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1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
Vietnam
    n 1: a communist state in Indochina on the South China Sea;
         achieved independence from France in 1945 [syn: Vietnam,
         Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Viet Nam, Annam]
    2: a prolonged war (1954-1975) between the communist armies of
       North Vietnam who were supported by the Chinese and the
       armies of South Vietnam who were supported by the United
       States [syn: Vietnam War, Vietnam]

2. CIA World Factbook 2002
Vietnam

   Introduction Vietnam
   --------------------
                            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                                        armed forces were withdrawn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.
  
   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 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
                    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: contiguous zone: 24 NM
                                        territorial sea: 12 NM
                                        continental shelf: 200 NM or to the
                                        edge of the continental margin
                                        exclusive economic zone: 200 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, hydropower
                              Land use: arable land: 17.41%
                                        permanent crops: 4.71%
                                        other: 77.87% (1998 est.)
                        Irrigated land: 30,000 sq km (1998 est.)
                       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 party to: Biodiversity, Climate
                            agreements: Change, Desertification, Endangered
                                        Species, Environmental Modification,
                                        Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
                                        Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
                                        Pollution, Wetlands
                                        signed, but not ratified: Climate
                                        Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear Test
                                        Ban
                      Geography - note: extending 1,650 km north to south,
                                        the country is only 50 km across at
                                        its narrowest point
  
   People Vietnam
   --------------
                            Population: 81,098,416 (July 2002 est.)
                         Age structure: 0-14 years: 31.6% (male 13,259,152;
                                        female 12,392,089)
                                        15-64 years: 62.9% (male 24,938,098;
                                        female 26,083,681)
                                        65 years and over: 5.5% (male
                                        1,749,531; female 2,675,865) (2002
                                        est.)
                Population growth rate: 1.43% (2002 est.)
                            Birth rate: 20.89 births/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                            Death rate: 6.14 deaths/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                    Net migration rate: -0.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population
                                        (2002 est.)
                             Sex ratio: at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
                                        under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
                                        15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
                                        65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/
                                        female
                                        total population: 0.97 male(s)/
                                        female (2002 est.)
                 Infant mortality rate: 29.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
                                        est.)
              Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.86 years
                                        female: 72.5 years (2002 est.)
                                        male: 67.4 years
                  Total fertility rate: 2.44 children born/woman (2002 est.)
      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.24% (1999 est.)
     HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 100,000 (1999 est.)
                                  AIDS:
                     HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,500 (1999 est.)
                           Nationality: noun: Vietnamese (singular and
                                        plural)
                                        adjective: Vietnamese
                         Ethnic groups: Vietnamese 85%-90%, Chinese, Hmong,
                                        Thai, Khmer, Cham, mountain groups
                             Religions: Buddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai,
                                        Christian (predominantly Roman
                                        Catholic, some Protestant),
                                        indigenous beliefs, Muslim
                             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: 93.7%
                                        male: 96.5%
                                        female: 91.2% (1995 est.)
  
   Government Vietnam
   ------------------
                          Country name: conventional long form: Socialist
                                        Republic of Vietnam
                                        conventional short form: Vietnam
                                        local short form: Viet Nam
                                        abbreviation: SRV
                                        local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu
                                        Nghia Viet Nam
                       Government type: Communist state
                               Capital: Hanoi
              Administrative divisions: 58 provinces (tinh, singular and
                                        plural), and 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 Lak, 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)
                                        elections: president elected by the
                                        National Assembly from among its
                                        members for a five-year term;
                                        election last held 24 September 1997
                                        (next to be held when National
                                        Assembly meets following legislative
                                        elections in May 2002); prime
                                        minister appointed by the president
                                        from among the members of the
                                        National Assembly; deputy prime
                                        ministers appointed by the prime
                                        minister
                                        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 Vu
                                        KHOAN (since NA) 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
                                        election results: Tran Duc LUONG
                                        elected president; percent of
                                        National Assembly vote - NA%
                    Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or
                                        Quoc-Hoi (498 seats; members elected
                                        by popular vote to serve five-year
                                        terms)
                                        elections: last held 19 May 2002
                                        (next to be held 2007)
                                        election results: percent of vote by
                                        party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the 10%
                                        are not CPV members but are approved
                                        by the CPV to stand for election);
                                        seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-
                                        approved 51
                       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 or CPV [Nong Duc MANH,
                                        general secretary]
          Political pressure groups and none
                               leaders:
             International organization ACCT, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC,
                         participation: ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
                                        ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
                                        IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
                                        (observer), ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN,
                                        UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
                                        WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
                                        (observer)
   Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen
                                        Tam CHIEN
                                        consulate(s) general: San Francisco
                                        FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917
                                        telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737
                                        chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite
                                        400, Washington, DC 20036
     Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond
                                    US: F. BURGHARDT
                                        embassy: 7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh
                                        District, Hanoi
                                        mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400,
                                        FPO AP 96521-0002
                                        telephone: [84] (4) 772-1500
                                        FAX: [84] (4) 772-1510
                                        consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh
                                        City
                      Flag description: red with a large yellow five-pointed
                                        star in the center
  
