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PEOPLE

Language
The official language is Vietnamese, but the languages of ethnic minorities are also spoken.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	88.1 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	87.3 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	86.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	85.0 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	83.8 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	82.6 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	81.4 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	80.3 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	79.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates

2050est	116.7 million	U.N. DESA (2004)
2050	111.7 million	U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
Vietnamese make up most of the population. There are also various mountain people, such as the Tho, Hoa and Tai, as well as Chinese descendants.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Mainly Buddhist. Traditional religions and Catholicism are also practised, and there are some 3 million followers of the Hoa-Hao and Cao-Dai religious sects.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	27.3 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	26.9 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	26.4 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	26.0 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	25.5 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	25.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	24.7 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	24.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1946
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available (2004)

Percentage of population under 15

2005	29.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	30.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	31.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	31.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	32.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	33.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

USEFUL INFORMATION

Time zone
GMT +7

Climate description
Tropical climate in the southern region and subtropical in the northern region, with the rainy season from May to August in the north and until November in the south.

Currency
Dong

Telephone dialling code
(+) 84

Driving (left/right)
Right

STANDARD OF LIVING

Average life expectancy

2005	73.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	70.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	70.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	69.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	68.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	68.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male

2005	71.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	68.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	68.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	66.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	66.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	65.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female

2005	75.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	72.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	72.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	71.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	71.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	70.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality

2007	13 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	15 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	16 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	17 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	19 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	30 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	30 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	30 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	15 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	17 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	19 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	23 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	23 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	39 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	38 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	39 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	85 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004	85 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003	85 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	70 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	70 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	70 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality

2005	150 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000	130 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	105	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	109	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	108	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	112	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	109	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	109	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)

2000-2007	20 percent	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2000-2006	25 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005	27 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004	28 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
1995-2003	33 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	33 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	33 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	33 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of undernourished population

2003-2005	14 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average	16 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	17 percent	FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water

2006	92 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	85 percent	UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002	73 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	77 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation

2006	65 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	61 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002	41 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	47 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Literacy - average

2004	No data available percent
2003	90.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	No data available percent
2001	92.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	93.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male

2004	No data available percent
2003	93.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	No data available percent
2001	94.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	95.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female

2004	No data available percent
2003	86.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	No data available percent
2001	90.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	91.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones

2008	331 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	331 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	323 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	189 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	122 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	54 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	49 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	38 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	32 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Cellular telephone subscribers

2008	804 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	276 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	182 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	114 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	60 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	34 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	24 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	16 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	10 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Internet users

2008	205 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2007	205 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2006	172 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2005	127 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2004	76 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2003	38 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2002	19 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2001	13 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009
2000	3 per 1,000 people	ITU 2009

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	121 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	123 (joint)	Transparency International 2007
2006	111 (joint)	Transparency International
2005	107 (joint)	Transparency International
2004	102 (joint)	Transparency International
2003	100 (joint)	Transparency International
2002	85 (joint)	Transparency International
2001	75 (joint)	Transparency International
2000	76 (joint)	Transparency International

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
No (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

ECONOMY & AID

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day

1990-2005	No data available percent
1990-2004	No data available percent
1990-2003	No data available percent
1990-2002	17.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2001	17.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2007	770 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	690 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	620 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	540 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	470 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	430 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	410 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	390 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	68.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	59.8 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	52.8 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	45.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	38.9 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	35.1 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	32.7 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	31.2 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	8.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	8.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	7.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	7.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	7.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	6.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	6.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2007	8.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	7.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	8.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	8.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	6.7 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	3.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	1.9 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	3.4 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
4.2 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
28.8 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

HEALTH

Physicians

2000-2004	53 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	53 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	54 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	52 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)

2007	0.5 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2006	0.5 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2005	0.5 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2004	0.5 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2003	0.5 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008

Malaria
Risk from P.falciparum throughout the year in the whole country excluding urban centres, the Red River delta and the coastal plain areas of central Vietnam. High risk areas are the highland areas below 1500 metres south of 18°N, notably Dak Lak, Gia Lai and Kin tom as well as Ca Mau, Bac Lieu and Tay Ninh. Resistance to chloroquine, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and mefloquine reported.
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	171 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	173 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	175 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	176 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	178 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	180 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	182 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	183 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

CONFLICT & MIGRATION

Number of refugees originating here

2008	328183	UNHCR
2007	327776	UNHCR
2006	374279	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	358248	UNHCR
2004	349780	UNHCR
2003	363179	UNHCR
2002	373741	UNHCR
2001	353224	UNHCR
2000	370758	UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here

2008	2357	UNHCR
2007	2357	UNHCR
2006	2357	UNHCR
2005	2357	UNHCR
2004	2360	UNHCR
2003	15360	UNHCR
2002	15945	UNHCR
2001	15945	UNHCR
2000	15945	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

	No data available

No data available

Landmine casualties per year

2007	110	Landmine Monitor Report 2008
2004	At least 238	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	At least 220	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
No
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military
No data available percent

Percentage of GDP spent on education
No data available percent

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	1.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	1.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	1.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	1.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	1.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

PEOPLE

USEFUL INFORMATION

STANDARD OF LIVING

ECONOMY & AID

HEALTH

CONFLICT & MIGRATION

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