definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93% male: 93.3% female: 92.7% (2001 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years male: 11 years female: 12 years (2003)
Education expenditures:
3.7% of GDP (2006)
GovernmentVenezuela
Country name:
conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela conventional short form: Venezuela local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela local short form: Venezuela
Government type:
federal republic
Capital:
name: Caracas geographic coordinates: 10 30 N, 66 56 W time difference: UTC-4.5 (half an hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 capital district* (distrito capital), and 1 federal dependency** (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, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia note: the federal dependency 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:
30 December 1999
Legal system:
open, adversarial court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Executive Vice President Ramon Alonzo CARRIZALEZ Rengifo (since 4 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February 1999); Executive Vice President Ramon Alonzo CARRIZALEZ Rengifo (since 4 January 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 3 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2012) note: in 1999, a National Constituent Assembly drafted a new constitution that increased the presidential term to six years; an election was subsequently held on 30 July 2000 under the terms of this constitution election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of vote - Hugo CHAVEZ Frias 62.9%, Manuel ROSALES 36.9%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (167 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela) elections: last held 4 December 2005 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - pro-government 167 (MVR 114, PODEMOS 15, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other 25), opposition 0; total seats by party as of 1 January 2008 - pro-government 152 (PSUV 114, PPT 11, indigenous 2, other 25), PODEMOS 15
Judicial branch:
Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single 12-year term)
Political parties and leaders:
A New Time or UNT [Manuel ROSALES]; Christian Democrats or COPEI[Cesar PEREZ Vivas]; Communist Party of Venezuela or PCV [JeronimoCARRERA]; Democratic Action or AD [Henry RAMOS Allup]; Fatherlandfor All or PPT [Jose ALBORNOZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES];Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; United SocialistParty of Venezuela or PSUV [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Venezuela Project or PV[Henrique SALAS Romer]; We Can or PODEMOS [Ismael GARCIA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS groups; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization dominated by the Democratic Action)
International organization participation:
Caricom (observer), CDB, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAES, LAIA, LAS(observer), Mercosur (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNASUR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UnionLatina, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Angelo SANTOS chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214 FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires John CAULFIELD embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle Arriba, Caracas 1080 mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037 telephone: [58] (212) 975-6411, 907-8400 (after hours) FAX: [58] (212) 907-8199
Flag description:
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 eight white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band
EconomyVenezuela
Economy - overview:
Venezuela remains highly dependent on oil revenues, which account for roughly 90% of export earnings, more than 50% of the federal budget revenues, and around 30% of GDP. A nationwide strike between December 2002 and February 2003 had far-reaching economic consequences - real GDP declined by around 9% in 2002 and 8% in 2003 - but economic output since then has recovered strongly. Fueled by high oil prices, record government spending helped to boost GDP in 2006 by about 9% and in 2007 by about 8%. This spending, combined with recent minimum wage hikes and improved access to domestic credit, has created a consumption boom but has come at the cost of higher inflation-roughly 20 percent in 2007. Imports also have jumped significantly. Embolden by his December 2006 reelection, President Hugo CHAVEZ in 2007 nationalized firms in the petroleum, communications, and electricity sectors, which reduced foreign influence in the economy. Although voters in December 2007 rejected CHAVEZ's proposed constitutional changes, CHAVEZ still has significant control of the economy and has indicated he intends to continue to consolidate and centralize authority over the economy by implementing "21st Century Socialism."
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$334.3 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$236.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$12,800 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.8% industry: 38.4% services: 57.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
12.37 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 13% industry: 23% services: 64% (1997 est.)
Unemployment rate:
8.5% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
37.9% (end 2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 35.2% (2003)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
48.2 (2003)
Investment (gross fixed):
23.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $65.83 billion expenditures: $58.9 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
19.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
18.7% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
28.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
17.11% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$63.18 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$8.889 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$50.24 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish
Industries:
petroleum, construction materials, food processing, textiles; iron ore mining, steel, aluminum; motor vehicle assembly
Industrial production growth rate:
3.9% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
110.7 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
83.84 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
542 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 31.7% hydro: 68.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
2.667 million bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
738,300 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
2.203 million bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - imports:
0 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - proved reserves:
87.04 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
26.5 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
26.5 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
4.708 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$20 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$69.17 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures
Exports - partners:
US 42.7%, Netherlands Antilles 8%, China 3.1% (2007)
Imports:
$45.46 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment, construction materials
Imports - partners:
US 26.6%, Colombia 13.5%, Brazil 9.5%, China 6.7%, Mexico 5.2%,Panama 5% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$48.66 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$33.48 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$43.33 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$43.96 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$13.81 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$8.251 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
bolivar (VEB)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
bolivars (VEB) per US dollar - 2,147 (2007), 2,147 (2006), 2,089.8 (2005), 1,891.3 (2004), 1,607 (2003) note: On 1 January 2008 Venezuela revalued its currency with 1000 old bolivares equal to 1 new bolivar
CommunicationsVenezuela
Telephones - main lines in use:
5.082 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
23.82 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: modern and expanding domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas; substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines; installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of digital multimedia services; fixed-line teledensity 20 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity more than 90 per 100 persons international: country code - 58; submarine cable systems provide connectivity to the Caribbean, Central and South America, and US; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in the construction of an international fiber-optic network (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)
