Conventional Long Form Name of country-Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Capital City(ies) (some have multiple)-Hanoi
Type of Government-Communist state
Date of Independence-2 September 1945 (from France)
National Holiday(s): include date &event/celebration- Independence Day, 2 September (1945)
Chief of State (official public face of government)-President Truong Tan SANG; Vice President Nguyen Thi DOAN
Head of Government (actual leader of government)-Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG
Description of Executive Branch/Powers-president elected by the National Assembly from among its members for five-year term; last election held 25 July 2011 (next to be held in July 2016); 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
Description of Legislative Branch/Powers-unicameral National Assembly or Quoc Hoi (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Description of Judicial Branch/Powers-chief justice elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president for a 5-year, renewable term; other judges appointed by the president for 5-year terms
Suffrage (who is allowed to vote)-18 years of age; universal
Name of THEIR Ambassador to the U.S.-Ambassador Nguyen Quoc CUONG
Location of THEIR embassy in the U.S.-1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036
Location(s) of THEIR consulate(s) in the U.S.- Houston, New York, San Francisco
Name of U.S. Ambassador to THEM-Ambassador David B. SHEAR
Location of U.S. embassy THERE-Rose Garden Building, 170 Ngoc Khanh St., Hanoi
Location(s) of U.S. consulate(s) THERE-Ho Chi Minh City
Name of THEIR representative to UN-Le Hoai TRUNG
Description of the Symbolism of flag-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
Video or audio of their national anthem being played-"Tien quan ca" (The Song of the Marching Troops)
National Symbol(s)-yellow, five-pointed star on red field; lotus blossom
Descriptions of International Disputes-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; Economic Exclusion Zone negotiations with Indonesia are ongoing, and the two countries in Fall 2011 agreed to work together to reduce illegal fishing along their maritime boundary
Quantity of refugees inside country AND country(ies) of origin of refugees- N/A
Quantity of Internally Displaced Persons-N/A
Quantity of Stateless Persons- 11,500
Description of current human trafficking- N/A
issues related to this country- N/A
Description of Illicit Drug trafficking/use-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
Capital City(ies) (some have multiple)-Hanoi
Type of Government-Communist state
Date of Independence-2 September 1945 (from France)
National Holiday(s): include date &event/celebration- Independence Day, 2 September (1945)
Chief of State (official public face of government)-President Truong Tan SANG; Vice President Nguyen Thi DOAN
Head of Government (actual leader of government)-Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG
Description of Executive Branch/Powers-president elected by the National Assembly from among its members for five-year term; last election held 25 July 2011 (next to be held in July 2016); 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
Description of Legislative Branch/Powers-unicameral National Assembly or Quoc Hoi (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Description of Judicial Branch/Powers-chief justice elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president for a 5-year, renewable term; other judges appointed by the president for 5-year terms
Suffrage (who is allowed to vote)-18 years of age; universal
Name of THEIR Ambassador to the U.S.-Ambassador Nguyen Quoc CUONG
Location of THEIR embassy in the U.S.-1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036
Location(s) of THEIR consulate(s) in the U.S.- Houston, New York, San Francisco
Name of U.S. Ambassador to THEM-Ambassador David B. SHEAR
Location of U.S. embassy THERE-Rose Garden Building, 170 Ngoc Khanh St., Hanoi
Location(s) of U.S. consulate(s) THERE-Ho Chi Minh City
Name of THEIR representative to UN-Le Hoai TRUNG
Description of the Symbolism of flag-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
Video or audio of their national anthem being played-"Tien quan ca" (The Song of the Marching Troops)
National Symbol(s)-yellow, five-pointed star on red field; lotus blossom
Descriptions of International Disputes-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; Economic Exclusion Zone negotiations with Indonesia are ongoing, and the two countries in Fall 2011 agreed to work together to reduce illegal fishing along their maritime boundary
Quantity of refugees inside country AND country(ies) of origin of refugees- N/A
Quantity of Internally Displaced Persons-N/A
Quantity of Stateless Persons- 11,500
Description of current human trafficking- N/A
issues related to this country- N/A
Description of Illicit Drug trafficking/use-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