Duong Quoc Trong, Head of the General Department, said with the decreasing birth rate, the growth of the population in Vietnam reduced considerably, and the life-span also rose to 72.8 years old in 2009, up 4.6 years compared to 10 years before.

However, the population’s quality is still facing many challenges, he added.

The survey showed that each person in life must deal with 12 years of illness on average. Also, the imbalance of gender is increasing quickly and remains at a dangerous level.

In 2000, the gender ratio in Vietnam was 106.2 boys per 100 girls. It has now spiked to 111 boys per 100 girls. In some provinces in the Mekong River delta, the rate is as high as 115 boys per 100 girls.

It’s forecast the gender imbalance will rise to 115 boys per 100 girls in 2015 if Vietnam doesn’t apply tough measures.