List of all cities in Vietnam

Cities in Vietnam are identified by the government as settlements with considerable area and population that play important roles vis-a-vis politics, economy, and culture. The status of cities fall into four categories: special, first-class (I), second class (II), and third class (III).

Many of Vietnam’s cities boast a medley of architectural styles and modern Asian construction. Its cities are crammed full of culture, creativity, and colonial architecture and they continue to push into the future. With its amazing geographical natural vistas, innovative cityscapes, and traditional cultures, the best cities in Vietnam are waiting for you to be explored.

Some facts about cities in Vietnam:

• Ho Chi Minh City is the largest city in Vietnam with a population of around 8,244,400 people.
• Ha Noi – the capital of Vietnam is the second-largest city in Vietnam with a population of close to 7,379,300 people.
• Hai Phong is the third-largest city in Vietnam with a population of around 1,946,000 million people.
• Can Tho is the fourth biggest city in Vietnam, and the biggest in the country’s southernmost Mekong Delta, with a population of around 1,238,300 people.
• Da Nang is the sixth-largest city in Vietnam, and the largest in central Vietnam, with a population of around 1,007,700 people.
• Da Nang is currently the only city directly under the Central Government that does not have a town.
• The only province in Vietnam that does not currently have a city-level administrative unit is Dak Nong province.
• Quang Ninh is the province with the most affiliated cities today with four cities under the province: Mong Cai, Cam Pha, Uong Bi, and Ha Long.
• Ba Ria – Vung Tau is a province whose name is a combination of two provincial cities: Ba Ria city and Vung Tau city.

Vietnam currently has 3 types of cities: cities directly under the Central Government, cities under cities, and cities under provinces.

Major cities in Vietnam

Criteria to be one of the largest cities depends not only on the area and population but also on the development of the economy, politics, education and facilities, and infrastructure in that city.

Here are major cities in Vietnam:

• Hanoi City
• Ho Chi Minh City
• Hai Phong city
• Can Tho city
• Da Nang city
• Bien Hoa City
• Thu Duc City
• Hai Duong city
• Hue city

Biggest cities in Vietnam by population:

Municipalities of Vietnam

Centrally controlled cities or municipalities are cities with significant importance in terms of politics, economy, and culture of Vietnam that are under the direct control of the Vietnamese government. There are currently five centrally controlled municipalities.

Municipalities are the highest-ranked cities in Vietnam. Municipalities are centrally-controlled cities and have special status equal to the province.

The municipalities are divided into urban districts (quận), municipal cities, towns (thị xã), and rural districts (huyện) as the second-tier units. At the third tier, urban districts are divided into wards (phường), towns are divided into wards (phường) and communes (xã), while rural districts are divided into townships (thị trấn) and communes (xã).

Future municipalities

1 city will become a municipality:

• Da Lat (2030)

4 provinces will become municipalities:

• Bac Ninh province (2022)
• Binh Dương province (2024)
• Thua Thien Hue province (2025)
• Quang Ninh province (2026)

Municipal city in Vietnam

A municipal city, commonly known as a city within the city is a type of second-tier subdivision of Vietnam along with the urban districts, districts, towns, and provincial cities that have equal status.

The municipal city is a satellite city of the municipality in Vietnam. Referring to the local organizing governance law which was approved by the thirteenth National Assembly on June 19, 2015, the term “municipal city” was available from January 1, 2016.

This entity was created to make a new “Urban Governance” project (or Urban Administration model) in Ho Chi Minh City and other cities

Municipal cities (sub-cities) in Vietnam are placed under the municipality’s government.

Provincial cities in Vietnam

Provincial cities in Vietnam are placed under the province’s government.

A provincial city, commonly known as a city, a type of second-tier subdivision of Vietnam is divided into 713 units along with an urban district, district, municipal city, and town that have equal status. Also by virtue of Decree No. 42/2009/ND-CP, cities are officially classified into Class-1, Class-2, or Class-3.

Cities are usually provincial urban and administrative centers. Some cities also were appointed provincial economic centers and the cultural center of a region (between provinces). There might still agricultural population in the suburban provincial cities.

