Does Vietnam have a North and South, or is it just one country?
South Vietnam is the commonly used name for the former Vietnamese state that existed from 1954 to 1976 in the portion of Vietnam that lies south of the 17th parallel. North Vietnam was situated to the north of the 17th parallel. The division of Vietnam occurred during the Geneva Conference, after the Viet Minh fought to end almost 100 years of colonial rule in French Indochina. Following the surrender of Saigon to North Vietnamese forces on April 30, 1975, the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam established itself in Saigon as the government of the Republic of South Vietnam. However, it lacked real autonomy and was largely under the control of the North Vietnamese. The Republic of South Vietnam was dissolved in July 1976 when it merged with the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) to become the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. So, yes it is one country now.
