Vietnam

Vietnam

Introduction

Background

The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Vietnam declared independence after World War II, but France continued to rule until its 1954 defeat by Communist forces under Ho Chi MINH. Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into the Communist North and anti-Communist South. US economic and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese forces overran the South reuniting the country under Communist rule. Despite the return of peace, for over a decade the country experienced little economic growth because of conservative leadership policies, the persecution and mass exodus of individuals – many of them successful South Vietnamese merchants – and growing international isolation. However, since the enactment of Vietnam’s “doi moi” (renovation) policy in 1986, Vietnamese authorities have committed to increased economic liberalization and enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The Communist leaders, however, maintain control on political expression and have resisted outside calls to improve human rights. The country continues to experience small-scale protests from various groups, the vast majority connected to land-use issues, calls for increased political space and the lack of equitable mechanisms for resolving disputes. Various ethnic minorities, such as the Montagnards of the Central Highlands and the Khmer Krom in the southern delta region, have also held protests.

Geography

Location

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, as well as China, Laos, and Cambodia

Geographic coordinates

16 10 N, 107 50 E

Map references

Southeast Asia

Area

total: 331,210 sq km
country comparison to the world: 66 land:310,070 sq km
water:21,140 sq km

Area – comparative

slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries

total: 4,639 km
border countries:Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

Coastline

3,444 km (excludes islands)

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone:24 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm
continental shelf:200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate

tropical in south

monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March)

Terrain

low, flat delta in south and north

central highlands

hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest

Elevation extremes

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point:Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

Natural resources

phosphates, coal, manganese, rare earth elements, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, timber, hydropower

Land use

arable land: 20.14%
permanent crops:6.93%
other:72.93% (2005)

Irrigated land

46,000 sq km (2008)

Total renewable water resources

891.2 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 71.39cu km/yr (8%/24%/68%)
per capita:847cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards

occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta

Environment – current issues

logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute to deforestation and soil degradation

water pollution and overfishing threaten marine life populations

groundwater contamination limits potable water supply

growing urban industrialization and population migration are rapidly degrading environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

Environment – international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:none of the selected agreements

Geography – note

extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km across at its narrowest point

People and Society

Nationality

noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural)
adjective:Vietnamese

Ethnic groups

Kinh (Viet) 85.7%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.8%, Muong 1.5%, Khmer 1.5%, Mong 1.2%, Nung 1.1%, others 5.3% (2009 census)

Languages

Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer, mountain area languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Religions

Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%, Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census)

Population

90,549,390 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14

Age structure

0-14 years: 25.2% (male 11,945,354/female 10,868,610)
15-64 years:69.3% (male 31,301,879/female 31,419,306)
65 years and over:5.5% (male 1,921,652/female 3,092,589) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 27.8 years
male:26.8 years
female:28.9 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

1.077% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109

Birth rate

17.07 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118

Death rate

5.96 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163

Net migration rate

-0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132

Urbanization

urban population: 30% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

Ho Chi Minh City 5.976 million

HANOI (capital) 2.668 million

Haiphong 1.941 million

Da Nang 807,000 (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.117 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.62 male(s)/female
total population:0.99 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

56 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 94

Infant mortality rate

total: 20.9 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 94 male:21.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female:20.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.18 years
country comparison to the world: 129 male:69.72 years
female:74.92 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.91 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137

Health expenditures

7.2% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 72

Physicians density

1.224 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 90

Hospital bed density

2.87 beds/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 80

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 99% of population
rural: 92% of population
total: 94% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1% of population
rural: 8% of population
total: 6% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 94% of population
rural: 67% of population
total: 75% of population
unimproved:
urban: 6% of population
rural: 33% of population
total: 25% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

