According to the General Statistics Office (GSO)'s newly released 2024 mid-term population and housing census, Vietnam's population exceeded 101.1 million as of April 1, 2024.

Vietnam is the third most populous nation in Southeast Asia, just after Indonesia and the Philippines, and 16th globally. Over the past five years, since 2019, Vietnam's population increased by 4.9 million.

The population density in Vietnam is 305 people/km², an increase of 15 people/km² compared to 2019. Vietnam's density ranks third in Southeast Asia, after Singapore (8,539 people/km²) and the Philippines (386 people/km²).

The Red River Delta and Southeast region are the two most densely populated areas, with 1,126 and 814 people/km², respectively. The Northern Midlands and Mountainous Area and the Central Highlands have the lowest density rates, 140 and 114 people/km², respectively.

The Red River Delta is the largest population center with 24 million people, accounting for 23.7 percent of the total population of the country. Central Highlands is the least populated with 6.2 million people, accounting for 6.2 percent of the total population.

GSO in 2023 reported that Vietnamese life expectancy has increased sharply to 74.5 (77.2 for women and 72.1 for men).

The Vietnamese population began aging in 2011 and the aging rate has been more rapid than other countries. Vietnam is predicted to become a country with an aging population by 2036 and a super-aging society by 2049.

Population discrepancy

The average annual population growth rate in 2019-2024 is 0.99 percent, down 0.23 percentage points from 2014-2019 (1.22 percent).

In 2019-2024, the southeast region saw the highest average growth rate of 1.46 percent per annum, while Mekong Delta saw the lowest at 0.29 percent.

Nationally, 19 provinces have small populations, under 1 million; 37 provinces have between 1 and 2 million; and 7 provinces have over 2 million.

Hanoi and HCM City are the most populous cities in Vietnam, with over 8.68 million and 9.52 million people, respectively. The least populated region is Bac Kan, with 328,609 people. As such, the population difference between the most and the least populous areas is up to nearly 30 times.

Low urban birth rate

Vietnam's total fertility rate (TFR) in 2024 was 1.91 children per woman, below the replacement rate of 2.1 children. In 2009-2022, Vietnam's fertility rate remained stable around the replacement level for 15 years.

However, the last two years, 2023-2024, saw a notable decline, with the TFR dropping from 1.96 children per woman in 2023 to 1.91 in 2024.

The TFR was 1.67 per woman in urban areas, significantly lower than the rural TFR of 2.08. Significant difference in fertility rates exists across socio-economic regions.

The Northern Midlands and Mountainous Area, Red River Delta, and Central Highlands were the three regions with high fertility rate, with the replacement fertility rates of 2.34 and 2.24 children per woman, respectively. 

Two regions had low fertility rates and lower than replacement birth rates - the Southeast and Mekong Delta – with 1.48 and 1.62 children per woman, respectively.

Persistent gender imbalance at birth

GSO’s report highlights the ongoing gender imbalance at birth with a sex ratio of 111.4 boys per 100 girls, well above the natural balance of about 106 boys per 100 girls.

"This indicates a long-standing gender imbalance at birth in Vietnam," the office noted. Despite warnings about the implications of the imbalance and rigorous policies to eliminate deliberate gender selection practices, these efforts have yet to yield substantial results. The gender imbalance has not been effectively solved.

Prior to that, at the launching ceremony of the national action month on population in December 2024, Deputy Minister of Health Tran Van Thuan admitted the problem.

UNFPA Chief Representative in Vietnam Matt Jackson confirmed that deliberate gender selection practices are a big problem Vietnam is facing, which is the major reason behind gender imbalance at birth.

The representative said that inequality remains a challenge in Vietnam. The maternal mortality rate in remote and ethnic minority areas is 3-4 times higher than the nation’s average level. The unmet need for modern contraception among unmarried young people is 40 percent, or 4 times higher than that of married couples.

In addition, gender-based violence is still widespread, with nearly 2/3 (62.9 percent) of women having experienced at least one form of violence by a husband/partner during their lifetime.

Vo Thu