| Background: |
France occupied
all of Vietnam by 1884. Independence was declared after
World War II, but the French continued to rule until 1954
when they were defeated by communist forces under Ho Chi
MINH, who took control of the north. US economic and
military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an
attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were
withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two
years later North Vietnamese forces overran the south.
Economic reconstruction of the reunited country has proven
difficult as aging Communist Party leaders have only
grudgingly initiated reforms necessary for a free market. |
| Location: |
Southeastern
Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and
South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
16 00 N, 106 00 E |
| Map
references: |
Southeast Asia |
| Area: |
total:
329,560 sq km
land: 325,360 sq km
water: 4,200 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly larger
than New Mexico |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
4,639 km
border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China
1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km |
| Coastline: |
3,444 km
(excludes islands) |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous
zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the
continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: |
tropical in
south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (mid-May to
mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to
mid-March) |
| Terrain: |
low, flat delta
in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in
far north and northwest |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Ngoc Linh 3,143 m |
| Natural
resources: |
phosphates, coal,
manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits,
forests, hydropower |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
17%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 30%
other: 48% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
18,600 sq km
(1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
occasional
typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding |
| Environment
- current issues: |
logging and
slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute to
deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and
overfishing threaten marine life populations; groundwater
contamination limits potable water supply; growing urban
industrialization and population migration are rapidly
degrading environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban |
| Population: |
79,939,014 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
32.13% (male 13,266,585; female 12,415,384)
15-64 years: 62.44% (male 24,357,343; female
25,556,187)
65 years and over: 5.43% (male 1,722,094;
female 2,621,421) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.45% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
21.23
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
6.22 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-0.49 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
30.24
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 69.56 years
male: 67.12 years
female: 72.19 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
2.49 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.24% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
100,000 (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
2,500 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Vietnamese (singular and plural)
adjective: Vietnamese |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Vietnamese
85%-90%, Chinese, Hmong, Thai, Khmer, Cham, mountain groups |
| Religions: |
Buddhist, Hoa Hao,
Cao Dai, Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic, some
Protestant), indigenous beliefs, Muslim |
| Languages: |
Vietnamese
(official), English (increasingly favored as a second
language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area
languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian) |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 96.5%
female: 91.2% (1995 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
conventional short form: Vietnam
local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet
Nam
local short form: Viet Nam
abbreviation: SRV |
| Government
type: |
Communist state |
| Administrative
divisions: |
58 provinces (tinh,
singular and plural), 3 municipalities* (thu do, singular
and plural); An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac
Ninh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh
Phuoc, Binh Thuan, Ca Mau, Can Tho, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Da
Nang, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Hai Duong, Hai
Phong*, Ha Nam, Ha Noi*, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hoa Binh, Ho Chi
Minh*, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau,
Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An,
Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang
Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La,
Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue,
Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen
Bai |
| Independence: |
2 September 1945
(from France) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day,
2 September (1945) |
| Constitution: |
15 April 1992 |
| Legal
system: |
based on
communist legal theory and French civil law system |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President Tran Duc LUONG (since 24
September 1997) and Vice President Nguyen Thi BINH (since NA
October 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Phan Van
KHAI (since 25 September 1997); First Deputy Prime Minister
Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 29 September 1997); Deputy Prime
Ministers Nguyen Cong TAN (since 29 September 1997), Nguyen
Manh CAM (since 29 September 1997), and Pham Gia KHIEM
(since 29 September 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on
the proposal of the prime minister and ratification of the
National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National
Assembly from among its members for a five-year term;
election last held 25 September 1997 (next to be held when
National Assembly meets following legislative elections in
NA 2002); prime minister appointed by the president from
among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime
ministers appointed by the prime minister
election results: Tran Duc LUONG elected
president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA% |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (450 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 July 1997 (next to be
held NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party -
CPV 92%, other 8% (the 8% are not CPV members but are
approved by the CPV to stand for election); seats by party -
CPV or CPV-approved 450 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme People's
Court (chief justice is elected for a five-year term by the
National Assembly on the recommendation of the president) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
only party -
Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Le Kha PHIEU, general
secretary] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
none |
| International
organization participation: |
ACCT, APEC, ARF,
AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
(observer) |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador-designate Nguyen Tam CHIEN
chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Washington, DC
20036, Suite 400
telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737
FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917
consulate(s) general: San Francisco |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Douglas B. "Pete"
PETERSON
embassy: 7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District,
Hanoi
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP
96521-0002
telephone: [84] (4) 8431500
FAX: [84] (4) 8351510
consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City |
| Flag
description: |
red with a large
yellow five-pointed star in the center |
| Economy
- overview: |
Vietnam is a
poor, densely populated country that has had to recover from
the ravages of war, the loss of financial support from the
old Soviet Bloc, and the rigidities of a centrally planned
economy. Substantial progress was achieved from 1986 to 1996
in moving forward from an extremely low starting point -
growth averaged around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The
1997 Asian financial crisis highlighted the problems
existing in the Vietnamese economy but, rather than
prompting reform, reaffirmed the government's belief that
shifting to a market oriented economy leads to disaster. GDP
growth of 8.5% in 1997 fell to 6% in 1998 and 5% in 1999.
