Compare Vietnam (2004) - Latvia (2005)

Compare Vietnam (2004) z Latvia (2005)

	Vietnam (2004)	Latvia (2005)

Administrative divisions	59 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thu do, 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, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, 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, Hai Phong, Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh	26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities: Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons, Rezekne, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils, Ventspils Rajons
Age structure	0-14 years: 29.4% (male 12,524,098; female 11,807,763) 15-64 years: 65% (male 26,475,156; female 27,239,543) 65 years and over: 5.6% (male 1,928,568; female 2,714,390) (2004 est.)	0-14 years: 14.4% (male 169,284/female 161,648) 15-64 years: 69.4% (male 770,839/female 819,309) 65 years and over: 16.1% (male 120,306/female 248,851) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	paddy rice, corn, potatoes, rubber, soybeans, coffee, tea, bananas, sugar; poultry, pigs, fish	grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish
Airports	19 (2003 est.)	50 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 16 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2003 est.)	total: 26 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2003 est.)	total: 24 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 329,560 sq km land: 325,360 sq km water: 4,200 sq km	total: 64,589 sq km land: 63,589 sq km water: 1,000 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than New Mexico	slightly larger than West Virginia
Background	The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Independence was declared after World War II, but the French continued to rule until 1954 when they were defeated by Communist forces under Ho Chi Minh, who took control of the North. 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. Despite the return of peace, for over two decades the country experienced little economic growth because of conservative leadership policies. Since 2001, Vietnamese authorities have committed to economic liberalization and enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The country continues to experience protests from the Montagnard ethnic minority population of the Central Highlands over loss of land to Vietnamese settlers and religious persecution.	After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union. Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.
Birth rate	19.58 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)	9.04 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $8.689 billion expenditures: $9.718 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion (2003 est.)	revenues: $4.231 billion expenditures: $4.504 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
Capital	Hanoi	Riga
Climate	tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to mid-March)	maritime; wet, moderate winters
Coastline	3,444 km (excludes islands)	531 km
Constitution	15 April 1992	15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented the constitution
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	conventional long form: Republic of Latvia conventional short form: Latvia local long form: Latvijas Republika local short form: Latvija former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
Currency	dong (VND)	-
Death rate	6.14 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)	13.7 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$14.69 billion (2003)	$7.368 billion (2004 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. MARINE embassy: 7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [84] (4) 772-1500 FAX: [84] (4) 772-1510 consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City	chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine TODD-BAILEY embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510 mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE 09723 telephone: [371] 703-6200 FAX: [371] 782-0047
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Tam Chien chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737 FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917 consulate(s) general: San Francisco	chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214 FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785
Disputes - international	demarcation of the land boundary with China continues, but maritime boundary and joint fishing zone agreement remains unimplemented; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese squatters and armed encroachments along border; China occupies Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; 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	the Latvian-Russian boundary treaty of 1997 remains unsigned and unratified with Russia linking it to better Latvian treatment of ethnic Russians and Latvian politicians demanding Russian agreement to a declaration that admits Soviet aggression during the Second World War and other issues; the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Latvia must implement the strict Schengen border rules
Economic aid - recipient	$2.8 billion in credits and grants pledged by international donors for 2000 (2004)	$96.2 million (1995)
Economy - overview	Vietnam is a poor, densely-populated country that 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. Substantial progress was achieved from 1986 to 1996 in moving forward from an extremely low starting point - growth averaged around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian financial crisis highlighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy, but rather than prompting reform, reaffirmed the government's belief that shifting to a market-oriented economy would lead to disaster. GDP growth of 8.5% in 1997 fell to 6% in 1998 and 5% in 1999. Growth then rose to 6% to 7% in 2000-02 even against the background of global recession. These numbers mask some major difficulties in economic performance. Many domestic industries, including coal, cement, steel, and paper, have reported large stockpiles of inventory and tough competition from more efficient foreign producers. Since the Party elected new leadership in 2001, Vietnamese authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to economic liberalization and have moved to implement the structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement entered into force near the end of 2001 and is expected to significantly increase Vietnam's exports to the US. The US is assisting Vietnam with implementing the legal and structural reforms called for in the agreement.	Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis, largely due to the government's budget stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current account and internal government deficits remain major concerns, but the government's efforts to increase efficiency in revenue collection may lessen the budget deficit. A growing perception that many of Latvia's banks facilitate illicit activity could damage the country's vibrant financial sector.
