World median is the middle country on each statistic: half of all countries with data are above it, half below. It is not an average, so it is never pulled up or down by giants or microstates.
Land
Size, shape and altitude
How big is it, really?
The median country fits inside Vietnam 3 times.
Vietnam: 331,338 km² (2023) · World median: 111,370 km² (2023)
How much coast is there?
Vietnam’s coastline is 7.8 times as long as the median country’s.
Vietnam: 3,444 km (2026 edition) · World median: 440 km (2026 edition)
How high can you climb?
Vietnam’s highest peak towers 809 m above the median country’s.
Vietnam: 3,144 m (2026 edition) · World median: 2,335 m (2026 edition)
People
Who lives there, and how closely
How many people live there?
Vietnam has 14 times as many people as the median country.
Vietnam: 102 million (2025) · World median: 7.4 million (2025)
How crowded is it?
Vietnam is 3.3 times as densely populated as the median country.
Vietnam: 324 per km² (2025) · World median: 98 per km² (2025)
How tall are the men?
Men in the median country are 4.6 cm taller than in Vietnam.
Vietnam: 168.9 cm (2019) · World median: 173.5 cm (2019)
How tall are the women?
Women in the median country are 2.1 cm taller than in Vietnam.
Vietnam: 158.4 cm (2019) · World median: 160.6 cm (2019)
How old is the typical person?
The typical person in Vietnam is 1.3 years older than in the median country.
Vietnam: 32.4 years (2023) · World median: 31.1 years (2023)
How many children per woman?
The median country and Vietnam are practically level.
Vietnam: 1.9 children per woman (2024) · World median: 1.9 children per woman (2024)
How many people are 65 or older?
9.5% of people in Vietnam are 65 or older, versus 8.6% in the median country.
Vietnam: 9.5% (2025) · World median: 8.6% (2025)
How many Nobel laureates were born there?
Vietnam has produced 0.1 Nobel laureates per 10 million people, the median country 0.0.
Vietnam: 0.1 (2025) · World median: 0 (2025)
How many official languages?
Vietnam and the median country are practically level.
Vietnam: 1 (2026) · World median: 1 (2026)
Money
What an economy looks like per person
How big is the economy?
Vietnam’s economy is 11 times the size of the median country’s.
Vietnam: $515 billion (2025) · World median: $45.5 billion (2025)
How much is produced per person?
The median country produces 16% more per person than Vietnam.
Vietnam: Int$18,089 (2025) · World median: Int$21,072 (2025)
How evenly is income shared?
Income is more unequally shared in Vietnam than in the median country (Gini 1.7 points higher).
Vietnam: 36.1 (2022) · World median: 34.4 (2023)
How many people are looking for work?
Unemployment is 5.1% in the median country, versus 1.5% in Vietnam.
Vietnam: 1.5% (2025) · World median: 5.1% (2025)
How much goes to the military?
Vietnam and the median country are practically level.
Vietnam: 1.8% (2018) · World median: 1.7% (2024)
How expensive is it?
The median country’s price level (US = 100) is 1.6× Vietnam’s.
Vietnam: 28% (2025) · World median: 45% (2025)
Health
Long lives, small beginnings
How much is spent on health?
The median country spends 2.4 times as much on health per person as Vietnam.
Vietnam: $197 (2023) · World median: $470 (2023)
How long do people live?
Vietnam and the median country are practically level.
Vietnam: 74.7 years (2024) · World median: 74.6 years (2024)
How many babies don’t reach their first birthday?
A baby in the median country is 5% more likely to die before turning one than in Vietnam.
Vietnam: 12 per 1,000 (2024) · World median: 12.7 per 1,000 (2024)
How many doctors are there?
The median country has 51% more doctors per person than Vietnam.
Vietnam: 1.1 per 1,000 (2021) · World median: 1.7 per 1,000 (2022)
How common is obesity?
24% of adults in the median country are obese, versus 2.5% in Vietnam.
Vietnam: 2.5% (2024) · World median: 24% (2024)
How many adults smoke?
21% of adults in Vietnam smoke, versus 19% in the median country.
