Vietnam (Socialist Republic of Vietnam)

Vietnam Socialist Republic of Vietnam
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	71st best
Capital	Hanoi
Land Area	310 070km21
Location	Asia
Population	95.5m2
Life Expectancy	73.62yrs (2017)3
GNI	$7 867 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	VN, VNM, 7045
Internet Domain	.vn6
Currency	Dong (VND)7
Telephone	+848

1. Overview
2. Vietnam National and Social Development
3. Vietnam's Demographics and Migration
4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. Vietnam's Health
   1. Health Datasets
   2. Children's Health Datasets
6. Vietnam's Responsibility Towards The Environment
7. Vietnam's Modernity and Learning
   1. Modernity Datasets
   2. Education Datasets
   3. Technology and Information Datasets
8. Vietnam's Culture, Peace and Inequality
   1. National Culture Datasets
   2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets
   3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets
9. Religion and Beliefs
10. Links

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1. Overview

#france #vietnam

“The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Vietnam declared independence after World War II, but France continued to rule until its 1954 defeat by communist forces under Ho Chi MINH. Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into the communist North and anti-communist South. US economic and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973.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. Despite the return of peace, for over a decade the country experienced little economic growth because of conservative leadership policies, the persecution and mass exodus of individuals - many of them successful South Vietnamese merchants - and growing international isolation. However, since the enactment of Vietnam's "doi moi" (renovation) policy in 1986, Vietnamese authorities have committed to increased economic liberalization and enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The communist leaders, however, maintain control on political expression and have resisted outside calls to improve human rights. The country continues to experience small-scale protests from various groups - the vast majority connected to land-use issues, calls for increased political space, and the lack of equitable mechanisms for resolving disputes. Various ethnic minorities, such as the Montagnards of the Central Highlands and the Khmer Krom in the southern delta region, have also held protests.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Astonishingly exotic and utterly compelling, Vietnam is a country of breathtaking natural beauty with an incredible heritage that quickly becomes addictive. Unforgettable experiences are everywhere in Vietnam. There´s the sublime: gazing over a surreal seascape of limestone islands from the deck of a Chinese junk in Halong Bay. The ridiculous: taking 10 minutes just to cross the street through a tsunami of motorbikes in Hanoi. The inspirational: exploring the world´s most spectacular cave systems in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. The comical: watching a moped loaded with honking pigs weave a wobbly route along a country lane. And the contemplative: witnessing a solitary grave in a cemetery of tens of thousands of war victims.

You´ll witness children riding buffalo, see the impossibly intricate textiles of hill-tribe communities and taste the super-fresh and subtle flavours of Vietnamese cuisine.

The nation is a budget traveller´s dream, with inexpensive transport, outstanding street food, good-value accommodation and bia hoi - perhaps the world´s cheapest beer.

This is a dynamic nation on the move. Prepare yourself for the ride of your life.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Vietnam National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Value11
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
112=	Gabon	0.706
112=	Lebanon	0.706
114	Indonesia	0.705
115	Vietnam	0.703
116	Philippines	0.699
117	Botswana	0.693
118=	Bolivia	0.692
118=	Kyrgyzstan	0.692
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $11
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
119	Bolivia	$8 111
120	Uzbekistan	$7 917
121	Cuba	$7 879
122	Vietnam	$7 867
123	Laos	$7 700
124	Swaziland	$7 679
125	Morocco	$7 303
126	Tonga	$6 822
	Asia Avg	$22 215
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index12
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank12
1	Denmark	26.9
2	Norway	29.1
3	Sweden	29.9
	...
68	Panama	80.2
69	Ecuador	80.7
70	Trinidad & Tobago	80.7
71	Vietnam	80.9
72	Colombia	81.1
73	Bosnia & Herzegovina	81.5
74	El Salvador	81.9
75	Turkey	82.6
	Asia Avg	92.0
	World Avg	89.0
q=200.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Vietnam's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population Datasets:

Vietnam's population is predicted to rise to 101.48 million by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.94. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1, once you take mortality into account₁₃. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₄

