2005 Edition

Administrative divisions

59 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thu do, singular and plural) : provinces: 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, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Dac Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, 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 : municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.9% (male 12,065,777/female 11,212,299) 15-64 years: 66.4% (male 27,406,456/female 28,024,250) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,889,585/female 2,937,209) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

paddy rice, coffee, fish and seafood, rubber, cotton, tea, pepper, soybeans, cashews, sugar cane, peanuts, bananas, poultry

Airports

24 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

21 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) Military Vietnam

Area

land

325,360 sq km

total

329,560 sq km

water

4,200 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than New Mexico

Background

The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. 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military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973.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. Despite the return of peace, for over two decades the country experienced little economic growth because of conservative leadership policies. Since 2001, Vietnamese authorities have committed to economic liberalization and enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The country continues to experience protests from the Montagnard ethnic minority population of the Central Highlands over loss of land to Vietnamese settlers and religious persecution. Geography Vietnam

Birth rate

17.07 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$13.09 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion (2004 est.)

revenues

$10.66 billion

Capital

Hanoi

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)

Constitution

15 April 1992

Country name

abbreviation

SRV

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

Currency (code)

dong (VND)

Currency code

VND

Current account balance

$-2.061 billion (2004 est.)

Death rate

6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$16.55 billion (2004 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Michael W. MARINE

consulate(s) general

Ho Chi Minh City

embassy

7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi

FAX

[84] (4) 772-1510

mailing address

PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002

telephone

[84] (4) 772-1500

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Nguyen Tam CHIEN

consulate(s) general

San Francisco

FAX

[1] (202) 861-0917

telephone

[1] (202) 861-0737

Disputes - international

southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese squatters and armed encroachments along border; in 2004 Laotian-Vietnamese boundary commission agrees to erect missing markers in two adjoining provinces; demarcation of the China-Vietnam boundary proceeds slowly and although the maritime boundary delimitation and fisheries agreements were ratified in June 2004, implementation has been delayed; China occupies Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Vietnam continues to expand construction of facilities in the Spratly Islands; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

Distribution of family income - Gini index

36.1 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$2.8 billion in credits and grants pledged by international donors for 2000 (2004)

Economy - overview

Vietnam is a densely-populated, developing country that in the last 30 years 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 1997 in moving forward from an extremely low level of development and significantly reducing poverty. Growth averaged around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian financial crisis highlighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy and temporarily allowed opponents of reform to slow progress towards a market oriented economy. GDP growth of 8.5% in 1997 fell to 6% in 1998 and 5% in 1999. Growth then rose to 7% in 2000-04 even against the background of global recession. Since 2001, however, Vietnamese authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to economic liberalization and international integration. They have moved to implement the structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. However, equitization of state-owned enterprises and reduction in the proportion of non-performing loans has fallen behind schedule. Vietnam's membership in the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and entry into force of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade in December 2001 have led to even more rapid changes in Vietnam's trade and economic regime. Vietnam's exports to the US doubled in 2002 and again in 2003. Vietnam is working toward accession to the WTO in 2005. Among other benefits, accession will allow Vietnam to take advantage of the phase out of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, which eliminated quotas on textiles and clothing for WTO partners on 1 January 2005. Vietnam is working to promote job creation to keep up with the country's high population growth rate. However, in 2004, high levels of inflation prompted Vietnamese authorities to tighten monetary and fiscal policies.

