SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2018

1. Gross Domestic Products (GDP) Growth

GDP in the first six months of 2018 achieved an estimated increase of 7.08% against the same period last year (GDP increased by 7.45% in the first Quarter and 6.79% in the second Quarter), this is the highest growth rate of six months since 2011[1].  In the increase rate of the whole economy, the sector of agriculture, forestry and fishery rose by 3.93%, contributed 9.7% to the general growth rate; the sector of industry and construction grew by 9.07%, contributed 48.9%; the service sector expanded by 6.90%, contributed 41.4%.

The sector of agriculture, forestry and fishery in six months of this year reached the highest increase in the period 2012-2018[2], of which the agriculture continued to show a clear recovery trend with a rise of 3.28%, contributing 0.45 percentage point to the growth rate of the total added value of the whole economy; the fishery achieved good results with an increase of 6.41%, also the highest growth rate in 8 years[3], contributing 0.21 percentage point; the forestry jumped up by 5.12%, higher than the growth rate of 4.31% in the same period last year but low propotion, contributing only 0.04 percentage point.

In the industrial and construction sector, the industry increased by 9.28%, much higher than the growth rate of 7.01% and  5.42% in the same period of 2016 and 2017 respectively, contributing 3.05 percentage points to the growth rate of the total added value of the entire economy. The highlight of this sector was the strong growth of the manufacturing with 13.02% (this is the highest growth rate in 7 years[4]), contributed 2.63 percentage points. Meanwhile, the mining and quarrying still reached the negative growth (down 1.3%), reduced  0.1 percentage point of the increase rate of the first six months of the year, but the decline rate narrowed considerably against the 7.8% decrease in the same period last year. The construction in the first half of the year maintained a relatively high growth rate of 7.93%, contributing 0.48 percentage point.

The service sector in the first six months of the year increased by 6.90%, the highest growth rate in 7 years[5]. In the service sector, the contribution of a number of industries with a large share to the overall growth rate as follows: Wholesale and retail sales increased by 8.21% over the same period last year, this was the industry with the highest growth rate in the service sector and the largest contribution to the growth rate of the total added value of the entire economy (0.86 percentage point); Financial, banking and insurance activities rose by 7.58%, contributing 0.35 percentage point; Accommodation and catering services grew by 7.02%, contributing 0.33 percentage point; Transportation and warehousing climbed by 7.67%, contributing 0.25 percentage point; Real estate business moved up by 4.12%, contributing 0.25 percentage point.

About economic structure in the first six months of this year, the sector of agriculture, forestry and fishery made up 14.15% of GDP; the sector of industry and construction accounted for 33.78%; the service sector represented 41.82%; the taxes less subsidies on production took 10.25% (the corresponding structure in the same period of 2017 was 15.06%; 32.75%; 41.82%; and 10.37%).

In terms of GDP use in the first half of the year, final consumption rose by 7.13% from the similar period in 2017; accumulated assets grew by 7.06%; export of goods and services increased by 15.72%; import of goods and services grew by 14.83%.

+ Gross Domestic Products in the first six months of 2018

2. Production of agriculture, forestry and fishery

a) Agriculture

Production of agriculture in the first six months of 2018 was quite good. The whole country’s cultivated area of winter-spring rice this year reached 3102.2 thousand hectares (ha), equalling 99.5% compared with the same period last year, of which localities in the North gained 1127.6 thousand ha, equalling 98.5%; Southern localities achieved 1974.6 thousand ha, equalling 100.1%. According to the preliminary report, the whole country’s winter-spring rice productivity was estimated to gain 6620 kilograms per ha, a rise of 390 kilograms per ha compared with the same crop last year; the yield reached 20.5 million tons, up 1.1 million tons.

As of mid-June, localities over the country sowed 1891.1 thousand ha of summer-autumn rice, equalling 98.3% of the area in the same period last year. So far 190.6 thousand ha of early summer-autumn rice in the Mekong Delta have been harvested, equalling 52.6% of the similar period in 2017.

