Vietnam

Communist stateIndependence 2 September 1945 (from France)

Vietnam as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 69 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalHanoi

Area329,560 km2

Populationas each edition published it

67.57 million July 1991 · 66.17m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 1.85% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 24.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 65.1 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.7 children per woman 1991 · 3.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

48 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 50 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $230 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 7.4% in 1993

Geography

10 fields

Total area

329,560km2

land area: 325,360Comparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico

Coastline

3,444km

(excluding islands) Contiguous zone: 24 nm; Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm; Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

3,818km total

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

Disputes

offshore islands and three sections of the boundary with Cambodia are in dispute;
maritime boundary with Cambodia not defined;
occupied Cambodia on 25 December 1978;
sporadic border clashes with China;
involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, and Taiwan;
unresolved maritime boundary with Thailand;
maritime boundary dispute with China in the Gulf of Tonkin;
Paracel Islands occupied by China but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan;
unresolved maritime boundary with Thailand

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

Natural resources

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

Land use

arable land 22%;
permanent crops 2%;
meadows and pastures 1%;
forest and woodland 40%;
other 35%;
includes irrigated 5%

Environment

occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding

People

14 fields

Population

67,568,033

(July 1991), growth rate 2.1% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

29Death

Labor force

32.7million

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

Literacy

88%

(male 92%, female 84%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality

noun--Vietnamese (sing. and pl.); adjective--Vietnamese

Ethnic divisions

predominantly Vietnamese 85-90%;
Chinese 3%;
ethnic minorities include
- Muong,
- Thai,
- Meo,
- Khmer,
- Man,
- Cham
;
other mountain tribes

Religion

Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist, Roman Catholic, indigenous beliefs, Islamic, Protestant

Language

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

Organized labor

reportedly over 90% of wage and salary earners are members of the Vietnam Federation of Trade Unions (VFTU)

Government

Communist state

17 fields

National Assembly, 496 seats, elected 19 April 1987seats by party

VCP or VCP-approved 496

Long-form name

Socialist Republic of Vietnam; abbreviated SRV

Administrative divisions

41 provinces (tinh, singular and plural), 3 municipalities* (thanh pho, singular and plural);
An Giang, Bac Thai, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Cao Bang, Cuu Long, Dak Lak, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai-Kon Tum, Ha Bac, Hai Hung, Hai Phong*, Ha Nam Ninh, Ha Noi*, Ha Son Binh, Ha Tuyen, Hau Giang, Hoang Lien Son, Ho Chi Minh*, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Long An, Minh Hai, Nghe Tinh, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam-Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Song Be, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien, Thuan Hai, Tien Giang, Vinh Phu, Vung Tau-Con Dao;
note--diacritical marks are not included

Legal system

based on Communist legal theory and French civil law system

Executive branch

chairman of the Council of State, Council of State, chairman of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers

Judicial branch

Supreme People's Court Chief of State--Chairman of the Council of State Vo Chi CONG (since 18 June 1987);
Head of Government--Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Premier) Vo Van KIET (since 9 August 1991)

Political parties and leaders

only party-- Vietnam Communist Party (VCP), Nguyen Van LINH

Suffrage

universal at age 18 National Assembly--last held 19 April 1987 (next to be held April 1992);
results--VCP is the only party;
seats--(496 total) VCP or VCP-approved 496

Member of

ACCT, AsDB, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBEC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IIB, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Flag

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

Economy

This is a centrally planned, developing economy with extensive government ownership and control of productive facilities.

16 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

65%

(1990 est.)

Unemployment rate

33%

(1990 est.)

External debt

$16.8billion

(1990 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$892 millionExpenditures

$1.3 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $344 million (1990 est.)

This is a centrally planned, developing economy with extensive government ownership and control of productive facilities. The economy is primarily agricultural; the sector employs about 65% of the labor force and accounts for almost half of GNP. Rice is the staple crop; substantial amounts of maize, sorghum, cassava, and sweet potatoes are also grown.

The government permits sale of surplus grain on the open market. Most of the mineral resources are located in the north, including coal, which is an important export item. Oil was discovered off the southern coast in 1986 with production reaching 54,000 b/d in 1990 and expected to increase in the years ahead.

Following the end of the war in 1975, heavy-handed government measures undermined efforts at an efficient merger of the agricultural resources of the south and the industrial resources of the north. The economy remains heavily dependent on foreign aid and has received assistance from Communist countries, Sweden, and UN agencies.

Inflation, although down from recent triple-digit levels, is still a major weakness and is showing signs of accelerating upwards again. Per capita output is among the world's lowest. Since late 1986 the government has sponsored a broad reform program that seeks to turn more economic activity over to the private sector.

GNP

$15.2 billion, per capita $230; real growth rate 2.4% (1990 est.)

Exports

$2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.);
commodities--agricultural and handicraft products, coal, minerals, crude petroleum, ores, seafood;
partners--USSR, Eastern Europe, Japan, Singapore

Imports

$2.6 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.);
commodities--petroleum products, steel products, railroad equipment, chemicals, medicines, raw cotton, fertilizer, grain;
partners--USSR, Eastern Europe, Japan, Singapore

Industrial production

growth rate 10% (1989); accounts for 30% of GNP

Electricity

2,740,000 kW capacity; 7,500 million kWh produced, 110 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for half of GNP;
paddy rice, corn, potatoes make up 50% of farm output;
commercial crops (rubber, soybeans, coffee, tea, bananas) and animal products other 50%;
since 1989 self-sufficient in food staple rice;
fish catch of 943,100 metric tons (1989 est.)

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-74), $3.1 billion;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $2.8 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $61 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $12.0 billion

Currency

new dong (plural--new dong); 1 new dong (D) = 100 xu

Exchange rates

new dong (D) per US$1--7,530 (May 1991), 7,280 (December 1990), 3,996 (March 1990), 2,047 (1988), 225 (1987), 18 (1986), 12 (1985); note--1985-89 figures are end of year

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 87 ships by typeone square, one ship

short-sea passenger 2cargo 69refrigerated cargo 4roll-on/roll-off cargo 1vehicle carrier 1petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 8bulk; note--Vietnam owns 11 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 106,759 DWT under the registry of Panama and Malta 287 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 364,596 GRT/539,174 DWT

Airports, 100 total, 100 usable

permanent-surface runways

50runways 2,440-3,659 m

10runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Railroads

3,059Pipelines

150

Railroads: ; 2,454 1.000-meter gauge, 151 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, 230 km dual gauge (three rails), and 224 km not restored to service · Pipelines: , refined products