with TakeTours!
Photo
Ontario, Canada
New York, USA, North America
05/25/2013
Crossing the border into USA The United States of America from the Canada across Rainbow Bridge.
To get to USA from Canada, cross Rainbow Bridge from Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada into Niagara Falls, New York USA.
To leave the United States of America, walk through a self locking metal turnstile gate without needing to show any id at this point, half way across the Rainbow Bridge there is a bronze plaque on the bridge fence indicating the United States / Canada International Boundary Line, this area is also notated with the Canadian flag flying next to the USA flag. To enter Canada after crossing the International Boundary Line you must show your passport to customs agents before entering the country of Canada, there is no fee for this process but when you want to cross the same bridge back into the USA there is a .50 cent fee.
Walking across Rainbow Bridge takes under10 minutes, the time to show your passport to the agent at the Canadian border and the agents at the USA when returning to The United States of America cannot be determined as the time varies based on how many border agents or people trying to enter the country at any given time.
There are excellent views of Niagara Falls from both the USA and Canada, but they are both very different, the view of the falls from Canada shows a more natural less built up look, where as the view of Niagara Falls from the USA shows more of a city built up look.
For more information on crossing Niagara Falls Bridge visit:
For more information on visiting Niagara Falls USA visit:
www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/
For more information on visiting The United States of America USA visit:
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About these 2 days of the trip
Day 1
New York - Corning/Watkins Glen - Niagara Falls (426 miles)
Passengers will be picked up in New York and New Jersey in the morning. We will head north from New York in the morning to the Corning Glass Museum in Corning, NY to learn about glassmaking (during the winter) or Watkins Glen State Park (during the summer). From there, we will continue on to Niagara Falls, NY where we will see Thundering Water Cultural Show.
Corning, NY
Corning Museum of Glass This museum in western New York is dedicated to the history, art, and science behind glassmaking. Its collection contains more than 45,000 objects, some of which date back millennia. It was founded in 1951 and sees 400,000 visitors annually.
Watkins Glen, NY
Watkins Glen State Park Glen Creek has carved a dramatic gorge into the Watkins Glen hillside, resulting in a large, cavern-like network of rock formations. Visitors can take guided tours, do some hiking, or just spend some time in the park.
Available in Summer only. Tour goes to Corning Glass Museum during winter.
Niagara Falls, NY Known and loved for both their power and their beauty, the Niagara Falls offer an experience unlike any other. More water tumbles down from the Niagara River every minute than any other place in the world.
Thundering Water Cultural Show Niagara, like many impressive wonders of nature, is a sacred place for the local Native American people. This show uses dance as a storytelling medium through which to showcase the impact that the falls have had on native culture.
Standard Hotel: Best Western Buffalo Downtown, Ramada Amherst, Best Western Plus Lockport, or Similar
Day 2
Niagara Falls - Niagara Falls Canada - Toronto (83 miles)
We will continue our tour Niagara Falls by heading into Canada to take the Hornblower Cruise boat ride and see an informational movie at the IMAX Theater. We will also ascend the Skylon Tower. The tour then departs for Toronto, ON, one of Canada's largest cities. There we will visit the CN Tower and guests will have the option to take a Lake Ontario Cruise. During the winter when the cruise is not running, we will instead visit Casa Loma. We will have dinner in historical Chinatown.
Niagara Falls Canada, Canada Known and loved for both their power and their beauty, the Niagara Falls offer an experience unlike any other. More water tumbles down from the Niagara River every minute than any other place in the world.
Skylon Tower
This observation tower on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls offers a bird's-eye views of one of the world's favorite natural wonders. The tower stands 520 feet from street level and 775 feet from the bottom of the falls.
Rainbow Bridge
The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River connects Niagara, Ontario to Niagara, New York. It is an international landmark and impressive architectural feat. In addition to private vehicles, pedestrians and bikes can cross the bridge for a small toll.
Niagara Falls IMAX
This amazing movie experience, presented on an unbelievable IMAX screen, chronicles more than 12,000 years of history and examines human interaction with the falls from ancient time through the people-- like you-- who come to see them today.
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Get ready to get wet: this world-famous boat ride takes passengers as close to the falls as it is possible to get. Formerly Maid of the Mist, Hornblower now runs Niagara cruise operations on the Canadian side of the Falls.
