VIET NAM |
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Viet Nam (vê-èt´näm¹, -nàm¹, vê´ît-, vyèt´-) Abbr. Viet. |
A country of southeast Asia in eastern Indochina of the South China Sea. Ruled by China from 221 B.C. to A.D. 939 and from 1407 to 1428, it was occupied by the French in the 19th century. After the fall of the French garrison at Dien Bien Phu in 1954, it was partitioned into North Viet Nam and South Viet Nam. The country was reunited in April 30, 1975 after the end of the Viet Nam War. Hanoi is the capital and Saigon the largest city.
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Area |
329,707 sq km (127,301 sq mi) |
Highest Point |
Fan Si Pan; 3143 m (10,312 ft) above sea level |
Lowest Point |
Sea level along the coast |
Average Temperatures |
Hanoi: January 17° C 62° F; July 29° C 84° F |
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Saigon:January 26° C 79° F; July 27° C 81° F |
Average Annual Precipitation |
Hanoi: 1680 mm (66 in) |
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Saigon: 1980 mm (78 in) |
Location |
On the E coast of the Indochinese Peninsula in SE Asia |
Neighbors |
China on N, Laos, Cambodia on W. |
Sources: |
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Europa World Year Book 1994 |
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Rand McNally World Atlas |
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World Weather Guide |
Topography
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73,811,000 (1995 estimate) |
224 persons/sq km (580 persons/sq mi) (1995 estimate) |
Urban/Rural Breakdown & Largest Cities |
20% Urban; 80% Rural (1995 estimate) |
Ho Chi Minh City: 3,924,435 |
Hanoi: 3,056,146 |
Haiphong: 1,447,523 (1989 census) |
Ethnic Groups |
88%: Vietnamese (Kinh) |
12%: Others including Chinese (Hoa), Tai, Khmer, Thai, Muong, and Nung |
Languages |
Official Language: Vietnamese |
Other Languages: Khmer, Montagnard, Cham, and other minority languages; English, French |
Religions |
55%: Buddhism |
45%: Other including Roman Catholicism, Taoism, Confucianism, Hoa Hao, and Cao Dai |
Sources: |
Book of Vital World Statistics |
Europa World Year Book 1994 |
Statesman's Year-Book 1994-95 |
Whitaker’s Almanack 1994 |
World Factbook 1994 |
World Population Prospects: The 1992 Revision |
Danh Muc Cac Thanh
Phan DAN TOC VIET NAM |
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1 |
Viet |
21 |
Ra Glai |
41 |
La Hu |
2 |
Tay |
22 |
Xtieng |
42 |
Lu |
3 |
Thai |
23 |
Bru (Va Kieu) |
43 |
Lo Lo |
4 |
Hoa (Han) |
24 |
Tho |
44 |
Chut |
5 |
Kho-me |
25 |
Giay |
45 |
Mang |
6 |
Muong |
26 |
You Tu |
46 |
Pa Then |
7 |
Nung |
27 |
Gieo Trieng |
47 |
Co Lao |
8 |
Hmong (Meo) |
28 |
Ma |
48 |
Cong |
9 |
Dao |
29 |
Kho Mu |
49 |
Bo Y |
10 |
Gia Rai |
30 |
Co O |
50 |
Si La |
11 |
Ngai |
31 |
Ta Oi |
51 |
Pu Peo |
12 |
E De |
32 |
Cho Ro |
52 |
Brau |
13 |
Ba Na |
33 |
Khang |
53 |
O Du |
14 |
Xo Dang |
34 |
Xinh Mun |
54 |
Ro Mam |
15 |
San Chay (San Chi) |
35 |
Ha Nhi |
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16 |
Co O |
36 |
Chu Ru |
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17 |
Cham |
37 |
Lao |
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18 |
San Diu |
38 |
La Chi |
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19 |
Hre |
39 |
La Ha |
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20 |
Mnong |
40 |
Phu La |
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Population
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People |
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Population |
74,393,324 |
Age distrib. (%) |
<15: 39; 65+: 5 |
Pop. density |
585 per sq. mi. |
Urban |
21% |
Ethnic groups |
Vietnamese 85–90%, Chinese 3% |
Principal languages |
Vietnamese (official), French, Chinese |
Religions |
Buddhist, Roman Catholic, Muslim |
Communications |
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Television sets |
1 per 28 persons |
Radios |
1 per 8.8 persons |
Telephones |
1 per 563 persons |
Daily newspaper circ. |
9 per 1,000 pop. |
Health |
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Life expectancy at birth (1995) |
64 male; 68 female |
Births (per 1,000 pop.) |
26 |
Deaths (per 1,000 pop.) |
8 |
Natural increase |
1.90% |
Hospital beds |
1 per 329 persons |
Physicians |
1 per 2,617 persons |
Infant mortality (per 1,000 live births 1995) |
45 |
Education |
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Literacy (1994) |
88% |
Industries |
Food processing, textiles, cement, chemical fertilizers |
Chief crops |
Rice, rubber, fruits and vegetables, soybeans, coffee, tea, bananas |
Minerals |
Phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, oil |
Crude oil reserves (1994) |
500 mln. bbls |
Other resources |
Forests |
Arable land |
22% |
Livestock (1993) |
cattle: 3.3 mln.; pigs: 14.9 mln. |
Fish catch (1992) |
1.1 mln. metric tons |
Electricity prod. (1992) |
9 bln. kWh. |
Labor force |
65% agric.; 35% ind. and services |
Finance |
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Monetary unit |
Dong (Oct. 1994: 11,053 = $1 US) |
Gross national product (1993) |
$72 bln.* |
Per capita GNP |
$1,000 |
Imports (1993) |
$3.1 bln.; partners: Singapore 28%, Japan 14% |
Exports (1993) |
$2.6 bln.; partners: Japan 34%, Singapore 18% |
Tourism (1992) |
$80 mln. |
Sources: |
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Europa World Year Book 1994 |
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Military Balance 1993-1994 |
Viet Nam's
modern economy evolved under the burden of military actions and political
upheavals. After partition in 1954, the nations of North Viet Nam and
South Viet Nam each developed their own economic structure, reflecting
different economic systems with different resources and different trading
partners. The North operated under a highly centralized, planned economy,
whereas the South maintained a free-market economy. With the reunification
of Viet Nam in 1976, North Viet Nam's centrally planned economy was
introduced into the South. |
Education
and Cultural Activity
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