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Singapore vs Vietnam
Side-by-side comparison of Singapore and Vietnam from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Vietnam
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 1,087 years
In short
Singapore scores 82.1 in the NationsTree Index (3rd in the world) and Vietnam scores 59.0 (58th), a gap of 23.1 points. Their trees are 22 m and 27 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Vietnam has 17 times the population of Singapore. Vietnam is 450 times larger than Singapore by land area. The economy of Vietnam is 84% larger than that of Singapore (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Singapore 6.1 million and Vietnam 101.6 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $163,354 in Singapore and $18,088 in Vietnam (2025, international dollars). People in Singapore live on average 8.6 years longer (83.3 vs 74.7 years).
Of 33 indicators reported by both countries, Singapore ranks higher in the world on 27 and Vietnam on 6. Singapore is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, infrastructure & digital and society & health. Vietnam is clearly stronger in natural resources, main industries and land & people.
As a nation, Vietnam is the older of the two (statehood since 939, 1,087 years), compared with Singapore (since 1965). Over the last five years Vietnam improved faster (direction score 62 vs 51 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Singapore and Vietnam.
Singapore
165.7%
187th of 189
Vietnambetter
30.5%
36th of 189
Safely managed drinking waterInfrastructure & digital
Singaporebetter
100.0%
1st of 150
Vietnam
58.6%
104th of 150
GDP per personEconomy
Singaporebetter
$98,814
8th of 210
Vietnam
$5,066
138th of 210
Safely managed sanitationInfrastructure & digital
Singaporebetter
100.0%
1st of 144
Vietnam
45.4%
90th of 144
Tertiary enrolmentSociety & health
Singaporebetter
97.3%
11th of 150
Vietnam
37.6%
99th of 150
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Singapore has been ahead of Vietnam in the NationsTree Index in every year since 1995.
Singapore has been ahead of Vietnam in GDP per person (PPP) and life expectancy in every year since 1990.
Vietnam has been ahead of Singapore in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
SingaporeVietnam All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Singapore | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 736184th/216 · 2024 | 331,33867th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 725182nd/216 · 2024 | 313,42968th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 6.1 m113th/217 · 2025 | 101.6 m16th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 1.22%85th/217 · 2025 | 0.60%129th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 8,329.03rd/216 · 2024 | 322.238th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 100.0%1st/217 · 2025 | 38.8%176th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 11.7%211th/217 · 2025 | 22.9%108th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 14.2%72nd/217 · 2025 | 9.5%104th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $603.87 bn27th/210 · 2025 | $514.70 bn32nd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $998.28 bn33rd/199 · 2025 | $1.84 trn23rd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $853.07 bn33rd/199 · 2025 | $1.57 trn23rd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $98,8148th/210 · 2025 | $5,066138th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $163,3541st/199 · 2025 | $18,088113th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $81,76010th/201 · 2025 | $4,970129th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 5.0%50th/210 · 2025 | 8.0%12th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 0.9%33rd/180 · 2025 | 3.3%96th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 2.8%33rd/187 · 2025 | 1.5%11th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 167.8%55th/55 · 2024 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 165.7%187th/189 · 2025 | 30.5%36th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | 4.2%9th/192 · 2025 | 0.0%39th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 0.0%196th/197 · 2025 | 11.6%63rd/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 22.7%107th/200 · 2025 | 37.6%21st/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 17.4%32nd/192 · 2025 | 24.5%10th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 71.6%29th/200 · 2025 | 42.7%175th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $1.07 trn7th/182 · 2025 | $505.66 bn21st/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $860.24 bn9th/182 · 2025 | $474.00 bn21st/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 177.9%4th/183 · 2025 | 98.2%9th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 142.5%4th/183 · 2025 | 92.1%15th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 320.3%4th/183 · 2025 | 190.3%10th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 9.4%50th/170 · 2025 | 1.0%120th/170 · 2023 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 78.2%24th/171 · 2025 | 85.0%12th/171 · 2023 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 2.3%151st/171 · 2025 | 9.4%117th/171 · 2023 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.9%138th/171 · 2025 | 1.1%133rd/171 · 2023 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 59.4%5th/168 · 2024 | 44.3%10th/168 · 2023 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 16.7%10th/191 · 2025 | 6.7%26th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 26.3%8th/196 · 2025 | 4.3%50th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 0.0%185th/209 · 2021 | 2.5%90th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | 0.67%50th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 | 0.33%45th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.38%16th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.10%69th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.00%178th/209 · 2021 | 1.07%53rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 0.8%188th/206 · 2024 | 21.5%52nd/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 106169th/183 · 2022 | 3,60675th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 2.7 m55th/194 · 2020 | 3.8 m47th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $20.42 bn8th/175 · 2018 | $3.23 bn39th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 3.0%106th/168 · 2018 | 1.1%151st/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 1.5 m56th/107 · 2020 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 83.315th/217 · 2024 | 74.7108th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 2.714th/196 · 2024 | 17.3113th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 2.8363rd/174 · 2022 | 1.11103rd/174 · 2021 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 2.865th/145 · 2023 | 2.52017 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 97%29th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 85.3%62nd/153 · 2022 | 66.0%89th/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 103.1%49th/173 · 2023 | 93.4%86th/173 · 2022 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | — | 89.4%4th/55 · 2020 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 19.2%75th/217 · 2025 | 14.0%103rd/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 4.5%139th/193 · 2023 | 4.6%135th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 97.7%24th/98 · 2021 | 96.1%32nd/98 · 2022 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 97.3%11th/150 · 2023 | 37.6%99th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.94613th/193 · 2023 | 0.76693rd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | — | 36.167th/108 · 2022 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | — | 1.6%57th/108 · 2022 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 100.0%1st/150 · 2024 | 58.6%104th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 100.0%1st/144 · 2024 | 45.4%90th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 94.4%30th/186 · 2024 | 84.2%85th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 17119th/210 · 2024 | 12864th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 27.869th/208 · 2024 | 23.780th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 4.601st/164 · 2022 | 3.2046th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | — | 3,15939th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 47.5 m23rd/161 · 2023 | 55.1 m20th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 9.75183rd/203 · 2024 | 4.27140th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 1.1%187th/212 · 2021 | 24.2%94th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 15.185th/200 · 2023 | 24.8139th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 21.8%129th/214 · 2024 | 47.1%64th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 5,24615th/149 · 2024 | 1,18886th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 95.21st/205 · 2025 | 56.093rd/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 87.84th/207 · 2025 | 45.996th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 83.218th/207 · 2025 | 55.7110th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 89.012th/207 · 2025 | 67.7106th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 91.91st/205 · 2025 | 53.1106th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 54.6113th/205 · 2025 | 34.5170th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.11st/145 · 2023 | 1.52011 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $17.44 bn22nd/156 · 2025 | $10.49 bn32nd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 3.0%31st/156 · 2025 | 2.2%53rd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 18.0%11th/154 · 2025 | 9.9%31st/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 59,00065th/170 · 2020 | 522,00012th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.72%34th/168 · 2020 | 0.95%72nd/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 57.0 m60th/163 · 2025 | 177.0 m40th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 79.0 m30th/65 · 2025 | 10.0 m2018 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 1.81%23rd/110 · 2022 | 0.41%65th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 1,89820th/137 · 2024 | 1,22626th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 11,89439th/197 · 2023 | 10,64442nd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Singapore or Vietnam?
Vietnam has the larger population: 101.6 m (2025) compared with 6.1 m for Singapore (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Singapore or Vietnam?
Vietnam is larger: 331,338 km² (2024) compared with 736 km² for Singapore (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Singapore or Vietnam?
Vietnam has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $1.84 trn intl. (2025) compared with $998.28 bn intl. for Singapore (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Singapore or Vietnam?
Singapore has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $163,354 intl. (2025) compared with $18,088 intl. for Vietnam (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Singapore or Vietnam?
Singapore has the higher life expectancy at birth: 83.3 years (2024) compared with 74.7 years for Vietnam (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Singapore or Vietnam?
Singapore spends more on the military: $17.44 bn (2025) compared with $10.49 bn for Vietnam (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Singapore or Vietnam?
Singapore: 82.1 points (3rd in the world); Vietnam: 59.0 points (58th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Hong Kong
Malaysia
Myanmar
Philippines
Australia
South Korea
ThailandSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Singapore vs Vietnam — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/singapore-vs-vietnam. Data as of 26 October 2026.