2020 Edition

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 US combat forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973.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.

Area

land

310,070 sq km

total

331,210 sq km

water

21,140 sq km

Area - comparative

about three times the size of Tennessee; slightly larger than New Mexico

Climate

tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (May to September) and warm, dry season (October to March)

Coastline

3,444 km (excludes islands)

Elevation

highest point

Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

lowest point

South China Sea 0 m

mean elevation

398 m

Geographic coordinates

16 10 N, 107 50 E

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)

Land boundaries

border countries

Cambodia 1,158 km; China 1,297 km; Laos 2,161 km

total

4,616 km

Land use

agricultural land

39.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 21.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 15.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 2% (2023 est.)

forest

47% (2023 est.)

other

13.7% (2023 est.)

Location

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China Sea, as well as China, Laos, and Cambodia

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)

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta

Natural resources

antimony, phosphates, coal, manganese, rare earth elements, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and gas deposits, timber, hydropower, arable land

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

Terrain

low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest

Age structure

0-14 years

23.2% (male 12,953,719/female 11,579,690)

15-64 years

68.5% (male 36,591,845/female 35,887,201)

65 years and over

8.3% (2024 est.) (male 3,563,611/female 5,182,909)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.18 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

3.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

14.58 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

1.9% (2021)

women married by age 15

1.1% (2021)

women married by age 18

14.6% (2021)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

9.7% (2023 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

72.8% (2021 est.)

Death rate

5.81 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

12.8 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

7.8 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

46.4 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

33.6 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 97.2% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 98% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 99.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 2.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.9% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

2.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

15.4% national budget (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

Kinh (Viet) 85.3%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.9%, Muong 1.5%, Khmer 1.4%, Mong 1.4%, Nung 1.1%, other 5.5% (2019 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.96 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

4.6% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

10.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.6 beds/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

13.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

14.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

13.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Vietnamese (official); English (often as a second language); some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain-area languages (including Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

major-language sample(s)

Dữ kiện thế giới, là nguồn thông tin cơ bản không thể thiếu. (Vietnamese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.9 years

male

73.5 years

total population

76.1 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

95.1% (2022 est.)

male

97.2% (2022 est.)

total population

96.1% (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.)

Median age

female

34.2 years

male

32 years

total

33.5 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Vietnamese

noun

Vietnamese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

2.1% (2016)

Physician density

1.11 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Population

female

53,090,385

male

53,597,784

total

106,688,169 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.86% (2025 est.)

Religions

Catholic 6.1%, Buddhist 5.8%, Protestant 1%, other 0.8%, none 86.3% (2019 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 90.9% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 94.4% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 9.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 5.6% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2022 est.)

male

15 years (2022 est.)

total

14 years (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

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

at birth

1.1 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

2.1% (2025 est.)

male

43.1% (2025 est.)

total

22% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.01 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.7% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

39.5% of total population (2023)

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)

Capital

etymology

the name means "inside the river," from the Vietnamese words ha (river) and noi (inside), and refers to its location in a bend of the Red River

geographic coordinates

21 02 N, 105 51 E

name

Hanoi (Ha Noi)

time difference

UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

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

history

several previous; latest adopted 28 November 2013, effective 1 January 2014

Country name

abbreviation

SRV

conventional long form

Socialist Republic of Vietnam

conventional short form

Vietnam

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

former

Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam), Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam)

local long form

Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam

local short form

Viet Nam

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Marc KNAPPER (since 11 February 2022)

consulate(s) general

Ho Chi Minh City

email address and website

ACShanoi@state.gov https://vn.usembassy.gov/

embassy

7 Lang Ha Street, Hanoi

FAX

[84] (24) 3850-5010

mailing address

4550 Hanoi Place, Washington, DC 20521-4550

telephone

[84] (24) 3850-5000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036

chief of mission

Ambassador Nguyen Quoc DZUNG (since 19 April 2022)

consulate(s)

New York

consulate(s) general

Houston, San Francisco

email address and website

vanphong@vietnamembassy.us http://vietnamembassy-usa.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 861-0917

telephone

[1] (202) 861-0737

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet proposed by the prime minister, confirmed by the National Assembly, and appointed by the president

chief of state

President Luong CUONG (since 21 Oct 2024)

election/appointment process

president indirectly elected by the National Assembly from among its members for a single 5-year term; prime minister recommended by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly

head of government

Prime Minister Pham Minh CHINH (since 26 July 2021)

Flag

description: red field with a five-pointed yellow star in the center meaning: red stands for revolution and blood, and the five-pointed star for the five elements of the populace -- peasants, workers, intellectuals, traders, and soldiers -- that unite to build socialism

Government type

communist party-led state

Independence

2 September 1945 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (2024)

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

Legal system

civil law system with European influences

Legislative branch

electoral system

plurality/majority

expected date of next election

March 2026

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

National Assembly (Quoc-Hoi)

most recent election date

5/23/2021

number of seats

500 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Communist Party (485); Other (14)

percentage of women in chamber

31.4%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted as the national anthem of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945; it became the national anthem of the unified Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1976; only the first verse is used as the official anthem

lyrics/music

Nguyen Van CAO

title

"Tien quan ca" (The Song of the Marching Troops)

National color(s)

red, yellow

National heritage

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)

total World Heritage Sites

9 (6 cultural, 2 natural, 1 mixed)

National holiday

Independence Day (National Day), 2 September (1945)

National symbol(s)

five-pointed yellow star on a red field, lotus blossom

Political parties

Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

rice, vegetables, sugarcane, cassava, maize, pork, fruits, bananas, coconuts, coffee (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

1.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

34.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$83.707 billion (2022 est.)

revenues

$68.818 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

$1.402 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$25.793 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$28.047 billion (2024 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023

$34.426 billion (2023 est.)

