Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Vietnam
Vietnam: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 61.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Rural population in Vietnam, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Vietnam is 61.2%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.6% on the previous year and down 9.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Vietnam peaked at 84.7% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 61.2%, in 2025.
Vietnam ranks 42nd of 218 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Vietnam, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 84.7% | — |
| 1961 | 84.3% | -0.5% |
| 1962 | 83.9% | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 83.5% | -0.5% |
| 1964 | 83.1% | -0.5% |
| 1965 | 82.5% | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 81.6% | -1.0% |
| 1967 | 80.7% | -1.1% |
| 1968 | 79.9% | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 79.4% | -0.6% |
| 1970 | 79.3% | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 79.3% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 79.4% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 79.5% | +0.1% |
| 1974 | 79.5% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 79.5% | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 79.6% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 80.4% | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 80.8% | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 80.8% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 80.8% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 80.9% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 80.9% | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 80.9% | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 80.9% | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 80.9% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 80.9% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 80.9% | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 81.0% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 80.9% | -0.0% |
| 1990 | 80.8% | -0.1% |
| 1991 | 80.6% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 80.2% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 79.7% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 79.1% | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 78.5% | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 77.9% | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 77.3% | -0.8% |
| 1998 | 76.7% | -0.8% |
| 1999 | 76.2% | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 75.6% | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 75.1% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 74.4% | -0.8% |
| 2003 | 73.8% | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 73.2% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 72.6% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 72.0% | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 71.4% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 70.8% | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 70.2% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 69.7% | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 69.3% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 68.9% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 68.5% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 68.1% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 67.6% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 67.2% | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 66.6% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 66.1% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 65.4% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 64.4% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 63.3% | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 62.5% | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 61.9% | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 61.5% | -0.6% |
| 2025 | 61.2% | -0.6% |
Vietnam compared with similar countries
- Vietnam's 61.2% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 34.6%, 1.8× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Vietnam's 61.2% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 34.6%, 1.8× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 82.4% | 79.4% | 84.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 79.8% | 79.3% | 80.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 80.9% | 80.8% | 81.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 78.7% | 76.2% | 80.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 72.9% | 70.2% | 75.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 67.7% | 65.4% | 69.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.5% | 61.2% | 64.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Vietnam
More agriculture & rural data for Vietnam
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.2721 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1164 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.258 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.1228 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 4.6 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1164 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 589.88 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.0489 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Vietnam?
- Rural population in Vietnam was 61.2% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Vietnam?
- The highest recorded value was 84.7% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Vietnam?
- The lowest recorded value was 61.2% in 2025.
- How does Vietnam rank for rural population?
- Vietnam ranks 42nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Vietnam?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Vietnam data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.