Population2
Pos.		2018 Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
12	Ethiopia	109.2m
13	Philippines	106.7m
14	Egypt	98.4m
15	Vietnam	95.5m
16	Congo, DR	84.1m
17	Germany	83.1m
18	Turkey	82.3m
19	Iran	81.8m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
75	Lithuania	73.7
76	Cuba	73.7
77	Ecuador	73.7
78	Vietnam	73.6
79	Latvia	73.6
80	Mauritius	73.6
81	Palestine	73.5
82	N. Korea	73.3
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best15
Pos.		202215
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
8	Sri Lanka	1.97
9	Faroe Islands	2.05
10	Bangladesh	1.95
11	Vietnam	1.94
12	Georgia	2.06
13	Tunisia	2.06
14	Lebanon	2.08
15	Kuwait	2.09
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better16
Pos.		2016 Per 10016
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
109	Panama	17.7
110	N. Korea	17.8
111	Turkey	18.0
112	Vietnam	18.3
113	Tunisia	18.6
114	Azerbaijan	18.7
115	Colombia	18.8
116	Antigua & Barbuda	19.0
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration Datasets:

Immigrants17
Pos.		2017 %17
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
188	N. Korea	0.2%
189	Sri Lanka	0.2%
190	Myanmar	0.1%
191	Madagascar	0.1%
192	Indonesia	0.1%
193	Cuba	0.1%
194	Vietnam	0.1%
195	China	0.1%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants18
Pos.		2010 %18
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
145	Costa Rica	2.7%
146	Rwanda	2.6%
147	Pakistan	2.5%
148	Vietnam	2.5%
149	Niger	2.4%
150	Argentina	2.4%
151	Cambodia	2.3%
152	Uganda	2.2%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#antisemitism #equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #tolerance #vietnam #vietnam_antisemitism

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	Sweden	7.8
2	Netherlands	8.7
3	Denmark	8.8
	...
117	Marshall Islands	102.9
118	Mali	102.9
119	Gabon	103.1
120	Vietnam	103.4
121	India	104.4
122	Mozambique	104.8
	Asia Avg	103.00
	World Avg	89.80
q=199.

Vietnam is very poor at ensuring human rights and freedom compared to the rest of the world, and it has cultural issues when it comes to tolerance and equality. Vietnam comes in the best 20 in its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice₂₀ (one of the lowest in Asia). It does better than average in combatting modern slavery₂₁ and in LGBT equality in the 2020s₂₂. However Vietnam performs less well in most areas. It does worse than average in terms of the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators)₂₃ (still good for Asia), commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₄ (still good for Asia), opposing gender inequality₂₅, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₂₆, its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₇, freethought₂₈ and in its average Freedom in the World rating. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in terms of supporting press freedom₂₉. Vietnam does not permit independent political parties, labor unions or human rights organizations₃₀. "Vietnam´s human rights situation seriously deteriorated in 2017. Police arrested at least 21 people for sweeping “national security” offenses that are used to punish critical speech and peaceful activism"₃₀. Police brutality, sometimes involves deaths in custody, remains a problem₃₀.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

• Human Rights and Freedom in Vietnam

5. Vietnam's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #vaccines #vietnam

Compared to Asia (2025)31
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank31
1	Japan	37.3
2	Singapore	41.1
3	S. Korea	50.5
	...
14	Kuwait	71.1
15	Qatar	76.6
16	UAE	77.5
17	Vietnam	77.7
18	Iran	81.3
19	Oman	82.5
20	Maldives	83.9
21	Russia	84.2
22	Armenia	86.5
	Asia Avg	80.90
q=50.

Health (2025)31
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank31
1	Monaco	10.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Japan	37.3
	...
61	Seychelles	77.4
62	UAE	77.5
63	Belarus	77.5
64	Vietnam	77.7
65	Macedonia	78.0
66	Barbados	78.3
67	Uruguay	80.1
68	Dominica	80.4
	World Avg	97.57
q=207.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and Japan₃₂. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are Angola, Somalia and S. Sudan₃₂.