   Economy Vietnam
   ---------------
                    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 was achieved
                                        from 1986 to 1996 in moving forward
                                        from an extremely low starting point
                                        - growth averaged around 9% per year
                                        from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian
                                        financial crisis highlighted the
                                        problems in the Vietnamese economy
                                        but, rather than prompting reform,
                                        reaffirmed the government's belief
                                        that shifting to a market oriented
                                        economy leads to disaster. GDP
                                        growth of 8.5% in 1997 fell to 6% in
                                        1998 and 5% in 1999. Growth then
                                        rose to 6.8% in 2000 and dropped
                                        back to 4.7% in 2001 against the
                                        background of global recession.
                                        These numbers mask some major
                                        difficulties 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.
                                        Meanwhile, Vietnamese authorities
                                        have moved slowly in implementing
                                        the structural reforms needed to
                                        revitalize the economy and produce
                                        more competitive, export-driven
                                        industries. The US-Vietnam Bilateral
                                        Trade Agreement entered into force
                                        near the end of 2001 and is expected
                                        to significantly increase Vietnam's
                                        exports to the US. The US is
                                        assisting Vietnam with implementing
                                        the legal and structural reforms
                                        called for in the agreement.
                                   GDP: purchasing power parity - $168.1
                                        billion (2001 est.)
                GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (2001 est.)
                      GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,100
                                        (2001 est.)
           GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25%
                                        industry: 35%
                                        services: 40% (2000 est.)
         Population below poverty line: 37% (1998 est.)
     Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 3.6%
                      percentage share: highest 10%: 29.9% (1998)
   Distribution of family income - Gini 36.1 (1998)
                                 index:
      Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.3% (2001 est.)
                           Labor force: 38.2 million (1998 est.)
           Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 67%, industry and
                                        services 33% (1997 est.)
                     Unemployment rate: 25% (1995 est.)
                                Budget: revenues: $5.3 billion
                                        expenditures: $5.6 billion,
                                        including capital expenditures of
                                        $1.8 billion (1999 est.)
                            Industries: food processing, garments, shoes,
                                        machine building, mining, cement,
                                        chemical fertilizer, glass, tires,
                                        oil, coal, steel, paper
     Industrial production growth rate: 10.4% (2001 est.)
              Electricity - production: 25.775 billion kWh (2000)
    Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 40.74%
                                        hydro: 59.26%
                                        other: 0% (2000)
                                        nuclear: 0%
             Electricity - consumption: 23.97 billion kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
                Agriculture - products: paddy rice, corn, potatoes, rubber,
                                        soybeans, coffee, tea, bananas,
                                        sugar; poultry, pigs; fish
                               Exports: $15.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
                 Exports - commodities: crude oil, marine products, rice,
                                        coffee, rubber, tea, garments, shoes
                    Exports - partners: Japan 18.1%, China 10.6%, Australia
                                        8.8%, Singapore 6.1%, Taiwan 5.2%,
                                        Germany 5.1%, US 5.1% (2000)
                               Imports: $15.3 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
                 Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum
                                        products, fertilizer, steel
                                        products, raw cotton, grain, cement,
                                        motorcycles
                    Imports - partners: Singapore 17.7%, Japan 14.4%, Taiwan
                                        12.1%, South Korea 11.1%, China
                                        9.1%, Thailand 5.2%, Hong Kong 3.9%
                                        (2000)
                       Debt - external: $13.2 billion (2000)
              Economic aid - recipient: $2.1 billion in credits and grants
                                        pledged by international donors for
                                        2000
                              Currency: dong (VND)
                         Currency code: VND
                        Exchange rates: dong per US dollar - 15,085 (January
                                        2002), 14,725 (2001), 14,168 (2000),
                                        13,943 (1999), 13,268 (1998), 11,683
                                        (1997)
                           Fiscal year: calendar year
  
