Vietnam covers and area off 330.363 sq. km and is about as big as Italy or New Mexico. The country has three main geographic regions - the tropical south dominated by the Mekong River estuary, the dry central region, and the more temperate north comprising the Red River delta and mountain highlands. The estuary of the Mekong River system in the southern part of Vietnam is flood prone and tens to be low lying, flat and frequently marshy. However, the rich soil in the Mekong Delta makes it the most fertile in the country, particularly for rice cultivation. The area immediately north and east of Ho Chi Minh City is much more varied low-lying tropical rain forest, upland forest, and the rugged terrain of the Annamite Mountain chain. Most of Northern Vietnam is mountainous or hilly. A thick canopy of jungle covers the rugged highland areas. The lowlands consist principally of the Red River Delta and coastal plains, which extend northeast and south from the delta. Heavily populated and intensively cultivated, the lowlands are almost entirely covered by rive fields. Much of the delta region is seasonally flooded; a complex network of dikes and levees prevents serious flood damage.
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