Vietnam has a land area slightly larger than New Mexico with a population of 83 million. The Vietnamese ethnic group makes up approximately 85% of the population of Vietnam, with the remaining made up of ethnic Chinese, Hmong, Thai, and Khmer. The purchasing power in Vietnam is estimated to be $2,500 per person.

Vietnamese emigration to the United States has been extensive. The Vietnamese population in the United States is estimated to be 1.1 million in 2000.