DOCSLIB.ORG

Regional Welfare Disparities and Regional Economic Growth in Vietnam

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Regional Welfare Disparities and Regional Economic Growth in Vietnam Regional Welfare Disparities and Regional Economic Growth in Vietnam Promotor: Prof. Dr. W.J.M. Heijman Hoogleraar Regionale Economie, Leerstoelgroep Economie van Consumenten en Huishoudens Co-promotor: Dr. J.A.C. van Ophem Universitair Hoofddocent, Leerstoelgroep Economie van Consumenten en Huishoudens Promotiecommissie: Prof. Dr. Ir J.D. van der Ploeg (Wageningen Universiteit) Prof. Dr. H. Visser (Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam) Prof. Dr. A. Kuyvenhoven (Wageningen Universiteit) Prof. Dr. J. van Dijk (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen) Dit onderzoek is uitgevoerd binnen de “Mansholt Graduate School of Social Sciences” Regional Welfare Disparities and Regional Economic Growth in Vietnam Nguyen Huy Hoang Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor op gezag van de rector magnificus van Wageningen Universiteit prof. dr. M.J. Kropff, in het openbaar te verdedigen op dinsdag 17 maart 2009 des namiddags te vier uur in de Aula Nguyen Huy Hoang (2009) Regional Welfare Disparities and Regional Economic Growth in Vietnam Hoang, N.H. PhD thesis Wageningen University (2009). With ref. With summaries in English and Dutch. ISBN: 978-90-8585-319-0 Preface Of the past five years, since my arrival to Wageningen to start my PhD research, especially the first three and half years were not always a smooth sailing. I had to catch up to courses, construct empirical models and improve my English writing skills. Sometimes, finishing the thesis seemed far away. Apart from these problems, the PhD period has been an exciting one, with many opportunities to travel, talk to interesting people, make new friends, develop new skills and, above all, I have learnt a lot. Many times it was really nice and the job would not have been so pleasing without the interaction with people to whom I am very grateful. First of all, I need to show my great appreciation to my promoters Wim Heijman and Johan van Ophem, who have both been vast sources of inspiration and positive feedback. Wim and Johan, I thank you both very much for your hard work reading my chapters and giving me valuable suggestions and corrections, as well as the encouragement and enthusiasm you shared with me over the years, especially Johan, you only took the job one year ago, but the help you devoted to my work was huge and invaluable. I would also like to show my sincere gratitude to Henk Folmer for his cooperation as my promoter in the first four years of my research before Johan came to scene. Henk, thank you very much for the multidimensional approach to welfare inequality you introduced to me and the supervision you gave me initially. My special thanks go to all members of the Economics of Consumers and Households Group of Wageningen University. Most importantly, Annelies Coppelmans and Margaret van Wissen, who always helped me when I needed that. Other staff of the group: Gerrit Antonides and Pierre van Mouche. My former and current PhD colleagues and friends of the group: Judith Cornelisse, Masayo Igata, Muyeye Chambwera, Pius Odunga, Subrata Dutta, Hirut Bekele, Leonie Cramer and Romanus Dimoso. Thank you all for your company during the time I was there in the group. I have enjoyed the frequent discussions we had about every aspect during coffee breaks or whenever we gathered together. I am also grateful to Ms. Dinie Verbeek for her help making the thesis ready for printing. Thanks are also extended to my fellow doctoral colleagues from other departments of Wageningen University, my fellow doctoral Vietnamese in Wageningen University and many others who were with me during the time I was there. I have enjoyed the discussions we had and travels with you during our stay in Wageningen. I would also like to thank my colleagues in Vietnam: Nguyen Huy Thanh for your various formal administrative procedures, and Nguyen Van Ha, Nguyen Ngoc Lan, Vu Thi Van Anh, Le Phuong Hoa, Quang Thi Ngoc Huyen and Nguyen Thuong Huyen. You were always sources of fun to help easing my frustration and tension I faced during the time I was constructing and estimating empirical models for my thesis, and writing chapters. Thanks also go to Vu Tuan Anh from the National Institute of Economics for his cooperation and assistance. I would also like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support I have received from the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), Government of Vietnam. Many thanks also go to individuals (Pham Manh Hung and Le Anh Kiem) and institutions (Department of Socio-environment Statistics and Department of National Accounts of the General Statistics Office of Vietnam - GSO) that helped me during the data collection phase in Vietnam. Without your help, this thesis would not have been possible. V Last but not least, I am deeply indebted to my family and most beloved people. My daughter, Bao Phuong, and my son, Duc Nguyen, have been a source of inspiration for me during the PhD period. It seems to me that my late father has always followed my every step. My mother was always behind me. My wife has sacrificed a lot to help me looking after our children and taking care of our family when I was away, and she has been a huge source of support for me during the past five years. I am really grateful to her for all kinds of support and sacrifices. My brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces and my most beloved friend, Nguyen Trong Minh, who have always loved me and taken care of me and my children over the past years. This thesis is partly devoted to them. Once again, I thank you all! Nguyen Huy Hoang VI Table of Contents Chapter one Introduction ................................................................................................................1 1.1. The objectives of the study ................................................................................................1 1.2. The research questions of the study ..................................................................................4 1.3. The approaches of the study ..............................................................................................5 1.4. Outline of the study ...........................................................................................................6 Chapter two Macro Economic Reforms and Changes in Welfare in Vietnam ...........................9 2.