What is the capital of Vietnam?
Hanoi lies on the Red River in the Red River delta of northern Vietnam.
Hanoi is the capital and seat of government of Vietnam, a role it has held since 1010. Vietnam itself has an estimated population of 101,598,527 (2025).
Hanoi is not the largest city in Vietnam. That is Ho Chi Minh City, which makes Vietnam one of the countries whose capital is not their biggest city.
Hanoi at a glance
| City population | 8,855,946 (2025) |
|---|---|
| Country | 🇻🇳 Vietnam |
| Capital since | 1010 |
| Largest city in Vietnam | Ho Chi Minh City |
| Time zone | UTC+07:00 (ICT) |
| Currency | Vietnamese đồng (VND) |
About Hanoi
Hanoi has been the capital of Vietnam since 1010, Hanoi has been a Vietnamese capital on and off since 1010, when the Ly dynasty made it the capital under the name Thang Long; it became the capital of modern Vietnam in 1945 and of the reunified country in 1976.
Hanoi is Vietnam's second-largest city; Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon in the south, is larger.
It is one of the oldest capitals in Southeast Asia, with a history as a capital stretching back over a thousand years.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Hanoi.
Frequently asked questions
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Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of Vietnam on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.