Vietnam aims for population of 88 million by 2010

Vietnam aims for its population to increase from its present 82.1 million to no more than 88 million by 2010, with each couple having two children at most, Vietnam News Agency reported Dec. 27. The plan is to reduce the population growth rate to 1.1% and the infant mortality rate to 25 per 1,000 births; and to increase the number of people using modern birth control methods to 70%. Vietnam’s population grew by 1.47% in 2003, and 1.44% in 2004. At this rate Vietnam will have 95 million people in 2015. (Xinhua, Dec. 27, Voice if Vietnam, Dec. 23, Tuoi Tre Dec. 22, Vietnam News Briefs Dec. 23).