Exchange rates: new dong (D) per US$1—13,900 (December 1998), 11,100 (December 1996), 11,193 (1995 average), 11,000 (October 1994), 10,800 (November 1993), 8,100 (July 1991)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 800,000 (1995 est.)
Telephone system: while Vietnam's telecommunication sector lags
far behind other countries in Southeast Asia, Hanoi has made
considerable progress since 1991 in upgrading the system; Vietnam
has digitized all provincial switch boards, while fiber-optic and
microwave transmission systems have been extended from Hanoi, Da
Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City to all provinces; the density of
telephone receivers nationwide doubled from 1993 to 1995, but is
still far behind other countries in the region; Vietnam's
telecommunications strategy aims to increase telephone density to 30
per 1,000 inhabitants by the year 2000 and authorities estimate that
approximately $2.7 billion will be spent on telecommunications
upgrades through the end of the decade
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations—2 Intersputnik (Indian Ocean
region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM 228, shortwave 0
Radios: 7.215 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: NA
Televisions: 2.9 million (1992 est.)
Transportation