As of above time, provinces nationwide cultivated 552.4 thousand ha of maize, equalling 94.4% of the same period last year; 81.1 thousand ha of sweet potato, equalling 88.5%; 32 thousand ha of soya, equalling 85.6%; 144.1 thousand ha of peanut, equalling 96.5%; 722.3 thousand hectares of vegetables, equalling 103.5%.

The production of several perennial crops increased compared with the identical period last year. Tea reached 472.3 thousand tons, up 3.7%; cashew gained 255.9 thousand tons, up 30%; pepper achieved 263.6 thousand tons, up 6.5%. The production of fruits reached the fairly good level: Grape gained 15.7 thousand tons, an increase of 4.8% against the same period in 2017; mango gained 479.1 thousand tons, an increase of 6.9%.

As of June, the country’s flock of buffaloes reduced by 1% compared with the same period last year; flock of oxen increased by 2.2%; flock of poultry climbed by 5.2%; flock of pigs fell by 3%. Output of buffalo meat live-weight for slaughter in the first six months of the year reached 50.8 thousand tons, increasing by 1.2% over the similar period last year; output of beef live-weight reached 185.4 thousand tons, growing by 2.8%; output of pork live-weight for slaughter gained 2.2 million tons, decreasing by 1%; output of poultry live-weight achieved 608.4 thousand tons, moving up by 6.1%; eggs reached 6.3 billion pieces, increasing by 11.3%; fresh milk gained 470 thousand tons, increasing by 8.1%. As of June 27, 2018, epidemic diseases in cattle and poultry no longer occurred nationwide.

+ Agricultural production as of June 15, 2018
+ Production of winter-spring crop in 2018
+ Cultivated area, productivity and yield of winter-spring rice in 2018 by localities

b) Forestry

The concentrated planted forest area in six months was estimated to reach 101.6 thousand ha, up 2.4% compared with the same period last year; the number of separate planted trees gained 36.7 million trees, a rise of 0.1%; firewood production gained 13.1 million steres, a decline of 1.7%; wood production achieved 5444 thousand m3, a rise of 9.1%; of which most of them are planted wood ready for exploitation.

In the first six months of 2018, the whole country had 555 ha of damaged forest, down 36.6% against the same period last year, of which the burnt forest area was 158.5 ha, a decrease of 55.3%; the destroyed forest area was 396.5 ha, a decrease of 23.9%.

+ Outcome of forestry production

c) Fishery

Fishing production in the first six months of the year was estimated to reach 3561.1 thousand tons, moving up by 5.7% over the same period last year, of which fish gained 2676.8 thousand tons, up 5.7%; shrimp reached 370.4 thousand tons, up 9.5%; other aquatic products achieved 513.9 thousand tons, up 2.7%.

Production of aquaculture in six months gained 1793.5 thousand tons, rising by 6.4% from the similar period last year, of which fish reached 1310.2 thousand tons, up 6.1%; shrimp gained 292.6 thousand tons, up 11.2%; other aquatic products achieved 190.7 thousand tons, up 1.7%. Pangasius farming area in the first half of the year was estimated at 14.3 thousand ha, a rise of 6.8% over the similar period last year; production of pangasius reached 603.1 thousand tons, an increase of 8.1%. Production of giant tiger prawn in six months was estimated to reach 106.3 thousand tons, an increase of 5.9% compared to the same period in 2017; whiteleg shrimp had good production with 151.9 thousand tons, an increase of 14.5%.

Production of fishery caught in the first six months of the year reached an estimate of 1767.6 thousand tons, rising by 5% against the same period last year, of which fish gained 1366.6 thousand tons, increasing by 5.4%; shrimp achieved 77.8 thousand tons, climbing by 3.6%; other aquatic products achieved 323.2 thousand tons, increasing by 3.3%. Production of sea catching achieved 1684.7 thousand tons, growing by 5.2% (fish gained 1310.2 thousand tons, a rise of 5.7%; shrimp recorded 71.4 thousand tons, an increase of 3.3%).

