Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Vietnam
Vietnam: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 38.8% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
38.8%
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
191st
of 238 countries
All-time high
38.8%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Vietnam, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Vietnam recorded 38.8% for do more people live in urban or rural areas? in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 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, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Vietnam peaked at 38.8% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
That places Vietnam 191st out of 238 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Vietnam, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.4% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 1.3% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 1.4% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 1.6% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 1.7% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 1.9% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 2.1% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 2.3% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 2.5% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 2.7% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 3.0% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 3.3% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 3.6% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 3.9% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 4.3% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 4.7% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 5.2% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 5.7% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 6.2% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 6.8% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 7.4% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 8.1% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 8.9% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 9.8% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 10.7% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 11.7% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 10.1% | -13.7% |
| 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)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Vietnam changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1.3% | 1 |
| 1710s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1720s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
| 1730s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1740s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1 |
| 1750s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 1760s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1 |
| 1770s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 1 |
| 1780s | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 1790s | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1 |
| 1800s | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.3% | 1 |
| 1810s | 3.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 1 |
| 1820s | 3.9% | 3.9% | 3.9% | 1 |
| 1830s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1 |
| 1840s | 4.7% | 4.7% | 4.7% | 1 |
| 1850s | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 1 |
| 1860s | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 1 |
| 1870s | 6.2% | 6.2% | 6.2% | 1 |
| 1880s | 6.8% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 1 |
| 1890s | 7.4% | 7.4% | 7.4% | 1 |
| 1900s | 8.1% | 8.1% | 8.1% | 1 |
| 1910s | 8.9% | 8.9% | 8.9% | 1 |
| 1920s | 9.8% | 9.8% | 9.8% | 1 |
| 1930s | 10.7% | 10.7% | 10.7% | 1 |
| 1940s | 11.7% | 11.7% | 11.7% | 1 |
| 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
- 188 Faroe Islands 39.6% compare
- 189 Pakistan 39.5% compare
- 190 Mauritius 39.0% compare
- 192 Guinea 38.5% compare
- 193 Saint Helena 37.2% compare
- 194 Mozambique 37.2% compare
More reference data data for Vietnam
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 16.73 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.89 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 16.73 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 12.35 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 18.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 23.56 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 93.83 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 10.27 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Vietnam?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Vietnam was 38.8% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Vietnam?
- The highest recorded value was 38.8% in 2025.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Vietnam?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Vietnam rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- Vietnam ranks 191st out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or rural areas? rising or falling in Vietnam?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Vietnam data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Do more people live in urban or rural areas?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 108 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.