Radios:
10.75 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
4.1 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.ve
Internet hosts:
145,394 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
16 (2000)
Internet users:
5.72 million (2007)
TransportationVenezuela
Airports:
390 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 128 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 61 under 914 m: 18 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 262 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 97 under 914 m: 149 (2007)
Heliports:
2 (2007)
Pipelines:
extra heavy crude oil 992 km; gas 5,400 km; oil 7,607 km; refined products 1,650 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 682 km standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Roadways:
total: 96,155 km paved: 32,308 km unpaved: 63,847 km (2002)
Waterways:
7,100 km note: Orinoco River (400 km) and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing vessels (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 62 by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 16, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 5, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 2 foreign-owned: 12 (Chile 1, Denmark 1, Greece 3, Mexico 5, Panama 1, Spain 1) registered in other countries: 12 (Bahamas 1, Panama 10, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the Caribbean Sea as a significant risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; crews have been robbed and stores or cargoes stolen
MilitaryVenezuela
Military branches:
National Armed Forces (Fuerza Armada Nacionale, FAN): Ground Forcesor Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces (FuerzasNavales or Armada; includes Marines, Coast Guard), Air Force(Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation orNational Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; 30-month conscript service obligation - all citizens 18-50 years old are obligated to register for military service (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,647,124 females age 16-49: 6,801,133 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 5,280,974 females age 16-49: 5,768,814 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 275,323 female: 274,106 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational IssuesVenezuela
Disputes - international:
claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in Guyana, preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela extends into their waters; dispute with Colombia over maritime boundary and Venezuelan-administered Los Monjes islands near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities penetrate Venezuela's shared border region; in 2006, an estimated 139,000 Colombians sought protection in 150 communities along the border in Venezuela; US, France, and the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's granting full effect to Aves Island, thereby claiming a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf extending over a large portion of the eastern Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines protest Venezuela's full effect claim
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Venezuela is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor; Venezuelan women and girls are trafficked within the country for sexual exploitation, lured from the nation's interior to urban and tourist areas; child prostitution in urban areas and child sex tourism in resort destinations appear to be growing; Venezuelan women and girls are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation to Western Europe, Mexico, and Caribbean destinations tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Venezuela is placed on the Tier 2 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
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Vietnam
IntroductionVietnam
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. 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 country continues to experience protests from various groups - such as the Protestant Montagnard ethnic minority population of the Central Highlands and the Hoa Hao Buddhists in southern Vietnam over religious persecution. Montagnard grievances also include the loss of land to Vietnamese settlers.
GeographyVietnam
Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia
Geographic coordinates:
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:
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, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, forests, 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
PeopleVietnam
Population:
86,116,560 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.6% (male 11,418,642/female 10,598,184) 15-64 years: 68.6% (male 29,341,216/female 29,777,696) 65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,925,609/female 3,055,212) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.9 years male: 25.8 years female: 28 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.99% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
16.47 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 23.61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.33 years male: 68.52 years female: 74.33 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.86 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
220,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
9,000 (2003 est.)
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 (2008)
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 (2000)
Education expenditures:
1.8% of GDP (1991)
GovernmentVietnam
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 geographic coordinates: 21 02 N, 105 51 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
59 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thanhpho, singular and plural)provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, BaRia-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, BinhThuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Dac Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai,Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Ha Nam, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong,Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, LaiChau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, NinhBinh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, QuangNgai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh,Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, TuyenQuang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Baimunicipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh
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 elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its members for five-year term; last held 27 June 2006 (next to be held in 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 (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 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 for a five-year term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president)
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, APT, ARF, ASEAN, 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, UN SecurityCouncil (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, 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: 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
EconomyVietnam
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. Economic stagnation marked the period after reunification from 1975 to 1985. In 1986, the Sixth Party Congress approved a broad economic reform package that introduced market reforms and set the groundwork for Vietnam's improved investment climate. Substantial progress was achieved from 1986 to 1997 in moving forward from an extremely low level of development and significantly reducing poverty. The 1997 Asian financial crisis highlighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy and temporarily allowed opponents of reform to slow progress toward a market-oriented economy. GDP growth averaged 6.8% per year from 1997 to 2004 even against the background of the Asian financial crisis and a global recession. Since 2001, 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. The economy grew 8.5% in 2007. Vietnam's membership in the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and entry into force of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement in December 2001 have led to even more rapid changes in Vietnam's trade and economic regime. Vietnam's exports to the US increased 900% from 2001 to 2007. Vietnam joined the WTO in January 2007, following over a decade long negotiation process. WTO membership has provided Vietnam an anchor to the global market and reinforced the domestic economic reform process. Among other benefits, accession allows Vietnam to take advantage of the phase-out of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, which eliminated quotas on textiles and clothing for WTO partners on 1 January 2005. Agriculture's share of economic output has continued to shrink, from about 25% in 2000 to less than 20% in 2007. Deep poverty, defined as a percent of the population living under $1 per day, has declined significantly and is now smaller than that of China, India, and the Philippines. Vietnam is working to create jobs to meet the challenge of a labor force that is growing by more than one-and-a-half million people every year. In an effort to stem high inflation which took off in 2007, early in 2008 Vietnamese authorities began to raise benchmark interest rates and reserve requirements. Hanoi is targeting an economic growth rate of 7.5-8% during the next four years.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$221.1 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$70.02 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
