rage:
universal at age 18
Elections:
National Assembly:
last held 19 April 1987 (next to be held 19 July 1992); results - VCP is the
only party; seats - (496 total) VCP or VCP-approved 496; note - number of
seats under new government 395
Communists:
nearly 2 million
Member of:
ACCT, AsDB, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBEC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IIB,
IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
none
Flag:
red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

:Vietnam Economy

Overview:
This is a formerly centrally planned, developing economy with extensive
government ownership and control of productive facilities. The economy is
primarily agricultural; the sector employs about 70% of the labor force and
accounts for half of GNP. Rice is the staple crop; substantial amounts of
maize, sorghum, cassava, and sweet potatoes are also grown. The government
permits sale of surplus grain on the open market. Most of the mineral
resources are located in the north, including coal, which is an important
export item. Oil was discovered off the southern coast in 1986 with
production reaching 70,000 barrels per day in 1991 and expected to increase
in the years ahead. Following the end of the war in 1975, heavy-handed
government measures undermined efforts at an efficient merger of the
agricultural resources of the south and the industrial resources of the
north. The economy remains heavily dependent on foreign aid and has received
assistance from UN agencies, France, Australia, Sweden, and Communist
countries. Inflation, although down from recent triple-digit levels, is
still a major weakness and is showing signs of accelerating upwards again.
Per capita output is among the world's lowest. Since late 1986 the
government has sponsored a broad reform program that seeks to turn more
economic activity over to the private sector.
GNP:
exchange rate conversion - $15 billion, per capita $220; real growth rate
2.5% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
80% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
30% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues $551 million; expenditures $830 million, including capital
expenditures of $58 million (1990)
Exports:
$1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
agricultural and