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................9 2.2. Overview of the geography of Vietnam ..........................................................................11 2.3. Demographic characteristics of Vietnam: .......................................................................13 2.3.1. Population density ..................................................................................................13 2.3.2. Population characteristics .......................................................................................14 2.3.3. Education characteristics of the population ............................................................16 2.3.4. Household characteristics .......................................................................................19 2.4. A review of the economic development before doi moi: Period 1975-1985 ...................20 2.5. Economic reform under doi moi and its impacts on macroeconomic performance ........23 2.5.1. Economic reform under doi moi .............................................................................24 2.5.2. The consequences of economic reforms on macroeconomic performance ............27 2.6. Changes in people’s welfare ...........................................................................................30 2.7. Summary and conclusion ................................................................................................31 Chapter three Multidimensional methods to assess welfare inequality ....................................33 3.1. Introduction .....................................................................................................................33 3.2. A brief review of literature on multidimensional regional welfare inequality ................35 3.3. A method for measuring and analyzing multidimensional regional welfare inequality ..37 3.3.1. Theoretical approach to measurement of multidimensional inequality ..................37 3.3.2. Estimation models ..................................................................................................40 3.4. Method of data transformation ........................................................................................42 3.5. An overview of the estimation procedure .......................................................................43 3.6. Summary .........................................................................................................................45 VII Chapter four Healthcare Facilities and Health Status ................................................................47 4.1. Introduction .....................................................................................................................47 4.2. An overview of current structure of health services in Vietnam .....................................48 4.3. Health status and healthcare policy since 1975 ...............................................................51 4.3.1. Healthcare facilities and health status .....................................................................51 4.3.2. Spatial patterns in the distribution of healthcare facilities and health status ..........54 4.3.3. Overview of key reforms in health sector
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Developing West-Northern Provinces of Vietnam: Challenge to Integrate with GMS Market Via China-Laos-Vietnam Triangle Cooperation
    CHAPTER 7 Developing West-Northern Provinces of Vietnam: Challenge to Integrate with GMS Market via China-Laos-Vietnam Triangle Cooperation Phi Vinh Tuong This chapter should be cited as: Phi, Vinh Tuong, 2012. “Developing West-Northern Provinces of Vietnam: Challenge to Integrate with GMS Market via China-Laos-Vietnam Triangle Cooperation.” In Five Triangle Areas in The Greater Mekong Subregion, edited by Masami Ishida, BRC Research Report No.11, Bangkok Research Center, IDE-JETRO, Bangkok, Thailand. CHAPTER 7 DEVELOPING WEST-NORTHEN PROVINCES OF VIETNAM: CHALLENGE TO INTEGRATE WITH GMS MARKET VIA CHINA-LAOS-VIETNAM TRIANGLE COOPERATION Phi Vinh Tuong INTRODUCTION The economy of Vietnam has benefited from regional and world markets over the past 20 years of integration. Increasing trade promoted investment, job creation and poverty reduction, but the distribution of trade benefits was not equal across regions. Some remote and mountainous areas, such as the west-northern region of Vietnam, were left at the margin. Even though they are important to the development of Vietnam, providing energy for industrialization, the lack of resource allocation hinders infrastructure development and, therefore, reduces their chances of access to regional and world markets. The initiative of developing one of the northern triangles, which consists of three west-northern provinces of Vietnam, the northern provinces of Laos and a southern part of Yunnan Province in China (we call the northern triangle as CHLV Triangle hereafter), could be a new approach for this region’s development. Strengthening the cooperation and specialization among these provinces may increase the chances of exporting local products with higher value added to regional markets, including the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and south-western Chinese markets.
