Study the Vietnam ethnic groups. Learn about Vietnamese ethnicity, review the nation's population and demographics, and explore the ethnic diversity and tribes.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Vietnam Ethnic Groups | Demographics & Tribes
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main ethnicity in Vietnam?
The main ethnic group of Vietnam are the Viet people, who primarily live among the urbanized river deltas of the country. They make up 87% of the population.
What are the main ethnic groups in Vietnam?
The main ethnic groups of Vietnam are the Viet, the Tay, the Thai, the Myong, the Hoa, the Khmer, and the Nung. Most besides the Viet are relatively small.
Table of Contents
ShowVietnam is a country in Southeast Asia with a population of 104 million, making it the 16th most populous country. During its long history, Vietnam has cycled through periods of unification, division, and occupation by powerful empires. In 1802, the country was unified under the Nguyen Dynasty. In the late 1800s, France invaded and colonized the country. After World War Two, Vietnam fought a war of independence against France, which eventually melded into a civil war between the communist north and capitalist south.
The Vietnam War was fought between the United States and Vietnamese communists. Ultimately, the US exited, and Vietnam was reunified under a communist system, which continues to rule the country to this day. However, reforms introduced in the late 1900s changed its economic system to be more liberal and competitive. As a result, Vietnam has become a productive country engaged in international trade. However, it is still far from a democracy, as the Communist Party maintains its control over Vietnamese politics.
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Vietnam has a high literacy rate, with 96% of the people literate. The average life expectancy in Vietnam is 75.5 years, and its fertility rate is 2.05; both of these numbers are roughly average for the world. Most Vietnamese people, 86%, are nonreligious, though they are culturally Buddhist. Six percent of the country is Buddhist, while another 6% is Catholic. Vietnam is also home to several ethnic groups.
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The Vietnamese government recognized 54 ethnic groups. These include the majority ethnic group and many Vietnamese tribes which live in rural areas. The following is an ethnic break-down of the ethnic groups of Vietnam:
- 87% Viet
- 2% Tay
- 2% Thai
- 2% Muong
- 1% Hoa
- 1% Khmer
- 1% Nung
So, most of Vietnam belongs to the Viet ethnic group, but several other ethnic groups are present in the country.
The Viet People
The Viet people form the largest ethnic group in Vietnam, making up upwards of 87% of the population. This term evolved from a Chinese word, Yue, referring to the non-Chinese populations of southern Asia. The name Vietnam means Viet of the South. The Viet ethnic group is also called Kinh, which is what the people of northern Vietnam have historically called themselves.
As the largest ethnic group in the country, the Viet people have profoundly influenced the culture and practices of their region. The dominant language, Vietnamese, was created by the Viet people, as well as the cuisine of Vietnam (including such dishes as pho). Viet culture has also deeply been influenced by China to the north and partially by France.
Vietnam, geographically, is divided by river deltas which flow through the tropical rainforests which make up most of the country. The Viet people mostly live along these major river deltas, such as the Red River to the north and the Mekong Delta to the south.
The Tay People
The Tay people are an ethnic group mostly located in the northern reaches of Vietnam, where there are temperate mountain valleys. The Tay people are also known as the Tho people, from the Chinese word for local. Deeply influenced by the Viet culture, Tay people share many cultural practices with that ethnic group. However, they have their own unique language, Tay (similar to the Thai language to the west). They also practice their own unique indigenous religion, Then, which is influenced by Buddhism and Chinese Taoism.
The Thai People
The Thai people are another ethnic group in the temperate northwest of Vietnam. They are closely related to the Tay and the Thai people, who make up the nearby country of Thailand. They speak a variety of Tai dialects, including Saek. Like the Tay, they use the Tai alphabet system, which is similar to the other alphabets of the region.
The Muong People
The third largest ethnic group in Vietnam is the Muong people. They inhabit the mountainous northern region of Vietnam and primarily work in agriculture, growing rice and breeding livestock such as cattle. This ethnic group is closely related to the Viet people; they use the Viet alphabet to write their language.
The Hoa People
The Hoa people are a small ethnic group in Vietnam. This name refers to those who are at least partially Chinese in origin. This includes people from northern China who emigrated recently and the southern Chinese ethnic groups. They speak several languages, such as Cantonese (or Yue), Hakka, etc.
The Khmer People
The Khmer people are an ethnic group that is common across Southeast Asia. They make up the majority of Cambodia and speak the Khmer language. Most Khmer practice Buddhism or indigenous religions. There are roughly 1 million Khmer who lives in Vietnam, mainly in the south of the country close to neighboring Cambodia.
The Nung People
The Nung group, related to the Tay and Thai, is located primarily in the northwest. They speak the Nung language. Like others in the north, they tend to practice indigenous religions influenced by Buddhism.
Other Vietnamese Ethnicities
Vietnam is home to 54 ethnic groups recognized by the government, but others exist. These include small groups such as the Brau and Ro Mam peoples of the southwest and the O Du people of the northwest.