42 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, obesity rate, its adolescent birth rate, delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 and childhood mortality. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Mediterranean₃₂, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₃₂.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

5.1. Health Datasets

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #smoking #vietnam

Vietnam does relatively well in encouraging good health, compared to many other countries. Vietnam does the second-best for the prevalence of overweight adults₃₃. It comes in the best 20 when it comes to its fertility rate₁₅. It does better than average for its average life expectancy₁₁ and in its adolescent birth rate₃₄ (but bad for Asia). Vietnam still has work to do. Vietnam does worse than average in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₅, its smoking rate₃₆, delivery rate of 7x Infant Immunizations 2011-2015₃₇, childhood mortality in the 2020s₃₈, its alcohol consumption rate₃₉ and in delivery rate of infant DTP immunizations in the 2020s₄₀. The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the last 40 years. Life expectancy in Vietnam improved by +4.9yrs in the 30 years from 1990, less than the global average of +7.9yrs. Vietnam is amongst only 41 countries who have seen their fertility rate drop by more than 4 since the 1960s. Its peak fertility rate was 6.39 in 1963.

Life Expectancy Higher is better11
Pos.		2021 Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
75	Lithuania	73.7
76	Cuba	73.7
77	Ecuador	73.7
78	Vietnam	73.6
79	Latvia	73.6
80	Mauritius	73.6
81	Palestine	73.5
82	N. Korea	73.3
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better39
Pos.		2016 Per Capita39
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
	...
126=	Ivory Coast	8.4
126=	Botswana	8.4
126=	Trinidad & Tobago	8.4
126=	Vietnam	8.4
130	Ukraine	8.6
131	Netherlands	8.7
132=	Croatia	8.9
132=	Cameroon	8.9
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best15
Pos.		202215
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
8	Sri Lanka	1.97
9	Faroe Islands	2.05
10	Bangladesh	1.95
11	Vietnam	1.94
12	Georgia	2.06
13	Tunisia	2.06
14	Lebanon	2.08
15	Kuwait	2.09
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.47
q=208. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

Smoking in the 2020s Lower is better36
Pos.		Total %36
1	Nigeria	3.3%
2	Ghana	3.4%
3	Panama	5.2%
	...
101	Finland	22.3%
102	Italy	22.5%
103	Samoa	22.6%
104	Vietnam	22.6%
105	Sweden	22.7%
106	Afghanistan	22.7%
107	Luxembourg	23.0%
108	China	23.4%
	Asia Avg	22.8%
	World Avg	20.0%
q=165. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better35
Pos.		2017 Rank35
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
96	Namibia	96
97	Guyana	97
98	Colombia	98
99	Vietnam	99
100	Lesotho	100
101	Tanzania	101
102	Equatorial Guinea	102
103	Barbados	103
	Asia Avg	64.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better33
Pos.		1976 %33
1	Bangladesh	4.7
2	Vietnam	5.1
3	Nepal	5.4
4	India	5.5
5	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	5.7
6	Cambodia	5.9
7	Laos	6.2
8=	Bhutan	6.3
8=	Afghanistan	6.3
10	Indonesia	6.6
11	Burkina Faso	6.8
12	Maldives	7.2
	Asia Avg	23.1
	World Avg	27.1
q=191.

Adult Obesity Lower is better41
Pos.		2022 %41
1	Vietnam	2.1%
2	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	2.2%
3	Ethiopia	2.4%
4	Madagascar	3.8%
5	Eritrea	4.2%
6	Cambodia	4.4%
7	Burundi	4.5%
8	Rwanda	4.6%
9	Japan	4.9%
10	Bangladesh	5.3%
11	Niger	5.3%
12	Chad	5.7%
	Asia Avg	21.1%
	World Avg	24.7%
q=199. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