Electricity - consumption	27.71 billion kWh (2001)	5.829 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	1.1 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	2.7 billion kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	29.8 billion kWh (2001)	4.547 billion kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m	lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m
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	Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010
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	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Vietnamese 85%-90%, Chinese, Hmong, Thai, Khmer, Cham, mountain groups	Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)
Exchange rates	dong per US dollar - 15,279.5 (2003), 15,279.5 (2002), 14,725.2 (2001), 14,167.7 (2000), 13,943.2 (1999)	lati per US dollar - 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002), 0.6279 (2001), 0.6065 (2000)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Tran Duc Luong (since 24 September 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Phan Van Khai (since 25 September 1997); First Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (since 29 September 1997); Deputy Prime Ministers Vu Khoan (8 August 2002) and Pham Gia Khiem (since 29 September 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister and ratification of the National Assembly elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its members for a five-year term; election last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held when National Assembly meets following legislative elections in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by the prime minister election results: Tran Duc Luong elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - NA	chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the Parliament elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president; parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast
Exports	NA (2001)	NA
Exports - commodities	crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments, shoes	wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles, foodstuffs
Exports - partners	US 21.9%, Japan 13.8%, Australia 6.8%, China 6.5%, Germany 5.8%, Singapore 4.6%, UK 4.4% (2003)	UK 12.8%, Germany 12%, Sweden 10%, Lithuania 9.1%, Estonia 8%, Russia 6.4%, Denmark 5.4% (2004)
Fiscal year	calendar year	calendar year
Flag description	red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center	three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and maroon
GDP	purchasing power parity - $203.7 billion (2003 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 21.8% industry: 39.7% services: 38.5% (2003 est.)	agriculture: 4.4% industry: 24.8% services: 70.8% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $2,500 (2003 est.)	purchasing power parity - $11,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	7.2% (2003 est.)	7.6% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	16 00 N, 106 00 E	57 00 N, 25 00 E
Geography - note	extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km across at its narrowest point	most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with some hills in the east
Highways	total: 93,300 km paved: 23,418 km unpaved: 69,882 km (1999 est.)	total: 60,472 km paved: 57,206 km unpaved: 3,265 km (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 29.9% (1998)	lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)
Illicit drugs	minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point for Southeast Asian heroin; domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine addiction problems	transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; vulnerable to money laundering despite improved legislation due to nascent enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of offshore companies and the gaming industry; organized crime (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds
Imports	NA (2001)	NA
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles	machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles
Imports - partners	China 13.7%, Taiwan 11.4%, Japan 11.3%, South Korea 11%, Singapore 10.4%, US 5.7%, Thailand 5.4%, Hong Kong 4.2% (2003)	Germany 13.9%, Lithuania 12.2%, Russia 8.7%, Estonia 7%, Finland 6.3%, Sweden 6.1%, Poland 5.4%, Belarus 4.8% (2004)
Independence	2 September 1945 (from France)	21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Industrial production growth rate	16% (2003 est.)	8.5% (2004 est.)
Industries	food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building, mining, cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, coal, steel, paper	buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials
Infant mortality rate	total: 29.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 33.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 25.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)	total: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births male: 11.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	3.1% (2003 est.)	6% (2004 est.)
