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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forces were withdrawn following a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.
Geography
::Vietnam
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf
of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea,
alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia
Geographic coordinates:
16 10 N, 107 50 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 331,210
sq km
country
comparison to the world:65
land: 310,070
sq km
water: 21,140
sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 4,639
km
border countries: Cambodia
1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km
Coastline:
3,444 km (excludes islands)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12
nm
contiguous zone: 24
nm
exclusive economic zone: 200
nm
continental shelf: 200
nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
Current
Weather
tropical in south; monsoonal in north
with hot, rainy season (May to September) and warm, dry
season (October to March)
Terrain:
low, flat delta in south and north;
central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and
northwest
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South
China Sea 0 m
highest point: Fan
Si Pan 3,144 m
Natural resources:
phosphates, coal, manganese, rare
earth elements, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas
deposits, timber, hydropower
occasional typhoons (May to January)
with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River
delta
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:
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
Geography - note:
extending 1,650 km north to south,
the country is only 50 km across at its narrowest point
65 years and over: 5.6%
(male 1,892,505/female 3,039,078) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.4
years
male: 26.4
years
female: 28.5
years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.096% (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:117
Birth rate:
17.29 births/1,000 population
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:118
Death rate:
5.97 deaths/1,000 population
(July 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:167
Net migration rate:
-0.37 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:137
Urbanization:
urban population: 28%
of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 3.1%
annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.115
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1
male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99
male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.62
male(s)/female
total population: 0.99
male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 21.57
deaths/1,000 live births
country
comparison to the world:95
male: 21.95
deaths/1,000 live births
female: 21.15
deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.94
years
country
comparison to the world:128
male: 69.48
years
female: 74.69
years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.93 children born/woman (2010
est.)
country
comparison to the world:140
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence
rate:
0.5% (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world:73
HIV/AIDS - people living
with HIV/AIDS:
290,000 (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world:24
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
24,000 (2007 est.)
country
comparison to the world:20
Major infectious diseases:
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
note: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)
Nationality:
noun: Vietnamese
(singular and plural)
adjective: Vietnamese
Ethnic groups:
Kinh (Viet) 86.2%, Tay 1.9%,
Thai 1.7%, Muong 1.5%, Khome 1.4%, Hoa 1.1%, Nun
1.1%, Hmong 1%, others 4.1% (1999 census)
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)
Languages:
Vietnamese (official), English
(increasingly favored as a second language), some
French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area
languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)
Literacy:
definition: age
15 and over can read and write
total population: 90.3%
male: 93.9%
female: 86.9%
(2002 est.)
School life expectancy
(primary to tertiary education):
total: 10
years
male: 11
years
female: 10
years (2001)
Education expenditures:
5.3% of GDP (2008)
country
comparison to the world:55
Government
::Vietnam
Country name:
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
Government type:
Communist state
Capital:
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)
Administrative
divisions:
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, 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
municipalities: Can
Tho, Da Nang, Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh
City
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; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age;
universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President
Nguyen Minh TRIET (since 27 June 2006); Vice
President Nguyen Thi DOAN (since 25 July
2007)
head of government: Prime
Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 27 June
2006); Permanent Deputy Prime Minister
Nguyen Sinh HUNG (since 28 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 Pham Gia KHIEM (since 28 June
2006), and Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh
TRONG (since 28 June 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet
appointed by president based on proposal of
prime minister and confirmed by National
Assembly
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 January 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
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%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National
Assembly or Quoc Hoi (493 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last
held on 20 May 2007 (next to be held in May
2012)
election results: percent
of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPV
450, non-party CPV-approved 42,
self-nominated 1; note - 493 candidates were
elected; CPV and non-party CPV-approved
delegates were members of the Vietnamese
Fatherland Front
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)
Political parties and
leaders:
Communist Party of
Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc MANH]; 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
note:these
groups advocate democracy but are not
recognized by the government
chancery: 1233
20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC
20036
telephone: [1]
(202) 861-0737
FAX: [1]
(202) 861-0917
consulate(s) general: Houston,
New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic
representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador
Michael W. MICHALAK
embassy: 7
Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
mailing address: PSC
461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: [84]
(4) 3850-5000
FAX: [84]
(4) 3850-5010
consulate(s) general: Ho
Chi Minh City
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
National anthem:
name: "Tien
quan ca" (The Song of the Marching
Troops)
lyrics/music: Nguyen
Van CAO
note: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
Economy
::Vietnam
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. 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. WTO membership
has provided Vietnam an anchor to the
global market and reinforced the
domestic economic reform process.
Agriculture's share of economic output
has continued to shrink from about 25%
in 2000 to about 21% in 2009. 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
growing less than the 7% per annum
average achieved during the last
decade. In 2009 exports fell nearly
10% year-on-year, prompting the
government to consider adjustments to
tariffs to limit the trade deficit.
The government has used stimulus
spending, including a subsidized
lending program, to help the economy
through the global financial crisis.