+ Fishing production

3. Industry

Generally, in the first half of 2018, the index of industrial production (IIP) for the whole industry increased by 10.5% over the similar period last year, higher than the growth rate of 7% in the same period in 2017[6]. Of which, the manufacturing continued to to be the spotlight for the growth of the overall industry with the increase rate of 12.7%, contributing 9.7 percentage points to the general growth; the power generation and distribution grew by 10.4%, contributing 0.9 percentage point; the water supply and waste treatment increased by 6.7%, contributing 0.1 percentage point; only the mining and quarrying dropped by 1.3% (mainly due to the 5.7% decrease of crude oil and natural gas exploitation), reducing 0.2 percentage point.

Consumption index of the whole manufacturing in the first months of 2018 increased by 11.09% over the identical period last year (it grew by 8.4% in the same period in 2017). Inventory index of the entire manufacturing as of June 30, 2018 was estimated to jump up by 11.4% from the same period last year (it went up by 10.4% in the same period in 2017); average inventory rate in six months was 63.4%, the lowest inventory rate in the last years[7].

+ Industrial Production Index
+ Main industrial products
+Consumption and stock indexes of the manufacturing
+ Labor employed index (LEI) for industrial enterprises

4. Operation of enterprises

a) Business registration situation [8]

In the first six months of this year, the whole country had 64531 enterprises registered for new establishment with a total registered capital of 649 trillion dongs, an increase of 5.3% in the number of enterprise and 8.9% rise in the registered capital compared with the same period in 2017. Average registered capital per newly establishedenterprise reached 10.1 billion dongs, up 3.4%. If including 1192.2 trillion dongs of additionally registered capital of the enterprises which changed to raise the capital, the total registered capital added to the economy in six months of 2018 was 1841.2 trillion dongs. In addition, there were 16449 enterprises returning to operation, an increase of 7% over the similar period last year, bringing the total number of newly registered enterprises and re-operated enterprises in six months to nearly 81 thousand enterprises. Total number of registered laborers of newly established enterprises in six months was 508.5 thousand people, a decrease of 18.9% against the same period last year.

The number of temporarily ceased enterprises in the first half of 2018 was 52803 ones, an increase of 39.3% against the identical period last year, including 17984 enterprises registered for time-limited temporary cessation of business, rising by 25.1% and 34819 enterprises temporarily suspended operation without registering or waiting for dissolution, increasing by 48%[9]. The number of enterprises which finished the procedure for dissolution in the first six months of 2018 was 6629 ones, an increase of 21.8% from the same period last year, of which there were 6053 enterprises with capital size of less than 10 billion dongs, accounting for 91.3% and growing by 20.6%.

+ Number of newly registered enterprises by kinds of activity
+ Number of re-operated enterprises by kinds of activity
+ Number of enterprises temporarily ceased operations by kinds of activity

b) Business trends of enterprises

Survey results on business trends of enterprises in the manufacturing industry in the second Quarter of 2018 showed that: 45% of enterprises rated their business performance in the second Quarter of this year better than the previous quarter; 17.4% of enterprises pointed to difficulties and 37.6% of enterprises said that their business and production situation was stable. Expected the third Quarter compared with the second Quarter of this year, 52.5% of enterprises rated the trend would be improved; 11.5% of enterprises forecasted more difficulties and 36% of businesses thought that the business and production situation would be stable.

5. Service activities

Total estimated retail sales of consumer goods and services in the first half of the year reached 2120.9 trillion dongs, up 10.7% over the similar period last year, if excluding the price factor, the growth rate was 8.3% (higher than the increase of 7.9% in the same period in 2017). By kinds of economic activity, retail sales of goods in the first six months of this year gained an estimate of 1597.4 trillion dongs, accounting for 75.3% of the total and increasing by 11.3% from the same period last year; Sales of accommodation and catering services attained 260.9 trillion dongs, accounting for 12.3% of the total and rising by 9.6%; Sales of travelling achieved 19.6 trillion dongs, taking 0.9% of the total and increasing by 19.5%; Sales of other services achieved 243 trillion dongs, holding 11.5% of the total and growing by 7.3%.

Passenger carriage in the first six months of the year reached 2262.4 million passengers, up 9.9% over the same period last year and 100.2 billion passengers-kilometres, up 10.6%. Cargo carriage achieved 796.2 million tons, up 9.3% compared with the identical period last year and 147.9 billion tons-kilometres, up 6.6%.

Telecommunication sales in the first half of 2018 were estimated to gain 188.3 trillion dongs, an increase of 5.1% from the similar period last year. As of the end of June 2018, the total number of telephone subscribers was estimated to achieve 126.9 million subscribers, an increase of 0.3% over the similar period last year, of which mobile phone subscribers reached 119.4 million ones, corresponding to the figure in the same period last year; the number of fixed broadband Internet subscribers was estimated to be 12.6 million subscribers, an increase of 25.4%.

International visitors to Vietnam in the first six months of 2018 was estimated to reach 7891.5 thousand arrivals, a rise of 27.2% compared with the same period last year, of which visitors coming by airway gained 6369.6 thousand arrivals, moving up by 22.2%; by road: 1348.2 thousand arrivals, rising by 63.7%; by seaway: 173.7 thousand arrivals, a rise of 1.7%. In the first half of this year, visitors from Asia reached 6067.2 thousand of arrivals, up 32.7% over the identical period last year (of which ones from China reached 2568.8 thousand arrivals, up 36.1%; ones from South Korea gained 1713.6 thousand arrivals, up 60.7%); visitors from Europe reached an estimate of 1087.5 thousand arrivals, up 11%; visitors from the America reached 493 thousand arrivals, increasing by 13.5%; visitors from Australia gained 223.1 thousand arrivals, increasing by 10%; visitors from Africa achieved 20.8 thousand arrivals, a growth of 22.2%.

+ Total retail sales of consumer goods and services
+ Carriage of passengers and cargos
+ International visitors to Vietnam

6. Banking and insurance operations

As of June 20, 2018, the total payment means increased by 7.96% over the end of 2017 (it  grew by 5.69% in the same period last year); capital mobilization of credit organizations grew by 7.78% (it increased by 5.89% in the same period last year); credit growth of the economy in the first six months of 2018 reached 6.35% (it put up by 7.54% in the corresponding period last year).

Current mobilizing interest rates were relatively stable. Lending interest rates were commonly at 6-9% p.a for short term loans (For the group of customers with transparent financial situation, short term lending interest rates were at 4-5% p.a.); 9-11% p.a for medium and long term loans.

Insurance market in the first six months of the year maintained the positive growth. Insurance premium revenues of the whole market in the first half of 2018 were estimated to increase by 23% compared with the same period in 2017, of which life insurance premium revenues rose by 32%; non-life insurance premium revenues grew by 13%.

7. Development investment

Total realized social investment capital in the first half of 2018 at current prices was estimated at 747.6 trillion dongs, up 10.1% over the identical period last year and equalling 32.9% of GDP, of which the State sector’s capital gained 249.8 trillion dongs, accounting for 33.4% of the total capital and increasing by 3.3% from the same period last year; the non-State sector’s capital obtained 308.4 trillion dongs, taking 41.3% and growing by 17.5%; the FDI sector’s capital attained 189.4 trillion dongs, representing 25.3% and moving up by 8.5%.

In the investment capital of the State sector, total realized investment capital under the State budget in the first six months of 2018 reached an estimate of 124.2 trillion dongs, equalling 36% of the annual plan and increasing by 9.4% against the similar period last year (it equalled 36.9% of the yearly plan and grew by 6.1% in the similar period in 2017), of which the capital under central management obtained 22.8 trillion dongs, equalling 34.6% of the annual plan and decreasing by 7.6% compared with the same period last year; the capital under local management achieved 101.4 trillion dongs, equalling 36.3% of the annual plan and increasing by 14.1%.

