The country's first ever photo exhibition of insects is on display in Hanoi offering a closer look at Vietnam's anthropological population.

Co-organised by the Vietnam Nature Museum and the Italian Embassy, the exhibition has gathered over 200 photos of insects from across the country taken by researcher Vu Van Lien and Italian photographer Saolo Bambi.

Each panel features a characteristic of the insect life in an artistic style although they were initially taken purely for scientific research purposes.

There are also nine photos of typical forests throughout Vietnam, located at various different altitudes from the southern island of Phu Quoc to Fansipan, the peak of Indochina, in the northernwestern province of Lao Cai.

The exhibition aims to celebrate 2010 as the first year of international biological diversity initiated by the United Nations.

"The exhibition also has a further purpose of promoting the protection of biological diversity as well as our living environment for now and for future generations," said Professor Chau Van Minh, chairman of the Vietnam Science and Technology Institute.

The exhibition will be on display at Exhibition House, 45 Trang Tien Street, until Dec. 19./.