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
The impressive Skylon Tower, jutting into the air above Niagara Falls, features the Revolving Dining Room, a one-of-a-kind eatery the makes a full revolution every hour. Sitting just below the observation deck, guests can enjoy views and food!
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3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York
Tour Code: 655-68
July 11th, 12th, 13th 2014
Visit:
Watkins Glen State Park New York
Niagara Falls, NY USA
Thundering Water Cultural Show
USA / Canada international border crossing on Rainbow Bridge from New York United States of America to Ontario Canada
Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada
Skylon Tower
Niagara Falls IMAX
Hornblower Niagara Cruise
Skylon Revolving Restaurant Lunch
Toronto which is the largest city in Canada
Lake Ontario Cruise
Toronto City Hall
University of Toronto
CN Tower
Ontario Legislative Building
Chinatown
Toronto Chinese Dinner
Thousand Islands, Ontario Canada
Thousand Islands Cruise
Thousand Islands Cruise Breakfast
Thousand Islands Tax and Duty Free Store in Lansdowne, Ontario Canada
Canada / USA international border crossing Thousand Islands Bridge from Hill Island, Ontario, Canada across the Saint Lawrence River to Wellesley Island, New York, United States of America
For more information on the 3-Day Niagara Falls, Toronto Canada Tour from New York visit:
www.taketours.com/new-york-ny/3-day-toronto-niagara-falls...
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Hashtag metadata tag
#USAborder #UnitedStatesBorder #US #USA #UnitedStatesofAmerica #Americanborder #border #bordercrossing #crosstheborder #NiagaraFalls #Niagara #Falls #TheFalls #NiagaraRiver #River #LakeErie #LakeOntario #Waterfall #Waterfalls #hydropowergeneration #hydropower #generation #TreatyofGhent #WondersoftheWorld #SevenNaturalWonders #TheSevenNaturalWonders #SevenNaturalWondersoftheWorld #water #nature #beauty #beautiful #naturalbeauty #VisitNiagaraFalls #NiagaraFallsUSA #NiagaraFallsNY #NiagaraFallsNewYork #NY #NewYork #NewYorkState #USA #StatePark
Photo
Niagara Falls city, Niagara County, New York State, United States of America USA country, North America continent
July 11th 2014
LAOS
Officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, and Thailand to the west. Its population was estimated to be around 6.5 million in 2012.
Laos traces its history to the kingdom of Lan Xang, which existed from the 14th to the 18th century when it split into three separate kingdoms.
In 1893, it became a French protectorate, with the three kingdoms, Luang Phrabang, Vientiane and Champasak, uniting to form what is now known as Laos. It briefly gained independence in 1945 after Japanese occupation, but returned to French rule until it was granted autonomy in 1949.
Laos became independent in 1953, with a constitutional monarchy under Sisavang Vong. Shortly after independence, a long civil war ended the monarchy, when the Communist Pathet Lao movement came to power in 1975.
Laos is a single-party socialist republic. The capital city is Vientiane. Other large cities include Luang Prabang, Savannakhet, and Pakse. The official language is Lao.
Laos is a multiethnic country with the politically and culturally dominant Lao people making up approximately sixty percent of the population, mostly in the lowlands. Various Mon-Khmer groups, the Hmong, and other indigenous hill tribes, accounting for forty percent of the population, live in the foothills and mountains.
Laos' "strategy for development is based on generating electricity from its rivers and selling the power to its neighbours", namely Thailand, China, and Vietnam. Its economy is accelerating rapidly with the demands for its metals.
It is a member of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), East Asia Summit, and La Francophonie. Laos applied for membership of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1997, but as of 2012 the country is only an observer state.
Capital
and largest city Vientiane
17°58′N 102°36′E / 17.967°N 102.6°E / 17.967; 102.6
Official languages Lao
Official scripts Lao script
Ethnic groups (2005) 55% Lao
11% Khmou
8% Hmong
26% othersa
Demonym Laotian
Lao
Government Marxist–Leninist single-party state
- President Choummaly Sayasone
- Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong
- General Secretary
(Party) Choummaly Sayasone
- President of the
National Assembly Pany Yathotu
- President of
Construction Sisavath Keobounphanh
Legislature National Assembly
Independence from France
- Autonomy 19 July 1949
- Declared 22 October 1953
Area
- Total 236,800 km2 (84th)
91,428.991 sq mi
- Water (%) 2
Population
- 2012 estimate 6,500,000[1] (104th)
- 1995 census 4,574,848
- Density 26.7/km2 (177th)
69.2/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2012 estimate
- Total $19.158 billion[2]
- Per capita $3,004[2]
GDP (nominal) 2012 estimate
- Total $9.269 billion[2]
- Per capita $1,320[2]
Gini (2008) 34.6 (medium)
HDI (2010) 0.524[3] (medium / 139th)
Currency Kip (LAK)
Time zone (UTC+7)
Drives on the right
Calling code +856
ISO 3166 code LA
Internet TLD .la
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VIET NAM
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east.