From the beginning of the year to June 20, 2018, FDI attracted 1366 newly licensed projects with the total registered capital of US$ 11799.8 million, up 15.5% in the number of projects and down 0.3% in the registered capital against the similar period in 2017. Besides, there were 507 turns of license-granted projects from previous years registered to adjust investment capital with the additional capital of US$ 4434.2 million, down 13.8% from the same period last year. Thus, the total of newly registered capital and additional capital in six months reached US$ 16234 million, down 4.4% from 2017’s same period. Realized FDI capital in the first half of 2018 was estimated at US$ 8.37 billion, increasing by 8.4% over the identical period in 2017.  In the first six months of 2018, there were 2749 turns of capital contribution and share purchase of foreign investors with a total capital contribution of US$ 4.1 billion, a growth of 82.4% against the same period in 2017, of which 390 turns of capital contribution and share purchase increased the charter capital of enterprises with the contributed capital of US$ 1.4 billion and 2359 turns of foreign investors bought back domestic shares without increasing charter capital with the value of US$ 2.7 billion.

Vietnam’s direct investment abroad in the first six months of this year had 67 projects newly granted the Outward Investment Registration Certificate with Vietnam’s total investment capital of US$ 222.5 million; 16 capital adjustment projects with additional capital of US$ 40.6 million. Generally, Vietnam’s total offshore investment capital (newly granted and additional capital) in the first half of 2018 gained US$ 263.1 million, of which the field of finance and banking reached US$ 106.2 million, accounting for 40.4% of the total investment capital; the field of agriculture, forestry and fishery reached US$ 63.7 million, holding 24.2%; the field of manufacturing achieved US$ 48.9 million, representing 18.6%. In six months, there were 27 countries and territories receiving Vietnam’s investment, of which the leading was Laos, accounting for 31.9% of the total investment capital; followed by Slovakia with 13.7%; Cambodia with 12.3%.

+ Realized social investment capital at current prices
+ Realized investment capital under the State budget
+ Licensed FDI projects from January 01 to June 20, 2018

8. Government revenues and expenditures

Total government revenues from the beginning of the year to June 15, 2018 achieved an estimate of 582.1 trillion dongs, equalling 44.1% of the annual estimate, of which domestic revenues reached 462.7 trillion dongs, equalling 42.1%; collecting from crude oil achieved 27 trillion dongs, equalling 75.1%; from export-import balance gained 92 trillion dongs, equalling 51.4%.

Total government expenditures from the beginning of the year to June 15, 2018 was estimated at 586 trillion dongs, equalling 38.5% of the yearly estimate, of which regular expenditures were 416 trillion dongs, equalling 44.2%; expenditure on interest payment achieved 55.9 trillion dongs, equalling  49.7%; expenditure on development investment  only equalled 27.8% of the annual estimate, corresponding to 111.1 trillion dongs.

9. Exports and imports of goods, services

a) Exports of goods

Export turnover of goods in the first six months of 2018 was estimated to reach US$ 113.93 billion, up 16% from the same period lin 2017, of which the domestic economic sector achieved US$ 33.07 billion, up 19.9%; the FDI sector (including crude oil) gained US$ 80.86 billion (accounting for 71% of the total export turnovers), a 14.5% rise. If excluding the price factor, export turnover of goods in the first six months of the year increased by 15.2% over the similar period in 2017.

b) Imports of goods

Import turnover of goods in the first half of 2018 reached an estimate of US$ 111.22 billion, moving up by 10% from the same period last year, of which the domestic economic sector gained US$ 46.01 billion, climbing by 12.9%; the FDI sector achieved US$ 65.21 billion, jumping up by 8.1%. If excluding the price factor, import turnover of goods in six months grew by 8.9% compared with the similar period in 2017.

