Updated
Overview
Vietnam has 18 times the population of Finland: 101.60 million people against 5.65 million (2025).
Vietnam's economy is about 60% larger than Finland's, at $514.70B versus $317.04B.
Per person, Finland is the wealthier of the two: $56,149 against $5,066 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Vietnam | Finland | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $514.70B | $317.04B | 2025 | $476.39B / $299.84B |
| GDP per capita | $5,066 | Higher: $56,149 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 8.0% | 0.2% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | 3.3% | Lower: 0.3% | 2025 | 3.6% / 1.6% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 1.5% | 9.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 29 | 85 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $355 | Higher: $5,760 | 2024 / 2025 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $205 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| Big Mac price | $2.89 | — | — | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 101.60 million | 5.65 million | 2025 | 106.69 million / 5.55 million |
| Population growth | 0.6% | 0.5% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 33.4 yrs | 43.2 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 1.88 | 1.30 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 74.7 yrs | Higher: 82.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 39% | 75% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 84% | Higher: 94% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 331,212 km² | 338,424 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 306.7/km² | 16.7/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 371 Mt | Lower: 30 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 3.7 t | 5.3 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $5.50B | $6.99B | 2018 / 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.8% | 2.3% | 2018 / 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 522,000 | 22,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Vietnam is growing much faster: 8.0% annual GDP growth versus 0.2%.
Vietnam runs the hotter price environment: 3.3% inflation versus 0.3%.
Day-to-day prices are noticeably lower in Vietnam: a price level of 29 versus 85 on a US=100 scale.
Average monthly earnings favour Finland: $5,760 against $355 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Vietnam is the far younger society: median age 33.4 versus 43.2 years.
Life expectancy is 7.6 years longer in Finland (82.3 vs 74.7).
Finland is considerably more urbanized: 75% of people live in cities, against 39%.
Geography
By land area, Vietnam is almost exactly the same size as Finland: 331,212 km² versus 338,424 km².
Vietnam is far more densely settled: 307 people per km² against 17.
Military
Finland spends 27% more on defence than Vietnam: $6.99B versus $5.50B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Vietnam fields the larger armed forces: 522,000 personnel against 22,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Vietnam bigger than Finland?
- The two are almost exactly the same size. Vietnam covers 331,212 km² while Finland covers 338,424 km², a difference of under 2%.
- Which has more people, Vietnam or Finland?
- Vietnam has the larger population: 101.60 million versus 5.65 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Vietnam richer than Finland?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Finland is richer: $56,149 against $5,066. Total GDP tells a different story: $514.70B for Vietnam versus $317.04B for Finland.
- Who spends more on their military, Vietnam or Finland?
- Finland spends more: $6.99B versus $5.50B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).