1998 Edition

Area

total: 329,560 sq km land: 325,360 sq km water: 4,200 sq km

Area-comparative

slightly larger than New Mexico

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)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Ngoc Linh 3,143 m

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, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geographic coordinates

16 00 N, 106 00 E

Irrigated land

18,600 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 4,639 km border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

Land use

arable land: 17% permanent crops: 4% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 30% other: 48% (1993 est.)

Location

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, 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 hazards

occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 35% (male 13,570,312; female 12,796,687) 15-64 years: 60% (male 22,222,286; female 23,621,122) 65 years and over: 5% (male 1,613,103; female 2,412,749) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

21.55 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

6.69 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

36.02 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 67.74 years male: 65.37 years female: 70.25 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.7% male: 96.5% female: 91.2% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural) adjective: Vietnamese

Net migration rate

-0.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

76,236,259 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

1.43% (1998 est.)

Religions

Buddhist, Taoist, Roman Catholic, indigenous beliefs, Islam, Protestant, Cao Dai, Hoa Hao

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.5 children born/woman (1998 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 note: eight existing provinces (Bac Thai, Ha Bac, Hai Hung, Minh Hai, Nam Ha, Quang Nam-Da Nang, Song Be, and Vinh Phu) may have been abolished and from their territory 15 new provinces and one new municipality* (Bac Can, Bac Giang, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Ca Mau, Da Nang City*, Ha Nam, Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Nam Dinh, Phu Tho, Quang Nam, Thai Nguyen, and Vinh Phuc) may have been created

Constitution

15 April 1992

Country name

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 abbreviation: SRV

Data code

VM

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), Ngo Xuan LOC (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

FAX

[1] (202) 861-0917 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas "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

[84] (4) 8350484 or 8431510

Flag description

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

Government type

Communist state

Independence

2 September 1945 (from France)

International organization participation

will become a member at the next APEC meeting in the fall of 1998, 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, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant) Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador LE VAN BANG chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036, Suite 501 telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737

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 (CPV), Le Kha PHIEU, general secretary

Legal system

based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

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

National capital

Hanoi

National holiday

Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

paddy rice, corn, potatoes, rubber, soybeans, coffee, tea, bananas; poultry, pigs; fish

Budget

revenues: $5.6 billion expenditures: $6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.7 billion (1996 est.)

Currency

1 new dong (D) = 100 xu

Debt-external

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

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA note: $2.4 billion in credits and grants pledged by international donors for 1997

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 has been achieved over the past 10 years in moving forward from an extremely low starting point. Economic growth continued at a strong pace during 1997 with industrial output rising by 12% and real GDP expanding by 8.5%. These positive numbers, however, masked some major difficulties that are emerging in economic performance. Many domestic industries, including coal, cement, steel, and paper, reported large stockpiles of inventory and tough competition from more efficient foreign producers, giving Vietnam a trade deficit of $3.3 billion in 1997. While disbursements of aid and foreign direct investment have risen, they are not large enough to finance the rapid increase in imports; and it is widely believed that Vietnam may be using short-term trade credits to bridge the gap-a risky strategy that could result in a foreign exchange crunch. Meanwhile, Vietnamese authorities continue to move slowly toward implementing the structural reforms needed to revitalize the economy and produce more competitive, export-driven industries. Privatization of state enterprises remains bogged down in political controversy, while the country's dynamic private sector is denied both financing and access to markets. Reform of the banking sector is proceeding slowly, raising concerns that the country will be unable to tap sufficient domestic savings to maintain current high levels of growth. Administrative and legal barriers are also causing costly delays for foreign investors and are raising similar doubts about Vietnam's ability to maintain the inflow of foreign capital. Ideological bias in favor of state intervention and control of the economy is slowing progress toward a more liberalized investment environment.

Electricity-capacity

5.32 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

165 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

12.3 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

new dong (D) per US$1-12,300 (January 1998), 11,100 (December 1996), 11,193 (1995 average), 11,000 (October 1994), 10,800 (November 1993), 8,100 (July 1991)

Exports

total value: $7.1 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments, shoes partners: Japan, Germany, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, France, South Korea

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$128 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 28% industry: 30% services: 42% (1996 est.)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$1,700 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

8.5% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $11.1 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles partners: Singapore, South Korea, Japan, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan

Industrial production growth rate

12% (1997 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index

5% (1997)

Labor force

total: 32.7 million by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry and services 35% (1990 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 all 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.)

Unemployment rate

25% (1995 est.)

Airports

48 (1994 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 7 (1994 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 5 (1994 est.)

Highways

total: 93,300 km paved: 23,418 km unpaved: 69,882 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 121 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 487,427 GRT/750,000 DWT ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 97, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, oil tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 note: Vietnam owns an additional 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 97,531 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Honduras, Liberia, Malta, and Panama (1997 est.)

Pipelines

petroleum products 150 km Ports and harbors: Cam Ranh, Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Gai, Qui Nhon, Nha Trang

Railways

total: 2,835 km (in addition, there are 224 km not restored to service after war damage) standard gauge: 151 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 2,454 km 1.000-m gauge other gauge: 230 km NA-m dual gauge (three rails)

Waterways

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

Military branches

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

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$544 million (1995)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

2.7% (1995)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 19,818,187 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 12,519,072 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

17 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 811,382 (1998 est.)

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 with Thailand resolved, August 1997; maritime boundary dispute with China in the Gulf of Tonkin; Paracel Islands occupied by China but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; offshore islands and sections of boundary with Cambodia are in dispute; sections of land border with China are indefinite

Illicit drugs

key growing areas in Vietnam cultivated 6,150 hectares of poppy in 1997 (an increase of 95% over 1996), with a potential production of 45 metric tons (an increase of 80% over 1996) of opium; opium producer and probably minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin destined for the US and Europe; growing opium addiction; possible small-scale heroin production (territory of the US)