In the first half of the year, Vietnam had trade surplus of US$ 2.71 billion, of which the domestic economic sector had trade deficit of US$ 12.94 billion; the FDI sector (including crude oil) had trade suplus of US$ 15.65 billion.

c) Export and import of services

Service export turnover in the first half of 2018 were estimated to reach US$ 7.5 billion, up 16.4% compared with the same period in 2017, of which travel service exports gained US$ 5.2 billion (accounting for 69.1% of the total export turnovers), up 18.9%; transportation service exports achieved US$ 1.4 billion (accounting for 18.7%), increasing by 11.8%. Estimated service import turnover in six months reached US$ 8.8 billion, up 6.5% over the similar period last year, of which transportation service imports gained US$ 4.2 billion (accounting for 47.4% of the total import turnovers), up 7.5%; travel service imports attained US$ 2.7 billion (making up 31%), rising by 9.4%. Trade deficit of services in six months was US$ 1.3 billion, equalling 18% of the service export turnovers.
 
+ Exports
+ Imports

10. Price indexes

a) Consumer price indexes (CPI)

Average CPI in the first six months of 2018 increased by 3.29% compared with the same period in 2017. CPI in June 2018 grew by 2.22% over December 2017 and by 4.67% against the similar period last year.

Core inflation in June 2018 increased by 0.1% over the previous month and went up by 1.37% from the same period last year. Average core inflation in the first six months of 2018 rose by 1.35% compared with the corresponding period in 2017.

b) Gold price index and US dollar index

Gold price index in June 2018 reduced by 0.79% over the previous month; increased by 2.08% from December 2017 and grew by 3.6% against the similar period last year. The US dollar price index in June 2018 increased by 0.2% over the previous month; by 0.46% against December 2017 and by 0.52% from the corresponding period in 2017.

c) Producer price indexes (PPI) and merchandize export-import price indexes

PPI for materials, fuels used for production in the first half of 2018 increased by 4.43% compared with the same period last year. PPI for agriculture, forestry and fishery dropped by 0.37%; PPI for industry grew by 2.83% ; PPI for services moved up by 2.74% ; Transportation and warehouse charge index increased by 3.16%.

Merchandize export price index in the first six months of the year increased by 0.71% over the same period in 2017; Merchandize import price index jumped up by 1.08%. Merchandize term of trade in six months of this year fell by 0.37% against the similar period in 2017.

+ Consumer price indexes, gold, US dollar price indexes and core inflation in June, 2018
+ Producer Price Indexes
+ Price index of materials, fuels used for production
+ Transport and Warehouse Charge Index
+ Merchandize export price index
+ Merchandize import price index
+ Commodity term of trade

11. Population, labor and employment

The country’s average population in 2018 was estimated to be 94.66 million persons, of which urban population was 33.63 million persons, accounting for 35.5%; rural population was 61.03 million persons, holding 64.5%; male population was 46.75 million persons, taking 49.4%; female population was 47.91 million persons, making up 50.6%.

The labor force aged 15 years and above nationwide as of July 01, 2018 was estimated to be 55.1 million persons, expanding 594 thousand persons compared with the same period in 2017. As of above time, labor force within working age was estimated at 48.4 million persons, an increase of 539.8 thousand persons compared with the similar period last year.

The unemployment rate of labourers within working age in the second Quarter of 2018 was estimated at 2.2%, equivalent to the figure in the first quarter of 2018.  Generally, in the first six months of 2018, the unemployment rate of labourers within working age was estimated to be 2.2%, of which this rate in urban and rural areas were 3.12% and 1.74% respectively.

The underemployment rate of working-age laborers in the first Quarter of 2018 was 1.52%; and estimated at 1.50% in the second quarter. Generally, in the first half of this year, the underemployment rate of working-age labourers, of which it was 0.64% for the urban area; 1.95% for the rural area.

