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  • Kirkeby Thurston posted an update 6 years, 2 months ago

    A lot of the Vietnamese population live in the rural areas though the proportion with the urban inhabitants are gradually increasing from 19.7% in 1990 to 26.0% in 2004. Vietnam’s largest city is Ho Chi Minh City (population 5.0 million) and Hanoi (population of 3.5 million) followed by Nai, Haiphong and Dac Lac.

    Household income in Ho Chi Minh City is practically 3 x the country’s average – town is the reason nearly half of all motorbikes in Vietnam. An estimated 20% of the population live under the poverty level and mainly from rural households. 10%-15% of the households are middle to high-income households while 65%-70% are lower-income households.

    INFRASTRUCTURE. Vietnam’s telecommunication systems lag behind many neighbouring countries in the region and so government puts great concentrate on its modernisation. Digital exchanges now associated with Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City and main lines have increased as the usage of mobile telephones continues to grow. The country’s road system stretches through the northern to southern tip of Vietnam. Southern and northern Vietnam are served by two airfields and two main sea ports serving international shipping.

    INTERNATIONAL TRADE. Vietnam’s major trading partners include the US, Japan, China, Australia, Germany, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and The philipines. Major exports include oil, seafood, rice, coffee, cashew nuts, rubber, tea, garments and shoes. Major imports include machineries and equipments, petroleum products, fertilisers, steel products, cotton, grains, cement and motorcycles.

    CONSUMER USAGE OF TECHNOLOGY. There was nearly 10.1 million telephones positioned in Vietnam and nearly 5.0 million cellphone subscribers in 2004. The government is putting considerable efforts to modernise and increase the country’s telecommunication system but nonetheless lags in comparison with Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. Computer penetration is low; estimates vary from 2% to 4% of people in 2004 with an estimated 5.8 million online users. The penetration of television is simply 20% and concentrated to homes in the towns and cities. Similarly, installing of refrigerators is targeted from the cities where 60% of the homes have refrigerators.

    RETAIL MARKET. Retail sales in Vietnam grew by 8%-12% annually from 2000 to 2004 because of increasing disposable income as a result of country’s strong economic growth. Vietnamese consumers spend two-thirds of their income on retail purchases amounting to US$16.3 billion in 2004. Traditional wet markets along with the "mom and pop" shops dominate the retail industry making up 95% with the total retail trade. Several retail shops measure only five square metres (54 feet square). Modern stores are limited but gradually emerging in the nation and customarily locally owned businesses concentrated in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

    FOOD CULTURE. Rice and noodles will be the staple food from the Vietnamese but taste preference differs by region. Foods in central Vietnam are spicier while foods in southern and northern Vietnam are less spicy and they are saltier. The Vietnamese often dip their foods with chilli, garlic or fish sauce to provide flavour. In france they colonialists introduced European style bread and bakeries into the Vietnamese food culture. Western style fastfood service establishments have started to emerge plus the traditional snack bars, cake shops and mobile food carts.

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