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

Exchange rates

Currency

dong (VND) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

23,208.368 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

23,159.783 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

23,271.212 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

23,787.319 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

24,164.886 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$385.241 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$374.986 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$429.383 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

broadcasting equipment, garments, integrated circuits, machine parts, footwear (2023)

Exports - partners

USA 28%, China 20%, Japan 6%, Hong Kong 4%, Germany 3% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

86.5% (2023 est.)

government consumption

8.8% (2023 est.)

household consumption

54.3% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-78.4% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

30.1% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

1.5% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

11.9% (2024 est.)

industry

37.6% (2024 est.)

services

42.4% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$476.388 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2022

36.1 (2022 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

28.1% (2022 est.)

lowest 10%

2.6% (2022 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$369.746 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$339.785 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$398.672 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment, fabric, plastics, telephones (2023)

Imports - partners

China 49%, Singapore 6%, Japan 6%, Hong Kong 5%, Taiwan 4% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

8.2% (2024 est.)

Industries

food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building; mining, coal, steel; cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, mobile phones

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

3.2% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

3.3% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

3.6% (2024 est.)

Labor force

57.133 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

4.3% (2022 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2017

58.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.294 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.359 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.456 trillion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

8.5% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

5.1% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

7.1% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$13,000 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$13,500 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$14,400 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

3.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

3.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

3.2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$86.54 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$92.238 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$83.082 billion (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

1.6% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

1.7% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

1.5% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

6.6% (2024 est.)

male

7% (2024 est.)

total

6.8% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

96.099 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

815,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

43.637 million metric tons (2023 est.)

production

51.519 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

3.116 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

277.501 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

933.237 million kWh (2023 est.)

imports

3.106 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

85.725 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

18.197 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

50.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

34.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

9.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

4.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

40.263 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

7.48 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

7.48 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

699.426 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

4.4 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

544,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

187,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

23 (2023 est.)

total

22.8 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

state-controlled broadcast media, with oversight from the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC); state-controlled national TV provider, Vietnam Television (VTV), has several channels with regional broadcasting centers; law limits access to satellite TV, but many access foreign programming via home satellite equipment; state-controlled Voice of Vietnam, the national radio broadcaster, broadcasts on several channels and is repeated on AM, FM, and shortwave stations (2018)

Internet country code

.vn

Internet users

percent of population

78% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

2 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

2.316 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

128 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

129 million (2024 est.)

Airports

36 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

VN

Heliports

26 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 117, container ship 45, general cargo 1,176, oil tanker 134, other 501

total

1,973 (2022)

Ports

key ports

Da Nang, Hai Phong, Nghe Tinh, Nha Trang, Thanh Ho Chi Minh, Vinh Cam Ranh, Vung Tau

large

0

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

12

small

6

total ports

16 (2024)

very small

9

Railways

narrow gauge

2,169 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

standard gauge

178 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge; 253 km mixed gauge

total

2,600 km (2014)

Military - note

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)

Military and security forces

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)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 450,000 active-duty People's Army of Vietnam (2025)

Military deployments

200 Abyei/South Sudan/Sudan (UNISFA) (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

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)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

2.3% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

2.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

2.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.8% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

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)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

2,568 (2024 est.)

refugees

19 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

20,590 (2024 est.)

Key space-program milestones

1980 - first Vietnamese astronaut/cosmonaut into space on Soviet spacecraft 2008 - first telecommunications satellite (VINASAT-1) built by US company and launched on European rocket 2012 - first educational/scientific cube satellite (F-1) built jointly with and launched by Japan; second telecommunications satellite (VINASAT-2) built by US and launched on European rocket 2013 - first domestically built remote-sensing (RS)/technology-demonstrator cube satellite (PicoDragon) launched by Japan; first RS satellite (VNREDSat-1a or Vietnam Natural Resources, Environment, and Disaster Monitoring Satellite) launched on European rocket 2016 - signed an agreement with India to establish a satellite tracking and imaging center in Ho Chi Minh City in exchange for access to Indian RS imagery 2018 - completed National Space Center in Hanoi 2021 - announced a developmental roadmap for producing “Made in Vietnam” small satellites as part of a larger effort to increase space sciences and technology through 2030; signed an agreement with Japan to increase cooperation on space defense

Space agency/agencies

Vietnam National Space Center (VNSC; established 2011) (2025)

Space program overview

has a growing national space program focused on acquiring, operating, and exploiting satellites, as well as expanding domestic capabilities in satellites and associated sub-system production, space sciences, and technology applications; builds and operates communications and remote sensing satellites; conducting research and development on space science and applied space technologies, such as advanced optics and space data exploitation; has worked closely with Japan on its space program; has also established relationships with the space agencies or commercial space sectors of some European countries (such as France), India, and the US (2025)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

218.502 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

14.52 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

72.383 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

305.404 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

deforestation and soil degradation from logging and slash-and-burn agriculture; water pollution; overfishing; groundwater contamination limits potable water supply; air pollution

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

Dak Nong; Dong Van Karst Plateau; Lang Son; Non nuoc Cao Bang (2025)

total global geoparks and regional networks

4 (2025)

International environmental agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Methane emissions

agriculture

2,146.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

806.7 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

40.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

683.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

20.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

884.12 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

77.75 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

3.074 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

1.206 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

9.57 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

46% (2022 est.)