The name Việt Nam had been used for the country before it became the official name in "Dư địa chí" of Nguyễn Trãi written in 1435 and perhaps even before. "Việt" is the name of the largest ethnic group in Vietnam: the Kinh (người Kinh) and "Nam" means "the South", affirming Vietnam's sovereignty from China (usually called "North country" by the Vietnamese).
The people of Vietnam regained independence and broke away from China in 938 AD after their victory at the Battle of Bạch Đằng River (938). Successive dynasties flourished along with geographic and political expansion deeper into Southeast Asia, until it was colonized by the French in the mid-19th century. Efforts to resist the French eventually led to their expulsion from the country in the mid-20th century, leaving a nation divided politically into two countries. Fighting between the two sides continued during the Vietnam War, ending with a communist victory in 1975.
Emerging from this prolonged military engagement, the war-ravaged nation was politically isolated. The government’s centrally planned economic decisions hindered post-war reconstruction and its treatment of the losing side engendered more resentment than reconciliation. In 1986, it instituted economic and political reforms and began a path towards international reintegration. By 2000, it had established diplomatic relations with most nations. Its economic growth had been among the highest in the world in the past decade. These efforts culminated in Vietnam joining the World Trade Organization in 2007 and its successful bid to become a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in 2008.
GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
Vietnam is approximately 331,688 km² (128,066 sq mi) in area (not including Hoang Sa and Truong Sa islands), larger than Italy and almost the size of Germany. The perimeter of the country running along its international boundaries is 4,639 km (2,883 mi). The topography consists of hills and densely forested mountains, with level land covering no more than 20%. Mountains account for 40% of the area, with smaller hills accounting for 40% and tropical forests 42%. The northern part of the country consists mostly of highlands and the Red River Delta. Phan Xi Păng, located in Lào Cai province, is the highest mountain in Vietnam at 3,143 m (10,312 ft). The south is divided into coastal lowlands, Annamite Chain peaks, extensive forests, and poor soil. Comprising five relatively flat plateaus of basalt soil, the highlands account for 16% of the country's arable land and 22% of its total forested land.
The delta of the Red River (also known as the Sông Hồng), a flat, triangular region of 15,000 square kilometers, is smaller but more intensely developed and more densely populated than the Mekong River Delta. Once an inlet of the Gulf of Tonkin, it has been filled in by the enormous alluvial deposits of the rivers over a period of millennia, and it advances one hundred meters into the Gulf annually. The Mekong delta, covering about 40,000 square kilometers, is a low-level plain not more than three meters above sea level at any point and criss-crossed by a maze of canals and rivers. So much sediment is carried by the Mekong's various branches and tributaries that the delta advances sixty to eighty meters into the sea every year.
Because of differences in latitude and the marked variety of topographical relief, the climate tends to vary considerably from place to place. During the winter or dry season, extending roughly from November to April, the monsoon winds usually blow from the northeast along the China coast and across the Gulf of Tonkin, picking up considerable moisture; consequently the winter season in most parts of the country is dry only by comparison with the rainy or summer season. The average annual temperature is generally higher in the plains than in the mountains and plateaus and in the south than in the north. Temperatures in the southern plains (Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta) varies less, going between 21 and 28 degree Celsius (70 and 82.5 °F) over the course of a year. The seasons in the mountains and plateaus and in the north are much more dramatic, and temperatures may vary from 5 degree Celsius (41 °F) in December and January to 37 degree Celsius (98.6 °F) in July and August.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Vietnam National Convention CenterThe Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a single-party state. A new state constitution was approved in April 1992, replacing the 1975 version. The central role of the Communist Party was reasserted in all organs of government, politics and society. Only political organizations affiliated with or endorsed by the Communist Party are permitted to contest elections. These include the Vietnamese Fatherland Front, worker and trade unionist parties. Although the state remains officially committed to socialism as its defining creed, the ideology's importance has substantially diminished since the 1990s. The President of Vietnam is the titular head of state and the nominal commander in chief of the military of Vietnam, chairing the Council on National Defense and Security. The Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen Tan Dung is the head of government, presiding over a council of ministers composed of 3 deputy prime ministers and the heads of 26 ministries and commissions.