5.2. Children's Health Datasets

#children's_health #health #parenting #population #vaccines

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better34
Pos.		2022 Per 100034
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
93	Indonesia	32.9
94	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	33.3
95	Kyrgyzstan	33.8
96	Vietnam	35.0
97	Uruguay	35.2
98	Romania	35.4
99	Micronesia	35.7
100	Costa Rica	35.7
	Asia Avg	25.9
	World Avg	43.8
q=195. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Infant DTP Immunizations (2020s) Higher is better40
Pos.		Total Avg %40
1=	Luxembourg	99.0
1=	Oman	99.0
1=	Niue	99.0
	...
138	Kyrgyzstan	88.7
139	St Lucia	88.6
140	Mauritania	88.5
141	Vietnam	88.4
142	Macedonia	88.3
143	Cambodia	88.2
144	Tanzania	88.0
145	Pakistan	87.9
	Asia Avg	90.6
	World Avg	88.5
q=211. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

7x Infant Immunizations (2011-2015) Higher is better37
Pos.		2015 Avg %37
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
102=	El Salvador	92.4
102=	Swaziland	92.4
104	Palau	92.4
105	Vietnam	92.3
106	Denmark	92.3
107	Azerbaijan	92.2
108=	Australia	92.1
108=	Barbados	92.1
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Infant Mortality (2020s) Lower is better38
Pos.		Total Per 100038
1	San Marino	2.11
2	Finland	2.59
3	Luxembourg	2.60
	...
108	Honduras	20.99
109	Palau	21.33
110	Uzbekistan	21.50
111	Vietnam	22.10
112	Fiji	22.11
113	N. Korea	22.55
114	Paraguay	22.61
115	Trinidad & Tobago	22.83
	Asia Avg	23.58
	World Avg	32.19
q=195. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

6. Vietnam's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #energy #environmentalism #food #internationalism #meat #over-exploitation #sustainability #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism #vietnam

Compared to Asia (2025)42
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank42
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Nepal	47.9
3	India	49.5
4	Philippines	49.6
5	Japan	57.4
6	Thailand	59.5
7	Vietnam	60.6
8	Indonesia	61.9
9	Jordan	63.1
10	Hong Kong	64.6
11	Cyprus	64.8
12	Bangladesh	69.7
13	Maldives	70.5
	Asia Avg	86.44
q=51.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)42
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank42
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
27	Spain	59.5
28	Austria	59.6
29	Tunisia	60.1
30	Vietnam	60.6
31	Niger	61.3
32	Greece	61.4
33	Tanzania	61.6
34	Ethiopia	61.7
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

We have known for a long term that we must protect the environment from habitation destruction, over-exploitation, pollution, and the emissions that cause climate change. In 1998, Greenpeace wrote that "Environment can no longer be meaningfully separated from health, quality of life, democracy, education, economy or trade"₄₃. What countries have been doing the right thing, via legislation and national culture? All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Vietnam ranks 30th in the world when it comes to its responsibility towards the environment. This is computed using 21 data sets. Vietnam comes in the best 20 in its forested percent change 2000-2020₄₄. It does better than average for the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₄₅. But unfortunately Vietnam gets most other things wrong. It does worse than average in its score on the Green Future Index₄₆, reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₇, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, energy to GDP efficiency₄₈ and in its environmental performance₄₉.

Environmental Performance Higher is better49
Pos.		201849
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
129	Tajikistan	47.9
130	Kenya	47.3
131	Bhutan	47.2
132	Vietnam	47.0
133	Indonesia	46.9
134	Guinea	46.6
135	Mozambique	46.4
136	Uzbekistan	45.9
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better48
Pos.		2022 Avg48
1	Rwanda	0.25
2	Chad	0.26
3	Tanzania	0.31
	...
122	Panama	1.49
123	Uzbekistan	1.52
124	Malaysia	1.53
125	Vietnam	1.55
126	Estonia	1.56
127	Bosnia & Herzegovina	1.60
128	Kazakhstan	1.63
129	Bulgaria	1.63
	Asia Avg	1.50
	World Avg	1.23
q=165. Also scored for 1960s-2010s.