0.4% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

280,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21

HIV/AIDS – deaths

14,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases:bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis, and plague
water contact disease:leptospirosis
note:highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country

it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

0.5% (2000)
country comparison to the world: 70

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

20.2% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 36

Education expenditures

5.3% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 49

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:94%
male:96.1%
female:92% (2009 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 10 years
male:11 years
female:10 years (2001)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 4.6%
country comparison to the world: 124 male:4.4%
female:4.9% (2004)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
conventional short form:Vietnam
local long form:Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam
local short form:Viet Nam
abbreviation:SRV

Government type

Communist state

Capital

name: Hanoi (Ha Noi)
geographic coordinates:21 02 N, 105 51 E
time difference:UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

58 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thanh pho, singular and plural)
provinces:An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Dac Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Ha Nam, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong, Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai
municipalities:Can Tho, Da Nang, Ha Noi, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City

Independence

2 September 1945 (from France)

National holiday

Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Constitution

15 April 1992

Legal system

civil law system

note – the civil code of 2005 reflects a European style civil law

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration

non-party state to the ICCt

Suffrage

18 years of age

universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Trong Tan SANG (since 25 June 2011)

Vice President Nguyen Thi DOAN (25 July 2007)
head of government:Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 27 June 2006)

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung HAI (since 2 August 2007), Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien NHAN (since 2 August 2007), Deputy Prime Minister Vu Van NINH (since 3 August 2011), and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan PHUC (since 3 August 2011)
cabinet:Cabinet appointed by president based on proposal of prime minister and confirmed by National Assembly
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections:president elected by the National Assembly from among its members for five-year term

last election held 27 June 2006 (next to be held in July 2011)

prime minister appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly

deputy prime ministers appointed by the prime minister

appointment of prime minister and deputy prime ministers confirmed by National Assembly
election results:Nguyen Minh TRIET elected president

percent of National Assembly vote – 94%

Nguyen Tan DUNG elected prime minister

percent of National Assembly vote – 92%

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Quoc Hoi (500 seats

members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections:last held on 22 May 2011 (next to be held in May 2016)
election results:percent of vote by party – NA

seats by party – CPV 458, non-party CPV-approved 38, self-nominated 4

note – 500 candidates were elected

CPV and non-party CPV-approved delegates were members of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front

Judicial branch

Supreme People’s Court (chief justice is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president for a five-year term)

Political parties and leaders

Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nguyen Phu TRONG]

other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders

8406 Bloc

Democratic Party of Vietnam or DPV

People’s Democratic Party Vietnam or PDP-VN

Alliance for Democracy
note:these groups advocate democracy but are not recognized by the government

International organization participation

ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Quoc CUONG
chancery:1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:[1] (202) 861-0737
FAX:[1] (202) 861-0917
consulate(s) general:Houston, San Francisco
consulate:New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador David B. SHEAR
embassy:7 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
mailing address:PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone:[84] (4) 3850-5000
FAX:[84] (4) 3850-5010
consulate(s) general:Ho Chi Minh City

Flag description

red field with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

red symbolizes revolution and blood, the five-pointed star represents the five elements of the populace – peasants, workers, intellectuals, traders, and soldiers – that unite to build socialism

National symbol(s)

yellow, five-pointed star on red field

National anthem

name: “Tien quan ca” (The Song of the Marching Troops)
lyrics/music:Nguyen Van CAO
note:adopted as the national anthem of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945

it became the national anthem of the unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1976

although it consists of two verses, only the first is used as the official anthem

