2011 Edition

Background

The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Vietnam declared independence after World War II, but France continued to rule until its 1954 defeat by Communist forces under Ho Chi MINH. Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into the Communist North and anti-Communist South. 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military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973.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 reuniting the country under Communist rule. Despite the return of peace, for over a decade the country experienced little economic growth because of conservative leadership policies, the persecution and mass exodus of individuals - many of them successful South Vietnamese merchants - and growing international isolation. However, since the enactment of Vietnam's "doi moi" (renovation) policy in 1986, Vietnamese authorities have committed to increased economic liberalization and enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The Communist leaders, however, maintain control on political expression and have resisted outside calls to improve human rights. The country continues to experience small-scale protests from various groups, the vast majority connected to land-use issues, calls for increased political space and the lack of equitable mechanisms for resolving disputes. Various ethnic minorities, such as the Montagnards of the Central Highlands and the Khmer Krom in the southern delta region, have also held protests.

Area

331,210 sq km 310,070 sq km 21,140 sq km

total

331,210 sq km

water

21,140 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than New Mexico

Climate

tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March)

Coastline

3,444 km (excludes islands)

Elevation extremes

South China Sea 0 m Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

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

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands none of the selected 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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

71.39 cu km/yr (8%/24%/68%) 847 cu m/yr (2000)

per capita

847 cu m/yr (2000)

total

71.39 cu km/yr (8%/24%/68%)

Geographic coordinates

16 10 N, 107 50 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

46,000 sq km (2008)

Land boundaries

4,639 km Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

border countries

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

total

4,639 km

Land use

20.14% 6.93% 72.93% (2005)

arable land

20.14%

other

72.93% (2005)

permanent crops

6.93%

Location

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

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

12 nm 24 nm 200 nm 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

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, especially in the Mekong River delta

Natural resources

phosphates, coal, manganese, rare earth elements, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, timber, hydropower

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

891.2 cu km (1999)

Age structure

25.2% (male 11,945,354/female 10,868,610) 69.3% (male 31,301,879/female 31,419,306) 5.5% (male 1,921,652/female 3,092,589) (2011 est.)

0-14 years

25.2% (male 11,945,354/female 10,868,610)

15-64 years

69.3% (male 31,301,879/female 31,419,306)

65 years and over

5.5% (male 1,921,652/female 3,092,589) (2011 est.)

Birth rate

17.07 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

20.2% (2008)

Death rate

5.96 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 99% of population rural: 92% of population total: 94% of population urban: 1% of population rural: 8% of population total: 6% of population (2008)

rural

8% of population

total

6% of population (2008)

urban

1% of population

Education expenditures

5.3% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

Kinh (Viet) 85.7%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.8%, Muong 1.5%, Khmer 1.5%, Mong 1.2%, Nung 1.1%, others 5.3% (2009 census)

Health expenditures

7.2% of GDP (2009)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.4% (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

14,000 (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

280,000 (2009 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.87 beds/1,000 population (2008)

Infant mortality rate

20.9 deaths/1,000 live births 21.27 deaths/1,000 live births 20.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

female

20.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

total

20.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

72.18 years 69.72 years 74.92 years (2011 est.)

female

74.92 years (2011 est.)

total population

72.18 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 94% 96.1% 92% (2009 census)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

92% (2009 census)

male

96.1%

total population

94%

Major cities - population

Ho Chi Minh City 5.976 million; HANOI (capital) 2.668 million; Haiphong 1.941 million; Da Nang 807,000 (2009)

Major infectious diseases

high bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis, and plague leptospirosis highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

degree of risk

high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis, and plague

water contact disease

leptospirosis

Maternal mortality rate

56 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)

Median age

27.8 years 26.8 years 28.9 years (2011 est.)

female

28.9 years (2011 est.)

male

26.8 years

total

27.8 years

Nationality

Vietnamese (singular and plural) Vietnamese

adjective

Vietnamese

noun

Vietnamese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2000)

Physicians density

1.224 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population

90,549,390 (July 2011 est.)

Population growth rate

1.077% (2011 est.)

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)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 94% of population rural: 67% of population total: 75% of population urban: 6% of population rural: 33% of population total: 25% of population (2008)

rural

33% of population

total

25% of population (2008)

urban

6% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

10 years 11 years 10 years (2001)

female

10 years (2001)

male

11 years

total

10 years

Sex ratio

1.117 male(s)/female 1.1 male(s)/female 0.99 male(s)/female 0.62 male(s)/female 0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

15-64 years

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.62 male(s)/female

at birth

1.117 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

under 15 years

1.1 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.91 children born/woman (2011 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

4.6% 4.4% 4.9% (2004)

female

4.9% (2004)

total

4.6%

Urbanization

30% of total population (2010) 3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

rate of urbanization

3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

30% of total population (2010)