Vietnam: 21.1% (2024) · World median: 19% (2024)
Everyday life
Plates, glasses and happiness
How do people rate their lives?
People in Vietnam rate their lives 0.59 points higher than in the median country.
Vietnam: 6.43 (2025) · World median: 5.83 (2025)
How much do people drink?
Adults in Vietnam drink 2.5 times as much alcohol as in the median country.
Vietnam: 10.7 litres (2023) · World median: 4.3 litres (2023)
How much meat is on the menu?
Vietnam has 8% more meat per person than the median country.
Vietnam: 60.5 kg (2023) · World median: 56.2 kg (2023)
How much food is there per day?
Vietnam has 148 kcal more food per person per day than the median country.
Vietnam: 3,086 kcal (2023) · World median: 2,938 kcal (2023)
How long do people work?
Workers in Vietnam put in 186 more hours a year than in the median country.
Vietnam: 2,160 hours (2023) · World median: 1,974 hours (2023)
How long do people go to school?
Adults in the median country went to school 0.95 year longer than in Vietnam.
Vietnam: 9 years (2023) · World median: 9.9 years (2023)
How many tourists visit?
The median country welcomed 4.2 times as many tourists per resident as Vietnam (2019).
Vietnam: 0.08 (2015) · World median: 0.34 (2024)
Connected
Online, electrified, urban
How many people are online?
84% of people in Vietnam are online, versus 82% in the median country.
Vietnam: 84% (2024) · World median: 82% (2024)
Who has electricity at home?
Vietnam and the median country are practically level.
Vietnam: 100% (2024) · World median: 100% (2024)
How many live in cities?
64% of people in the median country live in cities, versus 39% in Vietnam.
Vietnam: 39% (2025) · World median: 64% (2025)
How many phones per person?
Vietnam has 128 mobile subscriptions per 100 people, the median country 115.
Vietnam: 128 (2024) · World median: 115 (2024)
How much railway is there?
Vietnam’s railway network is 48% longer than the median country’s.
Vietnam: 3,159 km (2021) · World median: 2,141 km (2021)
How much do they fly?
Airlines from Vietnam fly 2.3 times as many passengers per resident as those from the median country.
Vietnam: 0.54 (2023) · World median: 0.24 (2023)
Planet
Air, forests and energy
How much of the land is forest?
Forest covers 47% of Vietnam, but only 31% of the median country.
Vietnam: 47.4% (2023) · World median: 31.2% (2023)
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
The average person in Vietnam emits 23% more CO₂ than someone in the median country.
Vietnam: 3.7 t (2024) · World median: 3 t (2024)
How green is the power grid?
45% of Vietnam’s electricity is renewable, versus 31% in the median country.
Vietnam: 45.4% (2025) · World median: 30.8% (2024)
How clean is the air?
The air in Vietnam carries 54% more fine dust than in the median country.
Vietnam: 25.6 µg/m³ (2024) · World median: 16.6 µg/m³ (2024)
Safety
Measured risk, not vibes
How common is murder?
Vietnam: no data · World median: 2.3 per 100k (2023)
How dangerous are the roads?
Roads in Vietnam are 44% deadlier than in the median country.
Vietnam: 17.7 per 100k (2021) · World median: 12.3 per 100k (2021)
Climate
What the year feels like
How warm is it?
Vietnam is on average 1.4 °C warmer than the median country.
Vietnam: 24.4°C (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 23°C (2016–2025 avg)
How much rain falls?
Vietnam gets 2.1 times as much rain as the median country.
Vietnam: 2,132 mm (2016–2025 avg) · World median: 1,014 mm (2016–2025 avg)
Quick answers
Is Vietnam bigger than the median country?
Vietnam is larger. The median country fits inside Vietnam 3 times.
Which has more people, Vietnam or the median country?
Vietnam has 14 times as many people as the median country (2025 estimates).
Where do people live longer, Vietnam or the median country?
Vietnam and the median country are practically level. Life expectancy at birth is 74.7 years in Vietnam and 74.6 in the median country.
Are people taller in Vietnam or the median country?
Men in the median country are 4.6 cm taller than in Vietnam (NCD-RisC, cohort born 2019).