Most of these minority ethnic groups live in rural areas, either in the mountains and valleys of the north or in the tropical rainforests far from cities. Most political power is held by the Viet, so most government investment goes to Viet areas and urban cities along the river deltas. This has led to the exclusion of the minorities of Vietnam from economic progress and inequalities in other areas, such as healthcare and technology. However, the minorities of Vietnam tend to band together to mutually support each other in their progress toward equality with the Viet majority.
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Vietnam is a country of 104 million located in Southeast Asia. Roughly 87% of the country are part of the Viet people, who live along the urbanized river deltas of the country. The Viet people are mostly non-religious. They form the cultural backbone of the country; their language (Vietnamese) and cuisine (such as the pho dish) are dominant in Vietnam.
However, Vietnam is home to 54 recognized ethnic groups. Most of the minorities of Vietnam live in the temperate mountains in the north of the country. These minorities belong to the Tay, the Thai, the Muong, the Hoa, the Khmer, and the Nung peoples. Many of these groups practice indigenous religions. For example, the Tay people practice the religion of Then, which is influenced by both Buddhism and Taoism. The Hoa people refer to those of partial Chinese descent. Because most government investment goes to the Viet, these minority groups have been neglected. There exists inequality in Vietnam between ethnic groups on the basis of access to healthcare and technology. However, minorities have banded together to mutually support each other's quest for equality.
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Additional Info
Vietnam
Most Americans have heard of Vietnam. We fought a war there once, it wasn't very popular, we lost, and now Vietnamese restaurants are popping up all over American cities. They're really good, too. But how much do we really know about the people who live in Vietnam? There's more to Vietnam than meets the eye, or if you'd rather keep talking about food, than meets the palate.
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The Viet People
The majority of people in Vietnam belong to the same ethnic group. These people are the Viet, also called the Kinh. Considering that we're talking about a nation called Vietnam, it's not too surprising that that Viet people are the majority ethnicity. Approximately 87% of Vietnam's total population identify as Viet. For the most part, the Viet people live along the three parts of Vietnam where their ancestors have lived for millennia. The Red River delta, Mekong delta, and central coastal delta are all regions with rich soils and an abundance of marine resources. These areas are where the first settled societies in Vietnam appeared thousands of years ago, and this is where the Viet people mostly live to this day. Considering this, it's not too surprising that fishing is a major industry and form of subsistence for many Viet people. The Viet also inhabit the nation's major urban centers, many along these same rivers, which are fully industrialized and integrated into the global economy.
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Minority Ethnic Groups
So, if 87% of people in Vietnam identify as Viet, what about the other 13%? Well, believe it or not, Vietnam is actually home to 54 distinct ethnic groups. How's that for a substantial amount of diversity? How did Vietnam become so diverse? Well, outside of the river deltas, Vietnam is very mountainous. Since prehistoric times, small societies settled in various mountain valleys. While societies along the rivers could interact frequently and develop a shared identity, each of these mountain societies remained pretty isolated thanks to the terrain, and they all maintained a unique identity of their own. To this day, most of the ethnic populations in Vietnam live in these same mountain communities.
Considering that Vietnam is a pretty populous nation, 13% of the total population still adds up to around 8 million people. That's only slightly less than the population of New York City, so we're talking about a pretty sizeable number. The largest ethnic groups are the Tay, Thai, Muong, Hoa, Khmer, and Nung. Each of these populations contains about 1 million people. Some ethnic groups, however, are much smaller; the Brau, Roman, and Odu people only have populations of a few hundred each.
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Considering that even all together, these ethnic minorities are, well, a minority, they've actually worked hard to band together for mutual support. There is something of a consolidated ethnic minority identity amongst these 53 non-Viet groups, and there is historical precedent for this. Ever since the Viet kingdoms started really expanding in roughly the first century, these mountainous people have found strength in unity and cooperation. To this day, coalitions and alliances exist to help develop modern farming techniques and improved quality of life for ethnic minorities.
This question of quality of life actually has been something of an issue in Vietnam. The vast majority of Vietnam's development occurs along the river deltas, so even if it's not specifically designed to be exclusive of minority groups, the mountain societies can be neglected. Currently, Vietnam's government is working to fix this, and as I said, the mountain villages are banding together to demand support as well. Currently, Vietnam is in a position of trying to improve the access to health care, education, and modern technologies for ethnic minorities, without threatening their traditional cultures and beliefs. It's a delicate balance, one that many nations around the world have not been able to sustain, but for now Vietnam seems to be managing.
Lesson Summary
In Southeast Asia is the nation of Vietnam. Vietnam is home to 54 distinct ethnic groups, although only one can claim majority status. The Viet (Kinh) people make up 87% of the total population. For the most part, the Viet are centered around the abundant river deltas that are rich in natural resources, the same places their ancestors settled millennia ago. Many Viet people still rely on fishing and rice cultivation, but Vietnam also has many world-class urban centers, also inhabited primarily by the Viet. The nation's ethnic minorities live almost exclusively in the mountains. While they are a diverse set of people, these minority groups have largely managed to band together for mutual support. Due to the geographic separation, a lot of Vietnam's development excluded minority groups, something that the government today is trying to remediate. So, the next time you hear something about Vietnam, now you can think about something besides just their food, even if it is really, really tasty.
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Vietnam Ethnic Groups | Demographics & Tribes
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