How much coast is there?

Japan’s coastline is 8.6 times as long as Vietnam’s.

Japan: 29,751 km (2026 edition) · Vietnam: 3,444 km (2026 edition)

How high can you climb?

Japan’s highest peak towers 632 m above Vietnam’s.

Japan: 3,776 m (2026 edition) · Vietnam: 3,144 m (2026 edition)

How many people live there?

Japan has 21% more people than Vietnam.

Japan: 123 million (2025) · Vietnam: 102 million (2025)

How crowded is it?

Japan is 4% more densely populated than Vietnam.

Japan: 338 per km² (2025) · Vietnam: 324 per km² (2025)

How old is the typical person?

The typical person in Japan is 17 years older than in Vietnam.

Japan: 49 years (2023) · Vietnam: 32.4 years (2023)

How many children per woman?

Women in Vietnam have 0.7 more children on average than in Japan.

Japan: 1.15 children per woman (2024) · Vietnam: 1.9 children per woman (2024)

How many people are 65 or older?

30% of people in Japan are 65 or older, versus 9.5% in Vietnam.

Japan: 30% (2025) · Vietnam: 9.5% (2025)

How many Nobel laureates were born there?

Japan has produced 2.4 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, Vietnam 0.1.

Japan: 2.4 (2025) · Vietnam: 0.1 (2025)

How many official languages?

Japan and Vietnam are practically level.

Japan: 1 (2026) · Vietnam: 1 (2026)

How big is the economy?

Japan’s economy is 8.6 times the size of Vietnam’s.

Japan: $4.44 trillion (2025) · Vietnam: $515 billion (2025)

How much is produced per person?

Japan produces 3.1 times as much per person as Vietnam.

Japan: Int$55,422 (2025) · Vietnam: Int$18,089 (2025)

How evenly is income shared?

Income is more unequally shared in Vietnam than in Japan (Gini 3.8 points higher).

Japan: 32.3 (2020) · Vietnam: 36.1 (2022)

How many people are looking for work?

Unemployment is 2.5% in Japan, versus 1.5% in Vietnam.

Japan: 2.5% (2025) · Vietnam: 1.5% (2025)

How much goes to the military?

Vietnam and Japan are practically level.

Japan: 1.4% (2024) · Vietnam: 1.8% (2018)

How expensive is it?

Japan’s price level (US = 100) is 2.3× Vietnam’s.

Japan: 65% (2025) · Vietnam: 28% (2025)

How much is spent on health?

Japan spends 18 times as much on health per person as Vietnam.

Japan: $3,638 (2023) · Vietnam: $197 (2023)

How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?

A baby in Vietnam is 6.7 times as likely to die before turning one as in Japan.

Japan: 1.8 per 1,000 (2024) · Vietnam: 12 per 1,000 (2024)

How many doctors are there?

Japan has 2.4 times as many doctors per person as Vietnam.

Japan: 2.6 per 1,000 (2022) · Vietnam: 1.1 per 1,000 (2021)

How common is obesity?

5.2% of adults in Japan are obese, versus 2.5% in Vietnam.

Japan: 5.2% (2024) · Vietnam: 2.5% (2024)

How many adults smoke?

21% of adults in Vietnam smoke, versus 18% in Japan.

Japan: 17.5% (2024) · Vietnam: 21.1% (2024)

How do people rate their lives?

People in Vietnam rate their lives 0.30 points higher than in Japan.

Japan: 6.13 (2025) · Vietnam: 6.43 (2025)

How much do people drink?

Adults in Vietnam drink 71% more alcohol than in Japan.

Japan: 6.3 litres (2023) · Vietnam: 10.7 litres (2023)

How much meat is on the menu?

Vietnam and Japan are nearly identical here.

Japan: 59.9 kg (2022) · Vietnam: 60.5 kg (2023)

How much food is there per day?

Vietnam has 416 kcal more food per person per day than Japan.

Japan: 2,670 kcal (2022) · Vietnam: 3,086 kcal (2023)

How long do people work?

Workers in Vietnam put in 507 more hours a year than in Japan.

Japan: 1,654 hours (2023) · Vietnam: 2,160 hours (2023)

How long do people go to school?

Adults in Japan went to school 3.7 years longer than in Vietnam.

Japan: 12.7 years (2023) · Vietnam: 9 years (2023)

How many tourists visit?

Japan welcomed 3.7 times as many tourists per resident as Vietnam (2019).

Japan: 0.3 (2024) · Vietnam: 0.08 (2015)

How many people are online?

86% of people in Japan are online, versus 84% in Vietnam.

Japan: 86% (2024) · Vietnam: 84% (2024)

Who has electricity at home?

Japan and Vietnam are practically level.

Japan: 100% (2024) · Vietnam: 100% (2024)

How many live in cities?

92% of people in Japan live in cities, versus 39% in Vietnam.

Japan: 92% (2025) · Vietnam: 39% (2025)

How many phones per person?

Japan has 178 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, Vietnam 128.

Japan: 178 (2023) · Vietnam: 128 (2024)

How much railway is there?

Japan’s railway network is 6.4 times as long as Vietnam’s.

Japan: 20,087 km (2011) · Vietnam: 3,159 km (2021)

How much do they fly?

Airlines from Japan fly 80% more passengers per resident than those from Vietnam.

Japan: 0.98 (2023) · Vietnam: 0.54 (2023)

How much of the land is forest?

Forest covers 68% of Japan, but only 47% of Vietnam.

Japan: 68.4% (2023) · Vietnam: 47.4% (2023)

How much CO₂ does each person emit?

The average person in Japan emits 2.1 times as much CO₂ as someone in Vietnam.

Japan: 7.8 t (2024) · Vietnam: 3.7 t (2024)

How green is the power grid?

45% of Vietnam’s electricity is renewable, versus 24% in Japan.

Japan: 23.6% (2025) · Vietnam: 45.4% (2025)

How clean is the air?

The air in Vietnam carries 2.4 times as much fine dust as in Japan.

Japan: 10.5 µg/m³ (2024) · Vietnam: 25.6 µg/m³ (2024)

How common is murder?

Japan: 0.2 per 100k (2023) · Vietnam: no data

How dangerous are the roads?

Roads in Vietnam are 6.6 times as deadly as in Japan.

Japan: 2.7 per 100k (2021) · Vietnam: 17.7 per 100k (2021)

How warm is it?

Vietnam is on average 11.6 °C warmer than Japan.

Japan: 12.8°C (2016–2025 avg) · Vietnam: 24.4°C (2016–2025 avg)

How much rain falls?

Vietnam gets 17% more rain than Japan.

Japan: 1,824 mm (2016–2025 avg) · Vietnam: 2,132 mm (2016–2025 avg)