Vietnam

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 US combat forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973.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

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

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16 10 N, 107 50 E

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Southeast Asia

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

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3,444 km (excludes islands)

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

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

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

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46,000 sq km (2012)

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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<br><br><strong>note: </strong>[s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

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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

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

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<strong>note 1:</strong> extending 1,650 km (1,025 mi) north to south, the country is only 50 km (31 mi) across at its narrowest point <br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> 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<strong><br></strong>

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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.)

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<strong>note:</strong> 54 ethnic groups are recognized by the Vietnamese Government

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

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<strong>note:</strong> most Vietnamese are culturally Buddhist

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0.86% (2025 est.)

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

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

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

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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

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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)

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48 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

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2.01 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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0.96 (2025 est.)

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1.11 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

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

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2.1% (2016)

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9.7% (2023 est.)

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72.8% (2021 est.)

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

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

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20.9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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884.12 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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communist party-led state

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58 provinces (<em>tinh</em>, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (<em>thanh pho</em>, singular and plural) <br><br><strong>provinces:</strong> 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 <br><br><strong>municipalities:</strong> Can Tho, Da Nang, Ha Noi (Hanoi), Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

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civil law system with European influences

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

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18 years of age; universal

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<strong>note: </strong>in August 2024, To LAM was elected general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the country’s most powerful position

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<strong>note: </strong>the National Assembly Standing Committee can establish special tribunals on the recommendation of the chief justice

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Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV

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<strong>note:</strong> other parties banned

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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)

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2 September 1945 (from France)

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

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<strong>description:</strong> red field with a five-pointed yellow star in the center<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> 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

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

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red, yellow

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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

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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$476.388 billion (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

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

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<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

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8.2% (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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57.133 million (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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4.3% (2022 est.)

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<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

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<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

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<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

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<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

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<b>note:</b> central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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<strong>note:</strong> 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

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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

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<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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

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<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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

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<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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

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<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

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<strong>note:</strong> present value of external debt in current US dollars

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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&nbsp; (2018)

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.vn

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VN

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36 (2025)

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26 (2025)

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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<br><br>Vietnam People's Ministry of Public Security; Vietnam Civil Defense Force (2025)

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<strong>note 1:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>note 3:</strong> 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

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

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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)

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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)

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

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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<br><br>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)

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

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<strong>note:</strong> the VNSC is under the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (VAST)

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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)

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1980 - first Vietnamese astronaut/cosmonaut into space on Soviet spacecraft<br><br>2008 - first telecommunications satellite (VINASAT-1) built by US company and launched on European rocket<br><br>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<br><br>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<br><br>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<br><br>2018 - completed National Space Center in Hanoi<br><br>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