Vietnam

Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Communist stateIndependence 2 September 1945 (from France)

Vietnam as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 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

LocationSoutheast Asia, bordering the South China Sea, between Laos and the

Populationas each edition published it

71.79 million July 1993 est. · 66.17m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.85% 1993 est. · 0.86% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 24.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

65.1 years 1993 est. · 76.1 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.45 children per woman 1993 est. · 3.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

46.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 50 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$230 1992 est. · $14,400 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

7.4% 1992 est. · 7.1% in 2025

Geography

Southeast Asia, bordering the South China Sea, between Laos and the | Philippines

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Land useshare of 329,560 km2

arable land 22%permanent crops 2%meadows and pastures 1%forest and woodland 40%other 35%irrigated 18,300 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

329,560km2

land area: 325,360 km2comparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico

Coastline

3,444km

(excludes islands)contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

3,818km

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

Location

Southeast Asia, bordering the South China Sea, between Laos and the Philippines

Map references

Asia, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

maritime boundary with Cambodia not defined;
involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands 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 occupied by China but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan

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

Environment

occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding

People

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Population

71,787,608

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 1.85% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

27.99Death

7.92Net migration

-1.56

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years65.1

63.08 · 67.25

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy88%

92% · 84%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Labor force

32.7million

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

Infant mortality rate

46.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Vietnamese (singular and plural)
adjective:: Vietnamese

Ethnic divisions

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

Religions

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

Languages

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

Government

Communist state

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Names

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

50 provinces (tinh, singular and plural), 3 municipalities* (thanh pho,, singular and plural); 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, 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, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phu, Yen Bai

Independence

2 September 1945 (from France)

Constitution

NA April 1992

Legal system

based on Communist legal theory and French civil law system

National holiday

Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Political parties and leaders

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Elections

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

Executive branch

president, prime minister, three deputy prime ministers

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Quoc-Hoi)

Judicial branch

Supreme People's Court

Leaders

Chief of State:: President Le Duc ANH (since 23 September 1992)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister Vo Van KIET (since 9 August 1991);
First Deputy Prime Minister Phan Van KHAI (since 10 August 1991);
Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen KHANH (since NA February 1987);
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Duc LUONG (since NA February 1987)

Member of

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

Diplomatic representation in US

none

US diplomatic representation

none

Flag

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

Economy

Vietnam has made significant progress in recent years moving away from the | planned economic model and toward a more effective market-based economic | system.

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GDP per capita, PPP

$230

(1992 est.)

Real growth rate

7.4%

(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 15% (1992); accounts for 30% of GNP

Inflation, consumer prices

15%

-20% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

25%

(1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$1.7 billionExpenditures

$1.9 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (1990)

Overview

Vietnam has made significant progress in recent years moving away from the planned economic model and toward a more effective market-based economic system. Most prices are now fully decontrolled and the Vietnamese currency has been effectively devalued and floated at world market rates.

In addition, the scope for private sector activity has been expanded, primarily through decollectivization of the agricultural sector and introduction of laws giving legal recognition to private business. Despite such positive indicators, the country's economic turnaround remains tenuous.

Nearly three-quarters of export earnings are generated by only two commodities, rice and crude oil. Meanwhile, industrial production stagnates, burdened by uncompetitive state-owned enterprises the government is unwilling or unable to privatize. Unemployment looms as the most serious problem with over 25% of the workforce without jobs and population growth swelling the ranks of the unemployed yearly.

National product

GNP - exchange rate conversion - $16 billion (1992 est.)

Exports

$2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities:: agricultural and handicraft products, coal, minerals, crude oil, ores, seafood
partners:: Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan

Imports

$1.9 billion (c.i.f., 1992)

commodities:: petroleum products, steel products, railroad equipment, chemicals, medicines, raw cotton, fertilizer, grain
partners:: Japan, Singapore, Thailand

External debt

$16.8 billion (1990 est.)

Electricity

3,300,000 kW capacity; 9,000 million kWh produced, 130 kWh per capita (1992)

Industries

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

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 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 (1970-89), $2.9 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $61 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $12.0 billion

Currency

1 new dong (D) = 100 xu

Exchange rates

new dong (D) per US$1 - 10,800 (November 1992), 8,100 (July 1991), 7,280 (December 1990), 3,996 (March 1990), 2,047 (1988), 225 (1987); note - 1985-89 figures are end of year

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields

Merchant marine, 99 ships by typeone square, one ship

cargo 84refrigerated cargo 3roll-on/roll-off 1oil tanker 8bulk 399 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 460,712 GRT/739,246 DWT

Networkskm

Highways

85,000Railroads

3,059Inland waterways

17,702

Highways: ; 9,400 km paved, 48,700 km gravel or improved earth, 26,900 km unimproved earth (est.) · 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 after war damage · Inland waterways: ; more than 5,149 km navigable at all times by vessels up to 1.8 meter draft

total:: 100
usable:: 100
with permanent-surface runways:: 50
with runways over 3,659 m:: 0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 10
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 20

Telecommunications

the inadequacies of the obsolete switching equipment and cable system is a serious constraint on the business sector and on economic growth, and restricts access to the international links that Vietnam has established with most major countries;
the telephone system is not generally available for private use (25 telephones for each 10,000 persons);
3 satellite earth stations;
broadcast stations - NA AM, 288 FM;
36 (77 repeaters) TV;
about 2,500,000 TV receivers and 7,000,000 radio receivers in use (1991)