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Thailand vs Vietnam
Side-by-side comparison of Thailand and Vietnam from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Thailand
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 788 years
Vietnam
East Asia & Pacific · nation age 1,087 years
In short
Thailand scores 61.9 in the NationsTree Index (53rd in the world) and Vietnam scores 59.0 (58th), a gap of 3.0 points. Their trees are 27 m and 27 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Vietnam has 42% more people than Thailand. Thailand has 55% more land area than Vietnam. Thailand and Vietnam have economies of similar size (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Thailand 71.6 million and Vietnam 101.6 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $26,250 in Thailand and $18,088 in Vietnam (2025, international dollars). People in Thailand live on average 1.8 years longer (76.6 vs 74.7 years).
Of 36 indicators reported by both countries, Thailand ranks higher in the world on 20 and Vietnam on 16. Thailand is clearly stronger in tourism and infrastructure & digital. Vietnam is clearly stronger in military.
As a nation, Vietnam is the older of the two (statehood since 939, 1,087 years), compared with Thailand (since 1238). Over the last five years Vietnam improved faster (direction score 62 vs 59 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Thailand and Vietnam.
Thailand
2.4%
134th of 210
Vietnambetter
8.0%
12th of 210
Extreme povertySociety & health
Thailandbetter
0.0%
1st of 108
Vietnam
1.6%
57th of 108
InflationEconomy
Thailandbetter
-0.1%
12th of 180
Vietnam
3.3%
96th of 180
DPT immunizationSociety & health
Thailand
92%
86th of 193
Vietnambetter
97%
29th of 193
Political stabilityInstitutions & safety
Thailand
55.8
159th of 207
Vietnambetter
67.7
106th of 207
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Thailand overtook Vietnam in the NationsTree Index in 2023 and has stayed ahead since.
Thailand overtook Vietnam in life expectancy in 2006 and has stayed ahead since.
Thailand has been ahead of Vietnam in GDP per person (PPP) and GDP (PPP) in every year since 1990.
Vietnam has been ahead of Thailand in 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
ThailandVietnam 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 | Thailand | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 513,11552nd/216 · 2024 | 331,33867th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 510,89050th/216 · 2024 | 313,42968th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 71.6 m20th/217 · 2025 | 101.6 m16th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | -0.07%176th/217 · 2025 | 0.60%129th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 140.383rd/216 · 2024 | 322.238th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 62.8%117th/217 · 2025 | 38.8%176th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 14.4%189th/217 · 2025 | 22.9%108th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 16.0%62nd/217 · 2025 | 9.5%104th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $577.01 bn29th/210 · 2025 | $514.70 bn32nd/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $1.88 trn22nd/199 · 2025 | $1.84 trn23rd/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $1.61 trn22nd/199 · 2025 | $1.57 trn23rd/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $8,057112th/210 · 2025 | $5,066138th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $26,25087th/199 · 2025 | $18,088113th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $7,690106th/201 · 2025 | $4,970129th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 2.4%134th/210 · 2025 | 8.0%12th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | -0.1%12th/180 · 2025 | 3.3%96th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 0.8%4th/187 · 2025 | 1.5%11th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | 61.9%32nd/55 · 2024 | — |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 64.7%123rd/189 · 2025 | 30.5%36th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -1.7%68th/192 · 2025 | 0.0%39th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 8.7%78th/197 · 2025 | 11.6%63rd/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 31.1%50th/200 · 2025 | 37.6%21st/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 23.7%11th/192 · 2025 | 24.5%10th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 60.2%82nd/200 · 2025 | 42.7%175th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $410.53 bn24th/182 · 2025 | $505.66 bn21st/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $388.13 bn26th/182 · 2025 | $474.00 bn21st/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 71.1%27th/183 · 2025 | 98.2%9th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 67.3%41st/183 · 2025 | 92.1%15th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 138.4%28th/183 · 2025 | 190.3%10th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 2.4%97th/170 · 2025 | 1.0%120th/170 · 2023 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 73.1%35th/171 · 2025 | 85.0%12th/171 · 2023 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 13.3%99th/171 · 2025 | 9.4%117th/171 · 2023 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 3.6%77th/171 · 2025 | 1.1%133rd/171 · 2023 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 28.3%19th/168 · 2024 | 44.3%10th/168 · 2023 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 3.0%52nd/191 · 2025 | 6.7%26th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 3.2%68th/196 · 2025 | 4.3%50th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 1.8%100th/209 · 2021 | 2.5%90th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.48%54th/197 · 2021 | 0.67%50th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.94%31st/197 · 2021 | 0.33%45th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.03%38th/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 | 