Long-form name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam; abbreviated SRV

Type: Communist state

Capital: Hanoi

Administrative divisions: 37 provinces (tinh, singular and plural), 3 municipalities* (thanh pho, singular and plural); An Giang, Bac Thai, Ben Tre, Binh Tri Thien, Cao Bang, Cuu Long, Dac Lac, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai-Cong Tum, Ha Bac, Hai Hung, Hai Phong*, Ha Nam Ninh, Ha Noi*, Ha Son Binh, Ha Tuyen, Hau Giang, Hoang Lien Son, Ho Chi Minh*, Kien Giang, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Long An, Minh Hai, Nghe Tinh, Nghia Binh, Phu Khanh, Quang Nam-Da Nang, Quang Ninh, Song Be, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thanh Hoa, Thuan Hai, Tien Giang, Vinh Pu, Vung Tau-Con Dao; note--diacritical marks are not included

Independence: 2 September 1945 (from France)

Constitution: 18 December 1980

Legal system: based on Communist legal theory and French civil law system

National holiday: Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Branches: unicameral legislature (National Assembly); highest authority of the land is technically the Council of State, whose chairman serves as the country's president; Council of Ministers oversees implementation of party policies--chairman is equivalent of premier

Leader: @m5Chief of State Chairman of the Council of State Vo Chi CONG (since 18 June 1987); @m5Head of Government Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Premier) Do MUOI (since 22 June 1988)

Suffrage: universal over age 18

Elections: pro forma elections held for national and local assemblies; last election for the 496 deputies to the National Assembly held on 19 April 1987, the third election since Vietnam was unified under Communist rule in 1975

Political party and leader: Vietnam Communist Party (VCP), Nguyen Van Linh; Vietnam Democratic Party, Nghiem Xuan Yem

Communists: nearly 2 million

Member of: ADB, CEMA, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, IRC, ITU, Mekong Committee, NAM, UN, UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: none

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

NOTE: The information regarding Vietnam on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Vietnam Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Vietnam Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.