HANOI, January 2, 2004. (RIA Novosti correspondent Tkhu Khyong) - The economic growth in Vietnam in 2003 exceeded 7.2%. The growth of the industrial and agricultural sectors and sphere of financial services was estimated at 10.3%, 3.2% and 5.6% correspondingly. This was stated in the review of the social and economic development of the country, issued on Friday by Vietnamese authorities.
The growth of the GDP was estimated at 7.24% and became the record one within last 5 years. This figure is the highest in the South-Eastern Asia and on the second place in the whole Asia following China.
The Vietnamese export volume in 2003 was estimated at $20 bln and the import volume - at $25 bln. Thus, the foreign trade gap in Vietnam became the record one in the course of the last 15 years and exceeded $5 bln.
The Vietnamese GDP in 2003 was estimated at 605 trillions of dongs (approximately $40 bln).
According to the last year's data, the population of Vietnam is 80,6 mln people.
