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

Data code VM

Government type Communist state

National capital Hanoi

Administrative divisions 50 provinces (tinh, singular and plural), 3 municipalities* (thu do,singular and plural); An Giang, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Bac Thai, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh,Binh Thuan, Can Tho, Cao Bang, Dac Lac, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Bac,Ha Giang, Ha Noi*, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hai Hung, Hai Phong*, Ho Chi Minh*, HoaBinh, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai,Long An, Minh Hai, Nam Ha, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Yen, QuangBinh, Quang Nam-Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, SonLa, Song Be, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, TraVinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phu, Yen Bai
note: eight existing provinces (Bac Thai, Ha Bac, Hai Hung, Minh Hai, NamHa, Quang Nam-Da Nang, Song Be, and Vinh Phu) may have been abolished andfrom their territory 15 new provinces and one new municipality* (Bac Can,Bac Giang, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Ca Mau, Da Nang City*,Ha Nam, Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Nam Dinh, Phu Tho, Quang Nam, Thai Nguyen, andVinh Phuc) may have been created

Independence 2 September 1945 (from France)

National holiday Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Constitution 15 April 1992

Legal system based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state : President Le Duc ANH (since 23 September 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Vo Van KIET (since 9 August 1991); First Deputy PrimeMinister Phan Van KHAI (since 10 August 1991); Deputy Prime Ministers NguyenKHANH (since NA February 1987) and Tran Duc LUONG (since NA February 1987)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime ministerand ratification of the National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its members fora five-year term; election last held 23 September 1992 (next to be held whenNational Assembly meets following legislative elections in July 1997); primeminister appointed by the president from among the members of the NationalAssembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by the prime minister
election results: Le Duc ANH elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA

Legislative branch unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (395 seats; members electedby popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 July 1992 (next to be held 20 July 1997)
election results: percent of vote by party - CPV or CPV-approved 100%; seats by party- CPV or CPV-approved 395

Judicial branch Supreme People's Court, chief justice is elected for a five-year termby the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president

Political parties and leaders only party - Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), DO MUOI, general secretary

International organization participation ACCT, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission : Ambassador Le Van BANG
chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036, Suite 501
telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737
FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas "Pete" Peterson
embassy : 7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002
telephone: [84] (4) 8431500
FAX: [84] (4) 8350484 or 8431510

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

NOTE: The information regarding Vietnam on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Vietnam Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Vietnam Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.