Administrative divisions

58 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thanh pho, 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, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Dac Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Ha Nam, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong, 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 Can Tho, Da Nang, Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City

municipalities

Can Tho, Da Nang, Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City

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, Ha Nam, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong, 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

Capital

Hanoi (Ha Noi) 21 02 N, 105 51 E UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

geographic coordinates

21 02 N, 105 51 E

name

Hanoi (Ha Noi)

time difference

UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

15 April 1992

Country name

Socialist Republic of Vietnam Vietnam Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam Viet Nam SRV

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador David B. SHEAR 7 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002 [84] (4) 3850-5000 [84] (4) 3850-5010 Ho Chi Minh City

chief of mission

Ambassador David B. SHEAR

consulate(s) general

Ho Chi Minh City

embassy

7 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi

FAX

[84] (4) 3850-5010

mailing address

PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002

telephone

[84] (4) 3850-5000

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Nguyen Quoc CUONG 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036 [1] (202) 861-0737 [1] (202) 861-0917 Houston, San Francisco New York

chancery

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

chief of mission

Ambassador Nguyen Quoc CUONG

consulate

New York

consulate(s) general

Houston, San Francisco

FAX

[1] (202) 861-0917

telephone

[1] (202) 861-0737

Executive branch

President Trong Tan SANG (since 25 June 2011); Vice President Nguyen Thi DOAN (25 July 2007) Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 27 June 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung HAI (since 2 August 2007), Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien NHAN (since 2 August 2007), Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van NINH (since 3 August 2011), and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan PHUC (since 3 August 2011) Cabinet appointed by president based on proposal of prime minister and confirmed by National Assembly president elected by the National Assembly from among its members for five-year term; last election held 27 June 2006 (next to be held in July 2011); prime minister appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by the prime minister; appointment of prime minister and deputy prime ministers confirmed by National Assembly Nguyen Minh TRIET elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 94%; Nguyen Tan DUNG elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 92%

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Trong Tan SANG (since 25 June 2011); Vice President Nguyen Thi DOAN (25 July 2007)

election results

Nguyen Minh TRIET elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 94%; Nguyen Tan DUNG elected prime minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 92%

elections

president elected by the National Assembly from among its members for five-year term; last election held 27 June 2006 (next to be held in July 2011); prime minister appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by the prime minister; appointment of prime minister and deputy prime ministers confirmed by National Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 27 June 2006); Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung HAI (since 2 August 2007), Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien NHAN (since 2 August 2007), Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van NINH (since 3 August 2011), and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan PHUC (since 3 August 2011)

Flag description

red field with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center; red symbolizes revolution and blood, the five-pointed star represents the five elements of the populace - peasants, workers, intellectuals, traders, and soldiers - that unite to build socialism

Government type

Communist state

Independence

2 September 1945 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president for a five-year term)

Legal system

civil law system; note - the civil code of 2005 reflects a European style civil law

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Quoc Hoi (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) last held on 22 May 2011 (next to be held in May 2016) percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPV 458, non-party CPV-approved 38, self-nominated 4; note - 500 candidates were elected; CPV and non-party CPV-approved delegates were members of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPV 458, non-party CPV-approved 38, self-nominated 4; note - 500 candidates were elected; CPV and non-party CPV-approved delegates were members of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front

elections

last held on 22 May 2011 (next to be held in May 2016)

National anthem

"Tien quan ca" (The Song of the Marching Troops) Nguyen Van CAO adopted as the national anthem of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945; it became the national anthem of the unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1976; although it consists of two verses, only the first is used as the official anthem

lyrics/music

Nguyen Van CAO

name

"Tien quan ca" (The Song of the Marching Troops)

National holiday

Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

National symbol(s)

yellow, five-pointed star on red field

Political parties and leaders

Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nguyen Phu TRONG]; other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders

8406 Bloc; Democratic Party of Vietnam or DPV; People's Democratic Party Vietnam or PDP-VN; Alliance for Democracy these groups advocate democracy but are not recognized by the government

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

$29.23 billion $34.95 billion (2010 est.)

expenditures

$34.95 billion (2010 est.)

revenues

$29.23 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.5% of GDP (2010 est.)

Central bank discount rate

7% (31 December 2010) 8% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

13.135% (31 December 2010 est.) 10.068% (31 December 2009 est.)

