Vietnam

Cộng Hòa Xã Hội Chủ Nghĩa Việt Nam

Political Status: Communist republic originally proclaimed September 2, 1945; Democratic Republic of Vietnam established in the north on July 21, 1954; Republic of Vietnam established in the south on October 26, 1955; Socialist Republic of Vietnam proclaimed on July 2, 1976, following surrender of the southern government on April 30, 1975; present constitution adopted on April 15, 1992.

Area: 128,402 sq. mi. (332,561 sq. km).

Population: 96,407,000 (2020E—World Bank); 98,721,275 (2020E—U.S. Census).

Major Urban Centers (2016E—UN): HANOI (3,790,000), Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon, 7,498,000), Can Tho (1,242,000), Haiphong (1,110,000).

Official Language: Vietnamese.

Monetary Unit: Dông (market rate September 30, 2020: 23,181.00 dông = $1US).

President: NGUYEN PHU TRONG; elected by the National Assembly on October 23, 2018, to succeed DANG ...