Vietnam is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the East Sea to the east. With a population of over 89 million, Vietnam is the 13th most populous country in the world. The
Vietnamese became independent from Imperial China in AD 938, following the Battle of Bạch Đằng River.
Successive Vietnamese royal dynasties flourished along with the nation's increasing geographic and political expansion into Southeast Asia, until the Indochina Peninsula 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 Vietnam divided politically into two countries until 1976. Vietnam is approximately 331,688 square kilometers in area.
The topography consists of hills and densely forested mountains, with level land covering no more than 20%. Mountains account for almost half of the land area, with smaller hills and tropical forests. The northern part of the country consists mostly of highlands and the Red River Delta. The south is divided into coastal lowlands, Annamite Chain peaks, and extensive forests. The delta of the Red River is smaller but more intensely developed and more densely populated than the Mekong River Delta. Vietnam has two World Natural Heritage sites: Halong Bay and Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park and six World biosphere reserves including: Can Gio Mangrove Forest, Cat Tien, Cat Ba, Kien Giang, Red River Delta, Western Nghe An. Vietnam is in the Indomalaya ecozone. The Viet or Kinh ethnic group make up the majority of Vietnam's population. Vietnam additionally is home to 54 ethnic minority groups, including the Hmong, Dao, Tay, Thai, and Nung. Vietnam's number of visitors for tourism and vacation has increased steadily over the past ten years. Popular destinations include Hanoi, Saigon, the old imperial capital of Hue, World Heritage Sites of Hoi An and the Cham temples of Mỹ Sơn, the coastline such as Nha Trang, the caves of Halong Bay, Marble Mountains, and many other sites. Vietnam debuted in Miss World 2002 and reached the semifinals in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2009. This year, Victoria Phạm Thuý Vy will represent Vietnam at the 61st Miss World finals in London.
The Times of Beauty proudly presents
Victoria Phạm Thuý Vy, Miss World Vietnam 2011, in an exclusive interview for our interview series, Meet the Misses.
1. Give us an introduction of yourself.I am 21 years old, studying business administration at UC Berkeley in California. When I’m not in school I enjoy spending time with my friends and family. Some of my hobbies include: arts and crafts, traveling, theater, community service/charity work, tennis, swimming and baking.
2. Tell us a bit more about your country and hometown.Vietnam is a beautifully preserved, tropical country with 54 ethnic groups, a population of over 90 million and landscapes such as Ha Long Bay which is recognized worldwide as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Vietnamese people are hard working, cultural, hospitable and all have a kind heart.
3. What does it mean to you to represent your country at the 61st Miss World finals?It means everything to me, being able to represent Vietnam and the Vietnamese people all around the world is truly an honor and a dream that I have had since I was a little girl.
4. If you have to choose a song to describe yourself, which would you choose and why?I would choose
Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland just because it’s a relaxing and beautiful song. Its about daydreaming to be in a wonderful world, while also seeing at the same time that the world is wonderful.
5. How would you describe a typical day in your life?Since I’m currently in college still, my typical days consist of waking up early and going to my classes during the day, sometimes studying in the afternoons and participating in extracurricular activities in my free time like sports or school clubs.
6. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?I don’t really know what I’ll be doing or where I will be in 10 years, however I do know that I’ve been fortunate enough to gain different perspectives on the world through my travels. I hope that whatever I do I
can bring my experiences to make an impact on the world.
7. Which well known person from your country you most admire and why?I admire the beautiful singer Ho Ngoc Ha because she is such a successful Vietnamese woman. She worked so hard to get to where she is today, and that is the reason why I look up to her so much.
8. If you had to choose any other country to live in, which one would you choose and why?I would probably choose the U.S. because most of my family is located there.
9. After the Sendai Earthquake, nuclear energy has become a focus of attention. Are you in favor or against the use of this kind of energy as a way to reduce the dependence on oil?
I support the exploration of new energy sources provided that the energy is clean, safe for the environment, sustainable and regulated in a responsible manner.
10. What do you think is the worst kind of human injustice or prejudice happening now?There are a lot of bad things happening all over the world today, and I think we should do our part in reducing prejudice in our world. Nobody should have to suffer through injustice of any kind.
11. What are your duties as the Vietnamese representative to Miss World 2011?I feel like my duties and also my main goal is to show the world what it means to be a young Vietnamese female in today’s modern world. I want to showcase the Vietnamese culture and beauty to the world, and be able to show everyone what we are all capable of -we work hard, strive to learn, and love to give back to our people all around the world.
12. What role can social media (ex. Facebook, Twitter, etc) play in the life of a beauty pageant titleholder?I think social media can play many different roles in the life of a titleholder, but one of the most important roles it can play is the ability to help us stay connected to people around us. Social media like Facebook and Twitter make it easier for titleholders to stay in touch with friends, family, and fans. Its nice to be able to use tools like Facebook to meet new fans who I wouldn’t otherwise be able to meet myself.
13. What does it mean to be a human being?I think being a human being means that we are all equal and are part of the same planet; so its part of our responsibility to take care of each other without boundaries.
14. What do you feel is your purpose in life?My purpose in life is to be a good example for those who will come after me, like my little sister. With everything that I’ve done, I always like to keep in mind that I’m doing all of these things so that I can be a good role model for young girls all around the world; just like my little six year old sister.
15. Share a message to your supporters and readers of The Times of Beauty.Hey you guys! Being Miss Vietnam in this year Miss World pageant is a great honor for me and I will try to do my best. And all the support is very meaningful to me and I really appreciate that. Thank you again and kisses to all. XOXO
and finally... Personal Motto: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind” Dr. Seuss
Personal Goal: To always find happiness in everything I do and share that with everyone I meet.
Personal Dream Destination: Venice, Italy
Favorite Food: Mint chocolate chip ice cream
Favorite Color: Red
Favorite Song: Enrique Iglesias - Heartbeat
Favorite Movie: Breakfast At Tiffany’s
Favorite Book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Favorite Singer/Band: Michael Buble
Favorite Actor/Actress: Nicole Kidman
Favorite Hobby: Photography/Ceramics
Favorite Sport: Tennis
SPECIAL THANKSDonald Nguyen,
Director of Mundial Beauties (http://donaldnguyen.blogspot.com)
Paul Nguyen,
National Director of Miss World in Vietnam and Chairman of Elite Vietnam
Victoria Phạm Thuý Vy,
Miss World Vietnam 2011
Copy Right From: http://www.timesofbeauty.com/2011/10/2011-meet-misses-v43-miss-world-vietnam.html