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.)
@Vietnam: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 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 Ministers Nguyen KHANH (since NA February 1987) and Tran
Duc LUONG (since NA February 1987)
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 23 September 1992
(next to be held when National Assembly meets following legislative
elections in July 1997); prime minister appointed by the president
from among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime
ministers appointed by the prime minister
election results: Le Duc ANH elected president; percent of National
Assembly vote - NA
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (395
seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 July 1992 (next to be held 20 July 1997)
election results: percent of vote by party - CPV or CPV-approved 100%;
seats by party - CPV or CPV-approved 395
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 party - Communist Party of Vietnam
(CPV), DO MUOI, general secretary
International organization participation: 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, Mekong
Group, 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
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.
Economic growth continued at a strong pace during 1996 with industrial
output rising by 14% and real GDP expanding by 9.4%. Foreign direct
investment rose to an estimated $2.3 billion for the year, up by about
30% from 1995. 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. Vietnam's trade deficit widened to $4 billion in
1996, up over 80% from a year ago. 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 during
1997. Meanwhile, Vietnamese authorities continue to move very 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 parity - $108.7 billion (1996 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 9.4% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,470 (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 28%
industry: 28%
services: 44% (1996 est.)
Inflation rate - consumer price index: 4.5% (1996)
Labor force:
total: 32.7 million
by occupation: agriculture 65%, industry and services 35% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate: 25% (1995 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $4.67 billion
expenditures: $5 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.36
billion (1995 est.)
Industries: food processing, garments, shoes, machine building,
mining, cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil
Industrial production growth rate: 14% (1996 est.)
Electricity - capacity: 5.32 million kW (1994)
Electricity - production: 11.78 billion kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 154 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: 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, rice, marine products, coffee, rubber, tea,
garments, shoes
partners: Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, France, South Korea
Imports:
total value: $11.1 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities: petroleum products, machinery and equipment, steel
products, fertilizer, 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)
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$1 - 11,100 (December 1996), 11,193
(1995 average), 11,000 (October 1994), 10,800 (November 1993), 8,100
(July 1991)
Fiscal year: calendar year
@Vietnam: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 stations - 2 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.)
@Vietnam: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 : 106,048 km
paved: 27,466 km
unpaved: 78,582 km (1995 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 534,937 GRT/863,307 DWT
ships by type: bulk 5, cargo 100, chemical tanker 1, oil tanker 9,
refrigerated cargo 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1
note: Vietnam owns an additional 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
107,592 DWT operating under the registries of The Bahamas, Honduras,
Malta, Panama, and Vanuatu (1996 est.)
Airports: 48 (1994 est.)
Airports - with 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.)
Airports - with 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)
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 19,172,473 (1996 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males: 12,123,118 (1997 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males : 802,154 (1997 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $544 million (1995)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.7% (1995)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: maritime boundary with Cambodia not defined;
involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands in the South
China Sea 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 in the South
China Sea occupied by China but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan;
offshore islands and sections of boundary with Cambodia are in dispute
Illicit drugs: key growing areas in Vietnam cultivated 3,150 hectares
of poppy in 1996, producing 25 tons of opium; opium producer and
increasingly important transit point for Southeast Asian heroin
destined for the US and Europe; growing opium addiction; possible
small-scale heroin production
______________________________________________________________________
VIRGIN ISLANDS
(territory of the US)
@Virgin Islands:Geography
Location: Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North
Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates: 18 20 N, 64 50 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 352 sq km
land: 349 sq km
water: 3 sq km
Area - comparative: twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 188 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low
humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to
November
Terrain: mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m
Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf
Land use:
arable land: 15%
permanent crops: 6%
permanent pastures : 26%
forests and woodland: 6%
other: 47% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and
severe droughts, floods, and earthquakes
Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified : NA
Geography - note: important location along the Anegada Passage - a key
shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best
natural, deepwater harbors in the Caribbean
@Virgin Islands:People
Population: 97,240 (July 1997 est.)
note: West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born
elsewhere in the West Indies) 74%, US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 5%,
other 8%
Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years : NA
65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 0.18% (1997 est.)
Birth rate: 16.72 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Death rate: 5.2 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Net migration rate: -9.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth : NA male(s)/female
under 15 years: NA male(s)/female
15-64 years: NA male(s)/female
65 years and over: NA male(s)/female
total population: NA male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: 12.54 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 75.29 years
male: 73.6 years
female: 77.2 years (1997 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.18 children born/woman (1997 est.)
