Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Vietnam instead of French Polynesia, you would:

Health

live 2.9 years less

In French Polynesia, the average life expectancy is 78 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2022. In Vietnam, that number is 76 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

be 86.3% less likely to be unemployed

In French Polynesia, 11.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Vietnam, that number is 1.6% as of 2023.

be 75.6% less likely to live below the poverty line

In French Polynesia, 19.7% live below the poverty line as of 2009. In Vietnam, however, that number is 4.8% as of 2020.

make 26.3% less money

French Polynesia has a GDP per capita of $18,600 as of 2021, while in Vietnam, the GDP per capita is $13,700 as of 2023.

Life

have 10.6% more children

In French Polynesia, there are approximately 13.5 babies per 1,000 people as of 2022. In Vietnam, there are 14.9 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 3.4 times more likely to die during infancy

In French Polynesia, approximately 4.4 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Vietnam, on the other hand, 14.8 children do as of 2022.

Geography

see 36.4% more coastline

French Polynesia has a total of 2,525 km of coastline. In Vietnam, that number is 3,444 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Vietnam: At a glance

Vietnam (sometimes abbreviated SRV) is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 310,070 sq km. The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Vietnam declared independence after World War II, but France continued to rule until its 1954 defeat by communist forces under Ho Chi MINH. Under the Geneva Accords of 1954, Vietnam was divided into the communist North and anti-communist South. US economic and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese forces overran the South reuniting the country under communist rule. Despite the return of peace, for over a decade the country experienced little economic growth because of conservative leadership policies, the persecution and mass exodus of individuals - many of them successful South Vietnamese merchants - and growing international isolation. However, since the enactment of Vietnam's "doi moi" (renovation) policy in 1986, Vietnamese authorities have committed to increased economic liberalization and enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The communist leaders, however, maintain control on political expression and have resisted outside calls to improve human rights. The country continues to experience small-scale protests from various groups - the vast majority connected to land-use issues, calls for increased political space, and the lack of equitable mechanisms for resolving disputes. Various ethnic minorities, such as the Montagnards of the Central Highlands and the Khmer Krom in the southern delta region, have also held protests.
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How big is Vietnam compared to French Polynesia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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