   Communications Vietnam
   ----------------------
        Telephones - main lines in use: 2.6 million (2000)
          Telephones - mobile cellular: 730,155 (2000)
                      Telephone system: general assessment: Vietnam is
                                        putting considerable effort into
                                        modernization and expansion of its
                                        telecommunication system, but its
                                        performance continues to lag behind
                                        that of its more modern neighbors
                                        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; since 1991,
                                        main lines in use have been
                                        substantially increased and the use
                                        of mobile telephones is growing
                                        rapidly
                                        international: satellite earth
                                        stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian
                                        Ocean region)
              Radio broadcast stations: AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)
                                Radios: 8.2 million (1997)
         Television broadcast stations: at least 7 (plus 13 repeaters)
                                        (1998)
                           Televisions: 3.57 million (1997)
                 Internet country code: .vn
     Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 5 (2000)
                        Internet users: 160,000 (2001)
  
   Transportation Vietnam
   ----------------------
                              Railways: total: 3,142 km
                                        standard gauge: 209 km 1.435-m gauge
  
                                        narrow gauge: 2,625 km 1.000-m gauge
  
                                        dual gauge: 308 km three-rail track
                                        combining 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges
                                        (2001)
                              Highways: total: 93,300 km
                                        paved: 23,418 km
                                        unpaved: 69,882 km (1996)
                             Waterways: 17,702 km
                                        note: more than 5,149 km are
                                        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, Ha Long, Quy Nhon, Nha
                                        Trang, Vinh, Vung Tau
                       Merchant marine: total: 153 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
                                        totaling 782,912 GRT/1,173,186 DWT
                                        note: includes some foreign-owned
                                        ships registered here as a flag of
                                        convenience: Cambodia 1, Japan 1,
                                        Singapore 1, United Kingdom 2 (2002
                                        est.)
                                        ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 113,
                                        chemical tanker 1, combination bulk
                                        1, container 5, liquefied gas 2,
                                        petroleum tanker 20, refrigerated
                                        cargo 2
                              Airports: 34 (2001)
         Airports - with paved runways: total: 17
                                        over 3,047 m: 8
                                        2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
                                        1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
                                        under 914 m: 2 (2001)
       Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17
                                        over 3,047 m: 1
                                        1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
                                        914 to 1,523 m: 7
                                        under 914 m: 8 (2001)
  
   Military Vietnam
   ----------------
                     Military branches: People's Army of Vietnam (includes
                                        Ground Forces, People's Navy Command
                                        [including Naval Infantry], Air and
                                        Air Defense Force, Coast Guard)
      Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)
      Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 22,220,891 (2002
                                        est.)
   Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 13,978,653 (2002
                               service: est.)
           Military manpower - reaching males: 961,124 (2002 est.)
                 military age annually:
         Military expenditures - dollar $650 million (FY98)
                                figure:
     Military expenditures - percent of 2.5% (FY98)
                                   GDP:
  
   Transnational Issues Vietnam
   ----------------------------
              Disputes - international: Vietnam disputes several offshore
                                        islands with Cambodia, preventing
                                        delimitation of a maritime boundary;
                                        Cambodia accuses Vietnam of
                                        territorial encroachments and
                                        initiating armed border incidents in
                                        seven provinces; demarcation of
                                        boundaries with Laos is nearing
                                        completion, but Laos protests
                                        Vietnamese squatters; involved in a
                                        complex dispute over the Spratly
                                        Islands with China, Malaysia,
                                        Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly
                                        Brunei; maritime boundary with China
                                        in the Gulf of Tonkin still awaits
                                        ratification; Paracel Islands
                                        occupied by China but claimed by
                                        Taiwan and Vietnam; demarcation of
                                        the land boundary with China has
                                        commenced, but details of the
                                        alignment have not been made public
                         Illicit drugs: minor producer of opium poppy with
                                        2,300 hectares cultivated in 2001,
                                        capable of producing 15 metric tons
                                        of opium; probable minor transit
                                        point for Southeast Asian heroin;
                                        domestic opium/heroin/
                                        methamphetamine addiction problems
  
                                       



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