Vietnam is the 16th most populous country in the world
Vietnam’s Population in 2018
Following the estimations of the United Nations as of February 2025, Vietnam’s population is up to 101,598,527. Vietnam’s population accounts for 1.23% of the total world population.
Vietnam is the 15th populous country in the world while in terms of area ranking it’s the 65th position. That means the density of Vietnam’s population is considerably higher than the average number of people in the world (57 people per square kilometer). Vietnam’s population density is around 311 people per square kilometer of land area.
Also following these estimates, in 2025, the urban population is increasing and accounts for 41.4% of Vietnam’s population because of rapid urbanization.
One major problem in Vietnam’s population is the unevenness in gender. The sex ratio of Vietnam’s population is 0.979 (979 males / 1,000 females) higher than the global sex ratio. The global sex ratio in the world in 2017 is about 1,017 males per 1,000 females.
Other notable figures about Vietnam’s population
- The largest age group is 25-54, accounting for up to half the population.
- Around 10% of the population is under the poverty line.
- Life expectancy: 73.7 years
- Minorities: 54 ethnic groups
Major cities in Vietnam with a large population
Ho Chi Minh City
As of 2024, the population of Ho Chi Minh City is approximately 9.57 million people. Every year, a huge number of people emigrate to Ho Chi Minh City, which is the center of economics and culture, to study and begin their careers.
Hanoi
In 2024, the total population of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is estimated at 5.4 million people. This is an amazing number but what is more impressive is the density of this city. It is approximately 2,279 people living in a square kilometer.
Da Nang
Being a beautiful beach city in Vietnam, Da Nang is also known as one of the top 10 worth-living cities in the world (by Live and Invest Overseas magazine). The population of Da Nang is about 1.26 million people as calculated in 2024.
Summary of Vietnam’s population
There was a period in the past when Vietnam’s population was growing too rapidly, the annual population growth rate was up to 3-4% in 1926-1928. Thanks to the Government’s policy, this number has decreased and remained stable in recent years.