Economy

Economy – overview

Vietnam is a densely-populated developing country that in the last 30 years has had to recover from the ravages of war, the loss of financial support from the old Soviet Bloc, and the rigidities of a centrally-planned economy. While Vietnam’s economy remains dominated by state-owned enterprises (SOEs), which still produce about 40% of GDP, Vietnamese authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to economic liberalization and international integration. They have moved to implement the structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive export-driven industries. Vietnam joined the WTO in January 2007 following more than a decade-long negotiation process. Vietnam became an official negotiating partner in the developing Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement in 2010. Agriculture’s share of economic output has continued to shrink from about 25% in 2000 to about 20% in 2010, while industry’s share increased from 36% to 41% in the same period. Deep poverty has declined significantly and Vietnam is working to create jobs to meet the challenge of a labor force that is growing by more than one million people every year. The global recession has hurt Vietnam’s export-oriented economy, with GDP in 2009-10 growing less than the 7% per annum average achieved during the last decade. In 2010, exports increased by more than 25%, year-on-year, but the trade deficit remained high, prompting the government to consider administrative measures to limit the trade deficit. Vietnam’s managed currency, the dong, continues to face downward pressure due to a persistent trade imbalance, and, since 2008, the government devalued it by 20% through a series of small devaluations. Foreign donors pledged nearly $8 billion in new development assistance for 2011. However, the government’s strong growth-oriented economic policies have caused it to struggle to control one of the region’s highest inflation rates, which reached 11.8% in 2010. Vietnam’s economy also faces challenges from falling foreign exchange reserves, an undercapitalized banking sector, and high borrowing costs. The near-bankruptcy and subsequent default of the SOE Vinashin, a leading shipbuilder, led to a ratings downgrade of Vietnam’s sovereign debt, exacerbating Vietnam’s borrowing difficulties.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$276.6 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42 $259 billion (2009 est.)
$245.9 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$103.6 billion (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

6.8% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39 5.3% (2009 est.)
6.3% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$3,100 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166 $2,900 (2009 est.)
$2,800 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 20.6%
industry:41.1%
services:38.3% (2010 est.)

Labor force

47.37 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 53.9%
industry:20.3%
services:25.8% (2009)

Unemployment rate

4.4% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40 4.6% (2009 est.)

Population below poverty line

10.6% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.2%
highest 10%:30.2% (2008)

Distribution of family income – Gini index

37.6 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 80 36.1 (1998)

Investment (gross fixed)

33.9% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20

Budget

revenues: $29.23 billion
expenditures:$34.95 billion (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

28.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-5.5% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153

Public debt

57.1% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40 49.8% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195 7% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

7% (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 41 8% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

13.135% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105 10.068% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$32.08 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55 $30.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$127.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47 $103.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$138 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43 $110.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$20.39 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60 $21.2 billion (31 December 2009)
$9.589 billion (31 December 2008)

Agriculture – products

paddy rice, coffee, rubber, cotton, tea, pepper, soybeans, cashews, sugar cane, peanuts, bananas

poultry

fish, seafood

Industries

food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building

mining, coal, steel

cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, paper

Industrial production growth rate

14% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12

Electricity – production

97.3 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33

Electricity – consumption

85.6 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32

Electricity – exports

535 million kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

3.85 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

343,200 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35

Oil – consumption

320,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39

Oil – exports

277,300 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43

Oil – imports

182,300 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 52

Oil – proved reserves

600 million bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46

Natural gas – production

9.4 billion cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 43

Natural gas – consumption

10.3 billion cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201

Natural gas – imports

905,800 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72

Natural gas – proved reserves

192.5 billion cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47

Current account balance

-$12.22 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184 -$6.117 billion (2009 est.)

Exports

$72.27 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40 $57.1 billion (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

clothes, shoes, marine products, crude oil, electronics, wooden products, rice, machinery

Exports – partners

US 20%, Japan 10.7%, China 9.8%, South Korea 4.3% (2010 est.)

