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.
