Main Entry:

Viet·nam

Pronunciation:

\vē-ˈet-ˈnäm, vyet-, ˌvē-ət-, vēt-, -ˈnam\

Function:

geographical name

country SE Asia in Indochina; state, including Tonkin & N Annam, set up 1945–46; with S Annam & Cochin China, an associated state of French Union 1950–54; after civil war, divided 1954–75 at 17th parallel into republics of North Vietnam (∗ Hanoi) & South Vietnam (∗ Saigon); reunited 1975 ∗ Hanoi area 127,207 square miles (330,738 square kilometers), population 79,727,400