Vietnam's ageing population is accelerating, with new forecasts showing the country will transition out of its demographic dividend earlier than expected.

Six provinces are forecast to become the first in Vietnam to record negative population growth, while Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City continue expanding for now.

The Ministry of Health has identified delayed marriage among young adults as one of the country's most pressing demographic challenges.

A new official report warns Vietnam's shortage of women of marriageable age will continue to grow, peaking at around 1.3 million by 2049.

Vietnam will provide financial support for women having two children before age 35 under a new decree.

In addition to women who give birth to two children before the age of 35, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health has proposed expanding financial support to two additional groups, with a minimum payment of VND2 million (US$80) per childbirth.

Population aging is no longer seen as a social welfare burden, but as a potential new economic space. HCMC is positioning the development of a silver economy ecosystem as a strategy to maintain competitiveness and create new growth drivers.

Under a medium-fertility scenario, Vietnam’s population is expected to continue growing for several decades before reaching a peak around mid-century, followed by a transition toward slower growth or stability.

Vietnam’s golden population window is projected to close by 2036, making the most of this demographic advantage a vital factor in driving economic growth and national competitiveness.

Prof Dr Nguyen Dinh Cu, former director of the Institute for Population and Social Issues, said he once “got goosebumps” when he heard a young woman’s question “I do not understand why we should have children.”

More than 17,000 women in Ho Chi Minh City who have two children before turning 35 have received cash aid of either 3 million VND (113 USD) or 5 million VND.

UN data shows growing numbers of centenarians worldwide, with Monaco, Japan, and Uruguay leading.

With fertility rates dropping, Vietnam is rolling out pro-natalist strategies to protect its future workforce and economic stability.

Vietnam currently has 14.2 million people aged 60 and older, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). The figure is projected to rise to 18 million by 2030, surpassing previous forecasts.

Concerns over housing, driven by soaring real estate prices, and the high costs of education, healthcare and daily living have discouraged young couples from having more children.

The Ministry of Health has proposed allowing couples to decide the number and timing of their children, as well as addressing regional disparities in birth rates.

According to the latest figures available among the 12.58 million elderly individuals, 4.62 million live in urban areas (36.72 per cent), while 7.96 million reside in rural areas (63.28 per cent).

The Politburo has issued new guidelines eliminating disciplinary actions against party members who have a third child, signaling a major shift in demographic policy.

The Politburo has instructed the Central Inspection Commission to revise party regulations, ensuring that members are no longer penalized for exceeding the two-child policy, marking a shift in demographic management.