-
You are here:
- Homepage » Vietnam
Vietnam Country Guide
Explore Vietnam in Asia
The terrain features low, flat delta in south and north with central highlands and hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest. The average density of population is approximately 261 per km². The notable climate conditions in Vietnam can be described as tropical in south with monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March). Potential natural disasters are occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta.
To reach someone in Vietnam dial +84 prior to a number. There are 17,427,000 installed telephones. And there are 98,224,000 registered mobile phones. The cellular networks commonly support frequencies of 900 MHz. Websites registered in this country end with the top level domain ".vn". If you want to bring electric equipment on your trip (e.g. laptop power supply), note the local power outlet of 127/220V - 50Hz.
About the flag and history of Vietnam
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.
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military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973.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.
National administrative regions of Vietnam
- An Giang
- Ba Ria-Vung Tau
- Bac Giang
- Bac Kan
- Bac Lieu
- Bac Ninh
- Ben Tre
- Binh Duong
- Binh Phuoc
- Binh Thuan
- Ca Mau
- Can Tho
- Cao Bang
- Dak Nong
- Gia Lai
- Ha Giang
- Ha Nam
- Ha Noi
- Ha Tay
- Ha Tinh
- Hai Duong
- Hai Phong
- Hau Giang
- Ho Chi Minh
- Hoa Binh
- Hung Yen
- Huyen Dien Bien
- Khanh Hoa
- Kien Giang
- Kon Tum
- Lai Chau
- Lang Son
- Lao Cai
- Long An
- 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
- Thanh Pho Da Nang
- Thua Thien-Hue
- Tien Giang
- Tinh Binh Dinh
- Tinh Dak Lak
- Tinh Dong Nai
- Tinh Dong Thap
- Tinh Lam Dong
- Tinh Nam Dinh
- Tra Vinh
- Tuyen Quang
- Vietnam (general)
- Vinh Long
- Vinh Phuc
- Yen Bai
Geography Quick-Facts
| Summary | Continent: Asia Neighbours: China, Laos, Cambodia Capital: Hanoi |
| Size | 329,560 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 127,243 square miles (mi² or sqmi) slightly larger than New Mexico |
| Population | 86,116,000 |
| Currency | Name Dong, Currency Code:VND |
| Country Top Level Domain (cTLD) | .vn |
| Telephone Country Prefix | +84 |
| Mobile Phone Connections | 98,224,000 |
| Landline Phone Connections | 17,427,000 |
Country Position in World Rankings
Information about single country attributes and how these compare against the rest of the world. The information below is compiled with data from 2013. As such, it may differ a bit to the Information above in the text (which is from 2010).
Geography
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 331,210 (sq km) | 66 |
People and Society
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 92,477,857 | 14 |
| Population growth rate | 1.03 (%) | 112 |
| Birth rate | 16.56 (births/1,000 population) | 121 |
| Death rate | 5.94 (deaths/1,000 population) | 166 |
| Net migration rate | -0.33 (migrant(s)/1,000 population) | 125 |
| Maternal mortality rate | 59.00 (deaths/100,000 live births) | 101 |
| Infant mortality rate | 19.61 (deaths/1,000 live births) | 95 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 72.65 (years) | 130 |
| Total fertility rate | 1.87 (children born/woman) | 143 |
| Health expenditures | 6.80 (% of GDP) | 89 |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.40 (%) | 77 |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 280,000 | 21 |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 14,000 | 22 |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 1.70 (%) | 186 |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 20.20 (%) | 35 |
| Education expenditures | 6.60 (% of GDP) | 29 |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | 4.60 (%) | 135 |
Economy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | 325,900,000,000 | 42 |
| GDP - real growth rate | 5.00 (%) | 63 |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | 3,600 | 170 |
| Labor force | 49,180,000 | 13 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.50 (%) | 40 |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 37.60 | 75 |
| Investment (gross fixed) | 28.20 (% of GDP) | 28 |
| Taxes and other revenues | 30.50 (% of GDP) | 90 |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -3.90 (% of GDP) | 134 |
| Public debt | 48.20 (% of GDP) | 67 |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 6.80 (%) | 176 |
| Central bank discount rate | 15.00 (%) | 11 |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate | 16.96 (%) | 30 |
| Stock of narrow money | 37,050,000,000 | 53 |
| Stock of broad money | 163,900,000,000 | 45 |
| Stock of domestic credit | 140,000,000,000 | 47 |
| Market value of publicly traded shares | 26,000,000,000 | 59 |
| Industrial production growth rate | 4.00 (%) | 76 |