International organization participation	ACCT (observer), APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)	Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land	30,000 sq km (1998 est.)	200 sq km note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land has been improved by drainage (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected for a five-year term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president)	Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)
Labor force	45.74 million (2003 est.)	1.17 million (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 63%, industry and services 37% (2000 est.)	agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries	total: 4,639 km border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km	total: 1,150 km border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km, Russia 217 km
Land use	arable land: 19.97% permanent crops: 5.95% other: 74.08% (2001)	arable land: 29.67% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 69.86% (2001)
Languages	Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)	Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3% (2000 census)
Legal system	based on communist legal theory and French civil law system	based on civil law system
Legislative branch	unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (498 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the 10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51	unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - JL 23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%, TP 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - JL 26, PCTVL 24, TP 21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 70.35 years male: 67.86 years female: 73.02 years (2004 est.)	total population: 71.05 years male: 65.78 years female: 76.6 years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 90.3% male: 93.9% female: 86.9% (2002)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99.8% male: 99.8% female: 99.8% (2003 est.)
Location	Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia	Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and Lithuania
Map references	Southeast Asia	Europe
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Merchant marine	total: 194 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,170,621 GRT/1,798,376 DWT by type: bulk 16, cargo 135, chemical tanker 1, container 8, liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 25, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: Cambodia 1, Germany 1, Japan 2, South Korea 1, United Kingdom 3 registered in other countries: 11 (2004 est.)	total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 86 (2005)
Military branches	People's Army of Vietnam: Ground Forces, People's Navy Command (including Naval Infantry), Air and Air Defense Force, Coast Guard	Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard (Zemessardze)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$650 million (FY98)	$87 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	2.5% (FY98)	1.2% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 23,438,858 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 14,694,574 (2004 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 853,197 (2004 est.)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 2 September (1945)	Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4 May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August 1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union
Nationality	noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural) adjective: Vietnamese	noun: Latvian(s) adjective: Latvian
Natural hazards	occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta	NA
Natural resources	phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, forests, hydropower	peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land
Net migration rate	-0.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)	-2.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Pipelines	condensate/gas 432 km; gas 210 km; oil 3 km; refined products 206 km (2004)	gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	only party - Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc Manh, general secretary]	First Party of Latvia or LPP [Juris LUJANS]; For Human Rights in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Tatjana ZDANOKA, Jakovs PLINERS]; For the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; Harmony Center or SC [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS]; Latvian Green Party or LZP [Indulis EMSIS, Viesturs SILENIEKS, Raimonds VEJONIS]; Latvian Farmer's Union or LZS [Augusts BRIGMANIS]; Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party (Social Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP [Alfreds RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS]; New Democrats or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE]; People's Harmony Party or TSP [Aivars DATAVS]; People's Party or TP [Atis SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]
Political pressure groups and leaders	none	Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB) [Aleksandr KAZAKOV]
Population	82,689,518 (July 2004 est.)	2,290,237 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	37% (1998 est.)	NA
Population growth rate	1.3% (2004 est.)	-0.69% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	Cam Ranh, Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Long, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang, Vinh, Vung Tau	Riga, Ventspils
Radio broadcast stations	AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)	AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)
Railways	total: 2,600 km standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge dual gauge: 253 km three-rail track combining 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (2003)	total: 2,303 km broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified) narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2004)
Religions	Buddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic, some Protestant), indigenous beliefs, Muslim	Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens
Telephone system	general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system, but its performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern neighbors domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or microwave radio relay networks; main lines have been substantially increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly international: country code - 84; satellite earth stations - 2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)	general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide an international capability independent of the Moscow international switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections, rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied subscriber applications international: country code - 371; international connections are now available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling direct connections for most calls (1998)
Telephones - main lines in use	4.402 million (2003)	653,900 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	2.742 million (2003)	1,219,600 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	at least 7 (plus 13 repeaters) (1998)	44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain	low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest	low plain
Total fertility rate	2.22 children born/woman (2004 est.)	1.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	6.1% (2003 est.)	8.8% (2004 est.)
Waterways	17,702 km (5,000 km navigable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft) (2004)	300 km (2004)

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