Part 92
Railroads: 542 km total; 363 km 1.435-meter standard gauge all single track, government owned; 179 km 1.435-meter gauge, privately owned Highways: 77,785 km total; 22,780 km paved, 24,720 km gravel, 14,450 km earth roads, and 15,835 km unimproved earth Inland waterways: 7,100 km; Rio Orinoco and Lago de Maracaibo accept oceangoing vessels Pipelines: crude oil 6,370 km; petroleum products 480 km; natural gas 4,010 km Ports: Amuay Bay, Bajo Grande, El Tablazo, La Guaira, Puerto Cabello, Puerto Ordaz Merchant marine: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 790,108 GRT/1,257,637 DWT; includes 1 short-sea passenger, 1 passenger cargo, 22 cargo, 1 container, 2 roll-on/roll-off, 17 petroleum tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 8 bulk, 1 vehicle carrier, 1 combination bulk Civil air: 56 major transport aircraft Airports: 308 total, 287 usable; 135 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 14 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 88 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: modern and expanding; 1,440,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 181 AM, no FM, 59 TV, 26 shortwave; 3 submarine coaxial cables; satellite ground stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 3 domestic
:Venezuela Defense Forces
Branches: Ground Forces (Army), Naval Forces (including Navy, Marines, Coast Guard), Air Forces, Armed Forces of Cooperation (National Guard) Manpower availability: males 15-49, 5,365,880; 3,884,558 fit for military service; 210,737 reach military age (18) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $1.95 billion, 4% of GDP (1991)
:Vietnam Geography
Total area: 329,560 km2 Land area: 325,360 Comparative area: slightly larger than New Mexico Land boundaries: 3,818 km total; Cambodia 982 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 1,555 km Coastline: 3,444 km; excludes islands Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 24 nm Continental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: maritime boundary with Cambodia not defined; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei; unresolved maritime boundary with Thailand; maritime boundary dispute with China in the Gulf of Tonkin; Paracel Islands occupied by China but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan 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) Terrain: low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest Natural resources: phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil deposits, forests Land use: arable land 22%; permanent crops 2%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland 40%; other 35%; includes irrigated 5% Environment: occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding
:Vietnam People
Population: 68,964,018 (July 1992), growth rate 2.0% (1992) Birth rate: 29 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: -1 migrant/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 47 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 63 years male, 67 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 3.6 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Vietnamese (singular and plural); adjective - Vietnamese Ethnic divisions: predominantly Vietnamese 85-90%; Chinese 3%; ethnic minorities include Muong, Thai, Meo, Khmer, Man, Cham; other mountain tribes Religions: Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist, Roman Catholic, indigenous beliefs, Islamic, Protestant Languages: Vietnamese (official), French, Chinese, English, Khmer, tribal languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian) Literacy: 88% (male 92%, female 84%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 32.7 million; agricultural 65%, industrial and service 35% (1990 est.) Organized labor: reportedly over 90% of wage and salary earners are members of the Vietnam Federation of Trade Unions (VFTU)
:Vietnam Government
Long-form name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam; abbreviated SRV Type: Communist state Capital: Hanoi Administrative divisions: 50 provinces (tinh, singular and plural), 3 municipalities* (thanh pho, singular and plural); An Giang, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Bac Thai, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Thuan, Can Tho, Cao Bang, Dac Las, Dong Nai, Dong Tay, Gia Lai, Ha Bac, Ha Giang, Ha Noi*, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh, Hai Hung, Hai Phong*, Ho Chi Minh*, Hoa Binh, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Minh Hai, Nam Ha, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam-Da Nang, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Song Be, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phu, Yen Bai; note - diacritical marks are not included Independence: 2 September 1945 (from France) Constitution: 18 December 1980; new Constitution to be approved Spring 1992 Legal system: based on Communist legal theory and French civil law system National holiday: Independence Day, 2 September (1945) Executive branch: president, prime minister, deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Quoc-Hoi) Judicial branch: Supreme People's Court Leaders: Chief of State: President Vo Chi CONG (since 18 June 1987) Head of Government: Prime Minister Vo Van KIET (since 9 August 1991); Deputy Prime Minister Phan Van KHAI (since 10 August 1991) Political parties and leaders: only party - Vietnam Communist Party (VCP), DO MUOI Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: National Assembly: last held 19 April 1987 (next to be held 19 July 1992); results - VCP is the only party; seats - (496 total) VCP or VCP-approved 496; note - number of seats under new government 395 Communists: nearly 2 million Member of: ACCT, AsDB, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBEC, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IIB, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation: none Flag: red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center
:Vietnam Economy