Vietnam's managed currency, the dong,
faced downward pressure during the
recession and the government devalued
it by nearly 7% in December 2009.
Foreign donors pledged $8 billion in
new development assistance for 2010.
Export growth resumed in 2010, driving
GDP upward. However, Hanoi has
struggled to control one of the
region's highest inflation rates,
which stands at 11.1% with interest
hikes and multiple devaluations of the
dong. Vietnam's economy faces higher
lending rates, additional IMF
scrutiny, domestic inflationary
pressures, and an underperforming
stock market.
GDP (purchasing
power parity):
$278.1 billion
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:42
$260.3 billion
(2009 est.)
$247.2 billion
(2008 est.)
note:data
are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official
exchange rate):
$102 billion (2009
est.)
GDP - real
growth rate:
6.8% (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:28
5.3% (2009 est.)
6.3% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita
(PPP):
$3,100 (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:168
$2,900 (2009 est.)
$2,800 (2008 est.)
note:data
are in 2010 US dollars
GDP -
composition by sector:
agriculture: 20.5%
industry: 40.2%
services: 39.2%
(2009 est.)
Labor force:
47.49 million
(April 2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world:12
Labor force - by
occupation:
agriculture: 51.8%
industry: 15.4%
services: 32.7%
(April 2009)
Unemployment
rate:
6.4% (2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:61
6.5% (2009 est.)
Population below
poverty line:
12.3% (2009 est.)
Household income
or consumption by percentage share:
US 21.43%, Japan
11.44%, China 7.27%, Australia 4.43%,
Germany 4.27% (2009)
Imports:
$81.73 billion
(2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:35
$65.4 billion (2009
est.)
Imports -
commodities:
machinery and
equipment, petroleum products,
fertilizer, steel products, raw
cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles
Imports -
partners:
China 16.42%,
Singapore 9.61%, Japan 8.96%, Taiwan
8.23%, South Korea 7.72%, Thailand
6.41%, Hong Kong 4.45%, US 4.27%
(2009)
Reserves of
foreign exchange and gold:
$16.3 billion (31
December 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:45
$16.8 billion (31
December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$33.45 billion (31
December 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:62
$27.84 billion (31
December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct
foreign investment - at home:
$59.52 billion (31
December 2010 est.)
country
comparison to the world:51
$49.92 billion (31
December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct
foreign investment - abroad:
$7.7 billion (31
December 2009 est.)
country
comparison to the world:52
$NA (31 December
2008)
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)
Communications
::Vietnam
Telephones
- main lines in use:
17.427
million (2009)
country
comparison to the world:17
Telephones
- mobile cellular:
98.224
million (2009)
country
comparison to the world:10
Telephone
system:
general
assessment: Vietnam
is putting considerable effort
into modernization and expansion
of its telecommunication system
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
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)
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)
country
comparison to the world:73
Internet
users:
23.382
million (2009)
country
comparison to the world:17
Transportation
::Vietnam
Airports:
44
(2010)
country
comparison to the world:98
Airports
- with paved runways:
total: 37
over
3,047 m: 9
2,438
to 3,047 m: 5
1,524
to 2,437 m: 14
914 to
1,523 m: 9
(2010)
Airports
- with unpaved runways:
total: 7
1,524
to 2,437 m: 1
914 to
1,523 m: 3
under
914 m: 3
(2010)
Heliports:
1
(2010)
Pipelines:
condensate/gas
42 km; gas 66 km; refined
products 206 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 2,347
km
country
comparison to the world:67
standard
gauge: 178
km 1.435-m gauge
narrow
gauge: 2,169
km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 171,392
km
country
comparison to the world:29
paved: 125,789
km
unpaved:
45,603
km (2008)
Waterways:
17,702
km (5,000 km navigable by
vessels up to 1.8 m draft)
(2011)
country
comparison to the world:7
Merchant
marine:
total: 537
country
comparison to the world:21
by
type: 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
registered
in other countries: 84
(Cambodia 1, Honduras 1,
Liberia 3, Mongolia 34,
Panama 37, Taiwan 1,
Tuvalu 6, unknown 1)
(2010)
Ports
and terminals:
Cam Pha
Port, Da Nang, Hai Phong,
Ho Chi Minh City, Phu My,
Quy Nhon
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
Military
::Vietnam
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)
Military
service age and
obligation:
18
years of age (male)
for 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)
Manpower
available for
military service:
males
age 16-49: 25,402,395
females
age 16-49: 24,834,928
(2010 est.)
Manpower
fit for military
service:
males
age 16-49: 20,153,269
females
age 16-49: 20,980,830
(2010 est.)
Manpower
reaching militarily
significant age
annually:
male:
877,075
female:
816,076
(2010 est.)
Military
expenditures:
2.5%
of GDP (2005 est.)
country
comparison to the
world:60
Transnational
Issues ::Vietnam
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;
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;
involved in
complex
dispute with
Brunei, China,
Malaysia, the
Philippines,
and Taiwan
over the
Spratly
Islands; 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
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