The Vietnamese government often groups the various provinces and centrally-governed cities into three regions: Northern Vietnam, Central Vietnam, and Southern Vietnam. These regions can be further subdivided into six subregions, officially referred to as "socio-economic regions": the Northern Midland and Mountainous Regions, the Red River Delta, the North Central Coast, the South Central Coast and Central Highlands, Southeast Vietnam, and the Mekong Delta.
List of regions and subregions + Regions of Vietnam Region Subregion ("Socio-economic" region) Provinces Area (km2) Population Density (people per km2) NotesNorthern Vietnam (Bắc Bộ, Miền Bắc) Northern Midland and Mountainous (Trung du và miền núi phía Bắc) Cao Bằng Điện Biên Lai Châu Lạng Sơn Lào Cai Phú Thọ Thái Nguyên Tuyên Quang Sơn La92,517.4012,601,800136.00 Located in northern Vietnam, sharing national borders with China and Laos. Contains geographical subregions:Northwest and Northeast Red River Delta (Đồng Bằng Sông Hồng) Bắc Ninhǂ Hà Nộiǂ Hải Phòngǂ Hưng Yên Ninh Bình Quảng Ninhǂ15,070.7022,091,2501,465.84 Contains densely-populated subdivisions in the Thái Bình river system and Red River system. The Red River Delta has the smallest area but highest population and population density of all regions. Central Vietnam (Trung Bộ, Miền Trung)North Central Coast (Bắc Trung Bộ)Hà Tĩnh Nghệ An Quảng Trị Thanh Hóa Huếǂ51,242.7511,190,830218.39 It contains the coastal provinces in the northern half of Vietnam's narrow central part. They all stretch from the coast in the east to Laos in the west. South Central Coast and Central Highlands (Duyên hải Nam Trung Bộ và Tây Nguyên)Đà Nẵngǂ Đắk Lắk Gia Lai Khánh Hòa Lâm Đồng Quảng Ngãi99,153.4315,872,000160.10 It contains the coastal and highlands provinces in the southern half of Vietnam's central part.Southern Vietnam (Nam Bộ, Miền Nam) Southeast (Đông Nam Bộ, Miền Đông)Đồng Naiǂ Ho Chi Minh Cityǂ Tây Ninh23,551.4218,810,780798.71 It contains the lowland parts of southern Vietnam north of the Mekong delta.Mekong Delta (Đồng Bằng Sông Cửu Long) or Southwest (Tây Nam Bộ, Miền Tây) An Giang Cà Mau Cần Thơǂ Đồng Tháp Vĩnh Long40,922.5817,432,120425.98 It is Vietnam's southernmost region, mostly containing small but populous provinces in the Mekong delta. It is sometimes referred to as the Southwest region (Tây Nam Bộ, Miền Tây).
ǂ Indicates a centrally-governed city (municipality).
Table of provinces per region
NameCapital (ward)Population(2025) – Interactive table which you can view by making your selection in three boxes: (1) Cities, provinces: Select all; (2) Year: Select 2025; (3) Items: Select all.Area(km2)Northern Vietnam (Bắc Bộ)Northern Midland and Mountainous (Trung du và miền núi phía Bắc)Cao BằngThục Phán562,9006,703.00Lạng SơnLương Văn Tri820,6008,307.30Phú ThọViệt Trì3,701,5009,346.70Thái NguyênPhan Đình Phùng1,711,6008,374.50Tuyên QuangMinh Xuân1,748,20013,795.50Điện BiênĐiện Biên Phủ667,4009,548.00Lai ChâuTân Phong501,2009,068.70Lào CaiYên Bái1,675,70013,255.10Sơn LaChiềng Cơi1,341,20014,108.90Red River Delta (Đồng bằng sông Hồng)Bắc Ninh (centrally-governed city)Bắc Giang3,572,4004,713.80Hưng YênPhố Hiến3,235,2002,637.800Ninh BìnhHoa Lư3,843,8003,946.10Quảng Ninh (centrally-governed city)Hạ Long1,411,6006,231.30Hà Nội (centrally-governed city)Hoàn Kiếm8,857,5003,359.80Hải Phòng (centrally-governed city)Thủy Nguyên4,149,9003,184.50Central Vietnam (Trung Bộ)North Central Coastal (Bắc Trung Bộ)Hà TĩnhThành Sen1,335,1005,994.30Nghệ AnTrường Vinh3,497,80016,486.10Quảng TrịĐồng Hới1,594,10012,686.80Thanh HóaHạc Thành3,771,80011,111.20HuếThuận Hóa1,190,3004,947.10South Central Coast and Central Highlands (Duyên hải Nam Trung Bộ và Tây Nguyên)Khánh HòaNha Trang1,898,5008,706.80Quảng NgãiCẩm Thành1,881,20014,826.00Đà Nẵng (centrally-governed city)Hải Châu2,856,40011,870.30Đắk LắkBuôn Ma Thuột2,849,20018,099.80Gia LaiQuy Nhơn3,182,70021,580.90Lâm ĐồngXuân Hương – Đà Lạt3,356,40024,239.10Southern Vietnam (Nam Bộ)Southeast Vietnam (Đông Nam Bộ)Đồng Nai (centrally-governed city)Trấn Biên4,493,70012,737.20Tây NinhLong An2,980,3008,524.40Ho Chi Minh City (centrally-governed city)Saigon13,803,8006,796.90Mekong River Delta (Đồng bằng sông Cửu Long)1An GiangRạch Giá3,694,6009,893.90Cà MauTân Thành2,150,4007,887.30Đồng ThápMỹ Tho3,403,8005,938.60Vĩnh LongLong Châu3,379,6006,875.90Cần Thơ (centrally-governed city)Ninh Kiều3,224,9006,361.00
1 – a.k.a. Southwest Vietnam (Tây Nam Bộ)
See also Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam List of districts of Vietnam Municipalities of Vietnam Provinces of Vietnam Regions of Indonesia Regions of Thailand
References