Vietnam country profile

Vietnam, a one-party Communist state, has one of south-east Asia's fastest-growing economies and has set its sights on becoming a developed nation by 2020. It became a unified country in 1976 after the armed forces of the Communist north seized the south the previous year. This followed three decades of bitter wars, in which the Communists fought first against the colonial power France, then against South Vietnam and its US backers. In its latter stages, the conflict held the attention of the world. OVERVIEW Overview Facts Leaders Media The US joined the hostilities in order to stem the "domino effect" of successive countries falling to Communism. The jungle war produced heavy casualties on both sides, atrocities against civilians, and the indiscriminate destruction and contamination of much of the landscape. A visit to Vietnam by US President Bill Clinton in November 2000 was presented as the culmination of American efforts to normalise relations with the former enemy. Vietnam struggled to find its feet after unification and tried at first to organise the agricultural economy along strict collectivist lines. Economic reform has challenged Communist Party ideology But elements of market forces and private enterprise were introduced from the late 1980s and a stock exchange opened in 2000. Foreign investment has grown and the US is Vietnam's main trading partner. In the cities, the consumer market is fuelled by the appetite of a young, middle class for electronic and luxury goods. After 12 years of negotiations the country joined the World Trade Organization in January 2007. But the disparity in wealth between urban and rural Vietnam is wide and some Communist Party leaders worry that too much economic liberalisation will weaken their power base and introduce "decadent" ideas into Vietnamese society. Vietnam has been accused of suppressing political dissent and religious freedom. Rights groups have singled out Hanoi's treatment of ethnic minority hill tribe people, collectively known as Montagnards. FACTS Overview Facts Leaders Media Full name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam Population: 88.1 million (UN, 2009) Capital: Hanoi Largest city: Ho Chi Minh City Area: 329,247 sq km (127,123 sq miles) Major language: Vietnamese Major religion: Buddhism Life expectancy: 72 years (men), 76 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 dong = 100 xu Main exports: Petroleum, rice, coffee, clothing, fish GNI per capita: US $890 (World Bank, 2008) Internet domain: .vn International dialling code: +84 LEADERS Overview Facts Leaders Media President: Nguyen Minh Triet Parliament confirmed the Communist Party's nomination of Nguyen Minh Triet, the party chief in Ho Chi Minh City, as president in June 2006. A native of that city, and therefore a rare southerner in the Communist leadership, he acquired a reputation for fighting corruption as local party chief especially in the case of gangster Nam Cam. He is seen as an advocate of continuing economic reform. Secretary-general of the Communist Party: Nong Duc Manh Nong Duc Manh aims to modernise Vietnam The Communist Party holds the real power in Vietnam. It reappointed Nong Duc Manh as its secretary-general in April 2006. Mr Manh, who is seen as a moderniser, urged Vietnam to speed up economic reforms and to tackle bureaucracy and deep-rooted corruption. He says he wants to "lift people from poverty and hunger" and to turn Vietnam into a developed, industrialised country. Mr Manh began his first term in 2001, becoming the first secretary-general with no direct experience of the struggle for independence. He oversaw five years of strong economic growth. The Communist Party leadership recommends candidates for the posts of president and prime minister. MEDIA Overview Facts Leaders Media The Communist Party has a strong grip on the media. The Ministry of Culture and Information controls the press and broadcasting. Internet cafes must register the personal details of customers 2008: Focus on Vietnam's press freedom 2006: Vietnam's internet freedom dilemma The government has shut down several publications for violating the narrow limits on permissible reporting. Journalists face large fines for transgressions which include denying revolutionary achievements and spreading "harmful" information or "reactionary ideology". There are hundreds of newspapers and magazines, but television is the dominant medium. Vietnam Television (VTV) broadcasts from Hanoi and is available via satellite to the wider region. There are many provincial stations. Some foreign channels are carried via cable. State-run Voice of Vietnam (VoV) operates six radio networks, including the VoV 5 channel with programmes in English, French and Russian. There were around 20 million internet users by June 2008 (InternetWorldStats). Internet providers face fines or closure for breaking the rules and "cyber dissidents" have been imprisoned.