Growth continued at the moderately strong level of 5.5%, a
level that should be matched in 2001. These numbers mask
some major difficulties in economic performance. Many
domestic industries, including coal, cement, steel, and
paper, have reported large stockpiles of inventory and tough
competition from more efficient foreign producers; this
problem apparently eased in 2000. Foreign direct investment
fell dramatically, from $8.3 billion in 1996 to about $1.6
billion in 1999. Meanwhile, Vietnamese authorities have
moved slowly in implementing the structural reforms needed
to revitalize the economy and produce more competitive,
export-driven industries. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $154.4 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
5.5% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $1,950 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
25%
industry: 35%
services: 40% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
37% (1998 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
3.5%
highest 10%: 29% (1993) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
-0.6% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
38.2 million
(1998 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 67%,
industry and services 33% (1997 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
25% (1995 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$5.3 billion
expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital
expenditures of $1.8 billion (1999 est.) |
| Industries: |
food processing,
garments, shoes, machine building, mining, cement, chemical
fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, coal, steel, paper |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
10.7% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
22.985 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
47.71%
hydro: 52.29%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
21.376 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
paddy rice, corn,
potatoes, rubber, soybeans, coffee, tea, bananas, sugar;
poultry, pigs; fish |
| Exports: |
$14.3 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
crude oil, marine
products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments, shoes |
| Exports
- partners: |
China, Japan,
Germany, Australia, US, France, Singapore, UK, Taiwan |
| Imports: |
$15.2 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel products,
raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles |
| Imports
- partners: |
Japan, Singapore,
South Korea, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia,
Indonesia, France, US, Sweden |
| Debt
- external: |
$13.2 billion
(2000) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$2.1 billion in
credits and grants pledged by international donors for 2000 |
| Exchange
rates: |
dong per US
dollar - 14,530 (January 2001), 14,020 (January 2000),
13,900 (December 1998), 11,100 (December 1996), 11,193 (1995
average), 11,000 (October 1994) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
2.6 million
(2000) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
730,155 (2000) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort
into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication
system, but its performance continues to lag behind that of
its more modern neighbors
domestic: all provincial exchanges are
digitalized and connected to Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh
City by fiber-optic cable or microwave radio relay networks;
since 1991, main lines in use have been substantially
increased and the use of mobile telephones is growing
rapidly
international: satellite earth stations - 2
Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 65, FM 7,
shortwave 29 (1999) |
| Radios: |
8.2 million
(1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
at least 7 (plus
13 repeaters) (1998) |
| Televisions: |
3.57 million
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.vn |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
5 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
121,000 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
2,652 km
standard gauge: 166 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 2,249 km 1.000-m gauge
dual gauge: 237 km NA-m gauges (three rails)
(1998) |
| Highways: |
total:
93,300 km
paved: 23,418 km
unpaved: 69,882 km (1996) |
| Waterways: |
17,702 km
note: more than 5,149 km are navigable at all
times by vessels up to 1.8 m draft |
| Pipelines: |
petroleum
products 150 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Cam Ranh, Da Nang,
Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Long, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang,
Vinh, Vung Tau |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
143 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 705,388 GRT/1,071,902
DWT
ships by type: bulk 8, cargo 108, chemical
tanker 1, combination bulk 1, container 2, liquefied gas 2,
petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 3 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
17
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
17
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 8 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
People's Army of
Vietnam (PAVN) (includes Ground Forces, Navy, and Air
Force), Coast Guard |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
17 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 21,704,588 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 13,673,438 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
961,124 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$650 million
(FY98) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
2.5% (FY98) |
| Disputes
- international: |
maritime boundary
with Cambodia not defined; involved in a complex dispute
over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines,
Taiwan, and possibly Brunei; maritime boundary agreement
with China in the Gulf of Tonkin awaits ratification;
Paracel Islands occupied by China but claimed by Vietnam and
Taiwan; portions of boundary with Cambodia are in dispute;
agreement on land border with China was signed in December
1999, but details of alignment have not yet been made public |
| Illicit
drugs: |
minor producer of
opium poppy with 2,100 hectares cultivated in 1999, capable
of producing 11 metric tons of opium; probable minor transit
point for Southeast Asian heroin; opium/heroin/methamphetamine
addiction problems |
|