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
111	Sudan	56%
112	Cuba	55%
113	Israel	55%
114	Vietnam	55%
115	Malta	55%
116	Rwanda	55%
117	Mongolia	55%
118	Liberia	55%
	Asia Avg	55.4%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197. Also scored for 1970s-2020s.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better45
Pos.		2011 %45
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
	...
40	Dominican Rep.	50.2%
41	Thailand	49.9%
42	Italy	49.6%
43	Vietnam	49.1%
44	Honduras	48.1%
45	Iran	47.9%
46	Turkey	47.4%
47	Sudan	46.9%
	Asia Avg	37.9%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

Meat Consumption Lower is better47
Pos.		2021 kg47
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
90	Ecuador	50.9
91	Albania	52.0
92	Kiribati	52.4
93	Vietnam	52.6
94	Dominican Rep.	53.5
95	Peru	54.0
96	Mauritius	54.2
97	Saudi Arabia	55.1
	Asia Avg	46.7
	World Avg	52.5
q=185. Also scored for 2010s.

Green Future Index Higher is better46
Pos.		2023 Score46
1	Iceland	6.7
2	Finland	6.7
3	Norway	6.4
	...
51	Nigeria	4.2
52	Ecuador	4.1
53=	Kazakhstan	4.1
53=	Vietnam	4.1
55	Thailand	4.1
56	Saudi Arabia	4.1
57	Kuwait	4.1
58	Ethiopia	4.0
	Asia Avg	4.3
	World Avg	4.8
q=76.

Vietnam has done the least to reduce its carbon emissions recently, according to the 2023 edition of the Green Futures Index₅₁.

7. Vietnam's Modernity and Learning

#education #english #intelligence #it_security #maths #metric #modernity #politics #religion #religiosity #research #science #secularisation #technology #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2025)52
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank52
1	Taiwan	25.4
2	S. Korea	25.5
3	Japan	26.8
	...
18	China	64.1
19	Thailand	66.0
20	Turkmenistan	66.8
21	Vietnam	68.1
22	Lebanon	68.7
23	Tajikistan	70.5
24	Philippines	74.5
25	India	76.3
26	UAE	79.9
	Asia Avg	83.04
q=51.

Modernity & Learning (2025)52
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank52
1	Vatican City	1.0
2	Finland	4.8
3	Belgium	8.5
	...
84	Venezuela	66.3
85	Turkmenistan	66.8
86	Mauritius	67.2
87	Vietnam	68.1
88	Lebanon	68.7
89	Egypt	69.1
90	Tajikistan	70.5
91	Suriname	71.1
	World Avg	80.33
q=194.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are The Vatican City, Finland and Belgium₅₃. The worst countries are S. Sudan, Eritrea and Somalia₅₃. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₅₄.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”

Bill Emmott (2017)₅₅

23 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Intellectual Endeavours, metric system adoption rate, Religiosity, IQ, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Maths, Science & Reading, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₅₃, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₅₃.

For more, see:

• " Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

7.1. Modernity Datasets

#intelligence #metric #religion #religiosity #research #science #secularisation

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.2956
2	Israel	4.1156
3	Japan	3.5856
	...
90=	Nigeria	0.2257
91	Azerbaijan	0.2158
92	Burkina Faso	0.2059
93	Vietnam	0.1960
94=	Panama	0.1860
94=	Mauritius	0.1861
96=	Oman	0.1758
96=	Kazakhstan	0.1758
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better35
Pos.		2017 Rank35
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
125	Brunei	125
126	Ivory Coast	126
127	Kuwait	127
128	Vietnam	128
129	Azerbaijan	129
130	Bangladesh	130
131	Mongolia	131
132	Haiti	132
	Asia Avg	97.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Metric System Adoption Rate Higher is better62
Pos.		2025 %62
1=	Slovakia	100
1=	Poland	100
1=	Portugal	100
	...
34=	China	95
34=	Taiwan	95
34=	Honduras	95
34=	Vietnam	95
34=	Venezuela	95
34=	Cyprus	95
34=	Uzbekistan	95
34=	Uruguay	95
	Asia Avg	90
	World Avg	92
q=187. Also scored for 1960s-2020s.