12. People’s life and social security

Generally, in the first six months of 2018, the whole country had 94 thousand households suffering from food shortage, a decrease of 39.6% from the same period last year, corresponding to 373.9 thousand persons suffering from food shortage, a decline of 41.5%. To overcome this problem, from the beginning of the year, all administrative levels, sectors and organizations from central to local level supported difficult households with 6.9 thousand tons of food.

Social security work was paid attention. According to the preliminary report, the total gifts awarded to policy beneficiary objects, people with merit, social protection beneficiaries in the first six months of the year were 3.6 trillion dongs. In addition, 21.7 million health insurance cards, free health care books/cards were donated to policy beneficiaries in the whole country.

13. Education and training

In the school-year 2017-2018, the whole country had 15241 kindergaten schools, an increase of 378 ones against the previous school-year; 28710 schools of general education, a decrease of 81 ones, including 14937 primary schools, a decline of 115 ones; 10091 lower secondary schools, a drop of 64 ones; 2398 upper secondary schools, an increase of 7 ones; 848 primary and lower secondary schools, an increase of 75 ones; and 436 lower and upper secondary schools, an increase of 16 ones. Number of kindergarten teachers was 266.3 thousand persons, rising by 6.2% compared to that in the previous school-year; number of direct teaching teachers in general education was 853 thousand persons, decreasing by 0.7%, including 396.6 thousand primary teachers, falling by 0.1%; 306.1 thousand lower secondary teachers, decreasing by 1.6% and 150.3 thousand upper secondary teachers, reducing by 0.3%. There were 4.6 million children in kindergartens, rising by 4.3% compared to the previous school-year; 15.9 million pupils of general education, increasing by 2.6%, which included 8 million pupils in primary schools, an increase of 3.1%; 5.4 million pupils in lower secondary schools, an increase of 2.6% and 2.5 million of pupils in upper secondary schools, an increase of 1.3%.

The national high school 2018 exam had 925.8 thousand candidates registered, of which 688.5 thousand candidates registered for admission to universities, accounting for 74.4% of the total number of candidates registered to compete.

In the school year 2017-2018, there were 235 universities nationwide, which included 170 public universities and 65 non-puplic universities. Number of university lecturers was 75 thousand persons, increasing by 3% compared to that in the previous school year; Number of students in universities was 1.7 million persons, decreasing by 4.1%

The whole country had more than 3000 vocational training establishments, of which 388 occupational colleges; 513 occupational intermediate schools and 939 occupational training centers. In the first six months of the year, vocational training establishments nationwide enrolled nearly 1.1 million students, reaching 48% of the annual plan.

14. Epidemic diseases and food poisoning

In the first six months of this year, the whole country had nearly 16.8 thousand cases of hand, foot, mouth disease; 22.8 thousand cases of hemorrhagic fever (5 cases died); 291 cases of typhoid; 333 cases of virus encephalitis (5 cases died); 18 cases of meningococcal disease; 230 cases of whooping cough; 53 human cases of streptococcus suis infection (5 cases died); and 35 cases died of rabies.

Total number of alive HIV-infected persons over the country as of June 18, 2018 was 208.8 thousand persons and 91.6 thousand cases turned to AIDS. The number of persons died of HIV/AIDS nationwide as of above time-point was 97.5 thousand persons.

Generally, in the first six months of the year, there were 44 cases of severe food poisoning in the whole country, making 1207 persons poisoned, of which 7 cases died.

15. Culture and sports

Cultural activities in the first six months of the year focused on celebrating the big holidays, major events of the country. The mass sports movement took place ebulliently in various localities with many diversified activities such as folk games, traditional sports, the Olympic Run Day for all People’s Health 2018; implementation of the Safe Swimming and Child Drowning Prevention Program in 2018.

High-performance sports in the first months of the year achieved impressive results. Generally, in the first six months of 2018, the Vietnamese sports delegation won 172 gold medals, 114 silver medals and 88 bronze medals in international competitions, of which there were 16 gold medals, 21 silver medals and 21 bronze medals at world level.

