Vietnam vs Philippines
Vietnam
Philippines
| Metric | Vietnam | Philippines |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | Hanoi | Manila |
| Population | 101,598,527 | 116,786,962 |
| Area (km²) | 331,212 | 300,000 |
| Population density (/km²) | 307 | 389 |
| GDP per capita (USD) | $5,100 | $4,200 |
| Region | South-Eastern Asia | South-Eastern Asia |
| Currency | VND | PHP |
| Languages | Vietnamese | Filipino, English |
| Main religions | Buddhism, Christianity | Christianity, Islam |
| Time zone | UTC+7 | UTC+8 |
Green highlights the higher value (or higher GDP per capita). Figures are approximate.
At a glance
Vietnam and Philippines are both located in Asia (both in South-Eastern Asia). Philippines has the larger population, while Vietnam covers more land area.
For full geographic detail, see the Vietnam map and the Philippines map.
Facing each other across the sea
Vietnam and the Philippines sit on opposite shores of the South China Sea, which Vietnam calls the East Sea and the Philippines calls the West Philippine Sea in the part it claims. Both claim features in the Spratly Islands, and their claims overlap with each other as well as with those of China, Malaysia and Brunei. In practice, though, their main disputes are with China. The Philippines brought the arbitration case decided in 2016, in which a tribunal ruled that China's "nine-dash line" had no legal basis; China rejects the ruling. Vietnam and the Philippines have generally cooperated, signing agreements on coast guard and maritime cooperation.
Different colonial stories
History left them very different. Vietnam had a millennium of Chinese rule and influence, independent dynasties, then French colonisation, and a long war that ended in reunification under the Communist Party in 1975. The Philippines was a Spanish colony for over three centuries and then American until 1946. As a result the Philippines is about 80% Roman Catholic, the largest Catholic country in Asia, and English is an official language alongside Filipino. In Vietnam a large share of people follow folk religion or Mahayana Buddhism, or report no religion, and Vietnamese, written in a Latin-based alphabet, is the sole national language.
Rice, factories and workers abroad
Vietnam is one of the world's biggest rice exporters and the Philippines one of the biggest importers, and most of the rice the Philippines buys comes from Vietnam. Vietnam's growth has been driven by export manufacturing, while the Philippine economy relies more on services, including business process outsourcing, and on remittances from millions of overseas workers. Vietnam's population is a little smaller and the two have similar land areas; Vietnam's GDP per capita has recently moved ahead of the Philippines'.
Politics and travel
Vietnam is a one-party state; the Philippines is a presidential democracy. Both are ASEAN members. Manila is about a three-hour flight from Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City; Manila keeps UTC+8, one hour ahead of Vietnam's UTC+7.
Frequently asked questions
- Do Vietnam and the Philippines have a territorial dispute?
- Their claims in the Spratly Islands overlap, but both have focused mainly on their disputes with China and have generally cooperated with each other on maritime issues.
- Does the Philippines import rice from Vietnam?
- Yes. The Philippines is one of the world's largest rice importers, and Vietnam supplies most of its imports.