Overview: This is a formerly centrally planned, developing economy with extensive government ownership and control of productive facilities. The economy is primarily agricultural; the sector employs about 70% of the labor force and accounts for half of GNP. Rice is the staple crop; substantial amounts of maize, sorghum, cassava, and sweet potatoes are also grown. The government permits sale of surplus grain on the open market. Most of the mineral resources are located in the north, including coal, which is an important export item. Oil was discovered off the southern coast in 1986 with production reaching 70,000 barrels per day in 1991 and expected to increase in the years ahead. Following the end of the war in 1975, heavy-handed government measures undermined efforts at an efficient merger of the agricultural resources of the south and the industrial resources of the north. The economy remains heavily dependent on foreign aid and has received assistance from UN agencies, France, Australia, Sweden, and Communist countries. Inflation, although down from recent triple-digit levels, is still a major weakness and is showing signs of accelerating upwards again. Per capita output is among the world's lowest. Since late 1986 the government has sponsored a broad reform program that seeks to turn more economic activity over to the private sector. GNP: exchange rate conversion - $15 billion, per capita $220; real growth rate 2.5% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 80% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: 30% (1991 est.) Budget: revenues $551 million; expenditures $830 million, including capital expenditures of $58 million (1990) Exports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1991) commodities: agricultural and handicraft products, coal, minerals, crude petroleum, ores, seafood partners: Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Eastern Europe, USSR Imports: $1.9 billion (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: petroleum products, steel products, railroad equipment, chemicals, medicines, raw cotton, fertilizer, grain partners: Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Eastern Europe, USSR External debt: $16.8 billion (1990 est.) Industrial production: growth rate -3.6% (1989); accounts for 30% of GNP Electricity: 3,300,000 kW capacity; 9,200 million kWh produced, 140 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: food processing, textiles, machine building, mining, cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, fishing Agriculture: accounts for half of GNP; paddy rice, corn, potatoes make up 50% of farm output; commercial crops (rubber, soybeans, coffee, tea, bananas) and animal products other 50%; since 1989 self-sufficient in food staple rice; fish catch of 943,100 metric tons (1989 est.)
:Vietnam Economy
Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-74), $3.1 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $2.9 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $61 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $12.0 billion Currency: new dong (plural - new dong); 1 new dong (D) = 100 xu Exchange rates: new dong (D) per US$1 - 11,100 (May 1992), 8,100 (July 1991), 7,280 (December 1990), 3,996 (March 1990), 2,047 (1988), 225 (1987); note - 1985-89 figures are end of year Fiscal year: calendar year
:Vietnam Communications
Railroads: 3,059 km total; 2,454 1.000-meter gauge, 151 km 1.435-meter (standard) gauge, 230 km dual gauge (three rails), and 224 km not restored to service after war damage Highways: about 85,000 km total; 9,400 km paved, 48,700 km gravel or improved earth, 26,900 km unimproved earth Inland waterways: about 17,702 km navigable; more than 5,149 km navigable at all times by vessels up to 1.8 meter draft Pipelines: petroleum products 150 km Ports: Da Nang, Haiphong, Ho Chi Minh City Merchant marine: 89 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 400,430 GRT/643,877 DWT; includes 73 cargo 4 refrigerated cargo, 1 roll-on/roll-off, 8 petroleum tanker, 3 bulk; note - Vietnam owns 11 cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 134,719 DWT under the registries of Panama and Malta Civil air: controlled by military Airports: 100 total, 100 usable; 50 with permanent-surface runways; 10 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 20 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: 25 telephones per 10,000 persons (1991); broadcast stations - 16 AM, 1 FM, 2 TV; 2,300,000 TV sets; 6,000,000 radio receivers; 3 satellite earth stations
:Vietnam Defense Forces
Branches: Ground, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force Manpower availability: males 15-49, 16,839,400; 10,739,128 fit for military service; 787,026 reach military age (17) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $NA, NA% of GNP
:Virgin Islands Geography
Total area: 352 km2 Land area: 349 km2 Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 188 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 12 nm Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: none Climate: subtropical, tempered by easterly tradewinds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season May to November Terrain: mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf Land use: arable land 15%; permanent crops 6%; meadows and pastures 26%; forest and woodland 6%; other 47% Environment: rarely affected by hurricanes; subject to frequent severe droughts, floods, earthquakes; lack of natural freshwater resources Note: important location 1,770 km southeast of Miami and 65 km east of Puerto Rico, along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural, deepwater harbors in the Caribbean
:Virgin Islands People
Population: 98,942 (July 1992), growth rate -1.0% (1992) Birth rate: 21 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: -26 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 13 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 77 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 2.7 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Virgin Islander(s); adjective - Virgin Islander; US citizens Ethnic divisions: West Indian (45% born in the Virgin Islands and 29% born elsewhere in the West Indies) 74%, US mainland 13%, Puerto Rican 5%, other 8%; black 80%, white 15%, other 5%; Hispanic origin 14% Religions: Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7% Languages: English (official), but Spanish and Creole are widely spoken Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%) Labor force: 45,500 (1988) Organized labor: 90% of the government labor force
:Virgin Islands Government