Imports

$79.95 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36 $65.4 billion (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

machinery and equipment, petroleum products, steel products, raw materials for the clothing and shoe industries, electronics, plastics, automobiles

Imports – partners

China 23.8%, South Korea 11.6%, Japan 10.8%, Taiwan 8.4%, Thailand 6.7%, Singapore 4.9% (2010 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$12.93 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68 $16.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$32.84 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68 $28.67 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment – at home

$77.95 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42 $66.95 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment – abroad

$7.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53 $5.3 billion (31 December 2008)

Exchange rates

dong (VND) per US dollar -
19,148.9 (2010)
17,799.6 (2009)
16,548.3 (2008)
16,119 (2007)
15,983 (2006)

Transportation

Airports

44 (2010)
country comparison to the world:98

Airports – with paved runways

total: 37
over 3,047 m:9
2,438 to 3,047 m:5
1,524 to 2,437 m:14
914 to 1,523 m:9 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m:1
914 to 1,523 m:3
under 914 m:3 (2010)

Heliports

1 (2010)

Pipelines

condensate 28 km

condensate/gas 10 km

gas 216 km

refined products 206 km (2010)

Railways

total: 2,347 km
country comparison to the world: 65 standard gauge:178 km 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge:2,169 km 1.000-m gauge (2010)

Roadways

total: 171,392 km
country comparison to the world: 29 paved:125,789 km
unpaved:45,603 km (2008)

Waterways

17,702 km (5,000 km are navigable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft) (2011)
country comparison to the world: 7

Merchant marine

total: 537
country comparison to the world: 21 by type:barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 103, cargo 330, chemical tanker 24, container 20, liquefied gas 7, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 46, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
registered in other countries:84 (Cambodia 1, Honduras 1, Liberia 3, Mongolia 34, Panama 37, Taiwan 1, Tuvalu 6, unknown 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals

Cam Pha Port, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, Phu My, Quy Nhon

Transportation – note

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships

numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway

hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia

crews have been murdered or cast adrift

Military

Military branches

People’s Armed Forces: People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN

includes People’s Navy Command (with Naval Infantry, Coast Guard), Air and Air Defense Force (Khong Quan Nhan Dan), Border Defense Command), People’s Public Security Forces, Militia Force, Self-Defense Forces (2010)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for male compulsory military service

females may volunteer for active duty military service

conscript service obligation – 2 years (3 to 4 years in the navy)

18-45 years of age (male) or 18-40 years of age (female) for Militia Force or Self Defense Forces (2006)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 25,649,738
females age 16-49:24,995,692 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 20,405,847
females age 16-49:21,098,102 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 847,743
female:787,341 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures

2.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62

Transnational Issues

Disputes – international

southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu

Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese squatters and armed encroachments along border

Cambodia accuses Vietnam of a wide variety of illicit cross-border activities

Progress on a joint development area with Cambodia is hampered by an unresolved dispute over sovereignty of offshore islands

an estimated 300,000 Vietnamese refugees reside in China

establishment of a maritime boundary with Cambodia is hampered by unresolved dispute over the sovereignty of offshore islands

the decade-long demarcation of the China-Vietnam land boundary was completed in 2009

China occupies the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan

Brunei claims a maritime boundary extending beyond as far as a median with Vietnam, thus asserting an implicit claim to Lousia Reef

the 2002 “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea” has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding “code of conduct” desired by several of the disputants

Vietnam continues to expand construction of facilities in the Spratly Islands

in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Vietnam is a source and, to a lesser extent, a destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and conditions of forced labor

Vietnam is a source country for men and women who migrate abroad for work in the construction, fishing, agriculture, mining, logging, and manufacturing sectors, primarily in Taiwan, Malaysia, South Korea, Laos, the United Arab Emirates, and Japan, as well as in China, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, Russia, and elsewhere in the Middle East, and some of these workers subsequently face conditions of forced labor

Vietnamese women and children are subjected to forced prostitution throughout Asia
tier rating:Tier 2 Watch List – the government passed new anti-trafficking legislation and a new five-year national action plan on trafficking

nevertheless, while a number of structural reforms were carried out during the year, there remained a lack of tangible progress in the prosecution of trafficking offenders and protection of trafficking victims

the government also did not take steps to increase its efforts to address the problem of internal trafficking (2011)

Illicit drugs

minor producer of opium poppy

probable minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin

government continues to face domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine addiction problems despite longstanding crackdowns