Vietnam

                                  Geography


Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin,
and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia

Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 106 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area:
total: 329,560 sq km
land: 325,360 sq km
water: 4,200 sq km

AreaÑcomparative: 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:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Ngoc Linh 3,143 m

Natural resources: phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore
oil and gas deposits, forests

Land use:
arable land: 17%
permanent crops: 4%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 30%
other: 48% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 18,600 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive
flooding

EnvironmentÑcurrent 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

EnvironmentÑinternational agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

                                   People


Population: 76,236,259 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 13,570,312; female 12,796,687)
15-64 years: 60% (male 22,222,286; female 23,621,122)
65 years and over: 5% (male 1,613,103; female 2,412,749) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.43% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 21.55 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 6.69 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 36.02 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.74 years
male: 65.37 years
female: 70.25 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.5 children born/woman (1998 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: Vietnamese 85%-90%, Chinese 3%, Muong, Tai, Meo, Khmer, Man,
Cham

Religions: Buddhist, Taoist, Roman Catholic, indigenous beliefs, Islam,
Protestant, Cao Dai, Hoa Hao

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

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.7%
male: 96.5%
female: 91.2% (1995 est.)

                                 Government


Country name:
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
abbreviation: SRV

Data code: VM

Government type: Communist state

National capital: Hanoi

Administrative divisions: 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
note: eight existing provinces (Bac Thai, Ha Bac, Hai Hung, Minh Hai, Nam
Ha, Quang Nam-Da Nang, Song Be, and Vinh Phu) may have been abolished and
from their territory 15 new provinces and one new municipality* (Bac Can,
Bac Giang, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Ca Mau, Da Nang
City*, Ha Nam, Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Nam Dinh, Phu Tho, Quang Nam, Thai
Nguyen, and Vinh Phuc) may have been created

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 Tran Duc LUONG (since 24 September 1997) and Vice
President Nguyen Thi BINH (since NA October 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Phan Van KHAI (since 25 September 1997);
First Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 29 September 1997);
Deputy Prime Ministers Nguyen Cong TAN (since 29 September 1997), Ngo Xuan
LOC (since 29 September 1997), Nguyen Manh CAM (since 29 September 1997),
and Pham Gia KHIEM (since 29 September 1997)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime
minister and ratification of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its members
for a five-year term; election last held 25 September 1997 (next to be held
when National Assembly meets following legislative elections in NA 2002);
prime minister appointed by the president from among the members of the
National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by the prime minister
election results: Tran Duc LUONG elected president; percent of National
Assembly vote - NA

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (450 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 20 July 1997 (next to be held NA 2002)
election results: percent of vote by partyÑCPV 92%, other 8% (the 8% are not
CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for election); seats by
partyÑCPV or CPV-approved 450

Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court, chief justice is elected for a
five-year term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the
president

Political parties and leaders: only partyÑCommunist Party of Vietnam (CPV),
Le Kha PHIEU, general secretary

International organization participation: will become a member at the next
APEC meeting in the fall of 1998, ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN, 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, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador LE VAN BANG
chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036, Suite 501
telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737
FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas "Pete" Peterson
embassy: 7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: [84] (4) 8431500
FAX: [84] (4) 8350484 or 8431510

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

                                   Economy


EconomyÑoverview: Vietnam is a poor, densely populated country that 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.
Substantial progress has been achieved over the past 10 years in moving
forward from an extremely low starting point. Economic growth continued at a
strong pace during 1997 with industrial output rising by 12% and real GDP
expanding by 8.5%. These positive numbers, however, masked some major
difficulties that are emerging in economic performance. Many domestic
industries, including coal, cement, steel, and paper, reported large
stockpiles of inventory and tough competition from more efficient foreign
producers, giving Vietnam a trade deficit of $3.3 billion in 1997. While
disbursements of aid and foreign direct investment have risen, they are not
large enough to finance the rapid increase in imports; and it is widely
believed that Vietnam may be using short-term trade credits to bridge the
gapÑa risky strategy that could result in a foreign exchange crunch.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese authorities continue to move slowly toward
implementing the structural reforms needed to revitalize the economy and
produce more competitive, export-driven industries. Privatization of state
enterprises remains bogged down in political controversy, while the
country's dynamic private sector is denied both financing and access to
markets. Reform of the banking sector is proceeding slowly, raising concerns
that the country will be unable to tap sufficient domestic savings to
maintain current high levels of growth. Administrative and legal barriers
are also causing costly delays for foreign investors and are raising similar
doubts about Vietnam's ability to maintain the inflow of foreign capital.
Ideological bias in favor of state intervention and control of the economy
is slowing progress toward a more liberalized investment environment.