| Current account balance | -457,000,000 | 92 |
| Exports | 114,600,000,000 | 35 |
| Imports | 114,300,000,000 | 33 |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | 20,900,000,000 | 57 |
| Debt - external | 41,850,000,000 | 64 |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home | 75,450,000,000 | 46 |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad | 7,700,000,000 | 57 |
Energy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 117,000,000,000 (kWh) | 32 |
| Electricity - consumption | 104,000,000,000 (kWh) | 33 |
| Electricity - exports | 1,555,000 (kWh) | 86 |
| Electricity - imports | 2,700,000,000 (kWh) | 46 |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 26,300,000 (kW) | 30 |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 55.00 (% of total installed capacity) | 146 |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 45.00 (% of total installed capacity) | 47 |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 0.10 (% of total installed capacity) | 91 |
| Crude oil - production | 336,100 (bbl/day) | 33 |
| Crude oil - exports | 188,000 (bbl/day) | 32 |
| Crude oil - proved reserves | 4,700,000,000 (bbl) | 27 |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 112,000 (bbl/day) | 71 |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 259,900 (bbl/day) | 48 |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 37,050 (bbl/day) | 65 |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 184,900 (bbl/day) | 28 |
| Natural gas - production | 9,300,000,000 (cu m) | 45 |
| Natural gas - consumption | 10,200,000,000 (cu m) | 46 |
| Natural gas - imports | 890,000,000 (cu m) | 61 |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 699,400,000,000 (cu m) | 31 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy | 112,800,000 (Mt) | 38 |
Communications
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | 10,175,000 | 21 |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 127,318,000 | 8 |
| Internet hosts | 189,553 | 74 |
| Internet users | 23,382,000 | 17 |
Transportation
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Airports | 44 | 97 |
| Railways | 2,632 (km) | 62 |
| Roadways | 180,549 (km) | 26 |
| Waterways | 17,702 (km) | 7 |
| Merchant marine | 579 | 20 |
Military
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Military expenditures | 2.50 (% of GDP) | 54 |
Data based on CIA facts book 2010 & 2013, wikipedia, national statistical offices and their census releases
List of current world heritage sites
| Name | Since |
|---|---|
| Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - Hanoi The Thang Long Imperial Citadel was built in the 11th century by the Ly Viet Dynasty, marking the independence of the Dai Viet. It was constructed on the remains of a Chinese fortress dating from the 7th century, on drained land reclaimed from the Re ... | 2010 |
| Citadel of the Ho Dynasty The 14th -century Ho Dynasty citadel, built according to the feng shui principles, testifies to the flowering of neo-Confucianism in late 14th century Viet Nam and its spread to other parts of east Asia. According to these principles it was sited in ... | 2011 |
| Complex of Hué Monuments Established as the capital of unified Viet Nam in 1802, Hué was not only the political but also the cultural and religious centre under the Nguyen dynasty until 1945. The Perfume River winds its way through the Capital City, the Imperial City, the Fo ... | 1993 |
| Ha Long Bay Ha Long Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin, includes some 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. Because of their precipitous nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by a human presence. The site's o ... | 1994 |
| Hoi An Ancient Town Hoi An Ancient Town is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Its buildings and its street plan reflect the influences, both indigenous and foreign, that have combined to p ... | 1999 |
| My Son Sanctuary Between the 4th and 13th centuries a unique culture which owed its spiritual origins to Indian Hinduism developed on the coast of contemporary Viet Nam. This is graphically illustrated by the remains of a series of impressive tower-temples located in ... | 1999 |
| Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park The karst formation of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has evolved since the Palaeozoic (some 400 million years ago) and so is the oldest major karst area in Asia. Subject to massive tectonic changes, the park’s karst landscape is extremely complex w ... | 2003 |
| Trang An Landscape Complex Situated on the southern shore of the Red River Delta, Trang An is a spectacular landscape of limestone karst peaks permeated with valleys, some of which are submerged, and surrounded by steep, almost vertical cliffs. Exploration of some of the highe ... | 2014 |