First Published Date : September 1, 2010 ADawnJournal.com
Vietnam: A Changing Country
When many people think about Vietnam, the one thing they think about is the Vietnam War. However, this country is much more than that and it has changed from that dark chapter in its past. Now, it is a very popular tourist destination and a place many Americans now go for a visit.
Vietnam is the eastern-most country on the Indochina Peninsula, located in Southeast Asia. It shares a border with China, Laos and Cambodia and it ranks as the 13th most populous country in the world with 86 million people. Vietnam was once part of China, but it fought for its independence and won it in 938. From that point on, various rulers controlled the country for almost 1,000 years before the French moved in and colonized it. They were pushed out in the mid-20th century, which eventually led to the Vietnam War, which the North Vietnam won in 1975, effectively unifying the country. Rather than fade away like North Korea, Vietnam instituted economic and political reforms and by 2000 it had opened up diplomatic relations with nearly all the countries on Earth. The hard work of the people of Vietnam and the government helped the country have one of the highest economic growth paces in the world, which allowed the country to join the World Trade Organization in 2007.
In terms of land size, Vietnam is larger than Italy and is nearly the size of Germany, which is something many people do not realize. The country has a varied landscape as well. There are many hills and forested mountains in the country. Only 20 percent of the country is actually considered to be flat land, while mountains make up 40 percent. Small hills make up another 40 percent. In that, 42 percent of the country is covered by tropical forest. Most of the mountains and highlands are in the north, while the south has lowlands and a view mountains. During the winter, which runs from November to April, monsoon winds hit the country and create a large amount of moisture falling in the country, which can cause severe flooding.
Going back to the economy of Vietnam, it has grown immensely after putting in economic reforms in the mid-1980s, even though the country is effectively communist. From 1990 to 1997, the country had about an eight percent annual growth in its GDP, and from 2005 it was seven percent, making it one of the fastest growing economies on the planet. During this same period of time, foreign investment in the country grew three-fold, and the domestic savings of the country grew four-times. Vietnam is investing heavily in information technology, making it a world leader and the country also has many oil reserves, something foreigners do not even realize. In fact, Vietnam is the third-largest oil producer in Southeast Asia, outputting 400,000 barrels a day. Vietnam is also a very open economy, trading and importing heavily. Two-way trade for the country amounts to 160 percent of its GDP, which is four times that of India and twice that of China. All of this has helped Vietnam lower the level of extreme poverty in the country significantly. Currently, Vietnam has a lower level of extreme poverty than India, China and the Philippines.
It is estimated that by 2025, Vietnam will have the 17th largest economy on the planet and by 2050, the country will be 70 percent the size of the United Kingdom economy. Vietnam is also the largest producer of black pepper and cashew nuts in the world, representing one-third of the global share of both of those products. They are the second largest producer of rice, and they export other products like fish, rubber, tea and coffee. All of this has helped lower the unemployment rate in Vietnam to only 2.9 percent, which is below the level of many industrialized nations.
Over the past few years, Vietnam has begun to rise up in the rankings of world countries. Here is a quick rundown of how it compares to other countries:
Vietnam ranks 39 out of 144 countries on the Global Peace Index.
Vietnam ranks 142 out of 157 countries on the Index of Economic Freedom.
Vietnam ranks 61 out of 111 countries on the Worldwide Quality of Life Index.
Vietnam ranks 155 out of 167 countries on the Worldwide Press Freedom Index.
Vietnam ranks 111 out of 163 countries on the Corruptions Perceptions Index.
Vietnam ranks 109 out of 177 countries on the Human Development Index.
Vietnam ranks 77 out of 125 countries on the Global Competitiveness Index.
As can be seen, some areas need to be improved but Vietnam has grown immensely on the world stage since the dark days of the Vietnam War.
Vietnam also has to improve its human rights record. In a 2004 report of Human Rights Practices, Vietnam’s record was rated as poor with a history of serious abuses. The government of the country has restrictions on freedom of the press, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of association.
This is beginning to improve though and Vietnam is considered to be a friend and reliable partner of all countries within the international community and often takes part in international cooperation measures. Vietnam is a member of 63 international organizations including the WTO, La Francophonie, NAM, ASEAN and the United Nations. In addition the country is part of 650 non-governmental organizations.
Vietnam is not a perfect country, but it is an improving country. It is growing fast and in the 21st century it will become a world leader, helping to influence how the world progresses into the 22nd century based on its economic power that just continues to grow. If you are thinking of visiting Vietnam, then you are in for a treat. The people of the country are friendly, the weather is warm, the landscape is beautiful and the culture is rich and steeped heavily in history. It is certainly a country on the move and one that you should keep an eye on moving into the future.
