rolonged wartime disruptions, corrupt and inept management, and the cost of the military occupation of Cambodia. Consequently, the Hanoi government was under tremendous pressure to address social problems such as urban unemployment, vocational training, homelessness, the care of orphans, war veterans, and the disabled, the control of epidemics, and the rehabilitation of drug addicts and prostitutes. These problems were complicated by rapid population growth, which tested the limits of the food supply and increased the need to import grains. In recent years the dependence on foreign grains has subsided and the overall quality of life has increased; however, Vietnam is still considered to be one of the poorest Asian nations, with a per capita income of US$200 per person.INFRASTRUCTURE 13Decades of war and under-investment have left much of Vietnams infrastructure in a run-down state. The situation is gradually improving as the government encourages foreign investment in infrastructure projects through special incentive plans and takes advantage of international aid programs. However, a rising budget deficit and a shortage of hard currency have kept Vietnam from making some of the desperately needed large-scale improvements.TransportationVietnams transportation system consists of about 105,000 km of roads, 2,600 km of railway, 19,500 km of navigable inland waterways, seven main ports, three international airports and additional number of smaller domestic airports.The roads, bridges and railways are in desperate need of investment, while the rail and road transport fleets are inadequate and mainly use antiquated equipment. The current system is unable to meet existing needs, let alone keep up with the dramatic rise in trade volumes, foreign investment and economic growth.TelecommunicationsVietnam has made great strides in upgrading its telecommunication systems, although much remains to be done. In recent years, Vietnam has invested US...