Nationality:
noun : Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: Virgin Islander
Ethnic groups: black 80%, white 15%, other 5%
Religions: Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%
Languages: English (official), Spanish, Creole
Literacy: NA
@Virgin Islands:Government
Country name:
conventional long form : Virgin Islands of the United States
conventional short form: Virgin Islands
former: Danish West Indies
Data code: VQ
Dependency status: organized, unincorporated territory of the US;
administered by the Office of Territorial and International Affairs,
US Department of the Interior
Government type: NA
National capital: Charlotte Amalie
Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US)
National holiday: Transfer Day, 31 March (1917) (from Denmark to US)
Constitution: Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
Legal system: based on US laws
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal; note - indigenous inhabitants
are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
Executive branch:
chief of state : President of the US William Jefferson CLINTON (since
20 January 1993); Vice President Albert GORE, Jr. (since 20 January
1993)
head of government: Governor Dr. Roy L. SCHNEIDER (since 5 January
1995) and Lieutenant Governor Kenneth E. MAPP (since 5 January 1995)
cabinet: NA
elections : governor and lieutenant governor of the Virgin Islands
elected by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 22
November 1994 (next to be held NA November 1998)
election results: Dr. Roy L. SCHNEIDER elected governor of the Virgin
Islands; percent of vote - Roy L. SCHNEIDER (ICM) 54.7%, former
Lieutenant Governor Derek HODGE 42.6%
Legislative branch: unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 5 November 1996 (next to be held NA November
1998)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
independents 6, Democrats 5, Republicans 2, Independent Citizens
Movement 2
note: the Virgin Islands elects one representative to the US House of
Representatives; elections last held 19 November 1996 (next to be held
NA November 1998); results - Dr. Donna GREEN (ICM) 51.5%, Victor O.
FRAZER (independent) 48.5%
Judicial branch: US District Court, handles civil matters over
$200,000, felonies (persons 15 years of age and over), and federal
cases; judges are appointed by the president; Territorial Court,
handles civil matters of unlimited cash amount; felonies, small
claims, juvenile, domestic, misdemeanors, and traffic cases; judges
appointed by the governor
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party, Marilyn STAPLETON;
Independent Citizens' Movement (ICM), Virdin C. BROWN; Republican
Party, Charlotte-Poole DAVIS
International organization participation: ECLAC (associate), IOC
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (territory of the US)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (territory of the US)
Flag description: white with a modified US coat of arms in the center
between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a
yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in
the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes
below a blue panel
Economy
Economy - overview: Tourism is the primary economic activity,
accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The number
of US tourists in the first five months of 1996 was down by 55% from
the same period in 1995, the lingering result of the fierce hurricanes
of 1995. Unemployment rose sharply in 1996. The manufacturing sector
consists of textile, electronics, pharmaceutical, and watch assembly
plants. The agricultural sector is small, most food being imported.
International business and financial services are a small but growing
component of the economy. One of the world's largest petroleum
refineries is at Saint Croix. A major economic problem at the
beginning of 1997 was the more than $1 billion in governmental
arrears, in income tax refunds, payments to vendors, and overdue
wages.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.2 billion (1987 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: NA%
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $12,500 (1987 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services : NA%
Inflation rate - consumer price index: NA%
Labor force:
total: 47,443 (1990 est.)
by occupation: agriculture, industry, services, other (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate: 6.2% (March 1994)
Budget:
revenues: $364.4 million
expenditures : $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1990 est.)
Industries: tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum
distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics
Industrial production growth rate: 12% (year NA)
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
Electricity - production: 990 million kWh (1994)
Electricity - consumption per capita: 9,565 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture - products: truck garden products, fruit, vegetables,
sorghum; Senepol cattle
Exports:
total value: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
commodities : refined petroleum products
partners: US, Puerto Rico
Imports:
total value: $2.2 billion (c.i.f., 1992)
commodities: crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
partners: US, Puerto Rico
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 United States dollar (US$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
@Virgin Islands:Communications
Telephones: 60,000 (1990 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic : modern, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
international: submarine cable and satellite communications; satellite
earth stations - NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 8, shortwave 0 (1988)
Radios: 105,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 4 (1988 est.)
Televisions: 65,000 (1992 est.)
@Virgin Islands:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total : 856 km
paved: NA km
unpaved : NA km
Ports and harbors: Charlotte Amalie, Christiansted, Cruz Bay, Port
Alucroix
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 2
note: international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix (1996
est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: none
______________________________________________________________________
WAKE ISLAND
(territory of the US)
@Wake Island:Geography
Location: Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds
of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands
Geographic coordinates: 19 17 N, 166 36 E
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total: 6.5 sq km
land: 6.5 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 19.3 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea : 12 nm
Climate: tropical
Terrain: atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater
volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 6 m
Natural resources: none
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops : 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)
Natural hazards: occasional typhoons
Environment - current issues: NA
Environment - international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA
Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean;
emergency landing location for transpacific flights
@Wake Island:People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are 302 US military and contract personnel (July 1995
est.)
@Wake Island:Government
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form : Wake Island
Data code: WQ
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered by
the US Army and Strategic Defense Command since 1 October 1994
National capital: none; administered from Washington, DC
Independence: none (territory of the US)
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
Economy
Economy - overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services
to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All
food and manufactured goods must be imported.
Electricity - capacity: NA kW
note: electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - production: NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - consumption per capita: NA kWh
@Wake Island:Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system: satellite communications; 1 DSN circuit off the
Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
domestic : NA
international: NA
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM NA, shortwave NA
note : Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service
provided by satellite
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: NA
note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) television service
provided by satellite
Televisions: NA
@Wake Island:Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Ports and harbors: none; two offshore anchorages for large ships
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 1
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (1996 est.)
Transportation - note: formerly an important commercial aviation base,
now used by US military, some commercial cargo planes, as well as the
US Army Space and Strategic Defense Command for missile launches
Military
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US
Transnational Issues