Vietnam

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

• though it has one of the highest population densities in the world, the population is not evenly dispersed;
• clustering is heaviest along the South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin, with the Mekong Delta (in the south) and the Red River Valley (in the north) having the largest concentrations of people

• 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;
• air pollution;
• growing urban industrialization and population migration are rapidly degrading environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

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

noun:

Vietnamese (singular and plural)

adjective:

Vietnamese

0-14 years:

23.27% (male 11,876,141 /female 10,704,895)

15-24 years:

15.81% (male 7,967,981 /female 7,371,016)

25-54 years:

45.67% (male 22,378,768 /female 21,939,925)

55-64 years:

8.9% (male 4,014,622 /female 4,620,177)

65 years and over:

6.35% (male 2,404,304 /female 3,762,505) (2018 est.)

total dependency ratio:

42.5 (2015 est.)

youth dependency ratio:

32.9 (2015 est.)

elderly dependency ratio:

9.6 (2015 est.)

potential support ratio:

10.4 (2015 est.)

total:

30.9 years (2018 est.)

male:

29.9 years

female:

32.1 years

• though it has one of the highest population densities in the world, the population is not evenly dispersed;
• clustering is heaviest along the South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin, with the Mekong Delta (in the south) and the Red River Valley (in the north) having the largest concentrations of people

at birth:

1.1 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.11 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

1.08 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

0.87 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.64 male(s)/female

total population:

1.01 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

total:

16.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

male:

17.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

16.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

73.9 years (2018 est.)

male:

71.4 years

female:

76.7 years

degree of risk:

very high (2016)

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)

vectorborne diseases:

dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese encephalitis (2016)

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

abbreviation:

SRV

etymology:

"Viet nam" translates as "Viet south," where "Viet" is an ethnic self identification dating to a second century B.C. kingdom and "nam" refers to its location in relation to other Viet kingdoms

name:

Hanoi (Ha Noi)

geographic coordinates:

21 02 N, 105 51 E

time difference:

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

58 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thanh pho, 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, Dak Lak, Dak 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; municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Ha Noi (Hanoi), Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

history:

several previous; latest adopted 28 November 2013, effective 1 January 2014

amendments:

• proposed by the president, by the National Assembly’s Standing Committee, or by at least two thirds of the National Assembly membership;
• a decision to draft an amendment requires approval by at least a two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership, followed by the formation of a constitutional drafting committee to write a draft and collect citizens’ opinions;
• passage requires at least two-thirds majority of the Assembly membership;
• the Assembly can opt to conduct a referendum (2018)

citizenship by birth:

no

citizenship by descent only:

at least one parent must be a citizen of Vietnam

dual citizenship recognized:

no

residency requirement for naturalization:

5 years

chief of state:

President Nguyen Phu TRONG (since 23 October 2018); note - President Tran Dai QUANG (since 2 April 2016) died on 21 September 2018

head of government:

• Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan PHUC (since 7 April 2016);
• Deputy Prime Ministers Truong Hoa BINH (since 9 April 2016), Vuong Dinh HUE (since 9 April 2016), Vu Duc DAM (since 13 November 2013), Trinh Dinh DUNG (since 9 April 2016), Pham Binh MINH (since 13 November 2013)

cabinet:

Cabinet proposed by prime minister confirmed by the National Assembly and appointed by the president

elections/appointments:

• president indirectly elected by National Assembly from among its members for a single 5-year term;
• election last held on 2 April 2016 (next to be held in spring 2021);
• prime minister recommended by the president and confirmed by National Assembly;
• deputy prime ministers confirmed by the National Assembly and appointed by the president

election results:

• Nguyen Phu TRONG (CPV) elected president;
• percent of National Assembly vote - 99.8%;
• Nguyen Xuan PHUC elected prime minister;
• percent of National Assembly vote - 91%

description:

unicameral National Assembly or Quoc Hoi (500 seats - number following 2016 election - 494; number of current serving members - 484; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

elections:

last held on 22 May 2016 (next to be held in May 2021)

election results:

• percent of vote by party -CPV 95.8%, non-party members 4.2%;
• seats by party - CPV 474, non-party CPV-approved 20, self-nominated 2;
• note - 494 candidates elected, 2 CPV candidates-elect were disqualified;
• composition - men 364, women 122, percent of women 26.6%

highest courts:

Supreme People's Court (consists of the chief justice and 13 judges)

judge selection and term of office:

