conventional long form:
Republic of Vanuatu
conventional short form:
Vanuatu
former:
New Hebrides
Digraph:
NH
Type:
republic
Capital:
Port-Vila
Administrative divisions:
11 island councils; Ambrym, Aoba/Maewo, Banks/Torres, Efate, Epi,
Malakula, Paama, Pentecote, Santo/Malo, Shepherd, Tafea
Independence:
30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 30 July (1980)
Constitution:
30 July 1980
Legal system:
unified system being created from former dual French and British
systems
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President Jean Marie LEYE (since 2 March 1994)
head of government:
Prime Minister Maxime CARLOT Korman (since 16 December 1991); Deputy
Prime Minister Sethy REGENVANU (since 17 December 1991)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister, responsible to
parliament
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Parliament:
elections last held 2 December 1991 (next to be held by November
1995); note - after election, a coalition was formed by the Union of
Moderate Parties and the National United Party to form a new
government on 16 December 1991, but political party associations are
fluid; seats - (46 total) UMP 19; NUP 10; VP 10; MPP 4; TUP 1;
Nagriamel 1; Friend 1
note:
the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of custom and land
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
Vanuatu Party (VP), Donald KALPOKAS; Union of Moderate Parties (UMP),
Serge VOHOR; Melanesian Progressive Party (MPP), Barak SOPE; National
United Party (NUP), Walter LINI; Tan Union Party (TUP), Vincent
BOULEKONE; Nagriamel Party, Jimmy STEVENS; Friend Melanesian Party,
leader NA
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO,
INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ITU, NAM, SPARTECA, SPC, SPF, UN,
UNCTAD, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
Vanuatu does not have a mission in the US
US diplomatic representation:
the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
Flag:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black
isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a
black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two
points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);
centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed
namele leaves, all in yellow
@Vanuatu, Economy
Overview:
The economy is based primarily on subsistence farming which provides a
living for about 80% of the population. Fishing and tourism are the
other mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the
country has no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector
caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import
duties.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $142 million (1988 est.)
National product real growth rate:
6% (1991)
National product per capita:
$1,050 (1990)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.3% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues:
$90 million
expenditures:
$103 million, including capital expenditures of $45 million (1989
est.)
Exports:
$14.9 million (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
copra, beef, cocoa, timber, coffee
partners:
Netherlands, Japan, France, New Caledonia, Belgium
Imports:
$74 million (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
machines and vehicles, food and beverages, basic manufactures, raw
materials and fuels, chemicals
partners:
Australia 36%, Japan 13%, NZ 10%, France 8%, Fiji 8%
External debt:
$38 million (1991)
Industrial production:
growth rate 8.1% (1990); accounts for about 10% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
17,000 kW
production:
30 million kWh
consumption per capita:
180 kWh (1990)
Industries:
food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
Agriculture:
accounts for 40% of GDP; export crops - coconuts, cocoa, coffee, fish;
subsistence crops - taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables
Economic aid:
recipient:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-89), $606 million
Currency:
1 vatu (VT) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
vatu (VT) per US$1 - 123.48 (September 1993), 113.39 (1992), 111.68
(1991), 116.57 (1990), 116.04 (1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Vanuatu, Communications
Railroads:
none
Highways:
total:
1,027 km
paved:
240 km
unpaved:
787 km
Ports:
Port-Vila, Luganville, Palikoulo
Merchant marine:
131 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,992,201 GRT/2,909,381 DWT,
bulk 57, cargo 23, chemical tanker 2, combination bulk 1, container 5,
liquefied gas 3, livestock carrier 1, oil tanker 8, passenger 1,
refrigerated cargo 19, vehicle carrier 11
note:
a flag of convenience registry
Airports:
total:
31
usable:
31
with permanent-surface runways:
2
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
2
Telecommunications:
broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, no TV; 3,000 telephones; 1 Pacific
Ocean INTELSAT ground station
@Vanuatu, Defense Forces
Branches:
Vanuatu Police Force (VPF), paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF)
note:
no military forces
Defense expenditures:
$NA, NA% of GDP
@Venezuela, Geography
Location:
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea between Colombia
and Guyana
Map references:
South America, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
912,050 sq km
land area:
882,050 sq km
comparative area:
slightly more than twice the size of California
Land boundaries:
total 4,993 km, Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km
Coastline:
2,800 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
15 nm
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
claims all of Guyana west of the Essequibo River; maritime boundary
dispute with Colombia in the Gulf of Venezuela
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands
Terrain:
Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains
(llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals,
hydropower, diamonds
Land use:
arable land:
3%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
20%
forest and woodland:
39%
other:
37%
Irrigated land:
2,640 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago
de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial
pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast
natural hazards:
subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
international agreements:
party to - Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping
Note:
on major sea and air routes linking North and South America
@Venezuela, People
Population:
20,562,405 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.16% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
25.74 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
4.63 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
27.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
73 years
male:
70.12 years
female:
76.03 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.05 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Venezuelan(s)
adjective:
Venezuelan
Ethnic divisions:
mestizo 67%, white 21%, black 10%, Indian 2%
Religions:
nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%
Languages:
Spanish (official), Indian dialects spoken by about 200,000
Amerindians in the remote interior
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
88%
male:
87%
female:
90%
Labor force:
5.8 million
by occupation:
services 56%, industry 28%, agriculture 16% (1985)
@Venezuela, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Venezuela
conventional short form:
Venezuela
local long form:
Republica de Venezuela
local short form:
Venezuela
Digraph:
VE
Type:
republic
Capital:
Caracas
Administrative divisions:
21 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 territory* (territorio), 1
federal district** (distrito federal), and 1 federal dependence***
(dependencia federal); Amazonas*, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas,
Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales***,
Distrito Federal**, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas,
Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Yaracuy, Zulia
note:
the federal dependence consists of 11 federally controlled island
groups with a total of 72 individual islands
Independence:
5 July 1811 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 5 July (1811)
Constitution:
23 January 1961
Legal system:
based on Napoleonic code; judicial review of legislative acts in
Cassation Court only; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
President Rafael CALDERA Rodriquez (since 2 February 1994); election
last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held December 1998); results -
Rafael CALDERA (National Convergence) 30.45%, Claudio FERMIN (AD)
23.59%, Oswaldo ALVAREZ PAZ (COPEI) 22.72%, Andres VELASQUEZ (Causa R)
21.94%, other 1.3%
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed by the president
Legislative branch:
bicameral Congress of the Republic (Congreso de la Republica)
Senate (Senado):
elections last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held December 1998);
results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (52 total) AD 18, COPEI
15, Causa R 9, MAS 5, National Convergence 5; note - 3 former
presidents (2 from AD, 1 from COPEI) hold lifetime senate seats
Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados):
elections last held 5 December 1993 (next to be held December 1998);
results - AD 27.9%, COPEI 26.9%, MAS 12.4%, National Convergence
12.9%, Causa R 19.9%; seats - (201 total) AD 55, COPEI 53, MAS 24,
National Convergence 26, Causa R 40, other 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court of Justice (Corte Suprema de Justicia) Gonzalo RODRIGUEZ
Corro, President
Political parties and leaders:
National Convergence (Convergencia), Jose Miguel UZCATEGUI, director;
Social Christian Party (COPEI), Hilarion CARDOZO, president, and Jose
CURIEL, secretary general; Democratic Action (AD), Pedro PARIS
Montesinos, president, and Luis ALFARO Ucero, secretary general;
Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), Argelia LAYA, president, and Freddy
MUNOZ, secretary general; Radical Cause (La Causa R), Pablo MEDINA,
secretary general
Other political or pressure groups:
FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; Venezuelan Confederation
of Workers (CTV, labor organization dominated by the Democratic
Action); VECINOS groups
Member of:
AG, BCIE, CARICOM (observer), CDB, CG, ECLAC, FAO, G-3, G-11, G-15,
G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IFAD, IFC,
ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA,
LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OAS, ONUSAL, OPANAL, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Pedro Luis ECHEVERRIA
chancery:
1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:
(202) 342-2214
consulate(s) general:
Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia,
San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Jeffrey DAVIDOW
embassy:
Avenida Francisco de Miranda and Avenida Principal de la Floresta,
Caracas
mailing address:
P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A, or APO AA 34037
telephone:
[58] (2) 285-2222
FAX:
[58] (2) 285-0336
consulate(s):
Maracaibo (closed March 1994)
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with the
coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of seven
white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band
@Venezuela, Economy
Overview:
Petroleum is the backbone of the economy, accounting for 23% of GDP,
61% of central government ordinary revenues, and 77% of export
earnings in 1993. Former President PEREZ introduced an economic
readjustment program when he assumed office in February 1989. Lower
tariffs and the removal of price controls, a free market exchange
rate, and market-linked interest rates threw the economy into
confusion, causing an 8% decline in GDP in 1989. The economy recovered
part way in 1990 and grew by 9.7% in 1991 and 6.8% in 1992; economic
activity fell by 1% in 1993, primarily because of business concerns
over political instability.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $161 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
-1% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
$8,000 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
46% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8.2% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$9.8 billion
expenditures:
$11.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $103 million (1993
est.)