0.36%76th/209 · 2021 | 1.07%53rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 30.8%27th/206 · 2024 | 21.5%52nd/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 3,13081st/183 · 2022 | 3,60675th/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 39.9 m5th/194 · 2019 | 3.8 m47th/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $15.36 bn10th/175 · 2020 | $3.23 bn39th/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 6.0%79th/168 · 2020 | 1.1%151st/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | 10.4 m19th/107 · 2019 | — |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 76.690th/217 · 2024 | 74.7108th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 9.066th/196 · 2024 | 17.3113th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.54122nd/174 · 2021 | 1.11103rd/174 · 2021 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 2.478th/145 · 2023 | 2.52017 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 92%86th/193 · 2024 | 97%29th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 53.6%109th/153 · 2022 | 66.0%89th/153 · 2023 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 92.1%91st/173 · 2025 | 93.4%86th/173 · 2022 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 87.2%7th/55 · 2021 | 89.4%4th/55 · 2020 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 23.0%65th/217 · 2025 | 14.0%103rd/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 4.5%137th/193 · 2023 | 4.6%135th/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 91.1%49th/98 · 2022 | 96.1%32nd/98 · 2022 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 49.1%79th/150 · 2025 | 37.6%99th/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.79876th/193 · 2023 | 0.76693rd/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 33.343rd/108 · 2024 | 36.167th/108 · 2022 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 0.0%1st/108 · 2024 | 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 | — | 58.6%104th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 26.7%114th/144 · 2024 | 45.4%90th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 90.9%52nd/186 · 2024 | 84.2%85th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 16123rd/210 · 2024 | 12864th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 14.9102nd/208 · 2024 | 23.780th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.7024th/164 · 2022 | 3.2046th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 4,09231st/82 · 2017 | 3,15939th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 51.9 m21st/161 · 2023 | 55.1 m20th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 3.96131st/203 · 2024 | 4.27140th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 19.0%110th/212 · 2021 | 24.2%94th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 23.5135th/200 · 2023 | 24.8139th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 38.7%84th/214 · 2024 | 47.1%64th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 1,83562nd/149 · 2024 | 1,18886th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 57.780th/205 · 2025 | 56.093rd/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 38.1131st/207 · 2025 | 45.996th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 56.6104th/207 · 2025 | 55.7110th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 55.8159th/207 · 2025 | 67.7106th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 57.683rd/205 · 2025 | 53.1106th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 48.2129th/205 · 2025 | 34.5170th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 4.82011 | 1.52011 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $5.98 bn45th/156 · 2025 | $10.49 bn32nd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.0%113th/156 · 2025 | 2.2%53rd/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 4.4%95th/154 · 2025 | 9.9%31st/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 455,00016th/170 · 2020 | 522,00012th/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.13%59th/168 · 2020 | 0.95%72nd/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 33.0 m73rd/163 · 2025 | 177.0 m40th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 15.0 m46th/65 · 2024 | 10.0 m2018 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.94%45th/110 · 2023 | 0.41%65th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 93033rd/137 · 2024 | 1,22626th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 16,65630th/197 · 2023 | 10,64442nd/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Thailand or Vietnam?
Vietnam has the larger population: 101.6 m (2025) compared with 71.6 m for Thailand (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Thailand or Vietnam?
Thailand is larger: 513,115 km² (2024) compared with 331,338 km² for Vietnam (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Thailand or Vietnam?
Thailand has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $1.88 trn intl. (2025) compared with $1.84 trn intl. for Vietnam (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Thailand or Vietnam?
Thailand has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $26,250 intl. (2025) compared with $18,088 intl. for Vietnam (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Thailand or Vietnam?
Thailand has the higher life expectancy at birth: 76.6 years (2024) compared with 74.7 years for Vietnam (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Thailand or Vietnam?
Vietnam spends more on the military: $10.49 bn (2025) compared with $5.98 bn for Thailand (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Thailand or Vietnam?
Thailand: 61.9 points (53rd 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.
Australia
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
South Korea
SingaporeSources
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). Thailand vs Vietnam — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/thailand-vs-vietnam. Data as of 26 October 2026.