Land

The Montagnards in the United States are from the Central Highlands of Vietnam. This is an area situated north of the Mekong delta and inland from the China Sea. The northern edge of the Highlands is formed by the formidable Troung Son mountain range.

Before the Vietnam War and the Vietnamese settlement of the Highlands, the area was dense, mostly virgin mountain forest, with both hardwood and pine trees, though areas were regularly cleared for planting. The highland weather is more moderate than that of the intensely hot tropical lowland areas, and at the higher altitudes, the temperature can drop to below freezing. The year is divided into two seasons, dry and wet, and the monsoons of the South China Sea can blow into the Highlands.

Before the war, mainstream Vietnamese remained close to the coast and the rich delta farm lands, and the Montagnards in the rugged hills and mountains ranging up to 1500 feet had little contact with outside peoples. Their isolation ended in the mid-20th century when roads into the area were built and the Highlands developed strategic military value during the war. The Cambodian side of the Highlands, also home to Montagnard tribes, is similarly forested with dense jungle and has no established roads or modern communication systems.

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