Current account balance

-$12.22 billion (2010 est.) -$6.117 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$32.84 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $28.67 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

37.6 (2008) 36.1 (1998)

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. While Vietnam's economy remains dominated by state-owned enterprises (SOEs), which still produce about 40% of GDP, 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. Vietnam joined the WTO in January 2007 following more than a decade-long negotiation process. Vietnam became an official negotiating partner in the developing Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement in 2010. Agriculture's share of economic output has continued to shrink from about 25% in 2000 to about 20% in 2010, while industry's share increased from 36% to 41% in the same period. Deep poverty has declined significantly and Vietnam is working to create jobs to meet the challenge of a labor force that is growing by more than one million people every year. The global recession has hurt Vietnam's export-oriented economy, with GDP in 2009-10 growing less than the 7% per annum average achieved during the last decade. In 2010, exports increased by more than 25%, year-on-year, but the trade deficit remained high, prompting the government to consider administrative measures to limit the trade deficit. Vietnam's managed currency, the dong, continues to face downward pressure due to a persistent trade imbalance, and, since 2008, the government devalued it by 20% through a series of small devaluations. Foreign donors pledged nearly $8 billion in new development assistance for 2011. However, the government's strong growth-oriented economic policies have caused it to struggle to control one of the region's highest inflation rates, which reached 11.8% in 2010. Vietnam's economy also faces challenges from falling foreign exchange reserves, an undercapitalized banking sector, and high borrowing costs. The near-bankruptcy and subsequent default of the SOE Vinashin, a leading shipbuilder, led to a ratings downgrade of Vietnam's sovereign debt, exacerbating Vietnam's borrowing difficulties.

Electricity - consumption

85.6 billion kWh (2010 est.)

Electricity - exports

535 million kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports

3.85 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - production

97.3 billion kWh (2010 est.)

Exchange rates

dong (VND) per US dollar - 19,148.9 (2010) 17,799.6 (2009) 16,548.3 (2008) 16,119 (2007) 15,983 (2006)

Exports

$72.27 billion (2010 est.) $57.1 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

clothes, shoes, marine products, crude oil, electronics, wooden products, rice, machinery

Exports - partners

US 20%, Japan 10.7%, China 9.8%, South Korea 4.3% (2010 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

20.6% 41.1% 38.3% (2010 est.)

agriculture

20.6%

industry

41.1%

services

38.3% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,100 (2010 est.) $2,900 (2009 est.) $2,800 (2008 est.) data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

6.8% (2010 est.) 5.3% (2009 est.) 6.3% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$103.6 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$276.6 billion (2010 est.) $259 billion (2009 est.) $245.9 billion (2008 est.) data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

3.2% 30.2% (2008)

highest 10%

30.2% (2008)

lowest 10%

3.2%

Imports

$79.95 billion (2010 est.) $65.4 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, petroleum products, steel products, raw materials for the clothing and shoe industries, electronics, plastics, automobiles

Imports - partners

China 23.8%, South Korea 11.6%, Japan 10.8%, Taiwan 8.4%, Thailand 6.7%, Singapore 4.9% (2010 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

14% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9% (2010 est.) 7% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

33.9% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

47.37 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

53.9% 20.3% 25.8% (2009)

agriculture

53.9%

industry

20.3%

services

25.8% (2009)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$20.39 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $21.2 billion (31 December 2009) $9.589 billion (31 December 2008)

Natural gas - consumption

10.3 billion cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)

Natural gas - imports

905,800 cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - production

9.4 billion cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

192.5 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.)

Oil - consumption

320,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - exports

277,300 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - imports

182,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - production

343,200 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

600 million bbl (1 January 2011 est.)

Population below poverty line

10.6% (2010 est.)

Public debt

57.1% of GDP (2010 est.) 49.8% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$12.93 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $16.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$127.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $103.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$7.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $5.3 billion (31 December 2008)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$77.95 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $66.95 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$138 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $110.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$32.08 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $30.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

28.2% of GDP (2010 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.4% (2010 est.) 4.6% (2009 est.)

Broadcast media

government controls all broadcast media exercising oversight through the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC); government-controlled national television provider, Vietnam Television (VTV), operates a network of 9 channels with several regional broadcasting centers; programming is relayed nationwide via a network of provincial and municipal TV stations; law limits access to satellite TV but many households are able to access foreign programming via home satellite equipment; government-controlled Voice of Vietnam, the national radio broadcaster, broadcasts on 6 channels and is repeated on AM, FM, and shortwave stations throughout Vietnam (2008)

Internet country code

.vn

Internet hosts

129,318 (2010)

Internet users

23.382 million (2009)

Telephone system

Vietnam is putting considerable effort into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system 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 increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly country code - 84; a landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3, the C2C, and Thailand-Vietnam-Hong Kong submarine cable systems; the Asia-America Gateway submarine cable system, scheduled for completion by the end of 2008, will provide new access links to Asia and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

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 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

international

country code - 84; a landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3, the C2C, and Thailand-Vietnam-Hong Kong submarine cable systems; the Asia-America Gateway submarine cable system, scheduled for completion by the end of 2008, will provide new access links to Asia and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Telephones - main lines in use

16.4 million (2010)

Telephones - mobile cellular

154 million (2010)

