S Vietnam
24-10-2004, 23:29
BACKGROUND:
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, headed by South Vietnam, has 4 member nations as of October 2004. The sovreign member nations still hold seperate domestic affairs, but have slowly integrated socially and economically following the formation of ASEAN. After several years of civil war between the groups of Vietnam (1956-1961), a cease fire and official seperation of the states of North and South Vietnam resulted. The return of peace has fostered over four decades of economic growth from liberal leadership policies in both North and South Vietnam. The Monarchy of Prathet Thai officially became a constitutional monarchy in 1981 with the drafting and signing of the constitution. The Kingdom of Preah Reachea Kampuchea gained independence in 1967 following the Phnom Penh agreement that withdrew British and French forces from the nation. In 2004, the signing of the Saigon Accords between the Republic of South Vietnam, the People's Republic of North Vietnam, the Constitutional Monarchy of Prathet Thai and the Kingdom of Preah Reachea Kampuchea led to the formation of a regional economic and social organization, ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). The People's Republic of Randomness By All (under the official name of Laos) was admitted a month later in a ceremony in Saigon.
Geography
Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 106 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: 1,257,360 sq km
Coastline: 11,947 km.
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)
Lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
Highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m
PEOPLE:
Population: 157,964,518 (October 2004 est)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.4%
15-64 years: 65%
65 years and over: 5.6%
Population growth rate: 1.4% (October 2004 est)
Life expectancy: male 76.4 years; female 80.1 years
Literacy: 97.4%
Nationality:
noun: Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian, Laotian; adjective: Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian, Laotian
Ethnic groups: Vietnamese 69.4%, Chinese 10.6%, Thai 8.7%, Khmer 6.5%, Laotian 2.8%, other indigenous groups 1.9%
Religions:
Buddhist - 88.3%, Catholic - 5.3%, Other - 6.4%
Languages: Vietnamese (official), English (official), Thai, Khmer, Lao, Chinese, Hmong
Government
Regional Name:
conventional form: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
abbreviation: ASEAN
National capitals:
Saigon, South Vietnam (10,368,459)
Bangkok, Prathet Thai (8,472,645)
Hanoi, North Vietnam (3,124,893)
Phnom Penh, Kampuchea (2,982,368)
Vientaine, Laos (Randomness By All) (1,983,653)
Major Cities:
Hue, South Vietnam (4,625,532)
Chiang Mai, Prathet Thai (3,874,946)
Da Nang, South Vietnam (2,681,754)
Haiphong, North Vietnam (1,723,864)
Luang Prabang, Laos (Randomness By All) (1,628,025)
Battambang, Kampuchea (1,248,035)
GOVERNMENT
Government type: Varying
Administrative divisions: Republic of South Vietnam, People's Republic of North Vietnam, Constitutional Monarchy of Prathet Thai, Kingdom of Preah Reachea Kampuchea, the People's Republic of Randomness By All (Laos)
Chief Executive: Ngo Dinh-Vo
Prime Minister: Duong Minh Tai
Chief Minister of Foreign Affairs: Tran Duc Anh
Representatives to ASEAN: Huynh Kim Ngoc (S Vietnam), Nguyen Thai Binh (North Vietnam), Temiok Susuparnaporn (Prathet Thai), Ros Serey Sothea (Preah Reachea Kampuchea), Mi-Moony Sriavit (Laos)
Elections: All members of Parliament, the House of Justice, the Prime Minister, and the President are elected. The Senate is appointed by the Chief Executive as well as the High Judiciary.
Flag description: Currently members are adopting a regional ASEAN flag.
Currency: Dong (N & S Vietnam), Baht (Praethet Thai), Riel (Preah Reachea Kampuchea), currently, the Kim is on ballot to become a universal regional currency
Currency Code: ยง
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, headed by South Vietnam, has 4 member nations as of October 2004. The sovreign member nations still hold seperate domestic affairs, but have slowly integrated socially and economically following the formation of ASEAN. After several years of civil war between the groups of Vietnam (1956-1961), a cease fire and official seperation of the states of North and South Vietnam resulted. The return of peace has fostered over four decades of economic growth from liberal leadership policies in both North and South Vietnam. The Monarchy of Prathet Thai officially became a constitutional monarchy in 1981 with the drafting and signing of the constitution. The Kingdom of Preah Reachea Kampuchea gained independence in 1967 following the Phnom Penh agreement that withdrew British and French forces from the nation. In 2004, the signing of the Saigon Accords between the Republic of South Vietnam, the People's Republic of North Vietnam, the Constitutional Monarchy of Prathet Thai and the Kingdom of Preah Reachea Kampuchea led to the formation of a regional economic and social organization, ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). The People's Republic of Randomness By All (under the official name of Laos) was admitted a month later in a ceremony in Saigon.
Geography
Geographic coordinates: 16 00 N, 106 00 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: 1,257,360 sq km
Coastline: 11,947 km.
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)
Lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
Highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m
PEOPLE:
Population: 157,964,518 (October 2004 est)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 29.4%
15-64 years: 65%
65 years and over: 5.6%
Population growth rate: 1.4% (October 2004 est)
Life expectancy: male 76.4 years; female 80.1 years
Literacy: 97.4%
Nationality:
noun: Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian, Laotian; adjective: Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian, Laotian
Ethnic groups: Vietnamese 69.4%, Chinese 10.6%, Thai 8.7%, Khmer 6.5%, Laotian 2.8%, other indigenous groups 1.9%
Religions:
Buddhist - 88.3%, Catholic - 5.3%, Other - 6.4%
Languages: Vietnamese (official), English (official), Thai, Khmer, Lao, Chinese, Hmong
Government
Regional Name:
conventional form: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations
abbreviation: ASEAN
National capitals:
Saigon, South Vietnam (10,368,459)
Bangkok, Prathet Thai (8,472,645)
Hanoi, North Vietnam (3,124,893)
Phnom Penh, Kampuchea (2,982,368)
Vientaine, Laos (Randomness By All) (1,983,653)
Major Cities:
Hue, South Vietnam (4,625,532)
Chiang Mai, Prathet Thai (3,874,946)
Da Nang, South Vietnam (2,681,754)
Haiphong, North Vietnam (1,723,864)
Luang Prabang, Laos (Randomness By All) (1,628,025)
Battambang, Kampuchea (1,248,035)
GOVERNMENT
Government type: Varying
Administrative divisions: Republic of South Vietnam, People's Republic of North Vietnam, Constitutional Monarchy of Prathet Thai, Kingdom of Preah Reachea Kampuchea, the People's Republic of Randomness By All (Laos)
Chief Executive: Ngo Dinh-Vo
Prime Minister: Duong Minh Tai
Chief Minister of Foreign Affairs: Tran Duc Anh
Representatives to ASEAN: Huynh Kim Ngoc (S Vietnam), Nguyen Thai Binh (North Vietnam), Temiok Susuparnaporn (Prathet Thai), Ros Serey Sothea (Preah Reachea Kampuchea), Mi-Moony Sriavit (Laos)
Elections: All members of Parliament, the House of Justice, the Prime Minister, and the President are elected. The Senate is appointed by the Chief Executive as well as the High Judiciary.
Flag description: Currently members are adopting a regional ASEAN flag.
Currency: Dong (N & S Vietnam), Baht (Praethet Thai), Riel (Preah Reachea Kampuchea), currently, the Kim is on ballot to become a universal regional currency
Currency Code: ยง