Fast facts about Vietnam
Start your journey with these essential and intriguing travel to Vietnam fast facts, designed to provide a foundation for understanding this fascinating destination at a glance.
Geography & Environment
- Official country name (long form): Socialist Republic of Vietnam
- S-Shape & Size: Vietnam stretches over 1,650 km from north to south in an S-shape, but is just 50 km wide at its narrowest, with a total area of 331,210 sq. km (slightly larger than New Mexico).
- Highest Peak: Fansipan (3,143 m) is the tallest mountain in Indochina.
- Mean elevation: 398 m
- Border countries: Cambodia, China, Laos
- Coastline: 3,444 km (excluding islands)
- Central Highlands: Accounts for about 16% of Vietnam's arable land and 22% of forests—an ecological and agricultural stronghold.
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites: 8, including Ha Long Bay (karst islands), Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (extensive caves), Hue Monuments (imperial city), Hoi An Ancient Town (historic port), My Son Sanctuary (Hindu temples), Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Citadel of the Ho Dynasty, and Trang An Landscape Complex (karst landscape and ancient settlements).
Population & People
- Population: 98,721,275 (July 2020 est.), 16th in the world
- Urbanization: About 36% live in cities; most people reside in the Red River Delta (north) and Mekong Delta (south)
- Ethnic Diversity: Predominantly Kinh, with 53 officially recognized ethnic minorities—unique local languages and traditional customs persist, especially in mountainous regions.
- Largest Cities: Ho Chi Minh City (~8 million), Hanoi, Da Nang, Hai Phong, and Can Tho all with populations over a million.
- Literacy rate: 95%
- Official language: Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt); English is increasingly common, and older generations may speak French.
Society & Culture
- Religions: Buddhist 7.9%, Catholic 6.6%, Hoa Hao 1.7%, Cao Dai 0.9%, Protestant 0.9%, Muslim 0.1%, none 81.8% (2009 est.). Temples are richly decorated and found everywhere—including caves and mountaintops.
- Major Festivals:
- Tết Nguyên Đán (Lunar New Year): The year's most important celebration full of bright decorations, family reunions, and ancestral offerings.
- Hùng Kings Temple Festival: Pays tribute to the mythic founders of Vietnam with vibrant pilgrimages and ceremonies.
- Wandering Souls Day: Families honor long-departed ancestors with offerings, prayers, and rituals.
- Lim Festival: Famous for traditional singing ("quan họ") and folk games.
- Gong Festival: Ethnic minority event—sacred gongs music performances in the Central Highlands, recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
- Family & Ancestor Worship: Central to daily life; most homes feature an altar with incense, fruits, and photos for honoring past generations.
- Cultural Quirk: Pale skin is traditionally favored as a symbol of status, influencing everyday attire and beauty routines.
- Lucky and Unlucky Numbers: The number 7 is considered unlucky; numbers 8 and 9 signify good fortune.
Economy & Exports
- Currency: Dong (VND)
- Among the world’s lowest-value currencies—1 USD ≈ 25,000 VND; denominations can be confusing due to similar colors (notably 20,000₫ and 500,000₫ notes).
- Coins are not used; all transactions are in banknotes, mostly polymer from mid-range values upward.
- Digital payments are growing but cash remains prevalent, especially for everyday transactions.
- Major Exports & Economic Specializations:
- Electronics: Electrical machinery and mobile phones—Vietnam is one of the world’s biggest producers (Samsung manufactures over half its global smartphones here).
- Textiles & Apparel: Over $40 billion in combined exports from a vast garment industry.
- Footwear: A global leader in shoe and sneaker manufacturing.
- Agriculture & Seafood: Coffee, seafood (especially fish and shrimp), tea, rice, and rubber—Vietnam is traditionally among the world's top coffee exporters.
- Furniture & Wood Products: One of Asia’s largest furniture exporters.
Essential Practical Fast Facts
- Government type: Communist state
- Plug type: 220V (types A, C, and D common)
- Time zone: UTC+7
- Driving: Motorbikes dominate the roads—over 45 million are registered, vastly outnumbering cars due to high vehicle taxes and urban density.
At Shanti Travel, our team’s expertise helps travelers decode these fast facts so you can navigate Vietnamese society, currency quirks, and local customs with ease, making your travel planning as seamless as possible.
Statistics from the CIA World Factbook and specialist travel insights as of 2024
