Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nguyen Minh TRIET (since 27 June 2006);
Vice President Truong My HOA (since 25 July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 27 June
2006); Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh HUNG (since 28 June 2006),
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia KHIEM (since 28 June 2006), and
Deputy Prime Minister Truong Vinh TRONG (since 28 June 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president based on proposal of prime
minister and confirmed by National Assembly
elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its
members for five-year term; election last held 27 June 2006; prime
minister appointed by the president from among the members of the
National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by the prime
minister; appointment of prime minister and deputy prime ministers
confirmed by National Assembly
election results: Nguyen Minh TRIET elected president; percent of
National Assembly vote - 94%; Nguyen Tan DUNG elected prime
minister; percent of National Assembly vote - 92%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Quoc Hoi (498 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held on 20 May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the
10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for
election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51
Judicial branch:
Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected for a five-year
term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president)
Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc MANH]; other parties
proscribed
Political pressure groups and leaders:
8406 Bloc; Democratic Party of Vietnam or DPV; People's Democratic
Party Vietnam or PDP-VN; Alliance for Democracy; groups advocate for
democracy, are not recognized by government (2006)
International organization participation:
ACCT (observer), APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Tam CHIEN
chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737
FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917
consulate(s) general: San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. MARINE embassy: 7 Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [84] (4) 772-1500 FAX: [84] (4) 772-1510 consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City
Flag description: red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center