Key Facts
- GDP (ppp) per CAPITA
- $2,800 (2008 est.)
- Inflation Rate
- 24.4% (2008 est.)
- Population
- 86,967,524 (July 2009 est.)
- Country Risk Ratings
- B
- Ease of Doing Business
- 92/181
- Global Competitiveness
- 4.1/134
Country Map
gE Network
There are
75
members in the
gE Network for this country.
Navigation
Vietnam : Introduction
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military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973.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 country continues to experience small-scale protests from various groups, the vast majority connected to land-use issues 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. In January 2008, Vietnam assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2008-09 term.
globalEDGE exclusive
Online Course Module: Doing Business in Vietnam
quick links
Vietnam: Country Commercial GuideVietnam: World Bank Doing Business Indicators
Vietnam: Economist Country Briefing
Vietnam: BBC Country Profile
Vietnam: MSU Global Access
- Vietnam: Vietnam Economy News
A vast amount of information from the Vietnam Economic Times. Provides political views, economic data, maps, current news, stock market news and events and financial information. Updated daily. (In English and Vietnamese).
- Vietnam: Vietnam Investment Review
The Vietnam Investment Review is Vietnam's leading international business newspaper. It was created by the Ministry of Planning and Investment to inform potential investors about the opportunities that Vietnam has to offer. The Review is circulated in 36 nations in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The website is free and does not require registration.
Sources:
CIA World Factbook (September 2009)
U.S. Dept. of State Country Background Notes (March 2009)
