ABSTRACT
A consideration of the ecological, cultural and historical heterogeneity of Vietnam provides an opportunity to examine the differentiated effect of a variety of administrative policies, ethnic groups, cultural traditions and physical features on natural resources and environmental management. The very definition of ‘Vietnam’ itself is controversial with huge differences between the ethnic groups and their relationships between culture, environment and methods of land use. The conflict in Vietnamese society between the need for a centrally administered economy and the indisputable existence of strong village institutions creates social tensions between the geographical core and the periphery.
