Ethnics make up 14.6% of Vietnam’s population: survey

The General Statistics Office (GSO) released the results of a 2015 socio-economic survey of the 53 minorities on September 29. The census covers 51 of the 63 provinces and cities. 

There were more than 3 million ethnic minority households nationwide, a 2.2% anual rise between 2009 and 2015. Up to 89.6% of ethnics reside in rural areas, while 66.1% of the total population live in those areas. 

There were more men than women among ethnics (50.3% and 49.7%), contrary to overall figures in Vietnam (men – 49.3%, women – 50.7%). 

Life expectancy for ethnic minorities averages 69.9 years with men living 67.1 years and women 72.9 years on average.

The survey showed that almost 21% of ethnic people by the age of 15 were unable to read, write or understand a simple sentence in Vietnamese. 

About 23.1% of the ethnic minority families were poor in 2015, 3.3 times higher than the general poverty rate of 7%. 

However, nearly 94% of the surveyed families had electricity from the national grid while two-thirds of them had access to radio, and about 90% were able to watch TV. 

As many as 81.9% of working ethnics (aged at least 15) worked in agricultural, fishery and aquacultural activities. 

The monthly per capita income of ethnics was VND1.16 million (US$52) in 2015, much lower than the national average of VND2.8 million (US$125.6). 

The data will serve the establishment of a database on the ethnic minorities in Vietnam to help with the making of socio-economic development policies for ethnic-inhabited areas, head of the GSO Nguyen Bich Lam said.