    [Show full text]
  • Road Infrastructure and Climate Change in Vietnam
    Sustainability 2015, 7, 5452-5470; doi:10.3390/su7055452 OPEN ACCESS sustainability ISSN 2071-1050 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability Article Road Infrastructure and Climate Change in Vietnam Paul S. Chinowsky 1,*, Amy E. Schweikert 1, Niko Strzepek 1 and Kenneth Strzepek 2 1 Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, and Climate and Civil Systems Laboratory, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0428, USA; E-Mails: [email protected] (A.E.S.); [email protected] (N.S.) 2 Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; E-Mail: [email protected] * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: [email protected] or [email protected]; Tel.: +1-303-735-1063; Fax: +1-888-875-2149. Academic Editor: Marc A. Rosen Received: 16 February 2015 / Accepted: 27 April 2015 / Published: 5 May 2015 Abstract: Climate change is a potential threat to Vietnam’s development as current and future infrastructure will be vulnerable to climate change impacts. This paper focuses on the physical asset of road infrastructure in Vietnam by evaluating the potential impact of changes from stressors, including: sea level rise, precipitation, temperature and flooding. Across 56 climate scenarios, the mean additional cost of maintaining the same road network through 2050 amount to US$10.5 billion. The potential scale of these impacts establishes climate change adaptation as an important component of planning and policy in the current and near future. Keywords: climate change; road infrastructure; stressor response functions; Vietnam JEL: O18, R42 Sustainability 2015, 7 5453 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Vietnam Business: Vietnam Development Report 2006 Report Business: Development Vietnam Vietnam Report No
    Report No. 34474-VNReport No. Vietnam 34474-VN Vietnam Development Business: Report 2006 Vietnam Business Vietnam Development Report 2006 Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized November 30, 2005 Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Unit East Asia and Pacific Region Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Document of the World Bank Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized IMF International Monetary Fund JBIC Japan Bank for International Cooperation JSB Joint Stock Bank JSC Joint Stock Company LDIF Local Development Investment Fund LEFASO Vietnam Leather and Footwear Association LUC Land-Use Right Certificate MARD Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development MDG Millennium Development Goal MOC Ministry of Construction MOET Ministry of Education and Training MOF Ministry of Finance MOH Ministry of Health MOHA Ministry of Home Affairs MOI Ministry of Industry MOLISA Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs MONRE Ministry ofNatural Resources and the Environment MOT Ministry of Transport MPDF Mekong Private Sector Development Facility MPI Ministry of Planning and Investment NBIC National Business Information Center NGO Non-Governmental Organization NOIP National Office for Intellectual Property NPL Non-Performing Loan NPV Net Present Value ODA Official Development Assistance OOG Office of Government OSS One-Stop Shop PCF People’s Credit Fund PCI Provincial Competitiveness Index PER-IFA Public Expenditure Review-Integrated
    [Show full text]
  • The Vietnam Press: the Unrealised Ambition
    Edith Cowan University Research Online ECU Publications Pre. 2011 1995 The Vietnam press: the unrealised ambition Frank Palmos Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworks Part of the Journalism Studies Commons Palmos, F. (1995). The Vietnam press: The unrealised ambition. Mount Lawley, Australia: The Centre for Asian Communication, Media and Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University. This Book is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworks/6774 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. A court may impose penalties and award damages in relation to offences and infringements relating to copyright material. Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material into digital or electronic form. Reporting Asia Series The Vietnam Press: The Unrealised Ambition Frank Palmos Centre for Asian Communication, Media and Cultural Studies Director and Series Editor - Dr. Brian Shoesmith Faculty of Arts Edith Cowan University Western Austi·alia © 1995 Reporting Asia Series Published by - The Centre for Asian Communication, Media and Cultural Studies. Director and Series Editor- Dr Brian Shoesmith Faculty of Arts Edith Cowan University 2 Bradford Street Mount Lawley Western Australia.
