The stunning terraces of Northern Vietnam where built by the hands of minorities over generations. Since three-quarters of the country is covered by hills and mountains, the the cultivation of rice terraces was arduous. They determined to carve the mountain ranges into step terraces and located water underground. They calculated the height and width of the terrace walls to support the irrigation to hold the fertility of the soil. For centuries now, rice has remained the foundational staple of Vietnam and much of the world.