Vietnam officially adopted metric in 1963₆₃. Progression:

• 1960 (60%): Metric official; traditional units common informally.
• 1970 (75%): Standardization in commerce/education.
• 1980 (90%): Metric dominant across sectors.
• 2000 (95%).
• 2025 (95%).

Religiosity Lower is better64
Pos.		2018 %64
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
	...
18=	S. Korea	16
18=	Russia	16
20=	Australia	18
20=	Vietnam	18
22=	Bulgaria	19
22=	Norway	19
24	Netherlands	20
25=	Italy	21
	Asia Avg	55.8
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

IQ Higher is better65
Pos.		200665
1=	Hong Kong	108
1=	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
	...
39=	Portugal	95
39=	Israel	95
41=	Kazakhstan	94
41=	Vietnam	94
41=	Armenia	94
41=	Romania	94
41=	Georgia	94
46=	Argentina	93
	Asia Avg	90.4
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

7.2. Education Datasets

#education #english #maths #science

Secondary Education Higher is better66
Pos.		201866
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
76	UAE	70.7%
77	Brunei	70.1%
78	Iran	69.8%
79	Vietnam	69.4%
80	Venezuela	69.2%
81	Qatar	67.5%
82	Mauritius	66.9%
83	Oman	66.4%
	Asia Avg	66.0%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better67
Pos.		2021 Years67
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
110	Belize	13.0
111	Paraguay	13.0
112	Gabon	13.0
113	Vietnam	13.0
114	Togo	13.0
115	Bahamas	12.9
116	Nepal	12.9
117	St Lucia	12.9
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Maths, Science & Reading Higher is better68
Pos.		2015 Score68
1	Singapore	1655
2	Hong Kong	1598
3	Japan	1586
	...
18=	Denmark	1513
19	Poland	1511
20	Belgium	1508
21=	Vietnam	1507
21=	Australia	1507
23	UK	1499
24	Portugal	1491
25=	France	1487
	Asia Avg	1398
	World Avg	1389
q=70.

7.3. Technology and Information Datasets

#it_security #modernity #politics #technology #the_internet

Internet Users Higher is better69
Pos.		201669
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
92	Maldives	54%
93	Georgia	53%
94	China	52%
95=	Vietnam	52%
95=	S. Africa	52%
97	Dominican Rep.	52%
98	Uzbekistan	51%
99	Armenia	50%
	Asia Avg	48.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

Freedom On The Internet Lower is better70
Pos.		201270
1	Estonia	10
2	USA	12
3	Germany	15
	...
37	Belarus	69
38=	Bahrain	71
38=	Saudi Arabia	71
40	Vietnam	73
41=	Ethiopia	75
41=	Myanmar	75
43	Uzbekistan	77
44	Syria	83
	Asia Avg	56.6
	World Avg	46.7
q=47.

IT Security Lower is better71
Pos.		201371
1=	Ireland	0.11
1=	Luxembourg	0.11
1=	Belize	0.11
	...
48	Mali	1.12
49	France	1.13
50	Italy	1.15
51	Vietnam	1.15
52	Nigeria	1.18
53	Mauritania	1.19
54	Azerbaijan	1.21
55	Belarus	1.22
	Asia Avg	1.08
	World Avg	0.98

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better72
Pos.		2017 Ratio72
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
28	Hungary	7.4
29	Guatemala	6.9
30	Saudi Arabia	6.8
31	Vietnam	5.9
32	Slovenia	5.4
33	Bolivia	5.0
34	Macau	4.2
35	Singapore	4.0
	Asia Avg	2.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better73
Pos.		202473
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
68	Montenegro	44.9%
69	Morocco	44.8%
70	Mexico	44.6%
71	Vietnam	44.2%
72	Armenia	43.9%
73	Belarus	43.5%
74	Georgia	43.4%
75	Dominican Rep.	43.4%
	Asia Avg	46.4%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

8. Vietnam's Culture, Peace and Inequality

#capitalism #charity #corruption #economics #extremism #happiness #health #human_development #inequality #internationalism #life_expectancy #morals #peace #politics #poverty #religious_violence #social_development #terrorism

8.1. National Culture Datasets

#charity #corruption #happiness #internationalism #morals #politics

On the Corruption Index, Vietnam scored on average 31.4 over the 2012-2016 period. Over the 10 years since then, it improved by 10.6 points.

World Giving Index Higher is better74
Pos.		2022 %74
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
	...
43=	Kyrgyzstan	44.0
43=	Mexico	44.0
43=	Costa Rica	44.0
46=	Vietnam	43.0
46=	Iran	43.0
46=	Kosovo	43.0
46=	Bolivia	43.0
46=	Ghana	43.0
	Asia Avg	37.9
	World Avg	39.6
q=125. Also scored for 2010s.

Corruption Higher is better75
Pos.		2022 Points75
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
75=	Benin	43.0
75=	Ghana	43.0
77=	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	42.0
77=	Vietnam	42.0
77=	Trinidad & Tobago	42.0
77=	Burkina Faso	42.0
77=	Solomon Islands	42.0
77=	Kuwait	42.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180. Also scored for 1990s-2010s.

Happiness Higher is better76
Pos.		2024 Score76
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
43	Kazakhstan	6.4
44	Guatemala	6.4
45	Chile	6.4
46	Vietnam	6.4
47	Nicaragua	6.3
48	Malta	6.3
49	Thailand	6.2
50	Slovakia	6.2
	Asia Avg	5.41
	World Avg	5.58
q=147. Also scored for 2010s.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better35
Pos.		2017 Rank35
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
99	El Salvador	99
100	Nicaragua	100
101	Russia	101
102	Vietnam	102
103	Armenia	103
104	Ghana	104
105	Bahrain	105
106	Ecuador	106
	Asia Avg	99.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Passport Reach (2020s) Higher is better77
Pos.		Total Q77
1	Singapore	192.2
2	Japan	192.0
3	S. Korea	190.7
	...
154=	Mali	54.5
154=	Niger	54.5
156=	Cambodia	53.7
156=	Vietnam	53.7
158	Guinea-Bissau	53.5
159	Algeria	53.3
160=	Chad	53.2
160=	Kosovo	53.2
	Asia Avg	85.1
	World Avg	108.8
q=195. Also scored for 2000s-2020s.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better35
Pos.		2017 Rank35
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
85	Saudi Arabia	85
86	Azerbaijan	86
87	Uganda	87
88	Vietnam	88
89	Central African Rep.	89
90	Botswana	90
91	Guinea-Bissau	91
92	Burundi	92
	Asia Avg	86.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8.2. Peace Versus Instability Datasets

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index Lower is better78
Pos.		2023 Score78
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
37	UK	1.69
38	Macedonia	1.71
39	Costa Rica	1.73
40=	Vietnam	1.75
40=	Albania	1.75
42	Botswana	1.76
43	S. Korea	1.76
44	Mongolia	1.77
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.07
q=163. Also scored for 2010s.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better35
Pos.		2017 Rank35
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
56	Mauritius	56
57	Zambia	57
58	Romania	58
59	Vietnam	59
60	Malawi	60
61	Brazil	61
62	Grenada	62
63	Kenya	63
	Asia Avg	76.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better35
Pos.		2017 Rank35
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
155	Congo, DR	155
156	Ivory Coast	156
157	St Lucia	157
158	Vietnam	158
159	Laos	159
160	Equatorial Guinea	160
161	Fiji	161
162	Tonga	162
	Asia Avg	92.2
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better79
Pos.		2019 Score79
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
	...
50	Denmark	0.96
51	Guinea	0.97
52	Honduras	0.99
53=	Vietnam	1.00
53=	Montenegro	1.00
55	Taiwan	1.01
56	Laos	1.03
57	Armenia	1.17
	Asia Avg	3.60
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

8.3. Economic Inequality and Poverty Datasets

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #poverty #social_development

Poverty (2020s) Lower is better80
Pos.		Total %80
1	Malaysia	0.01%
2	Bhutan	0.01%
3	Cyprus	0.02%
	...
50	Egypt	1.37%
51	Jamaica	1.39%
52	Argentina	1.40%
53	Vietnam	1.45%
54	Romania	1.65%
55	Armenia	1.86%
56	Serbia	1.92%
57	Costa Rica	1.99%
	Asia Avg	3.54%
	World Avg	11.40%
q=106. Also scored for 1980s-2020s.

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better81
Pos.		201981
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
98	Cape Verde	12.20
99	El Salvador	12.50
100	Suriname	12.80
101	Vietnam	12.90
102=	Syria	13.00
102=	Morocco	13.00
104=	Nicaragua	13.10
104=	Mongolia	13.10
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) Lower is better82
Pos.		2023 %82
1	Slovakia	24.1%83
2	Slovenia	24.3%83
3	Belarus	24.4%84
	...
90=	China	35.7%83
90=	Sierra Leone	35.7%85
90=	Mali	35.7%83
93=	Vietnam	36.1%86
93=	Indonesia	36.1%87
95	Senegal	36.2%83
96=	Lithuania	36.7%83
96=	Yemen	36.7%88
	Asia Avg	33.0%
	World Avg	36.5%
q=167. Also scored for 1980s-2010s.

Multidimensional Poverty Lower is better89
Pos.		2018 Severity89
1	Armenia	.001
2	Ukraine	.001
3	Serbia	.001
	...
27	Ecuador	.018
28	Jamaica	.018
29	Paraguay	.019
30	Vietnam	.019
31	Egypt	.019
32	Colombia	.020
33	Philippines	.024
34	Mexico	.025
	Asia Avg	.084
	World Avg	.154
q=101.

9. Religion and Beliefs

#belief #buddhism #christianity #god #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion #religion_in_vietnam #religiosity #secularisation #vietnam

From 2010 to 2020 in Vietnam, there were two significant and related trends: the numbers describing themselves as Buddhist fell from 28% to 23% of the population and 5.5% fewer said they belonged to any religion.

Religiosity (2018)64
Pos.		Lower is better %64
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
	...
18=	S. Korea	16
18=	Russia	16
20=	Australia	18
20=	Vietnam	18
22=	Bulgaria	19
22=	Norway	19
24	Netherlands	20
25=	Italy	21
25=	Belarus	21
27=	Ireland	22
27=	Kazakhstan	22
27=	Spain	22
30=	Slovakia	23
30=	Ukraine	23
32	Canada	27
33=	Uzbekistan	29
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

Disbelief In God (2007)90
Pos.		Higher is better %90
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
4	Czechia	61
5	Estonia	49
6	Denmark	48
7	France	44
8	Belgium	43
9=	Netherlands	42
9=	Germany	42
9=	UK	42
12	Cuba	40
13	Slovenia	35
14	Bulgaria	34
15	Hungary	32
16	Norway	31
17	S. Korea	30
18	Finland	28
19	Russia	27
20	Australia	25
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Pew Forum polling over the decades has found the following adherency rates:₉₁:

	2010	2020
Unaffiliated	62.1%	67.7%
Buddhist	27.6%	23%
Christian	8.8%	8.33%
Other	1.32%	0.862%
Muslim	<0.1%	<0.1%
Hindu	<0.1%	<0.1%
Jewish	<0.1%	<0.1%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%, Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census)₉₂.

Freedom of Religion and Belief: The government attempts to strictly control religious activity and pressurizes all its citizens to only participate in state-sanctioned events and organisations, and "sometimes violently cracks down on religious groups operating outside government-controlled institutions. Unrecognized branches of the Cao Dai church, Hoa Hao Buddhist church, independent Protestant and Catholic house churches, Khmer Krom Buddhist temples, and the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam face constant surveillance"₃₀.

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?
• Human Rights and Freedom in Vietnam: 4.3. Freedom of Thought