16. Traffic accidents

Generally, in the first six months of 2018, 8999 traffic accidents occurred nationwide, including 4644 traffic accidents of less serious or more and 4355 traffic crashes, making 4103 persons died, 2465 ones injured and 4562 ones slightly injured. Compared with the same period last year, the number of traffic accidents in the first six months of this year decreased by 6.2% (the number of traffic accidents from less serious and over went down by 3.2%, the number of traffic crashes fell by 9.2%); Number of dead moved down by 0.7%; the number of injured people increased by 3.3% and the number of minor injuries reduced by 17.8%. On an average, each day in six months, the whole country had 49 traffic accidents, including 25 traffic accidents of less serious or more and 24 traffic crashes, making 23 persons died, 14 ones injured and 25 ones slightly injured.

17. Damages caused by natural calamity, environment protection, fire and explosion prevention

According to the preliminary report from localities, natural calamity in the first six months[10] made 33 persons died and lost, 47 persons injured; 15 thousand houses collapsed and damaged; nearly 11 thousand ha of rice and crops damaged. Total value of damage was estimated at over 808 billion dongs. Notably, heavy rains, flash floods and landslides occurred in the northern mountainous region on June 22-26 made 15 persons died, 11 persons lost, 7 persons injured; more than 1500 houses collapsed, damaged, swept away and flooded; 1200 ha of rice and crops damaged; 5500 heads of cattle and poultry died; many national highway lines, provincial roads landslided causing traffic jam. Estimated damage was over 140 billion.

In the first half of 2018, 7691 cases of violating regulations of environment protection were found over the country, of which 7178 cases were treated with total fine of 98 billion dongs.

In the first six months of the year, the whole country had 2091 cases of fire and explosion, killing 67 persons and injuring 169 others, the value of damage was estimated at over 1200 billion dongs.

GENERAL STATISTICS OFFICE

[1] GDP growth in the first 6 months of a number of years was as follows: an increase of 5.92% in 2011; 4.93% rise in 2012; 4.90% increase in 2013; 5.22% growth in 2014; a rise of 6.32% in 2015; 5.65% increase in 2016; 5.83% increase in 2017; a growth of 7.08% in 2018.

[2] The growth rate of added value of the sector of agriculture, forestry and fishery in six months of a number of years was as follows: a rise of 3.13% in 2012; an increase of 2.06% in 2013; a growth of 2.90% in 2014; 2.22% increase in 2015; 0.18% rise in 2016; 2.75% growth in 2017; a rise of 3.93% in 2018.

[3] The growth rate of added value of the fishery sector in six months of years 2011-2018 was 3.40%; 4.85%; 2.34%; 5.89%; 3.30%; 1.25%; 5.08%; 6.41% respectively.

[4] The growth rate of added value of the manufacturing sector in six months of years 2012-2018 was 8.96%; 5.61%; 6.61%; 10%; 10.5%; 10.52%; 13.02% respectively.

[5] The growth rate of added value of the service sector in six months of years 2012-2018 was 6.11%; 6.13%; 5.82%; 5.86%; 6.47%; 6.89%; 6.90% respectively.

[6] In the first six months of 2017, the manufacturing increased by 9.7% compared with the same period of the previous year; the power generation and distribution increased by 9%; the water supply and waste treatment increased by 5.4%; the mining and quarrying reduced by 6.7%.

[7] Inventory rate in six months of the years 2015-2918 was 75.4%; 70%; 71.1% and 63.4% respectively.

[8] Source: National Business Registration Information System, Ministry of Planning and Investment.

[9] The number of enterprises temporarily suspended operation without registering or waiting for dissolution increased highly, one of reasons for this situation was that business registration offices over the country are reviewing, standardizing data, eliminating enterprises which have been no longer in operation for a long time.

[10] Excluding damage caused by heavy rain, flash floods and landslides in the northern mountainous provinces on June 22-26, 2018.