8.5% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 19.5% industry: 42.3% services: 38.2% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
46.42 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 55.6% industry: 18.9% services: 25.5% (July 2005)
Unemployment rate:
4.3% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
14.8% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 28.9% (2004)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37 (2004)
Investment (gross fixed):
37.1% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $18.62 billion expenditures: $19.71 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Public debt:
42% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.3% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
11.18% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$27.15 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$51.08 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$68.63 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:
10.6% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
61.02 billion kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
48.08 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 43.7% hydro: 56.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
350,700 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
271,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - exports:
394,400 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports:
271,100 bbl/day (2007)
Oil - proved reserves:
600 million bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
6.86 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
6.86 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
192.5 billion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
-$6.993 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$48.56 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments, shoes
Exports - partners:
US 20.8%, Japan 12.5%, Australia 7.3%, China 6.9%, Singapore 4.5% (2007)
Imports:
$58.92 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles
Imports - partners:
China 19.9%, Singapore 12.1%, Taiwan 11%, Japan 9.9%, South Korea 8.5%, Thailand 6% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
$5.4 billion in credits and grants pledged by the 2007 Consultative Group meeting in Hanoi (2007)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$23.87 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$21.83 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$32.74 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Currency (code):
dong (VND)
Currency code:
Exchange rates:
dong (VND) per US dollar - 16,119 (2007), 15,983 (2006), 15,746 (2005), NA (2004), 15,510 (2003)
CommunicationsVietnam
Telephones - main lines in use:
10.8 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
33.2 million (2007)
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; main lines have been substantially 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)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)
Radios:
8.2 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
67 (includes 61 relay, provincial, and city TV stations) (2006)
Televisions:
3.57 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.vn
Internet hosts:
84,151 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2000)
Internet users:
17.87 million (2007)
TransportationVietnam
Airports:
44 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 37 over 3,047 m: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 10 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2007)
Heliports:
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate/gas 432 km; gas 510 km; oil 49 km; refined products 206 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 2,600 km standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge dual gauge: 253 km three-rail track combining 1.435 m and 1.000-m gauges (2006)
Roadways:
total: 222,179 km paved: 42,167 km unpaved: 180,012 km (2004)
Waterways:
17,702 km (5,000 km navigable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft) (2005)
Merchant marine:
total: 387 by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 36, cargo 280, chemical tanker 12, container 14, liquefied gas 6, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 32, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 2 (Hong Kong 1, Japan 1) registered in other countries: 64 (Honduras 1, Liberia 4, Mongolia 23, Panama 30, Tuvalu 5, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City
Transportation - note:
the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift
MilitaryVietnam
Military branches:
People's Armed Forces: People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) (includesPeople's Navy Command (with naval infantry, coast guard), Air andAir Defense Force (Kon Quan Nhan Dan), Border Defense Command),People's Public Security Forces, Militia Force, Self-Defense Forces(2005)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (male) for compulsory military service; females may volunteer for active duty military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (3 to 4 years in the navy); 18-45 years of age (male) or 18-40 years of age (female) for Militia Force or Self Defense Forces (2006)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 24,586,328 females age 16-49: 24,335,132 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 18,849,274 females age 16-49: 20,575,884 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 903,734 female: 845,306 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational IssuesVietnam
Disputes - international:
southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese squatters and armed encroachments along border; an estimated 300,000 Vietnamese refugees reside in China; establishment of a maritime boundary with Cambodia is hampered by unresolved dispute over the sovereignty of offshore islands; demarcation of the China-Vietnam boundary proceeds slowly and although the maritime boundary delimitation and fisheries agreements were ratified in June 2004, implementation has been delayed; China occupies the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Vietnam continues to expand construction of facilities in the Spratly Islands; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands
Illicit drugs:
minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin; government continues to face domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine addiction problems despite longstanding crackdowns
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
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@Virgin Islands
IntroductionVirgin Islands
Background:
During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.
GeographyVirgin Islands
Location:
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North AtlanticOcean, east of Puerto Rico
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 1,910 sq km land: 346 sq km water: 1,564 sq km
Area - comparative:
twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
188 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September 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 475 m
Natural resources:
sun, sand, sea, surf
Land use:
arable land: 5.71% permanent crops: 2.86% other: 91.43% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes
Environment - current issues:
lack of natural freshwater resources
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
PeopleVirgin Islands
Population:
109,840 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 21% (male 11,698/female 11,390) 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 34,035/female 38,670) 65 years and over: 12.8% (male 6,312/female 7,735) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 38.5 years male: 38 years female: 39 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.002% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
12.29 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
6.55 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-5.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)