Quick Facts


People
Languages Vietnamese (official), Chinese, English, French, Khmer, tribal languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)
Major Religions Buddhist, Taoist, Roman Catholic, indigenous beliefs, Islam, Protestant, Cao Dai, Hoa Hao
Ethnic groups Vietnamese 85%-90%, Chinese 3%, Muong, Tai, Meo, Khmer, Man, Cham
Growth rate 1.43%
Birth rate 21.55 births/1,000
Death rate 6.69 deaths/1,000
Fertility rate 2.5 children/woman
Male life expectancy 65
Female life expectancy 70
Infant mortality rate 36.02 deaths/1,000 live births
Economy
Labor Force 32.7 million
Unemployment rate 25% (1995)
Inflation Rate 5% (1997)
Gross domestic product (total value of goods and services produced annually) $128.0 billion (1997 est.)
Budget $6.0 billion (1996 est.)
Debt $7.3 billion
Exports $7.1 billion (1996 est.), primarily crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments, shoes
Imports $11.1 billion (1996 est.), primarily machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles
Defense spending 2.7% of GDP (1997 est.)
Highways 93,300 km (1996)

Source: 1998 CIA World Factbook


Size:
329,560 sq. km


Location:
Southeastern Asia


Population:
76.2 million


Government:
Communist State


Leader:
Prime Minister
Phan Van Khai