The small Southeast Asian country is taking giant strides towards a better economy
Vietnam has come a long way from the Socialist foundations that it built its modern economy on. 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Second Indochina War.
Destruction caused by the 1959-75 Vietnam War seriously strained Vietnam’s economy. The situation was worsened by the 1.5 million deaths and the exodus of 1 million refugees, including tens of thousands of professionals, intellectuals and skilled workers. The Vietnamese government budget for 1976 was $2.5 billion, while investments of $7.5 billion were planned for between 1976 and 1980.
But, for a small country, Vietnam sure knows how to get around.
(This story appears in the 06 November, 2009 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)