Airports

44 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

9 (2010)

1,524 to 2,437 m

14

2,438 to 3,047 m

5

914 to 1,523 m

9 (2010)

over 3,047 m

9

total

37

Airports - with unpaved runways

3 (2010)

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

3

total

7

under 914 m

3 (2010)

Heliports

1 (2010)

Merchant marine

barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 103, cargo 330, chemical tanker 24, container 20, liquefied gas 7, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 46, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1 84 (Cambodia 1, Honduras 1, Liberia 3, Mongolia 34, Panama 37, Taiwan 1, Tuvalu 6, unknown 1) (2010)

registered in other countries

84 (Cambodia 1, Honduras 1, Liberia 3, Mongolia 34, Panama 37, Taiwan 1, Tuvalu 6, unknown 1) (2010)

total

537

Pipelines

condensate 28 km; condensate/gas 10 km; gas 216 km; refined products 206 km (2010)

Ports and terminals

Cam Pha Port, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, Phu My, Quy Nhon

Railways

2,347 km 178 km 1.435-m gauge 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge (2010)

narrow gauge

2,169 km 1.000-m gauge (2010)

total

2,347 km

Roadways

171,392 km 125,789 km 45,603 km (2008)

total

171,392 km

unpaved

45,603 km (2008)

Transportation - note

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift

Waterways

17,702 km (5,000 km are navigable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft) (2011)

Manpower available for military service

25,649,738 24,995,692 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

24,995,692 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

25,649,738

Manpower fit for military service

20,405,847 21,098,102 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

21,098,102 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

20,405,847

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

847,743 787,341 (2010 est.)

female

787,341 (2010 est.)

male

847,743

Military branches

People's Armed Forces: People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; includes People's Navy Command (with Naval Infantry, Coast Guard), Air and Air Defense Force (Khong Quan Nhan Dan), Border Defense Command), People's Public Security Forces, Militia Force, Self-Defense Forces (2010)

People's Armed Forces

People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; includes People's Navy Command (with Naval Infantry, Coast Guard), Air and Air Defense Force (Khong Quan Nhan Dan), Border Defense Command), People's Public Security Forces, Militia Force, Self-Defense Forces (2010)

Military expenditures

2.5% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for male compulsory military service; females may volunteer for active duty military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (3 to 4 years in the navy); 18-45 years of age (male) or 18-40 years of age (female) for Militia Force or Self Defense Forces (2006)

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; Cambodia accuses Vietnam of a wide variety of illicit cross-border activities; Progress on a joint development area with Cambodia is hampered by an unresolved dispute over sovereignty of offshore islands; an estimated 300,000 Vietnamese refugees reside in China; establishment of a maritime boundary with Cambodia is hampered by unresolved dispute over the sovereignty of offshore islands; the decade-long demarcation of the China-Vietnam land boundary was completed in 2009; China occupies the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; Brunei claims a maritime boundary extending beyond as far as a median with Vietnam, thus asserting an implicit claim to Lousia Reef; 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

Illicit drugs

minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin; government continues to face domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine addiction problems despite longstanding crackdowns

Trafficking in persons

Vietnam is a source and, to a lesser extent, a destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and conditions of forced labor; Vietnam is a source country for men and women who migrate abroad for work in the construction, fishing, agriculture, mining, logging, and manufacturing sectors, primarily in Taiwan, Malaysia, South Korea, Laos, the United Arab Emirates, and Japan, as well as in China, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, Russia, and elsewhere in the Middle East, and some of these workers subsequently face conditions of forced labor; Vietnamese women and children are subjected to forced prostitution throughout Asia Tier 2 Watch List - the government passed new anti-trafficking legislation and a new five-year national action plan on trafficking; nevertheless, while a number of structural reforms were carried out during the year, there remained a lack of tangible progress in the prosecution of trafficking offenders and protection of trafficking victims; the government also did not take steps to increase its efforts to address the problem of internal trafficking (2011)

current situation

Vietnam is a source and, to a lesser extent, a destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and conditions of forced labor; Vietnam is a source country for men and women who migrate abroad for work in the construction, fishing, agriculture, mining, logging, and manufacturing sectors, primarily in Taiwan, Malaysia, South Korea, Laos, the United Arab Emirates, and Japan, as well as in China, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, Russia, and elsewhere in the Middle East, and some of these workers subsequently face conditions of forced labor; Vietnamese women and children are subjected to forced prostitution throughout Asia

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List - the government passed new anti-trafficking legislation and a new five-year national action plan on trafficking; nevertheless, while a number of structural reforms were carried out during the year, there remained a lack of tangible progress in the prosecution of trafficking offenders and protection of trafficking victims; the government also did not take steps to increase its efforts to address the problem of internal trafficking (2011)