Report
Characteristics of the Vietnamese rural economy

Following the successful implementation of the Doi Moi reform programme, Viet Nam has experienced outstanding economic progress, for example in aggregate output and poverty reduction. For many years, Viet Nam developed much faster than the typical developing country; and since 2014 the difference in GDP per capita growth between Viet Nam and the average for the group of low and middle Income countries has widened significantly. Viet Nam is now growing by around 3.5 per cent more per year than the average low- or middle income country. Following the international financial crisis of 2008-09 Viet Nam experienced relatively high inflation rates, but they have in more recent years been controlled and are now on par with rates in other developing countries. Macro-economic stability was characteristic in the period between the 2014 and 2016 VARHS surveys.

This report mainly focuses on presenting results for the 2,669 households. However, in some cases it is interesting to compare results from the 2014 VARHS with results from earlier rounds of the survey. Such comparisons are based on the “panel sample” of 2,665 households for which data are available in 2014. This ensures that results from different rounds of the survey are comparable.