Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Vietnam
Vietnam: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 38.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
38.8%
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
189th
of 236 countries
All-time high
38.8%
in 2025
All-time low
10.0%
in 1951
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Vietnam, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Vietnam stood at 38.8%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 19.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Vietnam peaked at 38.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 10.0%, in 1951.
That places Vietnam 189th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Vietnam, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 10.1% | — |
| 1951 | 10.0% | -0.9% |
| 1952 | 10.2% | +1.6% |
| 1953 | 10.5% | +2.7% |
| 1954 | 10.8% | +3.3% |
| 1955 | 11.3% | +4.2% |
| 1956 | 12.0% | +6.2% |
| 1957 | 12.9% | +7.7% |
| 1958 | 13.8% | +7.4% |
| 1959 | 14.7% | +6.1% |
| 1960 | 15.3% | +4.0% |
| 1961 | 15.7% | +3.0% |
| 1962 | 16.1% | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 16.5% | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 16.9% | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 17.5% | +3.5% |
| 1966 | 18.4% | +4.7% |
| 1967 | 19.3% | +5.1% |
| 1968 | 20.1% | +4.3% |
| 1969 | 20.6% | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 20.7% | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 20.7% | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 20.6% | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 20.5% | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 20.5% | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 20.6% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 20.4% | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 19.6% | -3.9% |
| 1978 | 19.2% | -2.0% |
| 1979 | 19.2% | -0.3% |
| 1980 | 19.2% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 19.1% | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 19.1% | -0.1% |
| 1983 | 19.1% | -0.1% |
| 1984 | 19.1% | -0.1% |
| 1985 | 19.1% | -0.1% |
| 1986 | 19.1% | -0.1% |
| 1987 | 19.1% | -0.0% |
| 1988 | 19.0% | -0.0% |
| 1989 | 19.1% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 19.2% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 19.4% | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 19.8% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 20.3% | +2.4% |
| 1994 | 20.9% | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 21.5% | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 22.1% | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 22.7% | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 23.3% | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 23.8% | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 24.4% | +2.3% |
| 2001 | 24.9% | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 25.6% | +2.4% |
| 2003 | 26.2% | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 26.8% | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 27.4% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 28.0% | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 28.6% | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 29.2% | +2.0% |
| 2009 | 29.8% | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 30.3% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 30.7% | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 31.1% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 31.5% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 31.9% | +1.3% |
| 2015 | 32.4% | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 32.8% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 33.4% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 33.9% | +1.7% |
| 2019 | 34.6% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 35.6% | +2.7% |
| 2021 | 36.7% | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 37.5% | +2.4% |
| 2023 | 38.1% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 38.5% | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 38.8% | +0.9% |
Vietnam compared with similar countries
- Vietnam's 38.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 65.5%, 59% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Vietnam's 38.8% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 59% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 11.6% | 10.0% | 14.7% | 10 |
| 1960s | 17.6% | 15.3% | 20.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 20.2% | 19.2% | 20.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.1% | 19.0% | 19.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 21.3% | 19.2% | 23.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.1% | 24.4% | 29.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 32.3% | 30.3% | 34.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 37.5% | 35.6% | 38.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Vietnam
- 186 Faroe Islands 39.6% compare
- 187 Pakistan 39.5% compare
- 188 Mauritius 39.0% compare
- 190 Guinea 38.5% compare
- 191 Saint Helena 37.2% compare
- 192 Mozambique 37.2% compare
More population data for Vietnam
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.4775 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5387 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.4983 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5387 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.5% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.95 million people (2100)
- Population density 292.59 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.531 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.6117 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Vietnam?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Vietnam was 38.8% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Vietnam?
- The highest recorded value was 38.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Vietnam?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.0% in 1951.
- How does Vietnam rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Vietnam ranks 189th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Vietnam?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Vietnam data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.