Vietnam
Top Sights & Landmarks
Background
Vietnam's early history included periods of occupation by outside forces and eventual power consolidation under Vietnamese dynastic families. A succession of Han Chinese emperors ruled the area, which was centered on the Red River Valley, until approximately the 10th century. The Ly Dynasty (11th-13th century) created the first independent Vietnamese state, which was known as Dai Viet, and established their capital at Thang Long (Hanoi). Under the Tran Dynasty (13th-15th century), TRAN Hung Dao, one of Vietnam’s national heroes, led Dai Viet forces to fight off Mongol invaders in 1279. After a brief Chinese occupation in the early 1400s, Vietnamese resistance leader LE Thai To made himself emperor and established the Le Dynasty, which lasted until the late 18th century despite decades of political turmoil, civil war, and division. During this period, Dai Viet expanded southward to the Central Highlands and Mekong Delta, reaching the approximate boundaries of modern-day Vietnam by the 1750s. Dai Viet suffered additional civil war and division in the latter half of the 18th century, but it was reunited and renamed Vietnam under Emperor NGUYEN Phuc Anh (aka Gia Long) in 1802. France began its conquest of Vietnam in 1858 and made Vietnam part of French Indochina in 1887. Vietnam declared independence after World War II, but the French continued to rule until communist forces under Ho Chi MINH defeated them in 1954. Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into the communist North and anti-communist South. Fighting erupted between the two governments shortly afterwards with the North supporting communist rebels in the South and eventually committing thousands of combat troops. The US provided to the South significant economic and military assistance, including large numbers of US military forces, which reached a peak strength of over 500,000 troops in 1968. US combat forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese forces overran the South, reuniting the country under communist rule. The conflict, known as the Second Indochina War (1955-1975), devastated Vietnam, spilled over into the neighboring countries of Cambodia and Laos, and is estimated to have resulted in the deaths of up to 3 million Vietnamese civilians and soldiers. It also caused more than 58,000 US combat and non-combat deaths and created deep domestic divisions in the US. Despite the return of peace, the country experienced little economic growth for over a decade because of its diplomatic isolation, leadership policies, and the persecution and mass exodus of citizens, many of them successful South Vietnamese merchants. However, since the enactment of Vietnam's "doi moi" (renovation) policy in 1986, the economy has seen strong growth, particularly in agricultural and industrial production, construction, exports, foreign investment, and tourism. Nevertheless, the Communist Party maintains tight political and social control of the country, and Vietnam faces many related challenges, such as rising income inequality and corruption.
Location
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, as well as China, Laos, and Cambodia
Area
Elevation
Detailed Geography Information
Coastline
3,444 km (excludes islands)
Geography - note
note 1: extending 1,650 km (1,025 mi) north to south, the country is only 50 km (31 mi) across at its narrowest point note 2: Son Doong in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is the world's largest cave (greatest cross-sectional area) and is the largest known cave passage in the world by volume at 38.5 million cu m (about 1.35 billion cu ft); it connects to Thoong cave, but not yet officially -- when recognized, it will add an additional 1.6 million cu m; it is so massive that it contains its own jungle, underground river, and localized weather system, with clouds forming inside the cave and spewing from its exits
Irrigated land
46,000 sq km (2012)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Sông Tiên Giang (Mekong) river mouth (shared with China [s], Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia) - 4,350 km; Pearl river source (shared with China [m]) - 2,200 km; Red river mouth (shared with China [s]) - 1,149 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km)
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Natural hazards
occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta
Natural resources
Terrain
low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest
Population & Growth
Age Distribution
Demographic Longevity
Vital Dynamics
Detailed People & Society Information
Alcohol consumption per capita
3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
9.7% (2023 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
72.8% (2021 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 46.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 33.6 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 12.8 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 7.8 (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
2.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 15.4% national budget (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups
Gross reproduction rate
0.96 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
4.6% of GDP (2021) 10.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
Hospital bed density
2.6 beds/1,000 population (2017 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
Literacy
total population: 96.1% (2022 est.) male: 97.2% (2022 est.) female: 95.1% (2022 est.)
Major urban areas - population
9.321 million Ho Chi Minh City, 5.253 million HANOI (capital), 1.865 million Can Tho, 1.423 million Hai Phong, 1.221 million Da Nang, 1.111 million Bien Hoa (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
48 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Nationality
noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural) adjective: Vietnamese
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
2.1% (2016)
Physician density
1.11 physicians/1,000 population (2021)
Population distribution
though it has one of the highest population densities in the world, the population is not evenly dispersed; clustering is heaviest along the South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin, with the Mekong Delta (in the south) and the Red River Valley (in the north) having the largest concentrations of people
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Religions
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 14 years (2022 est.) male: 15 years (2022 est.) female: 14 years (2022 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
total: 22% (2025 est.) male: 43.1% (2025 est.) female: 2.1% (2025 est.)
Climate & Issues
tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March)
Land Cover
Air & Carbon Emissions
Water Resources & Use
Detailed Environmental Information
Geoparks
total global geoparks and regional networks: 4 (2025) global geoparks and regional networks: Dak Nong; Dong Van Karst Plateau; Lang Son; Non nuoc Cao Bang (2025)
International environmental agreements
Urbanization
urban population: 39.5% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 2.7% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 9.57 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 46% (2022 est.)