GDP: purchasing power parityÑ$128 billion (1997 est.)

GDPÑreal growth rate: 8.5% (1997 est.)

GDPÑper capita: purchasing power parityÑ$1,700 (1997 est.)

GDPÑcomposition by sector:
agriculture: 28%
industry: 30%
services: 42% (1996 est.)

Inflation rateÑconsumer price index: 5% (1997)

Labor force:
total: 32.7 million
by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry and services 35% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate: 25% (1995 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $5.6 billion
expenditures: $6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.7 billion
(1996 est.)

Industries: food processing, garments, shoes, machine building, mining,
cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil

Industrial production growth rate: 12% (1997 est.)

ElectricityÑcapacity: 5.32 million kW (1995)

ElectricityÑproduction: 12.3 billion kWh (1995)

ElectricityÑconsumption per capita: 165 kWh (1995)

AgricultureÑproducts: paddy rice, corn, potatoes, rubber, soybeans, coffee,
tea, bananas; poultry, pigs; fish

Exports:
total value: $7.1 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea,
garments, shoes
partners: Japan, Germany, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, France, South Korea

Imports:
total value: $11.1 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel
products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles
partners: Singapore, South Korea, Japan, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan

DebtÑexternal: $7.3 billion Western countries; $4.5 billion CEMA debts
primarily to Russia; $9 billion to $18 billion nonconvertible debt (former
CEMA, Iraq, Iran)

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
note: $2.4 billion in credits and grants pledged by international donors for
1997

Currency: 1 new dong (D) = 100 xu

Exchange rates: new dong (D) per US$1Ñ12,300 (January 1998), 11,100
(December 1996), 11,193 (1995 average), 11,000 (October 1994), 10,800
(November 1993), 8,100 (July 1991)

Fiscal year: calendar year

                               Communications


Telephones: 800,000 (1995 est.)

Telephone system: while Vietnam's telecommunication sector lags far behind
other countries in Southeast Asia, Hanoi has made considerable progress
since 1991 in upgrading the system; Vietnam has digitized all provincial
switch boards, while fiber-optic and microwave transmission systems have
been extended from Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City to all provinces;
the density of telephone receivers nationwide doubled from 1993 to 1995, but
is still far behind other countries in the region; Vietnam's
telecommunications strategy aims to increase telephone density to 30 per
1,000 inhabitants by the year 2000 and authorities estimate that
approximately $2.7 billion will be spent on telecommunications upgrades
through the end of the decade
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stationsÑ2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 228, shortwave 0

Radios: 7.215 million (1992 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 36 (repeaters 77)

Televisions: 2.9 million (1992 est.)

                               Transportation


Railways:
total: 2,835 km (in addition, there are 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: 93,300 km
paved: 23,418 km
unpaved: 69,882 km (1996 est.)

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

Pipelines: petroleum products 150 km

Ports and harbors: Cam Ranh, Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Gai,
Qui Nhon, Nha Trang

Merchant marine:
total: 121 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 487,427 GRT/750,000 DWT
ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 97, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, oil
tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1
note: Vietnam owns an additional 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 97,531
DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Honduras, Liberia, Malta,
and Panama (1997 est.)

Airports: 48 (1994 est.)

AirportsÑwith paved runways:
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 7 (1994 est.)

AirportsÑwith unpaved runways:
total: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 5 (1994 est.)

                                  Military


Military branches: People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) (includes Ground Forces,
Navy, and Air Force), Coast Guard

Military manpowerÑmilitary age: 17 years of age

Military manpowerÑavailability:
males age 15-49: 19,818,187 (1998 est.)

Military manpowerÑfit for military service:
males: 12,519,072 (1998 est.)

Military manpowerÑreaching military age annually:
males: 811,382 (1998 est.)

Military expendituresÑdollar figure: $544 million (1995)

Military expendituresÑpercent of GDP: 2.7% (1995)

                            Transnational Issues


DisputesÑinternational: maritime boundary with Cambodia not defined;
involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia,
Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei; maritime boundary with Thailand
resolved, August 1997; maritime boundary dispute with China in the Gulf of
Tonkin; Paracel Islands occupied by China but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan;
offshore islands and sections of boundary with Cambodia are in dispute;
sections of land border with China are indefinite

Illicit drugs: key growing areas in Vietnam cultivated 6,150 hectares of
poppy in 1997 (an increase of 95% over 1996), with a potential production of
45 metric tons (an increase of 80% over 1996) of opium; opium producer and
probably minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin destined for the US
and Europe; growing opium addiction; possible small-scale heroin production