Electricity - consumption

32.06 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

34.48 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

43.7%

hydro

56.3%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

lowest point

South China Sea 0 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethnic groups

Kinh (Viet) 86.2%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.7%, Muong 1.5%, Khome 1.4%, Hoa 1.1%, Nun 1.1%, Hmong 1%, others 4.1% (1999 census)

Exchange rates

dong per US dollar - 15,746 (2004), 15,510 (2003), 15,280 (2002), 14,725 (2001), 14,168 (2000)

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Tran Duc LUONG (since 24 September 1997)

election results

Tran Duc LUONG elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA%

elections

president elected by the National Assembly from among its members for a five-year term; election last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held when National Assembly meets following legislative elections in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by the prime minister

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 Vu KHOAN (8 August 2002) and Pham Gia KHIEM (since 29 September 1997)

Exports

$23.72 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 20.2%, Japan 13.6%, China 9%, Australia 7%, Germany 5.9%, Singapore 4.8%, UK 4.6% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Vietnam

Flag description

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

21.8%

industry

40.1%

services

38.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7.7% (2004 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$227.2 billion (2004 est.)

Geographic coordinates

16 00 N, 106 00 E

Geography - note

extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km across at its narrowest point People Vietnam

Government type

Communist state

Highways

paved

23,418 km

total

93,300 km

unpaved

69,882 km (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

9,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

220,000 (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 29.9% (1998)

Illicit drugs

minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin; domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine addiction problems This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Imports

$26.31 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

China 13.7%, Taiwan 11.3%, South Korea 10.8%, Japan 10.5%, Singapore 10.5%, Thailand 6.2%, Hong Kong 4% (2004)

Independence

2 September 1945 (from France)

Industrial production growth rate

16% (2004 est.)

Industries

food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building, mining, cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, coal, steel, paper

Infant mortality rate

female

25.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

male

26.35 deaths/1,000 live births

total

25.95 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.5% (2004 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT (observer), APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Internet country code

.vn

Internet hosts

340 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

5 (2000)

Internet users

3.5 million (2003) Transportation Vietnam

Investment (gross fixed)

36.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Irrigated land

30,000 sq km (1998 est.)

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)

Labor force

42.98 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 63%, industry and services 37% (2000 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

total

4,639 km

Land use

arable land

19.97%

other

74.08% (2001)

permanent crops

5.95%

Languages

Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Legal system

based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (498 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the 10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51

elections

last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held 2007)

Life expectancy at birth

female

73.6 years (2005 est.)

male

67.82 years

total population

70.61 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

86.9% (2002) Government Vietnam

male

93.9%

total population

90.3%

Location

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

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies

degree of risk

high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis, and plague are high risks in some locations

water contact disease

leptospirosis (2004)

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 21,341,813 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 16,032,358 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males

915,572 (2005 est.)

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

12 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

26.68 years (2005 est.)

male

24.47 years

total

25.51 years

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 18, cargo 142, chemical tanker 3, container 2, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1

registered in other countries

11 (2005)

total

194 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,170,621 GRT/1,798,376 DWT

Military branches

People's Army of Vietnam: Ground Forces, People's Navy Command (includes Naval Infantry), Air and Air Defense Force, Coast Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$650 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.5% (FY98) Transnational Issues Vietnam

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

National holiday

Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Nationality

adjective

Vietnamese

noun

Vietnamese (singular and plural)

Natural gas - consumption

1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

192.6 billion cu m (2004)

Natural hazards

occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta

Natural resources

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

Net migration rate

-0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

185,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

359,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

650 million bbl (2004 est.)

Pipelines

condensate/gas 432 km; gas 210 km; oil 3 km; refined products 206 km (2004)

Political parties and leaders

only party - Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc MANH, general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

Population

83,535,576 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

28.9% (2002 est.)

Population growth rate

1.04% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City

Public debt

65.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)

Radios

8.2 million (1997)

Railways

dual gauge

253 km three-rail track combining 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (2004)

narrow gauge

2,169 km 1.000-m gauge

standard gauge

178 km 1.435-m gauge

total

2,600 km

Religions

Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%, Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$6.51 billion (2004 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

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; main lines have been substantially increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly

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

international

country code - 84; satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Telephones - main lines in use

4.402 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.742 million (2003)

Television broadcast stations

at least 7 (plus 13 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions

3.57 million (1997)

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

1.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.9% (2004 est.)

Waterways

17,702 km (5,000 km navigable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft) (2004)