The National Assembly of Vietnam is the unicameral legislature of the government, composed of 498 members. It is superior to both the executive and judicial branches. All members of the council of ministers are derived from the National Assembly. The Supreme People's Court of Vietnam, which is the highest court of appeal in the nation, is also answerable to the National Assembly. Beneath the Supreme People's Court stand the provincial municipal courts and the local courts. Military courts are also a powerful branch of the judiciary with special jurisdiction in matters of national security. All organs of Vietnam's government are controlled by the Communist Party. Most government appointees are members of the party. The General Secretary of the Communist Party is perhaps one of the most important political leaders in the nation, controlling the party's national organization and state appointments, as well as setting policy.
The Vietnam People's Army is the official name for the combined military services of Vietnam, which is organized along the lines of China's People's Liberation Army. The VPA is further subdivided into the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces (including Strategic Rear Forces and Border Defense Forces), the Vietnam People's Navy, the Vietnam People's Air Force and the coast guard. Through Vietnam's recent history, the VPA has actively been involved in Vietnam's workforce to develop the economy of Vietnam, in order to coordinate national defense and the economy. The VPA is involved in such areas as industry, agriculture, forestry, fishery and telecommunications. The total strength of the VPA is close to 500,000 officers and enlisted members. The government also organizes and maintains provincial militias and police forces. The role of the military in public life has steadily been reduced since the 1980s.
POPULATION
Recent census estimates the population of Vietnam at beyond 84 million. Vietnamese people, also called "Viet" or "Kinh", account for 86.2 percent of the population. Their population is concentrated in the alluvial deltas and coastal plains of the country. A homogeneous social and ethnic majority group, the Kinh exert political and economic control. There are more than 54 ethnic minorities throughout the country, but the Kinh are purveyors of the dominant culture. Most ethnic minorities, such as the Muong, a closely related ethnic of the Kinh, are found mostly in the highlands covering two-thirds of the territory. The Hoa (ethnic Chinese) and Khmer Krom are mainly lowlanders. The largest ethnic minority groups include the Hmong, Dao, Tay, Thai, and Nung.
LANGUAGES
The people of Vietnam speak Vietnamese as a native language. In its early history, Vietnamese writing used Chinese characters. In the 13th century, the Vietnamese developed their own set of characters called Chữ nôm. The celebrated epic Đoạn trường tân thanh (Truyện Kiều or The Tale of Kieu) by Nguyễn Du was written in Chữ nôm. During the French colonial period, Quốc ngữ, the romanized Vietnamese alphabet used for spoken Vietnamese, which was developed in 17th century by Jesuit Alexandre De Rhodes and several other Catholic missionaries, became popular and brought literacy to the masses.
Various other languages are spoken by several minority groups in Vietnam. The most common of these are Tày, Mường, Khmer, Chinese, Nùng, and H'Mông. The French language, a legacy of colonial rule, is still spoken by some older Vietnamese as a second language, but is losing its popularity. Vietnam is also a full member of the Francophonie. Russian — and to a much lesser extent German, Czech, or Polish — is sometimes known among those whose families had ties with the Soviet bloc. In recent years, English is becoming more popular as a second language. English study is obligatory in most schools. Chinese and Japanese have also become more popular.
RELIGIONS
For much of Vietnamese history, Mahayana Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism have strongly influenced the religious and cultural life of the people. About 85% of Vietnamese identify with Buddhism, though not all practice on a regular basis[24][25][26][27][28][29][30]. About 8% of the population are Christians (about six million Roman Catholics and fewer than one million Protestants, according to the census of 2007). Christianity was introduced first by the Portuguese and the Dutch traders in the 16th and 17th centuries, then further propagated by French missionaries in the 19th and 20th centuries, and to a lesser extent, by American Protestant missionaries during the presence of American forces during the 1960s and early 1970s. The largest Protestant churches are the Evangelical Church of Vietnam and the Montagnard Evangelical Church.