Provincial cities are divided into wards (within the inner city) and communes (within the suburban). Cities are equal level to counties, urban districts, or towns, but larger and more important.

At the time of 2025, seven cities: Bac Ninh, Di An, Dong Ha, Hue, Soc Trang, Thu Dau Mot, and Vinh Long, do not have any rural commune.

The cities can only be subordinate to the province as the second-tier unit. In the Third Tier, City is divided into wards and communes.

Richest cities in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi Capital City. Da Nang, Can Tho, and Hai Phong… are the cities named in the list of the top 10 richest cities in Vietnam today. Criteria for ranking include infrastructure conditions; people’s living standards; natural resources; industry zones; famous tourist attractions…

Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City is the place with the largest concentration of people and tourists, as well as the economic center of Vietnam. Compared to the whole country, Ho Chi Minh City occupies only 0.6% of the area and 8.34% of the population but accounts for 20.5% of the total GDP; 27.9% of industrial production value, and 37.9% of foreign projects with diverse industries such as mining, fisheries, agriculture, processing industry, construction, tourism…

About trade: Ho Chi Minh City is home to a series of large-scale shopping centers, supermarkets, and markets such as Saigon Trade Center, Diamond Plaza, and Ben Thanh market – the symbol of the city… with a consumption rate many times higher than that of Ho Chi Minh City. other provinces in Vietnam (1.5 times higher than Hanoi capital).

Hanoi City – Capital of Vietnam

The capital’s economy regularly maintains a good growth rate. Notably, the main industries will regain their growth momentum: industrial value-added – is set to increase by 8.4%, construction alone increased by 9.9%, which is the highest increase in the last 3 years; The real estate market has changed, the amount of inventory has decreased.

Growth rate of gross domestic product in the area: 9.0 – 9.5%, services 9.8 – 10.5%, industry – set to increase by 8.7-9.0%, agriculture by 2. 0 – 2.5%; GRDP per capita: 75-77 million VND. A series of large commercial centers have been built such as Royal City, Time City, AEON Mall … are shopping gatherings of a large number of people.

Hanoi is a city with potential for tourism development. In the inner city, along with French colonial architecture, Hanoi also owns a system of the most famous museums in Vietnam such as the Vietnam Women’s Museum, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, and War Remnants Museum. ..

Da Nang City

Da Nang has been a central city since 1997, located in the South Central region, and is a major center of economy, politics, culture, society, education and training, science and technology, and medicine. The specialized economy of the Central – Central Highlands region and the whole country.

Da Nang’s economy is quite diverse, including industry, agriculture, services, tourism, and commerce, of which services and tourism account for a large proportion of the city’s economic structure.

The proportion of the service sector in GDP in 2011 was 51%, industry – set 46%, and agriculture 3%. By 2020, the service sector was accounted for the proportion of GDP at 65%, industry at 32%, and agriculture at 3%.

Can Tho

Can Tho is the fourth-largest city in Vietnam and the largest city in the Mekong Delta region in Vietnam.

It is noted for its floating markets, rice paper-making village, and picturesque rural canals. It has a population of around 1,282,300 as of 2018 and is located on the south bank of the Hau River, a distributary of the Mekong River. In 2011, Can Tho International Airport opened.

The city is nicknamed the “western capital” (Vietnamese is Tây Đô) and is located 169 kilometers (105 miles) from Ho Chi Minh City.

Annually, Can Tho contributes about 12% of the total budget revenue to the region, with a total export turnover of 1.375 billion USD. Up to now, Can Tho city exports to over 100 countries and territories, most concentrated in Asia 50.6%, America 19.2%, European countries 13%, Africa 7.78%, and Australia 2.63%.

Can Tho is considered a riverside city with a system of interlaced rivers, vast orchards, immense fields, famous for Ninh Kieu Wharf, Cai Rang floating market, a typical cultural activity of southern Vietnam.

According to the master plan for 2025, Can Tho city becomes the center of industry, trade – service, education – training, science-technology, health, and culture of the Mekong Delta.

