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The Vietnamese people (Vietnamese: người Việt) is an ethnic group originating from northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising close to 90% of the population, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam. They speak the Vietnamese language.
Origins
According to legend, the first Vietnamese descended from the dragon lord, Lac Long Quan and a heavenly spirit Au Co. They married and had one hundred eggs, which hatched to one-hundred children. Their eldest son Hung Vuong ruled as the first Vietnamese king. The predecessors of the Vietnamese people emigrated from present southern China to the Red River delta and mixed with the indigenous population.
In 258 BC An Duong Vuong founded the kingdom of Au Lac, in North Vietnam. A Chinese general in 208 BC defeated An Duong Vuong and adopted the Vietnamese name Trieu Da. Trieu Da combined Au Lac with territories in southern China and named his kingdom Nam Viet. Nam means south. Viet is a derivation of Yue, the Chinese name for the Guang Dong, Guang Xi, and Vietnam regions.
Distribution
Originally from northern Vietnam, the Vietnamese have conquered much of the land belonging to the Champa Kingdom and Khmer Empire over the centuries. They are the dominant ethnic group in most provinces of Vietnam, and constitute a significant portion of the population of Cambodia.
During the 16th century, some Vietnamese migrated north into China; although somewhat Sinicized, their descendants still speak Vietnamese and form the Gin people of China.
When the French left Vietnam in 1954, some Vietnamese people immigrated to France. As a result of the partition of North and South Vietnam, about 2 million northern Vietnamese migrated to the south to escape persecution.
The end of the Vietnam War prompted many others to leave the country. Most resettled in North America and Western Europe. The United States has a large Vietnamese-American community.
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