Vietnam Population Day (December 26): Origin and Meaning
Vietnam Population Day is observed annually on December 26, tied to the country's tradition of population work and family planning. It is an occasion to review achievements, identify challenges, and orient population policy in a new context.
Origin and Context
Vietnam Population Day was established in 1997, when the country was promoting population work and family planning. The date December 26 is linked to the sector's tradition and serves as a communication highlight to raise community awareness about population size, structure, and quality.
For decades, the Party and State have paid attention to population work, adjusting policies to fit global and domestic contexts. Vietnam has also applied creative methods to address inequality and narrow socio-economic gaps between regions and population groups.
Notable Achievements
According to Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan, population growth has been successfully controlled, with the annual growth rate falling from 1.7% in 1989-1999 to 1.14% in 2009-2019. Vietnam reached replacement fertility in 2006 and has maintained a total fertility rate (TFR) of 2.0-2.1 children per woman.
The population structure has shifted positively, with the working-age labor force rising from 56.1% in 1989 to 67.5% in 2023. Vietnam entered its "golden population" period in 2007, creating opportunities to invest more in social security, health, education, and employment. Population distribution has become more rational, linked to urbanization; the urban population share rose from 20% in 1993 to 38.1% in 2020.
In 2023, Vietnam's population was about 104 million, ranking 15th in the world and 3rd in Southeast Asia among countries with over 100 million people. The population growth rate was 0.84%. The working-age population accounts for nearly 70%. Population quality has improved comprehensively, with average life expectancy rising from 65.5 years in 1993 to 74.5 years in 2023, higher than many countries with similar average income.
Malnutrition and maternal and child mortality have fallen sharply. Vietnamese stature and physical strength have improved significantly. The Human Development Index (HDI) in 2022 reached 0.726, placing Vietnam in the high human development group. These achievements positively impact economic growth, gender equality, social progress, and environmental protection.
Challenges: Population Aging and Declining Fertility
Despite achievements, population work faces difficulties. Maintaining replacement fertility nationwide is not truly sustainable, with a trend of low fertility (estimated at 1.96 children per woman in 2023, the lowest in history and forecast to continue falling). Population aging is fast, and Vietnam will soon pass the golden population period; child marriage, consanguineous marriage, pregnancy and childbirth among minors, stature, physical strength, and quality of life need further improvement.
Vietnam's population began aging in 2011 and is aging faster than many other countries. In 2023, the population exceeded 104 million, with about 16 million people aged 60 and over, accounting for about 16%. Vietnam is forecast to become an aged society in 2036 and a super-aged society in 2049.
The fundamental challenge is that Vietnam has only over 20 years to transition from an aging society to an aged society, while many countries have a century or half a century to adjust policies. Population aging negatively affects socio-economic development in both the short and long term. In the short term, it affects the labor force structure and thus growth. Growth potential depends on labor productivity growth and human resource growth. When this ratio falls too low, labor shortages hinder economic development, especially industry and services. In the long term, aging has multi-dimensional impacts from economy to social security and culture. The biggest challenge is providing health care and livelihoods for 15-20 million elderly people.
Actions and Orientation
On December 10, 2024, at the launch of the National Action Month on Population and the celebration of Vietnam Population Day 2024, Mr. Matt Jackson, UNFPA Representative, said the transition from a young to an aged society has profound impacts and preparations must start now. Solutions include increasing labor productivity combined with sustainable job creation policies, raising labor force participation, especially for older people, supporting women's labor market participation, and investing in health and education.
In 2024, Vietnam Population Day has the theme "Improving population quality for a prosperous country and happy families," honoring achievements and highlighting challenges such as rapid aging, gender inequality, and quality of life. The Ministry of Health urges localities to integrate population factors into socio-economic development planning.
Meaning for Every Citizen
Vietnam Population Day is not only a celebration for the population sector but also a reminder of the responsibility of each individual, family, and community to improve population quality. This includes reproductive health care, sex education, gender equality, elderly care, and building a healthy living environment. These efforts contribute to achieving Vietnam's Sustainable Development Goals (VSDGs).
