Watch List, up from Tier 3, as it showed greater resolve to address
trafficking through law enforcement measures and prevention efforts
in 2007, although stringent punishment of offenders and victim
assistance remain lacking (2008)
Illicit drugs:
small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the processing of
opiates and coca derivatives; however, large quantities of cocaine,
heroin, and marijuana transit the country from Colombia bound for US
and Europe; significant narcotics-related money-laundering activity,
especially along the border with Colombia and on Margarita Island;
active eradication program primarily targeting opium; increasing
signs of drug-related activities by Colombian insurgents on border
page last updated on January 24, 2011
======================================================================
@Vietnam (East & Southeast Asia)
Introduction ::Vietnam
Background:
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government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a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
Location:
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:
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
Land use:
arable land: 20.14%
permanent crops: 6.93%
other: 72.93% (2005)
Irrigated land:
30,000 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
891.2 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 71.39 cu km/yr (8%/24%/68%)
per capita: 847 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
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
People ::Vietnam
Population:
89,571,130 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.1% (male 12,069,408/female 11,033,738)
15-64 years: 68.3% (male 30,149,986/female 30,392,043)
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: 166
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: 127
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: 139
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
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
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
International organization participation:
ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Le Cong PHUNG
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 (2010 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: 167
$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% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
47.49 million (2010 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:
lowest 10%: 3.1%
highest 10%: 29.8% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 78
36.1 (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
35.1% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
Public debt:
53.5% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
52.4% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
7% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 43
10.25% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
15.78% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 81
11.18% (31 December 2007)
Stock of narrow money:
$33.76 billion (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 53
$31.75 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$118.8 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47
$107.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$132.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
$114.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$21.2 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
$9.589 billion (31 December 2008)
$19.54 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
paddy rice, coffee, rubber, cotton, tea, pepper, soybeans, cashews,
sugar cane, peanuts, bananas; poultry; fish, seafood
Industries:
food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building; mining, coal,
steel; cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, paper
Industrial production growth rate:
7.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Electricity - production:
86.9 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Electricity - consumption:
74.5 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Electricity - exports:
535 million kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - imports:
3.85 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Oil - production:
338,400 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Oil - consumption:
302,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
Oil - exports:
29,400 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Oil - imports:
134,200 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Oil - proved reserves:
4.7 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
Natural gas - production:
7.9 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
Natural gas - consumption:
8.1 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
Natural gas - imports:
380,000 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
Natural gas - proved reserves:
610 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
Current account balance:
-$9.622 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
-$7.44 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$70.76 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
$57.1 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments,
shoes
Exports - partners:
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: