Largest cities in Vietnam, 1975 to 2050

Ho Chi Minh City leads Vietnam with 14.05 million people in 2025, ahead of Hanoi at 5.07 million in the UN city ranking.

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What the data shows

In 2025, Ho Chi Minh City ranks #1 with 14.05M, ahead of Hanoi (5.07M) and Cần Thơ (1.33M).
By 2050, on the UN's projections, Ho Chi Minh City is projected to rank #1 with 17.20M, ahead of Hanoi (4.79M) and Cần Thơ (1.41M).
Ho Chi Minh City holds #1 for the whole period, 1975 to 2025.
Biggest climber: Cần Thơ, from #14 in 1975 to #3 in 2050.
Ho Chi Minh City grew 5.9× between 1975 and 2025.

About this chart

Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi head the 2025 ranking for Vietnam, at 14.05 million and 5.07 million people. Ho Chi Minh City also appears first in 1975, at 2.38 million, so the top position is unchanged between those two endpoints. Cần Thơ occupies third place in 2025 at 1.33 million. These are populations of urban areas defined consistently by the UN, rather than administrative city limits.

The UN projects Ho Chi Minh City to lead in 2050 at 17.20 million people. The figures after 2025 are projections. The Degree of Urbanization identifies contiguous dense settlements, so these totals can differ from municipal and metropolitan statistics. The historical ranking is useful for comparing positions; changing settlement boundaries mean it should not be treated as a measure of growth within fixed city limits.

The data

Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population.

Largest cities in Vietnam, Population in millions, 1975–2050; projected after 2025, 1975–2050
Date	🇻🇳 Ho Chi Minh City	🇻🇳 Hanoi	🇻🇳 Hải Phòng	🇻🇳 Việt Trì	🇻🇳 Huế	🇻🇳 Đà Nẵng	🇻🇳 Nha Trang	🇻🇳 Long Xuyên	🇻🇳 Vinh	🇻🇳 Quy Nhơn	🇻🇳 Nam Định	🇻🇳 Mỹ Tho	🇻🇳 Thái Nguyên	🇻🇳 Cần Thơ	🇻🇳 Vũng Tàu	🇻🇳 Tây Ninh
1975	2.38M	1.49M	0.57M	0.33M	0.28M	0.22M	0.19M	0.18M	0.18M	0.16M	0.15M	0.14M	0.14M	0.07M	0.07M
1976	2.49M	1.54M	0.59M	0.34M	0.29M	0.24M	0.20M	0.18M	0.18M	0.16M	0.15M	0.15M	0.14M	0.08M	0.07M
1977	2.60M	1.60M	0.60M	0.34M	0.29M	0.27M	0.20M	0.18M	0.19M	0.16M	0.16M	0.15M	0.14M	0.08M	0.07M
1978	2.70M	1.65M	0.61M	0.35M	0.30M	0.30M	0.21M	0.18M	0.19M	0.16M	0.16M	0.15M	0.15M	0.09M	0.07M
1979	2.81M	1.70M	0.63M	0.35M	0.30M	0.33M	0.21M	0.18M	0.20M	0.15M	0.17M	0.15M	0.15M	0.10M	0.07M
1980	2.91M	1.75M	0.64M	0.36M	0.31M	0.36M	0.21M	0.17M	0.20M	0.15M	0.17M	0.15M	0.15M	0.10M	0.07M
1981	3.00M	1.80M	0.66M	0.36M	0.31M	0.36M	0.22M	0.18M	0.21M	0.16M	0.17M	0.16M	0.16M	0.11M	0.08M
1982	3.09M	1.84M	0.67M	0.37M	0.32M	0.37M	0.22M	0.18M	0.22M	0.18M	0.18M	0.16M	0.16M	0.11M	0.08M
1983	3.17M	1.89M	0.68M	0.37M	0.32M	0.37M	0.23M	0.19M	0.22M	0.19M	0.18M	0.17M	0.17M	0.11M	0.08M
1984	3.26M	1.93M	0.70M	0.37M	0.33M	0.37M	0.23M	0.19M	0.23M	0.20M	0.19M	0.17M	0.17M	0.11M	0.08M
1985	3.34M	1.98M	0.71M	0.38M	0.33M	0.38M	0.23M	0.20M	0.24M	0.21M	0.19M	0.18M	0.18M	0.11M	0.08M	0.08M
1986	3.44M	2.02M	0.72M	0.39M	0.34M	0.39M	0.24M	0.20M	0.24M	0.22M	0.20M	0.19M	0.18M	0.13M	0.10M	0.09M
1987	3.53M	2.06M	0.73M	0.41M	0.34M	0.41M	0.24M	0.20M	0.25M	0.22M	0.20M	0.20M	0.19M	0.15M	0.11M	0.10M
1988	3.62M	2.10M	0.75M	0.42M	0.34M	0.42M	0.24M	0.20M	0.25M	0.23M	0.20M	0.21M	0.20M	0.16M	0.12M	0.10M
1989	3.71M	2.13M	0.76M	0.43M	0.34M	0.44M	0.25M	0.20M	0.26M	0.23M	0.21M	0.22M	0.21M	0.18M	0.14M	0.11M
1990	3.81M	2.17M	0.77M	0.45M	0.35M	0.45M	0.25M	0.20M	0.26M	0.24M	0.21M	0.23M	0.21M	0.20M	0.15M	0.12M
1991	4.03M	2.26M	0.78M	0.45M	0.35M	0.47M	0.27M	0.21M	0.27M	0.24M	0.21M	0.26M	0.22M	0.21M	0.17M	0.13M
1992	4.25M	2.35M	0.79M	0.45M	0.35M	0.48M	0.29M	0.21M	0.28M	0.25M	0.22M	0.29M	0.24M	0.22M	0.19M	0.14M
1993	4.48M	2.43M	0.81M	0.45M	0.35M	0.50M	0.30M	0.22M	0.28M	0.25M	0.22M	0.32M	0.25M	0.24M	0.20M	0.16M
1994	4.70M	2.52M	0.82M	0.45M	0.36M	0.51M	0.32M	0.23M	0.29M	0.26M	0.22M	0.35M	0.26M	0.25M	0.22M	0.17M
1995	4.93M	2.61M	0.83M	0.45M	0.36M	0.53M	0.34M	0.23M	0.29M	0.26M	0.22M	0.38M	0.27M	0.26M	0.24M	0.18M
1996	5.14M	2.69M	0.84M	0.44M	0.36M	0.54M	0.34M	0.26M	0.30M	0.26M	0.23M	0.39M	0.27M	0.29M	0.25M	0.19M
1997	5.36M	2.77M	0.84M	0.43M	0.36M	0.56M	0.35M	0.28M	0.30M	0.27M	0.23M	0.40M	0.28M	0.31M	0.26M	0.19M
1998	5.57M	2.86M	0.85M	0.43M	0.36M	0.58M	0.36M	0.30M	0.30M	0.27M	0.23M	0.41M	0.28M	0.34M	0.27M	0.20M
1999	5.79M	2.94M	0.85M	0.42M	0.35M	0.59M	0.36M	0.32M	0.31M	0.27M	0.24M	0.42M	0.29M	0.36M	0.28M	0.21M
2000	6.01M	3.02M	0.85M	0.41M	0.35M	0.61M	0.37M	0.34M	0.31M	0.28M	0.24M	0.43M	0.29M	0.39M	0.29M	0.21M
2001	6.27M	3.13M	0.86M	0.38M	0.36M	0.63M	0.38M	0.36M	0.32M	0.28M	0.24M	0.43M	0.29M	0.40M	0.29M	0.22M
2002	6.54M	3.23M	0.87M	0.34M	0.36M	0.65M	0.38M	0.39M	0.32M	0.28M	0.24M	0.43M	0.29M	0.42M	0.30M	0.23M
2003	6.81M	3.34M	0.88M	0.30M	0.37M	0.66M	0.39M	0.41M	0.32M	0.28M	0.24M	0.43M	0.29M	0.43M	0.31M	0.24M
2004	7.08M	3.44M	0.89M	0.27M	0.38M	0.68M	0.39M	0.43M	0.33M	0.28M	0.24M	0.44M	0.29M	0.45M	0.31M	0.25M
2005	7.35M	3.54M	0.90M	0.23M	0.38M	0.70M	0.40M	0.46M	0.33M	0.28M	0.24M	0.44M	0.29M	0.46M	0.32M	0.26M
2006	7.74M	3.69M	0.92M	0.21M	0.39M	0.74M	0.40M	0.48M	0.33M	0.29M	0.25M	0.45M	0.29M	0.49M	0.33M	0.27M
2007	8.13M	3.84M	0.94M	0.20M	0.39M	0.77M	0.41M	0.50M	0.34M	0.29M	0.26M	0.45M	0.30M	0.53M	0.34M	0.27M
2008	8.52M	3.99M	0.95M	0.18M	0.40M	0.80M	0.42M	0.51M	0.34M	0.29M	0.27M	0.46M	0.30M	0.56M	0.35M	0.28M
2009	8.91M	4.13M	0.97M	0.16M	0.40M	0.83M	0.42M	0.53M	0.34M	0.29M	0.29M	0.47M	0.30M	0.59M	0.36M	0.28M
2010	9.30M	4.28M	0.99M	0.14M	0.41M	0.86M	0.43M	0.55M	0.34M	0.29M	0.30M	0.48M	0.30M	0.62M	0.37M	0.29M
2011	9.69M	4.38M	1.00M	0.14M	0.41M	0.89M	0.43M	0.56M	0.35M	0.29M	0.31M	0.48M	0.30M	0.68M	0.38M	0.30M
2012	10.08M	4.48M	1.01M	0.14M	0.41M	0.92M	0.43M	0.56M	0.35M	0.29M	0.31M	0.48M	0.30M	0.74M	0.39M	0.31M
2013	10.47M	4.57M	1.02M	0.13M	0.41M	0.94M	0.44M	0.57M	0.35M	0.29M	0.32M	0.49M	0.30M	0.79M	0.40M	0.32M
2014	10.86M	4.67M	1.03M	0.13M	0.42M	0.97M	0.44M	0.57M	0.35M	0.29M	0.33M	0.49M	0.30M	0.85M	0.41M	0.33M
2015	11.25M	4.77M	1.04M	0.12M	0.42M	1.00M	0.44M	0.58M	0.36M	0.29M	0.34M	0.49M	0.30M	0.90M	0.42M	0.34M
2016	11.62M	4.83M	1.03M	0.12M	0.42M	1.03M	0.45M	0.58M	0.36M	0.29M	0.34M	0.49M	0.29M	0.98M	0.42M	0.35M
2017	11.99M	4.89M	1.03M	0.12M	0.41M	1.05M	0.45M	0.59M	0.36M	0.29M	0.34M	0.49M	0.29M	1.06M	0.43M	0.36M
2018	12.36M	4.94M	1.02M	0.12M	0.41M	1.08M	0.45M	0.59M	0.36M	0.29M	0.35M	0.49M	0.29M	1.13M	0.44M	0.37M
2019	12.73M	5.00M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.10M	0.45M	0.59M	0.36M	0.29M	0.35M	0.49M	0.28M	1.21M	0.45M	0.38M
2020	13.10M	5.06M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.13M	0.45M	0.60M	0.36M	0.28M	0.35M	0.48M	0.28M	1.29M	0.46M	0.39M
2021	13.29M	5.06M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.13M	0.46M	0.60M	0.36M	0.29M	0.35M	0.50M	0.28M	1.29M	0.46M	0.40M
2022	13.48M	5.06M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.47M	0.61M	0.36M	0.29M	0.35M	0.52M	0.28M	1.30M	0.47M	0.41M
2023	13.67M	5.06M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.48M	0.62M	0.36M	0.29M	0.35M	0.53M	0.28M	1.31M	0.48M	0.42M
2024	13.86M	5.07M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.49M	0.63M	0.36M	0.29M	0.35M	0.55M	0.28M	1.32M	0.49M	0.43M
2025	14.05M	5.07M	1.02M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.50M	0.64M	0.36M	0.30M	0.35M	0.57M	0.28M	1.33M	0.50M	0.44M
2026	14.21M	5.06M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.51M	0.64M	0.35M	0.30M	0.35M	0.58M	0.28M	1.34M	0.51M	0.44M
2027	14.37M	5.06M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.52M	0.65M	0.35M	0.30M	0.35M	0.60M	0.28M	1.36M	0.52M	0.45M
2028	14.54M	5.06M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.53M	0.66M	0.35M	0.31M	0.35M	0.61M	0.28M	1.37M	0.52M	0.46M
2029	14.70M	5.05M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.54M	0.66M	0.35M	0.31M	0.35M	0.63M	0.28M	1.39M	0.53M	0.46M
2030	14.86M	5.05M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.54M	0.67M	0.35M	0.32M	0.35M	0.65M	0.28M	1.40M	0.54M	0.47M
2031	15.01M	5.04M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.55M	0.67M	0.35M	0.32M	0.35M	0.68M	0.28M	1.41M	0.55M	0.47M
2032	15.16M	5.04M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.56M	0.67M	0.34M	0.33M	0.35M	0.71M	0.28M	1.41M	0.56M	0.48M
2033	15.31M	5.03M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.57M	0.67M	0.34M	0.33M	0.35M	0.73M	0.28M	1.41M	0.56M	0.49M
2034	15.46M	5.03M	1.01M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.58M	0.67M	0.34M	0.34M	0.35M	0.76M	0.28M	1.41M	0.57M	0.49M
2035	15.61M	5.02M	1.00M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.59M	0.67M	0.34M	0.34M	0.35M	0.79M	0.28M	1.42M	0.58M	0.50M
2036	15.74M	5.00M	1.00M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.60M	0.68M	0.34M	0.34M	0.35M	0.81M	0.28M	1.42M	0.58M	0.51M
2037	15.86M	4.99M	1.00M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.61M	0.68M	0.34M	0.35M	0.35M	0.82M	0.28M	1.42M	0.59M	0.52M
2038	15.99M	4.97M	1.00M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.61M	0.68M	0.34M	0.35M	0.35M	0.84M	0.28M	1.42M	0.60M	0.53M
2039	16.12M	4.95M	1.00M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.62M	0.68M	0.33M	0.36M	0.35M	0.86M	0.27M	1.42M	0.61M	0.55M
2040	16.25M	4.93M	1.00M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.63M	0.68M	0.33M	0.36M	0.35M	0.87M	0.27M	1.42M	0.61M	0.56M
2041	16.36M	4.92M	0.99M	0.11M	0.41M	1.14M	0.64M	0.68M	0.33M	0.36M	0.35M	0.91M	0.27M	1.42M	0.62M	0.56M
2042	16.47M	4.91M	0.99M	0.11M	0.41M	1.13M	0.65M	0.68M	0.33M	0.36M	0.35M	0.94M	0.27M	1.42M	0.63M	0.57M
2043	16.58M	4.90M	0.99M	0.11M	0.41M	1.13M	0.66M	0.68M	0.33M	0.36M	0.35M	0.98M	0.27M	1.42M	0.63M	0.58M
2044	16.69M	4.89M	0.99M	0.11M	0.41M	1.13M	0.67M	0.68M	0.33M	0.37M	0.35M	1.01M	0.27M	1.42M	0.64M	0.58M
2045	16.79M	4.88M	0.98M	0.11M	0.41M	1.13M	0.68M	0.68M	0.32M	0.37M	0.34M	1.04M	0.27M	1.42M	0.64M	0.59M
2046	16.88M	4.86M	0.98M	0.11M	0.40M	1.13M	0.68M	0.68M	0.32M	0.37M	0.34M	1.07M	0.27M	1.42M	0.65M	0.60M
2047	16.96M	4.84M	0.98M	0.11M	0.40M	1.12M	0.69M	0.68M	0.32M	0.37M	0.34M	1.10M	0.27M	1.42M	0.65M	0.60M
2048	17.04M	4.83M	0.97M	0.11M	0.40M	1.12M	0.69M	0.68M	0.32M	0.37M	0.34M	1.13M	0.27M	1.42M	0.66M	0.61M
2049	17.12M	4.81M	0.97M	0.11M	0.40M	1.12M	0.69M	0.68M	0.32M	0.38M	0.34M	1.16M	0.27M	1.42M	0.66M	0.62M
2050	17.20M	4.79M	0.97M	0.11M	0.40M	1.12M	0.70M	0.67M	0.31M	0.38M	0.34M	1.19M	0.27M	1.41M	0.67M	0.62M

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Vietnam?

Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam in the UN 2025 series, with about 14.05 million people. Hanoi follows at 5.07 million. These figures use the UN Degree of Urbanization definition, not municipal boundaries.

Which city is projected to be largest in Vietnam in 2050?

The UN projects Ho Chi Minh City to rank first in 2050, with about 17.20 million people. This is a projection, not an observed population count.

Was Ho Chi Minh City also the largest city in 1975?

The 1975 ranking was led by Ho Chi Minh City, with 2.38 million people. The table preserves every city that reached the top ten in any year shown, including cities outside the top ten today.

Where does this data come from?

UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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