DEMOGRAPHICS
| 1997 | 1996 | 1995 | |
| Population (million people) | 76.7 | 75.4 | 73.9 |
| Population density (people/sq km) | 231.8 | 227.7 | 223.5 |
| Life expectancy (years) | 67 | 66 | 65 |
| Illiteracy rate (%) | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| Full-time university students | 125,340 | 103,995 | 70,032 |
| Budget for education (VNDbn) | 7,935 | 6,935 | 6,180 |
| Health care services budget (VNDbn) | 2,930 | 2,360 | 2,222 |
Source: VET Research
(C) Vietnam Economic Times - 1998