1996 Edition

Description

red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

Location

16 00 N, 106 00 E -- Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, between China and Cambodia Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly larger than New Mexico

land area

325,360 sq km

total area

329,560 sq km

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)

Coastline

3,444 km (excludes islands)

Environment

current issues

logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices are contributing to deforestation; soil degradation; water pollution and overfishing threatening marine life populations; inadequate supplies of potable water because of groundwater contamination

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban

natural hazards

occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding

Geographic coordinates

16 00 N, 106 00 E

International disputes

maritime boundary with Cambodia not defined; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei; unresolved maritime boundary with Thailand; maritime boundary dispute with China in the Gulf of Tonkin; Paracel Islands in the South China Sea occupied by China but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; offshore islands and sections of boundary with Cambodia are in dispute

Irrigated land

18,300 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Cambodia 982 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 1,555 km

total

3,818 km

Land use

arable land

22%

forest and woodland

40%

meadows and pastures

1%

other

35%

permanent crops

2%

Location

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, between China and Cambodia

Map references

Southeast Asia

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

Natural resources

phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil deposits, forests

Terrain

low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest

highest point

Ngoc Linh 3,143 m

lowest point

South China Sea 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 36% (male 13,739,304; female 12,988,929) 15-64 years: 59% (male 20,956,735; female 22,448,944) 65 years and over: 5% (male 1,548,513; female 2,294,548) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

23 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

6.95 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Vietnamese 85%-90%, Chinese 3%, Muong, Thai, Meo, Khmer, Man, Cham

Infant mortality rate

38.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Vietnamese (official), French, Chinese, English, Khmer, tribal languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Life expectancy at birth

female

69.48 years (1996 est.)

male

64.69 years

total population

67.02 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

91.2%

male

96.5%

total population

93.7%

Nationality

adjective

Vietnamese

noun

Vietnamese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

73,976,973 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

1.57% (1996 est.)

Religions

Buddhist, Taoist, Roman Catholic, indigenous beliefs, Islam, Protestant

Sex ratio

all ages

0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

2.69 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Administrative divisions

50 provinces (tinh, singular and plural), 3 municipalities* (thu do, singular and plural); An Giang, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Bac Thai, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Thuan, Can Tho, Cao Bang, Dac Lac, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Bac, Ha Giang, Ha Noi*, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hai Hung, Hai Phong*, Ho Chi Minh*, Hoa Binh, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Minh Hai, Nam Ha, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam-Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Song Be, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phu, Yen Bai

Capital

Hanoi

Constitution

15 April 1992

Data code

VM

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

1233 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036, Suite 501

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires ad interim Le Van BANG

telephone

[1] (202) 861-0737

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet was appointed by the president on proposal of the prime minister and ratification of the National Assembly

chief of state

President Le Duc ANH (since 23 September 1992) was elected for a five-year term by the National Assembly from among its members

head of government

Prime Minister Vo Van KIET (since 9 August 1991) was appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly; First Deputy Prime Minister Phan Van KHAI (since 10 August 1991) and Deputy Prime Ministers Nguyen KHANH (since NA February 1987) and Tran Duc LUONG (since NA February 1987) were appointed by the prime minister

FAX

[1] (202) 861-0917

[84] (4) 350484

note

on 11 July 1995, President CLINTON announced the normalization of diplomatic relations with Vietnam; the liaison offices in both countries were upgraded to full embassies on 5 August 1995

note

on 11 July 1995, President CLINTON announced the normalization of diplomatic relations with Vietnam; the liaison offices in both countries were upgraded to full embassies on 5 August 1995

Flag

red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

Independence

2 September 1945 (from France)

International organization participation

ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

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

Legal system

based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

abbreviation

SRV

conventional long form

Socialist Republic of Vietnam

conventional short form

Vietnam

local long form

Cong Hoa Chu Nghia Viet Nam

local short form

Viet Nam

National Assembly (Quoc-Hoi)

elections last held 19 July 1992 (next to be held NA July 1997); results - CPV is the only party; seats - (395 total) CPV or CPV-approved 395

National holiday

Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Political parties and leaders

only party - Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), DO MUOI, general secretary

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

Communist state

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires L. Desaix ANDERSON

embassy

7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi

mailing address

PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002

telephone

[84] (4) 431500

Agriculture

paddy rice, corn, potatoes, rubber, soybeans, coffee, tea, bananas; poultry, pigs; fish catch of 943,100 metric tons (1989 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$5 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.36 billion (1995 est.)

revenues

$4.67 billion

Currency

1 new dong (D) = 100 xu

Economic aid

note

$2.31 billion in credits and grants pledged by international donors for 1996

recipient

ODA, $57 million (1993)

