About Vietnam

People:
Population 85,262,356 (2007 estimate)
Population growth:
Population growth rate 1 percent (2007 estimate)
Projected population in 2025 99,977,731 (2007 estimate)
Projected population in 2050 107,772,641 (2007 estimate)
Population density 262 persons per sq km (2007 estimate)
679 persons per sq mi (2007 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 27 percent (2005 estimate)
Share rural 73 percent (2005 estimate)
Largest cities, with population
Ho Chi Minh City 4,615,000 (2000 estimate)
Hà Nội 3,734,000 (2000 estimate)
Haiphong 1,679,000 (2000 estimate)
Đà Nang 382,674 (1992 estimate)
Can Tho 215,587 (1992 estimate)
Ethnic groups:
Vietnamese 90 percent
Chinese 2 percent
Khmer, Cham and other 8 percent
Languages:
Vietnamese (official), Chinese, Khmer, Cham, other minority languages
Religious affiliations:
Buddhist (Mahayana) 50 percent
Indigenous beliefs 9 percent
Roman Catholic 7 percent
Atheist 7 percent
Nonreligious 14 percent
Other, including
Theravada Buddhist 13 percent
Health and Education:
Life expectancy
Total 71.1 years (2007 estimate)
Female 74.1 years (2007 estimate)
Male 68.3 years (2007 estimate)
Infant mortality rate 24 deaths per 1,000 live births (2007 estimate)
Population per physician 1,871 people (2004)
Population per hospital bed 417 people (2001)
Literacy rate:
Total 94.4 percent (2005 estimate)
Female 92.9 percent (2005 estimate)
Male 96 percent (2005 estimate)
Education expenditure as a share of gross national product (GNP) 3 percent (1997)
Number of years of compulsory schooling 9 years (2002-2003)
Number of students per teacher, primary school 25 students per teacher (2002-2003)
Government:
Form of government Socialist republic
Head of state President
Head of government Prime minister
Legislature Unicameral legislature
National Assembly: 498 members
Voting qualifications Universal at age 18
Constitution 15 April 1992; amended 2001
Highest court Supreme People's Court
Armed forces Army, Navy, Air Force
Total number of military personnel 484,000 (2004)
Military expenditures as a share of gross domestic product (GDP) 7.4 percent (2003)
First-level political divisions 59 provinces and 5 municipalities
Economy:
Gross domestic product (GDP, in U.S.$) $52.4 billion (2005)
GDP per capita (U.S.$) $630.50 (2005)
GDP by economic sector
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 20.9 percent (2005)
Industry 41 percent (2005)
Services 38.1 percent (2005)
Employment:
Number of workers 44,041,493 (2005)
Workforce share of economic sector
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 60 percent (2003)
Industry 16 percent (2003)
Services 24 percent (2003)
Unemployment rate 2.1 percent (2004)
National budget (U.S.$):
Total revenue $6,710 million (2002)
Total expenditure $7,958 million (2001)
Monetary unit:
1 new dông (Ð), consisting of 100 xu
Agriculture:
Rice, cassava, sweet potatoes, coffee, tea, soybeans, natural rubber, livestock, sugarcane
Mining
Petroleum, coal, iron, phosphate rock, zinc, chromite, gypsum, tin, antimony
Manufacturing
Paper, cement, textiles, food products, fertilizers, electronics, steel
Major exports
Petroleum, unprocessed agricultural and marine products (including rice), coal, clothing, footwear, ceramics, gemstones, silk
Major imports
Petroleum products, steel products, railroad equipment, chemicals, medicines, raw cotton, fertilizer, grain
Major trade partners for exports
Japan, China, United States, Singapore, and Australia
Major trade partners for imports
Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and China