It is the gateway of the lower Mekong region and is an important focal point for domestic and international transportation, with a strategic position in terms of national defense and security.

Hai Phong City

Hai Phong is an important port city, an industrial center, the largest seaport in the North of Vietnam, and also an economic, cultural, medical, educational, scientific, commercial, and technological center of Vietnam. northern coastal region.

In the ranking of the Provincial Competitiveness Index of Vietnam in 2013, Hai Phong city ranked 15th out of 63 provinces. Not only famous as an industrial port city, but Hai Phong is also a place with great tourism potential.

Hai Phong currently retains many architectural attractions including traditional architecture with ancient pagodas, communal houses, temples, and French neoclassical architecture located on old streets such as Hai Phong Opera House.

At the same time, Hai Phong currently owns a UNESCO world biosphere reserve located in Cat Ba archipelago, along with Do Son beach and resort. You may not know, but Cat Ba Island belongs to Hai Phong city and is surrounded by Lan Ha Bay.

The city is also famous in the eyes of tourists because of its cultural features, especially cuisine, traditional festivals, and specialties Hai Phong is always the most searched topic when arriving. to this red flower city.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cities are in Vietnam?

According to the latest statistics from the list of administrative units of the General Statistics Office in the year 2025, Vietnam currently has 85 cities, including 5 cities directly under the Central Government: Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Can Tho; 1 municipal city is Thu Duc City of Ho Chi Minh City; the rest are 79 cities under 58 other provinces of Vietnam.

Vietnam has 2 cities with more than a million people, 33 cities with between 100,000 and 1 million people, and 52 cities with between 10,000 and 100,000 people.

How many main cities are in Vietnam?

Vietnam has 5 main cities directly under the central government: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hai Phong, Da Nang, and Can Tho.

What are the 5 largest cities in Vietnam?

Here is a list of the 5 largest cities in Vietnam

1, Hanoi City ✰ Area: 3,359 km2 ✰ Population: 8,054 million people

2, Ho Chi Minh City

✰ Area: 2,061 km2 ✰ Population: 8,993 million people

3, Hai Phong City

✰ Area : 1,527 km2 ✰ Population : 2,209 million people

4, Can Tho city

✰ Area: 1,439.2 km2 ✰ Population : 1,520,000 people

5, Da Nang city

✰ Area: 1,285 km2 ✰ Population : 1,134 million people

6, Bien Hoa City

✰ Area: 264.1 km² ✰ Population: 1,251 million

Which is the most beautiful city in Vietnam?

Hoi An ranks high on any list of Vietnam's most beautiful cities. Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is known for its cobblestone streets, narrow canals, and Chinese-style shophouses. It also boasts French-colonial buildings. This former trading port is located on the coast and is known for its historic Old Town. A well-preserved, old trading town is the most beautiful city in Vietnam. There are many beautiful historic homes, pagodas, and cafes in the city.

Where do the rich live in Vietnam?

What is the best place to live in Vietnam for the rich? Ho Chi Minh City is Vietnam's wealthiest city. Although it doesn't have the highest living costs, many people live in comfort and spend more money to enjoy a comfortable life. The country's highest GDP and per capita income is at US$6,862 (2019).

Did you know: 

Vung Tau is a province that develops industry and seaports, achieving an average GDP growth rate of 14%/year, including oil and gas with an average of 10.8%/year. GDP per capita is $11,500, and oil and gas is $15,000.

Ba Ria - Vung Tau will become a port city, the largest port city in the country along with Hai Phong, a logistics and supporting industry center, an important industrial center of the country. Accordingly, GDP per capita is forecast to reach $27,000/person/year (equivalent to the income of developed countries).

What is the safest city in Vietnam?

Hoi An is the safest place in Vietnam. Hoi An has the lowest crime index and many people live peaceful lives. Hoi An is a beautiful place that offers all the benefits of nature, while still being close to a major city.

References:

National Summary Data Page (NSDP)-VIET NAM

https://nsdp.gso.gov.vn/index.htm