Exports:
$14.2 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
petroleum 77%, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural
products, basic manufactures
partners:
US and Puerto Rico 42%, Japan, Netherlands, Italy
Imports:
$11 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment,
construction materials
partners:
US 50%, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Canada
External debt:
$28.5 billion (1993)
Industrial production:
growth rate 6.1% (1992 est.); accounts for 40% of GDP, including
petroleum
Electricity:
capacity:
21,130,000 kW
production:
58.541 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
2,830 kWh (1992)
Industries:
petroleum, iron-ore mining, construction materials, food processing,
textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly
Agriculture:
accounts for 6% of GDP and 16% of labor force; products - corn,
sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee, beef, pork,
milk, eggs, fish; not self-sufficient in food other than meat
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis and coca leaf for the international drug
trade on a small scale; however, large quantities of cocaine transit
the country from Colombia; important money-laundering hub
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-86), $488 million; Communist
countries (1970-89), $10 million
Currency:
1 bolivar (Bs) = 100 centimos
Exchange rates:
bolivares (Bs) per US$1 - 107.260 (January 1994), 90.826 (1993), 68.38
(1992), 56.82 (1991), 46.90 (1990), 34.68 (1989)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Venezuela, Communications
Railroads:
542 km total; 363 km 1.435-meter standard gauge all single track,
government owned; 179 km 1.435-meter gauge, privately owned
Highways:
total:
81,000 km
paved:
31,200 km
unpaved:
gravel 24,800 km; earth and unimproved earth 25,000 km
Inland waterways:
7,100 km; Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels
Pipelines:
crude oil 6,370 km; petroleum products 480 km; natural gas 4,010 km
Ports:
Amuay Bay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, Puerto Cabello, Puerto
Ordaz
Merchant marine:
47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 741,688 GRT/1,204,233 DWT, bulk
4, cargo 16, combination bulk 1, container 1, liquefied gas 2, oil
tanker 17, passenger cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 4, short-sea
passenger 1
Airports:
total:
425
usable:
392
with permanent-surface runways:
139
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
15
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
92
Telecommunications:
modern and expanding; 1,440,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 181
AM, no FM, 59 TV, 26 shortwave; 3 submarine coaxial cables; satellite
ground stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 3 domestic
@Venezuela, Defense Forces
Branches:
National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales, FAN) includes -
Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces
(Fuerzas Navales or Armada), Air Forces (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion),
Armed Forces of Cooperation or National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de
Cooperation or Guardia Nacional)
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 5,341,855; fit for military service 3,875,523; reach
military age (18) annually 224,550 (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $1.95 billion, 4% of GDP (1991)
@Vietnam, Geography
Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea, between Laos and the
Philippines
Map references:
Asia, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
329,560 sq km
land area:
325,360 sq km
comparative area:
slightly larger than New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total 3,818 km, Cambodia 982 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 1,555 km
Coastline:
3,444 km (excludes islands)
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200 nm or the edge of continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
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
Land use:
arable land:
22%
permanent crops:
2%
meadows and pastures:
1%
forest and woodland:
40%
other:
35%
Irrigated land:
18,300 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; soil degradation; water pollution and overfishing
threatening marine life populations
natural hazards:
occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding
international agreements:
party to - Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban
@Vietnam, People
Population:
73,103,898 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.78% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
27.13 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
7.76 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-1.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
45.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
65.41 years
male:
63.37 years
female:
67.58 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.33 children born/woman (1994 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, Islamic,
Protestant
Languages:
Vietnamese (official), French, Chinese, English, Khmer, tribal
languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
88%
male:
93%
female:
83%
Labor force:
32.7 million
by occupation:
agricultural 65%, industrial and service 35% (1990 est.)
@Vietnam, Government
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
Abbreviation:
SRV
Digraph:
VM
Type:
Communist state
Capital:
Hanoi
Administrative divisions:
50 provinces (tinh, singular and plural), 3 municipalities* (thanh
pho, 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, 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), ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer),
ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
none; Ambassador Le Van BANG is the Permanent Representative to the UN
US diplomatic representation:
none
Flag:
red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center
@Vietnam, Economy
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 with output rising
perhaps 7%. However, the industrial sector remains burdened by
uncompetitive state-owned enterprises the government is unwilling or
unable to privatize. Unemployment looms as a serious problem with
roughly 25% of the workforce without jobs and with population growth
swelling the ranks of the unemployed yearly.
National product:
GNP - purchasing power equivalent - $72 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
7% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
$1,000 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.2% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
25% (1993 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
$1.9 billion
expenditures:
$2 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992)
Exports:
$2.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
petroleum, rice, agricultural products, marine products, coffee
partners:
Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Germany, Indonesia
Imports:
$3.1 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
commodities:
petroleum products, steel products, railroad equipment, chemicals,
medicines, raw cotton, fertilizer, grain
partners:
Hong Kong, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Taiwan
External debt:
$3.4 billion Western countries; $4.5 billion CEMA debts primarily to
Russia; $700 million commercial debts (1993 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 15% (1992); accounts for 20% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
3,300,000 kW
production:
9 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
130 kWh (1992)
Industries:
food processing, textiles, machine building, mining, cement, chemical
fertilizer, glass, tires, oil
Agriculture:
accounts for almost 40% 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.)
Illicit drugs:
minor opium producer and secondary transit point for Southeast Asian
heroin destined for the US and Europe
Economic aid:
recipient:
$1.9 billion in credits and grants pledged by international donors for
1994, Japan largest contributor with $550 million
Currency:
1 new dong (D) = 100 xu
Exchange rates:
new dong (D) per US$1 - 10,800 (November 1993), 8,100 (July 1991),
7,280 (December 1990), 3,996 (March 1990); note - 1985-89 figures are
end of year
Fiscal year:
calendar year
@Vietnam, Communications