Economic overview

Vietnam's economic performance has been impressive in 1990-95, with real growth averaging over 8% annually. Much of this growth comes from a surge in foreign investment outlays which are estimated at $750 million in 1995, up 50% from 1993 levels. Utilization rates for official development assistance are also increasing, rising to an estimated $535 million in 1995. Foreign capital is contributing to a boom in commercial construction and strong growth in services and industrial output. Crude oil remains the country's largest single export but now accounts for only one-quarter of total exports, slightly more than manufactures. Imports are dominated by capital and intermediate goods closely related to investment outlays. Vietnamese authorities may not be moving quickly enough to establish the financial and legal infrastructure needed to sustain growth through the remainder of the decade. Reform of the banking sector is proceeding slowly, raising concerns that the country will be unable to tap sufficient domestic savings to maintain rapid growth. Administrative and legal barriers are leading to costly delays for foreign investors, raising doubts about Vietnam's ability to maintain the inflow of foreign capital. While government officials are leading an effort to accelerate reform, their continuing ideological bias in favor of state intervention and control of the economy may slow progress toward a more liberalized investment environment. Even with the strong growth of the economy, unemployment at 25% remains a major problem.

Electricity

capacity

4,470,000 kW

consumption per capita

200 kWh (1995 est.)

production

20 billion kWh

Exchange rates

new dong (D) per US$1 - 11,193 (1995 average), 11,000 (October 1994), 10,800 (November 1993), 8,100 (July 1991), 7,280 (December 1990), 3,996 (March 1990)

Exports

$5.3 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities

crude oil, rice, marine products, coffee, rubber, tea, and garments

partners

Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, France, South Korea

External debt

$7.3 billion Western countries; $4.5 billion CEMA debts primarily to Russia; $9 billion to $18 billion nonconvertible debt (former CEMA, Iraq, Iran)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $97 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

28%

industry

28%

services

44% (1995 est.)

GDP per capita

$1,300 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

9.5% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

opium producer and increasingly important transit point for Southeast Asian heroin destined for the US and Europe; growing opium addiction; possible small-scale heroin production

Imports

$7.5 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities

petroleum products, machinery and equipment, steel products, fertilizer, raw cotton, grain

partners

Singapore, South Korea, Japan, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan

Industrial production growth rate

14% (1995 est.)

Industries

food processing, textiles, machine building, mining, cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

14% (1995)

Labor force

32.7 million

by occupation

agricultural 65%, industrial and service 35% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

25% (1995 est.)

Branches

People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) (includes Ground Forces, Navy, and Air Force)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $544 million, 2.7% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

18,593,129

males fit for military service

11,769,955

males reach military age (17) annually

796,312 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM NA, FM 228, shortwave 0

Radios

7.215 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system

while Vietnam's telecommunication sector lags far behind other countries in Southeast Asia, Hanoi has made considerable progress since 1991 in upgrading the system; Vietnam has digitized fully 100% of provincial switch boards, while fiber-optic and microwave transmission systems have been extended from Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City to all provinces; the density of telephone receivers nationwide doubled from 1993 to 1995, but is still far behind other countries in the region; Vietnam's telecommunications strategy aims to increase telephone density to 30 per 1,000 inhabitants by the year 2000 and authorities estimate that approximately $2.7 billion will be spent on telecommunications upgrades through the end of the decade

domestic

NA

international

satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Telephones

800,000 (1995 est.)

Television broadcast stations

36 (repeaters 77)

Televisions

2.9 million (1992 est.) Defense

Airports

total

48

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

5

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

3

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

13

with paved runways over 3 047 m

8

with paved runways under 914 m

7

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

2

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

5

with unpaved runways under 914 m

5 (1994 est.)

Highways

paved

10,500 km

total

105,000 km

unpaved

94,500 km (1993 est.)

Merchant marine

note

Vietnam owns an additional 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 120,320 DWT operating under the registries of Honduras, Panama, The Bahamas, and Malta (1995 est.)

ships by type

bulk 3, cargo 95, oil tanker 10, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1

total

112 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 569,269 GRT/947,938 DWT

Pipelines

petroleum products 150 km

Ports

Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Hon Gai, Qui Nhon, Nha Trang

Railways

narrow gauge

2,454 km 1.000-m gauge

other gauge

230 km NA-m dual gauge (three rails)

standard gauge

151 km 1.435-m gauge

total

2,835 km (in addition, there are 224 km not restored to service after war damage)

Waterways

17,702 km navigable; more than 5,149 km navigable at all times by vessels up to 1.8 m draft