    [Show full text]
  • Viet Nam Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control VIET NAM COUNTRY REPORT
    Viet Nam Central Committee for Flood and Storm Control VIET NAM COUNTRY REPORT By: Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Dong, Director, Disaster Management Centre DEPARTMENT OF DYKE MANAGEMENT AND FLOOD AND STORM CONTROL CONTENTS 1. Flood and Typhoon Situation * 2. Damage caused by the storms and flood (up to 31 December 1998) * 3. Actions taken to Guide, to Respond to, and to Combat the Effects of the Floods and Storms * In 1998, Viet Nam suffered a number of severe disasters. Most notable were the serious summer drought and the severe flooding in Central Viet Nam which resulted from Tropical Storms Babs, Chip, Dawn, Faith, and Elvis, causing tremendous loss of life and property damage. In this report we will concentrate on the flood disaster that occurred in the Central and Central Highlands Provinces of Viet Nam. 1. Flood and Typhoon Situation From November to December 1998, Storms Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 struck the Central and Central Highlands Provinces of Vietnam in succession. The storms combined with a cold front from the North and high tides to cause heavy rain in coastal provinces from Quang Binh to Binh Thuan and in the Central Highlands. Average rainfall was measured at about 200 to 600 mm, while at A Luoi (in Thua Thien Hue), as well as at Tra My, Xuan Binh, and Tien Phuoc (in Quang Nam-Da Nang) rainfall averaged 800 to 1,200 mm. Rain over a large area raised the water levels on rivers from Quang Tri Province to Khanh Hoa Province above Alarm Level III (the highest Vietnamese flood-disaster Alarm Level designation).
    [Show full text]
  • Flood Control for the Red River [Vietnam]
    Total Disaster Risk Management - Good Practices - Chapter 3 Vietnam Flood Control for the Red River The Red River, the Delta and Floods The history of the development of Vietnamese civilizations is closely linked to the Red River (Hong River) Delta. As the second largest granary of Vietnam, the Delta holds a significant meaning in the life of the Vietnamese people. This is where approximately 15–20 % of Vietnam’s rice is produced. A population of 17 million now inhabits the 16,500-km2 area of the Red River Delta. The catchment area of the Red River is estimated at 169,000 km2, half of which lies in China. The Red River at Hanoi comprises three major tributary systems, the Da, Thao and Lo Rivers. The river is the source of various positive aspects for human life, such as water resources and rich alluvium (it is called the Red River as the large amount of alluvium it carries colors it red all year round). However, these go hand in hand with a much less expected occurrence: floods. Increased flash floods as a result of deforestation in the upstream parts of the Red River basin, and raised bed levels of the rivers due to the deposition of sediment, are causing higher flood levels, endangering the ever increasing socio-economic value of the capital. The land in low-lying areas of the river delta is protected against flooding by river dyke systems. According to official historical records, in 1108, King Ly Nhan Tong ordered the construction of the first dyke with solid foundations on a large scale aimed at protecting the capital of Thang Long (now Hanoi).