• chief justice elected by the National Assembly upon the recommendation of the president for a 5-year, renewable term;
• deputy chief justice appointed by the president from among the judges for a 5-year term;
• judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly for 5-year terms

subordinate courts:

• High Courts (administrative, civil, criminal, economic, labor, family, juvenile);
• provincial courts;
• district courts;
• Military Court;
• note - the National Assembly Standing Committee can establish special tribunals upon the recommendation of the chief justice

chief of mission:

Ambassador Daniel KRITENBRINK (since 6 November 2017)

telephone:

[84] (24) 3850-5000

embassy:

7 Lang Ha Street, Hanoi

mailing address:

7 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi; 4550 Hanoi Place, Washington, DC 20521-4550

FAX:

[84] (24) 3850-5010

consulate(s) general:

Ho Chi Minh City

• 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

• yellow, five-pointed star on red field;
• lotus blossom;
• national colors: red, yellow

• rice, coffee, rubber, tea, pepper, soybeans, cashews, sugar cane, peanuts, bananas;
• pork;
• poultry;
• seafood

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

agriculture:

40.3%

industry:

25.7%

services:

34% (2017)

lowest 10%:

2.7%

highest 10%:

26.8% (2014)

general assessment:

• Vietnam is putting considerable effort into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system;
• competition is thriving in the market place;
• mobile dominates over fixed-line;
• FttH market growing, as is e-commerce;
• govt driving force for growth;
• data sovereignty is a key driver for local centers;
• 4G licenses awarded to 5 major operators;
• Ho Chi Minh City to become the first smart city in Vietnam with cloud computing infrastructure, big data, data centers and security-monitoring centers (2018)

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;
• fixed-line 5 per 100 and mobile-cellular 125 per 100 (2018)

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, completed in 2009, provided new access links to Asia and the US;
• satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region);
• VNPT cable landing station for the Southeast Asia-Japan Cable 2 (SJC2) in Quy Nhon, cable system connects to 11 landing sites: Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, mainland China, Korea and Japan

• government controls all broadcast media exercising oversight through the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC);
• government-controlled national TV provider, Vietnam Television (VTV), operates a network of several channels with 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 several channels and is repeated on AM, FM, and shortwave stations throughout Vietnam (2018)

People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN):

• PAVN Ground Forces, PAVN Navy (includes naval infantry), PAVN Air Force and Air Defense, Border Defense Force, and Vietnam Coast Guard;
• Vietnam People's Public Security;
• Vietnam Civil Defense Force (2019)

• 18-27 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (females eligible for conscription, but in practice only males are drafted);
• conscription typically takes place twice annually and service obligation is 2 years (Army, Air Defense) and 3 years (Navy and Air Force) (2019)

• 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;
• the number of reported incidents increased from two in 2017 to four in 2018, primarily near the port of Vung Tau

number of registered air carriers:

4 (2015)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 140 (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers:

29,944,771 (2015)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers:

384,470,240 mt-km (2015)

total:

2,600 km (2014)

standard gauge:

178 km 1.435-m gauge; 253 km mixed gauge (2014)

narrow gauge:

2,169 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)

total:

195,468 km (2013)

paved:

148,338 km (2013)

unpaved:

47,130 km (2013)

total:

1,863

by type:

bulk carrier 83, container ship 38, general cargo 1266, oil tanker 114, other 362 (2018)

major seaport(s):

Cam Pha Port, Da Nang, Haiphong, Phu My, Quy Nhon

container port(s) (TEUs):

Saigon (6,155,535), Cai Mep (3,065,014) (2017)

river port(s):

Ho Chi Minh (Mekong)

• southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of Asian swine fever;
• 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" eased tensions but differences between the parties negotiating the Code of Conduct continue;
• 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;
• Economic Exclusion Zone negotiations with Indonesia are ongoing, and the two countries in Fall 2011 agreed to work together to reduce illegal fishing along their maritime boundary;
• in May 2018, Russia’s RosneftVietnam unit started drilling at a block southeast of Vietnam which is within the area outlined by China’s nine-dash line and Beijing issued a warning

stateless persons:

• 34,110 (2018);
• note - Vietnam's stateless ethnic Chinese Cambodian population dates to the 1970s when thousands of Cambodians fled to Vietnam to escape the Khmer Rouge and were no longer recognized as Cambodian citizens;
• Vietnamese women who gave up their citizenship to marry foreign men have found themselves stateless after divorcing and returning home to Vietnam;
• the government addressed this problem in 2009, and Vietnamese women are beginning to reclaim their citizenship

• 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;
• enforces the death penalty for drug trafficking