Background: France occupied all of Vietnam by 1884. Independence was declared after World War II but the French continued to rule until 1954 when they were defeated by communist forces under HO Chi Minh who took control of the north. 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military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973.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. Economic reconstruction of the reunited country has proven difficult as aging Communist Party leaders have only grudgingly initiated reforms necessary for a free market.

Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 106 00 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 329,560 km²
Land: 325,360 km²
Water: 4,200 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries
Total: 4,639 km
Border countries: (3) 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
Extremes 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 km² (1993 est.)

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

Population: 77,311,210 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 1.37% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: 50.9% (1993 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Vietnamese

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

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

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 34% (male 13,377,315; female 12,603,906)
15-64 years: 61% (male 22,934,553; female 24,277,488)
65 years and over: 5% (male 1,645,288; female 2,472,660) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.37% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 20.78 births/1000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 6.56 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.53 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)

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

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
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 34.84 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 68.1 years
Male: 65.71 years
Female: 70.64 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.41 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 93.7%
Male: 96.5%
Female: 91.2% (1995 est.)

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

Government type: Communist state

Capital: Hanoi

Administrative divisions: 58 provinces (tinh, singular and plural), 3 municipalities* (thu do, singular and plural; 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, Can Tho, Cao Bang, Dac Lac, Da Nang, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Hai Duong, Hai Phong*, Ha Nam, Ha Noi*, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hoa Binh, Ho Chi Minh*, 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

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 party_CPV 92%, other 8% (the 8% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for election); seats by party_CPV 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

International organization participation: ACCT, APEC, 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, OPCW, 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
In the us chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,036, Suite 400
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917
In the us consulates general: San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas B. "Pete" Peterson
From the us embassy: 7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
From the us mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96,521-0002
From the us telephone: [84] (4) 8,431,500
From the us FAX: [84] (4) 8,350,484
From the us consulates general: Ho Chi Minh City

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

Economy overview: 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, though the regional downturn is now limiting that progress. GDP growth of 8.5% in 1997 fell to 4% in 1998. These numbers masked some major difficulties that are emerging in economic performance. Many domestic industries, including coal, cement, steel, and paper, have 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 gap_a 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.

Real gdp growth rate: 4% (1998 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $1,770 (1998 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 28%
Industry: 30%
Services: 42% (1996 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate: 12% (1998 est.)

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

Unemployment rate: 25% (1995 est.)

Population below poverty line: 50.9% (1993 est.)

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

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $9.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Commodities: crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments, shoes
Partners: Japan, Germany, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, France, South Korea

Imports: $11.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles
Partners: Singapore, South Korea, Japan, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan

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

Exchange rates: new dong (D) per US$1_13,900 (December 1998), 11,100 (December 1996), 11,193 (1995 average), 11,000 (October 1994), 10,800 (November 1993), 8,100 (July 1991)

Electricity
Production: 14.88 billion kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 12.1%
Production by source hydro: 84%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 3.9% (1996)
Consumption: 14.88 billion kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)

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 stations_2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $650 million (1997)
Percent of gdp: 9.3% (1997)

Airports: 48 (1994 est.)
With paved runways total: 36
With paved runways over 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 13
With paved runways under 914 m: 7 (1994 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 12
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 5 (1994 est.)

Pipelines: petroleum products 150 km

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
Dual gauge: 230 km NA-m gauges (three rails)

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

Merchant marine
Total: 123 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 527,920 GRT/820,515 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 98, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, oil tanker 12, refrigerated cargo 4 (1998 est.)

Disputes international: 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: minor producer of opium poppy with 3,000 hectares cultivated in 1998, capable of producing 20 metric tons of opium; probably minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin destined for the US and Europe; growing opium/heroin addiction; possible small-scale heroin production