Vietnam

Socialist Republic of VietnamCong Hoa Chu Nghia Viet Nam

Communist stateIndependence 2 September 1945 (from France)

Vietnam as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 82 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 sq km

LocationSoutheastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of

Populationas each edition published it

74.39 million July 1995 est. · 66.17m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.71% 1995 est. · 1.85% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 24.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

65.72 years 1995 est. · 65.1 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.21 children per woman 1995 est. · 3.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

44.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 50 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,140 1994 est. · $230 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

8.8% 1994 est. · 7.4% in 1993

Geography

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of | Tonkin, and South China Sea, between China and Cambodia

13 fields

Land useshare of 329,560 sq km

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

Area

329,560sq km

land area: 325,360 sq kmcomparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico

Coastline

3,444km

(excludes islands)contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the 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

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

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

current issues:: logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices are contributing to deforestation;
soil degradation;
water pollution and overfishing threatening marine life populations;
inadequate supplies of potable water because of groundwater contamination
natural hazards:: occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding
international agreements:: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands;
signed, but not ratified - Nuclear Test Ban

People

15 fields

Population

74,393,324

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 1.71% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

26.25Death

7.6Net migration

-1.51

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years65.72

63.66 · 67.91

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy88%

93% · 83%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1989)

Labor force

32.7million

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 36% (female 13,225,916; male 13,918,321)
15-64 years:: 59% (female 22,353,710; male 21,223,739)
65 years and over:: 5% (female 2,236,453; male 1,435,185) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

44.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 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, Islam, Protestant

Languages

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

Government

Communist state; President Le Duc ANH (since 23 September 1992); Prime Minister Vo Van KIET (since 9 August 1991)

22 fields

Legislature, 395 seatsseats by party

VCP or VCP-approved 395

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* (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

Independence

2 September 1945 (from France)

National holiday

Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Constitution

15 April 1992

Legal system

based on Communist legal theory and French civil law system

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

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)
cabinet:: Cabinet; appointed by the president on proposal of the prime minister and ratification of the Assembly

Legislative branch

unicameral

National Assembly (Quoc-Hoi)

elections 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

Judicial branch

Supreme People's Court

Political parties and leaders

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

Member of

ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN (observer), 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, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Liaison Officer Le Van BANG
liaison office:: address NA, Washington, DC
mailing address:: NA
telephone:: NA

FAX

NA note: negotiations between representatives of the US and Vietnam concluded 28 January 1995 with the signing of an agreement to establish liaison offices in Hanoi and Washington

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Liaison Officer James HALL
liaison office:: address NA, Hanoi
mailing address:: NA
telephone:: NA

FAX

NA note: negotiations between representatives of the US and Vietnam concluded 28 January 1995 with the signing of an agreement to establish liaison offices in Hanoi and Washington

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 toward a more effective | market-based economic system.

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,140

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

8.8%

(1994 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 13% (1994 est.); accounts for 21% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

14.4%

(1994)

Unemployment rate

20%

(1994 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$3.6 billionExpenditures

$4.5 billion (1994 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 2,200,000 kW

Electricity production

9.7 billionElectricity consumption per capita

125 (1993)

Overview

Vietnam has made significant progress in recent years moving away from the planned economic model 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. Nearly three-quarters of export earnings are generated by only two commodities, rice and crude oil.

Led by industry and construction, the economy did well in 1993 and 1994 with output rising 7% and 9% respectively. However, the industrial sector remains burdened by noncompetitive state-owned enterprises the government is unwilling or unable to privatize. Unemployment looms as a serious problem with roughly 20% of the work force without jobs and with population growth swelling the ranks of the labor force yearly.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $83.5 billion (1994 est.)

Exports

$3.6 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:: petroleum, rice, agricultural products, marine products, coffee
partners:: Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, France, South Korea

Imports

$4.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:: petroleum products, machinery and equipment, steel products, fertilizer, raw cotton, grain
partners:: Singapore, Japan, South Korea, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan

External debt

$4 billion Western countries; $4.5 billion CEMA debts primarily to Russia;

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for 36% of GDP;
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.);
note - the third largest exporter of rice in the World, behind the US and Thailand

Illicit drugs

opium producer and increasingly important transit point for Southeast Asian heroin destined for the US and Europe;
growing opium addiction;
small-scale heroin producer

Economic aid

recipient: $2 billion in credits and grants pledged by international donors for 1995, Japan largest contributor with $650 million pledged for 1995

Currency

1 new dong (D) = 100 xu

Exchange rates

new dong (D) per US$1 - 11,000 (October 1994), 10,800 (November 1993), 8,100 (July 1991), 7,280 (December 1990), 3,996 (March 1990)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 48 in all

over 3,047 m

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

85,000Railroads

3,059Inland waterways

17,702

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

Railroads

total:: 3,059 km (including 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)

Highways

total:: 85,000 km
paved:: 9,400 km
unpaved:: gravel, improved earth 48,700 km; unimproved earth 26,900 km

Inland waterways

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

Pipelines

petroleum products 150 km

Ports

Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Hon Gai, Qui Nhon, Nha Trang

Merchant marine

total:: 109 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 449,963 GRT/932,837 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 3, cargo 92, oil tanker 10, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

NA telephones;
2 telephones/1,000 persons;
the inadequacies of the obsolete switching equipment and cable system are a serious constraint on the business sector and on economic growth, and restrict access to the international links that Vietnam has established with most major countries;
the telephone system is not generally available for private use