    [Show full text]
  • Overseas Environmental Measures of Japanese Companies(Vietnam )
    Chapter 1 Overview of Environmental Issues and Environmental Conservation Practices in Vietnam This chapter is divided into seven sections that provide basic information necessary for Japanese companies to implement effective environmental measures in Vietnam. Section 1 presents the outline of Vietnam and discusses its relations with Japan and Japanese companies, and Section 2 gives information about environmental problems in the country as they exist now. Section 3 explains the country's environmental policy, legislation, administrative structure, and other related matters. Sections 4 through 6 provide information about the scheme and content of the country's specific environmental regulations designed to deal with water pollution, air pollution, and industrial waste, which are the country's principal environmental challenges and at the same time the problems against which Japanese companies are required to take countermeasures. Finally, Section 7 describes the process of environmental impact assessment required to be performed prior to building industrial plants or other facilities. In addition, Appendix 1 in the references at the end of this report carries the whole text of the Law on Environmental Protection, which was put into effect in January 1994 and constitutes the basis for Vietnam's environmental policy. Appendices 2 through 4 contain excerpts of three pieces of environmental legislation that have a lot to do with Japanese companies doing business in Vietnam. 1 Section 1 Vietnam and Japanese Companies 3 Chapter 1 – Section 1 1. Increasingly Closer Japan-Vietnam Relations Centering in Economy The Socialist Republic of Vietnam (hereinafter called Vietnam), located in the eastern part of the Indochina, has a population of 77 million, the second largest in Southeast Asia after Indonesia.
    [Show full text]
  • C-PFES) a Feasibility Study Identifying Opportunities, Challenges, and Proposed Next Steps for Application of C-PFES in Vietnam
    CARBON PAYMENT FOR FOREST ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES (C-PFES) A Feasibility Study Identifying Opportunities, Challenges, and Proposed Next Steps for Application of C-PFES in Vietnam Prepared by the USAID Green Annamites Project in support of the Vietnam Forest Protection and Development Fund – March 2018 This study is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this study are the sole responsibility of ECODIT and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..........................................................................................................5 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................8 HISTORY OF PFES IN VIETNAM ................................................................................................................ 9 JUSTIFICATION FOR CARBON - PFES .......................................................................... 10 LEGISLATION AND POLICIES .................................................................................................................. 10 PFES SYSTEMS IN PLACE ............................................................................................................................ 11 STRENGTHENING THE PFES PROGRAM ............................................................................................. 11 FUNDING FOR NDC TARGETS - REDUCED
    [Show full text]
  • Responsive and Accountable Local Governance in Vietnam
    July 2019 / Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Kon Tum Responsive and Accountable Local RALG The Responsive and Accountable Governance in Vietnam Local Governance (RALG) project is a Belgium funded project implemented in three provinces of Vietnam: Nghe Context of citizen engagement and participation for An, Ha Tinh and Kon Tum, from 2017 development (literature review) to 2019. The project aimed to improve the local Growing dissatisfaction with the effectiveness of elections as the main channel for government responses to citizens’ citizen voice and engagement has led to increased reliance on other, perhaps more feedback and assessment of their interactive mechanisms of engagement, based on increased dialogue, collaboration performance. and participatory decision-making among various stakeholders within civil society and the state. The purpose of this note is to reflect on experiences and learn lessons for Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has argued strongly that citizen engagement is similar future projects. intrinsically valuable, as it represents a key component of human capability. For Sen, participating in one’s development through open and non-discriminatory processes, having a say without fear, and speaking up against perceived injustices and wrongs are fundamental freedoms that are integral to one’s wellbeing and quality of life 1. For others, citizen engagement is significant in terms of its instrumental value; it is seen as a means to achieve a variety of development goals – ranging from better poverty targeting, to improved public service delivery, to better and maintained infrastructure, to social cohesion, to improved government accountability. For example, having communities involved in the management and monitoring of services can help meeting those communities’ needs more effectively, and that local problems or gaps are more efficiently identified and dealt with.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Regional Linkage in Tourism Development of Vietnam Van Hoa