Long-form name: Virgin Islands of the United States Type: organized, unincorporated territory of the US administered by the Office of Territorial and International Affairs, US Department of the Interior Capital: Charlotte Amalie Administrative divisions: none (territory of the US) Independence: none (territory of the US) Constitution: Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954 Legal system: based on US National holiday: Transfer Day (from Denmark to US), 31 March (1917) Executive branch: US president, popularly elected governor and lieutenant governor Legislative branch: unicameral Senate Judicial branch: US District Court handles civil matters over $50,000, felonies (persons 15 years of age and over), and federal cases; Territorial Court handles civil matters up to $50,000 small claims, juvenile, domestic, misdemeanors, and traffic cases Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President George BUSH (since 20 January 1989); Governor Alexander A. FARRELLY (since 5 January 1987); Lieutenant Governor Derek M. HODGE (since 5 January 1987) Political parties and leaders: Democratic Party, Marilyn STAPLETON; Independent Citizens' Movement (ICM), Virdin C. BROWN; Republican Party, Charlotte-Poole DAVIS Suffrage: universal at age 18 Elections: Governor: last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held November 1994); results - Governor Alexander FARRELLY (Democratic Party) 56.5% defeated Juan LUIS (independent) 38.5% Senate: last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (15 total) number of seats by party NA US House of Representatives: last held 6 November 1990 (next to be held 3 November 1992); results - Ron DE LUGO reelected as nonvoting delegate seats - (1 total); seat by party NA; note - the Virgin Islands elects one nonvoting representative to the US House of Representatives Member of: ECLAC (associate), IOC, applied for associate membership in OECS in February 1990 Diplomatic representation: none (territory of the US) Flag: white with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows an eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel
:Virgin Islands Economy
Overview: Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for more than 70% of GDP and 70% of employment. The manufacturing sector consists of textile, electronics, pharmaceutical, and watch assembly plants. The agricultural sector is small, most food being imported. International business and financial services are a small but growing component of the economy. The world's largest petroleum refinery is at Saint Croix. GDP: purchasing power equivalent - $1.2 billion, per capita $11,000; real growth rate NA% (1987) Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% Unemployment rate: 2.0% (1990) Budget: revenues $364.4 million; expenditures $364.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90) Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1988) commodities: refined petroleum products partners: US, Puerto Rico Imports: $3.7 billion (c.i.f., 1988) commodities: crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials partners: US, Puerto Rico External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate 12% Electricity: 358,000 kW capacity; 532 million kWh produced, 5,360 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics Agriculture: truck gardens, food crops (small scale), fruit, sorghum, Senepol cattle Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $42 million Currency: US currency is used Exchange rates: US currency is used Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
:Virgin Islands Communications
Highways: 856 km total Ports: Saint Croix - Christiansted, Frederiksted; Saint Thomas - Long Bay, Crown Bay, Red Hook; Saint John - Cruz Bay Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m; international airports on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix Telecommunications: 44,280 telephones; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 8 FM, 4 TV; modern system using fiber-optic cable, submarine cable, microwave radio, and satellite facilities; 98,000 radios; 63,000 TV (1988)
:Virgin Islands Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
:Wake Island Geography
Total area: 6.5 km2 Land area: 6.5 km2 Comparative area: about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 19.3 km Maritime claims: Contiguous zone: 12 nm Continental shelf: 200 m (depth) Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: claimed by the Republic of the Marshall Islands Climate: tropical Terrain: atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim; average elevation less than four meters Natural resources: none Land use: arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100% Environment: subject to occasional typhoons Note: strategic location 3,700 km west of Honolulu in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way between Hawaii and the Northern Mariana Islands; emergency landing location for transpacific flights
:Wake Island People
Population: no indigenous inhabitants; 381 temporary population (US Air Force personnel, civilian weather service personnel, and US and Thai contractors) (January 1992); note - population peaked about 1970 with over 1,600 persons during the Vietnam conflict
:Wake Island Government
Long-form name: none Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Air Force (under an agreement with the US Department of Interior) since 24 June 1972 Capital: none; administered from Washington, DC Flag: the US flag is used
:Wake Island Economy
Overview: Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be imported. Electricity: supplied by US military
:Wake Island Communications
Ports: none; because of the reefs, there are only two offshore anchorages for large ships Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m Telecommunications: underwater cables to Guam and through Midway to Honolulu; 1 Autovon circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS); Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio and television service provided by satellite; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV Note: formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used only by US military and some commercial cargo planes
:Wake Island Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
:Wallis and Futuna Geography
Total area: 274 km2 Land area: 274 km2; includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets Comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC Land boundaries: none Coastline: 129 km Maritime claims: Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm Territorial sea: 12 nm Disputes: none Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October) Terrain: volcanic origin; low hills Natural resources: negligible Land use: arable land 5%; permanent crops 20%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 75% Environment: both island groups have fringing reefs Note: located 4,600 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
:Wallis and Futuna People
Population: 17,095 (July 1992), growth rate 3.0% (1992) Birth rate: 27 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: 8 migrants/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 29 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 70 years male, 71 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 3.6 children born/woman (1992) Nationality: noun - Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders; adjective - Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander Ethnic divisions: almost entirely Polynesian Religions: largely Roman Catholic Languages: French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language) Literacy: 50% (male 50%, female 51%) at all ages can read and write (1969) Labor force: NA Organized labor: NA
:Wallis and Futuna Government