Vietnam has great reservation towards Roman Catholicism. This mistrust originated during the French colonial time when some Catholics collaborated with the French colonists as espionage agents and militiamen to suppress the Vietnamese independence movement. Furthermore, the Church's teaching in Vietnam regarding communism made it an unwelcome counterforce to communist rule. Relationship with the Vatican, however, has improved in recent years. Membership of Sunni and Bashi Islam, a small minority faith, is primarily practiced by the ethnic Cham minority, though there are also a few ethnic Vietnamese adherents in the southwest. The communist government has from time to time been criticized for its religious restrictions although it has categorically denied that such restrictions exist today.
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Motto: "Independence, Freedom, Happiness"
Anthem: Tiến Quân Ca
"Army March" (first verse)
Capital: Hanoi
Largest city: Ho Chi Minh City
Official language: Vietnamese
Demonym: Vietnamese
Government: Socialist Republic
Independence from France
- Date September 2, 1945
- Recognized 1954
Area
- Total 331,690 km2 (65th); 128,527 sq mi
- Water (%): 1.3
Population
- 2008 (mid-year estimate): 86,116,559 (13th)
- 1999 census 76,323,173
- Density: 253/km2 (46th); 655/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2007 estimate: Total $221.614 billion (46th); Per capita $2,589 (128th)
GDP (nominal) 2007 estimate: Total $70.943 billion (60th); Per capita $828 (140th)
Gini (2002): 37 (medium) (59th)
HDI (2007): ▲ 0.733 (medium) (105th)
Currency: đồng (₫) (VND)
Time zone UTC+7 (UTC+7)
- Summer (DST) No DST (UTC+7)
Drives on the right
Internet TLD: .vn
Calling code: 84
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Crossing the border from USA into Canada on foot across Rainbow Bridge.
To get to Canada from the USA, cross Rainbow Bridge from Niagara Falls, New York USA into Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada. To leave the United States of America, walk through a self locking metal turnstile gate without needing to show any id at this point, half way across the Rainbow Bridge there is a bronze plaque on the bridge fence indicating the United States / Canada International Boundary Line, this area is also notated with the Canadian flag flying next to the USA flag. To enter Canada after crossing the International Boundary Line you must show your passport to customs agents before entering the country of Canada, there is no fee for this process but when you want to cross the same bridge back into the USA there is a .50 cent fee.
Walking across Rainbow Bridge takes under10 minutes, the time to show your passport to the agent at the Canadian border and the agents at the USA when returning to The United States of America cannot be determined as the time varies based on how many border agents or people trying to enter the country at any given time.
There are excellent views of Niagara Falls from both the USA and Canada, but they are both very different, the view of the falls from Canada shows a more natural less built up look, where as the view of Niagara Falls from the USA shows more of a city built up look.
For more information on crossing Niagara Falls Bridge visit:
For more information on Ontario Canada visit:
For more info on Niagara New York USA visit:
Border crossing during free time of
2-Day Niagara Falls Tour from New York with TakeTours!
Photo
Ontario, Canada
New York, USA, North America
05/25/2013
Crossing the border from USA into Canada on foot across Rainbow Bridge.
To get to Canada from the USA, cross Rainbow Bridge from Niagara Falls, New York USA into Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada. To leave the United States of America, walk through a self locking metal turnstile gate without needing to show any id at this point, half way across the Rainbow Bridge there is a bronze plaque on the bridge fence indicating the United States / Canada International Boundary Line, this area is also notated with the Canadian flag flying next to the USA flag. To enter Canada after crossing the International Boundary Line you must show your passport to customs agents before entering the country of Canada, there is no fee for this process but when you want to cross the same bridge back into the USA there is a .50 cent fee.
Walking across Rainbow Bridge takes under10 minutes, the time to show your passport to the agent at the Canadian border and the agents at the USA when returning to The United States of America cannot be determined as the time varies based on how many border agents or people trying to enter the country at any given time.
There are excellent views of Niagara Falls from both the USA and Canada, but they are both very different, the view of the falls from Canada shows a more natural less built up look, where as the view of Niagara Falls from the USA shows more of a city built up look.
For more information on crossing Niagara Falls Bridge visit:
For more information on Ontario Canada visit:
For more info on Niagara New York USA visit:
Border crossing during free time of
2-Day Niagara Falls Tour from New York with TakeTours!
Photo
Ontario, Canada
New York, USA, North America
05/25/2013