    Preprints (www.preprints.org) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 30 July 2018 doi:10.20944/preprints201807.0578.v1 Regional Linkage in Tourism Development of Vietnam Van Hoa Hoang, Manh Dung Tran, Thi Van Hoa Tran, Vu Hiep Hoang National Economics University, Vietnam Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel: +84 947 120 510 Abstract This study was conducted to investigate the status of regional linkage in tourism development in in the Midlands and Northern Mountains of Vietnam. The data was collected from a survey of 755 people, including officials from State management bodies in charge of tourism, officials and staffs at tourism resorts, tourism firms, tourism scientists and tourists. In addition, we conducted 10 group discussions, interviewed 30 State tourism agency officials and tourism firms in the Midland and Mountainous provinces of Vietnam. The results show that tourism development in Vietnam in general and the Northwest region in particular is extremely fragmented, not yet forming a regional linkage; Regional and national tourism development programs are just formalistic. The main cause of the situation is the limited regional integration policy in Vietnam, the lack of appropriate regional governance mechanisms and inactive participation of the private sector in regional integration. Based on the findings, we propose a tourism sector linkage model; besides, policy implications are given for fulfilling the linkage policy in the Midlands and Northern Mountains area. Keywords: Midlands and Northern Mountains, tourism linkage, Vietnam. 1. Introduction Since the 1990s, the Vietnamese Government has advocated regional economic development, employed “zoning plan” to promote regional coordination. In 2012-2013, the Government approved the master plan for socio-economic development for 6 regions up to 2020 including: i) the North Central and Central Coast; ii) the Central Highlands; iii) the Mekong River Delta; iv) the Southeast; v) the Red River Delta; and vi) in the Midlands and Northern Mountains.
    [Show full text]
  • Bộ Giáo Dục Và Đào
    EVALUATION OF COASTAL SANDY LAND IN THANH HOA PROVINCE FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT WITH CASE STUDY OF QUANG XUONG DISTRICT I n a u g u r a l d i s s e r t a t i o n zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades eines Doktors der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. nat.) der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald vorgelegt von Hao Huu Nguyen geboren am 02.03.1981 in Thanh Hoa, Vietnam Greifswald, 2017 i Dekan: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Werner Weitschies 1. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Reinhard Zölitz 2. Gutachter: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Ing Ralf Bill Tag der Promotion: 18th of October, 2017 ii Summary Quang Xuong is considered as one of the most developed districts in Thanh Hoa Province in terms of agricultural. The major purpose of this research is to find good places to suggest for annual crops production in the case study. Therefore, the assessment of land potential productivity, land suitability, and land cover/land use change in different periods is essential for making strategies of sustainable agricultural development as this will help land-users and land managers to discover the potential and limitations of the current existing land conditions to make appropriate policies and plans for future land use. Its results will provide basic information to make reasonable decisions for investments and rational reclamations of cultivated land before and after each crop season in order to meet the objectives of sustainable development in terms of economic efficiency, social acceptability, and environmental protection. The research site is located at latitudes 19034‘N - 19047‘N and at longitudes 105046‘E - 105053‘E.
    [Show full text]
  • The Use of Demographic Data in Vietnam1
    The use of demographic data in Vietnam1 Liem T. Nguyen2 & Duong B. Le3 Over the past two decades, various demographic surveys were carried out. General Statistics Office of Vietnam under supports of international organizations has collected several nationally representative data. Other Government and non-Government institutions have also collected various data. While those demographic data provide a good resource for policy making and planning, question of their use remained. This paper aims to gather major demographic data in Vietnam over the last two decades, assess their use, and raise recommendations for more effective use of this valuable resource. The results show that those demographic data were under-used: the number of studies using those data source is small and a large number of potential topics for analysis were ignored. Low awareness and accessibility to data, limited human capacity to exploit quantitative data, and lack of resources for in-depth analysis would have contributed to this low use of demographic data and they should be changed. Introduction The most recent Census of Vietnam showed that at the time of the April 1, 2009, the population of Vietnam has reached 85.8 million, making it the third most populous country in the Southeast Asia and the 13th of the world (CPHCSC, 2009). Over the 10 years between the 1999 and 2009 Censuses, the population of Vietnam has increased by 9.47 million people and the average annual growth rate was 1.2 percent. This is the lowest growth rate in the past 50 years and it indicates a great achievement of the Government to limit rapid population growth as it was found after the reunification.
    [Show full text]