Capital & State Profile
Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
National Identity & Symbols
red field with a five-pointed yellow star in the center
Detailed Government Information
Administrative divisions
58 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thanh pho, singular and plural) provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai, Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Ha Nam, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong, Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Ha Noi (Hanoi), Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Vietnam dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Constitution
history: several previous; latest adopted 28 November 2013, effective 1 January 2014 amendment process: proposed by the president, by the National Assembly’s Standing Committee, or by at least two thirds of the National Assembly membership; a decision to draft an amendment requires approval by at least a two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership, followed by the formation of a constitutional drafting committee to write a draft and collect citizens’ opinions; passage requires at least two-thirds majority of the Assembly membership; the Assembly can opt to conduct a referendum
Country name
conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam conventional short form: Vietnam local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam local short form: Viet Nam former: Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) abbreviation: SRV etymology: the name translates as "Viet south;" Viet is an ethnic term of unknown origin that dates back to ancient times, and nam (south) refers to the country's location
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International organization participation
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme People's Court (consists of the chief justice and 13 judges) judge selection and term of office: chief justice elected by the National Assembly upon the recommendation of the president for a 5-year, renewable term; deputy chief justice appointed by the president from among the judges for a 5-year term; judges appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly for 5-year terms subordinate courts: High Courts (administrative, civil, criminal, economic, labor, family, juvenile); provincial courts; district courts; Military Court note: the National Assembly Standing Committee can establish special tribunals on the recommendation of the chief justice
Legal system
civil law system with European influences
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 9 (6 cultural, 2 natural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Complex of Hué Monuments (c); Ha Long Bay (n); Hoi An Ancient Town (c); My Son Sanctuary (c); Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (n); Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - Hanoi (c); Citadel of the Ho Dynasty (c); Trang An Landscape Complex (m); Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex of Monuments and Landscapes (c)
Political parties
Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV note: other parties banned
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economic Overview
lower middle-income socialist East Asian economy; rapid economic growth since Đổi Mới reforms; strong investment and productivity growth; tourism and manufacturing hub; TPP signatory; declining poverty aside from ethnic minorities; systemic corruption
Size & Performance
GDP Sector Breakdown
Trade Balance
Budget Balance
Export Profile
Top Export Partners
Major Export Commodities
Labor & Employment
Income Inequality
Family Income / Consumption Share
Detailed Economic Data
Agricultural products
Current account balance
$28.047 billion (2024 est.) $25.793 billion (2023 est.) $1.402 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Debt - external
$34.426 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
dong (VND) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 24,164.886 (2024 est.) 23,787.319 (2023 est.) 23,271.212 (2022 est.) 23,159.783 (2021 est.) 23,208.368 (2020 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
Industrial production growth rate
8.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.6% (2024 est.) 3.3% (2023 est.) 3.2% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Public debt
58.5% of GDP (2017 est.) note: official data; data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Remittances
3.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.5% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$83.082 billion (2024 est.) $92.238 billion (2023 est.) $86.54 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Grid Infrastructure
Generation Mix
Fossil Fuels Production
Intensity & Nuclear
Digital Access
Active internet users as a percentage of the total population.
Fixed Broadband
Mobile Cellular
Broadcast Media
Aviation
Railways
Ports & Harbors
Merchant Marine
Military Expenditures
Active Duty Strengths
approximately 450,000 active-duty People's Army of Vietnam (2025)
Service & Defense Details
People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; aka Vietnam People's Army, VPA): Ground Forces (Army), Navy (includes naval infantry), Air Defense - Air Force, Vietnam Border Guard, Vietnam Coast Guard Vietnam People's Ministry of Public Security; Vietnam Civil Defense Force (2025) note 1: the People's Public Security Ministry is responsible for internal security and controls the national police, a special national security investigative agency, and other internal security units, including specialized riot police regiments note 2: the Vietnam Coast Guard was established in 1998 as the Vietnam Marine Police and renamed in 2013; Vietnam established a civilian maritime self-defense force in 2010; the Vietnam Department of Fisheries Resources Surveillance (DFIRES; under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), established in 2013, is responsible for fisheries enforcement, aquatic conservation roles, and is designated as Vietnam's standing agency for combating illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing; it is armed, allowed to use force if necessary, and works in tandem with the Vietnam Coast Guard note 3: the PAVN is the military arm of the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and responsible to the Central Military Commission (CMC), the highest party organ on military policy; the CMC is led by the CPV General Secretary
200 Abyei/South Sudan/Sudan (UNISFA) (2025)
the PAVN is equipped largely with armaments from Russia and the former Soviet Union; in recent years, Vietnam has moved to diversify its arms suppliers and has acquired items from countries such as India, Israel, the Netherlands, South Korea, and the US; Vietnam has a small defense industry involved in the manufacture of small arms, ground combat vehicles, and naval systems (2025)
since withdrawing its military occupation forces from Cambodia in the late 1980s and the end of Soviet aid in 1991, Vietnam has practiced a non-aligned foreign policy and security doctrine known as the "Four Nos" (no alliances, no siding with one country against another, no foreign bases, and no using force in international relations); despite longstanding tensions with Beijing over maritime boundaries in the South China Sea, Vietnam puts a priority on stable relations with China, given its proximity, size, and status as Vietnam's largest trading partner the responsibilities of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) include protecting the country's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests, as well as assisting civilian authorities with natural disasters; in recent years, the PAVN has placed additional emphasis on protecting Vietnam's interests in the disputed South China Sea; the military is also involved in economic projects, such as electrical infrastructure, oil and gas services, hydroelectric projects, aviation and seaport services, telecommunications, and the shipbuilding industry, while military-owned factories and enterprises produce weapons and equipment (2025)
18-27 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service for men and women (in practice only men are drafted); service obligation is 24-36 months depending on the branch of service (including Coast Guard and Ministry of Public Security) (2025)
Space Agency
Vietnam National Space Center (VNSC; established 2011) (2025) note: the VNSC is under the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (VAST)