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Due to the historical conditions of the country, the term “indigenous peoples” is not used in Viet Nam. In the context of Safeguard C, Viet Nam refers to “ethnic minorities” in place of “indigenous peoples.” Viet Nam is a unified nation of different ethnic groups^[1]. An ethnic majority group in Viet Nam is defined as “an ethnic group with a population accounting for over 50% of the country's total population according to national population survey,” while an ethnic minority group is defined as “an ethnic group with a population smaller than that of the ethnic majority group within the territory of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam” ^[2]. These include “very low population” ethnic minority groups, defined as “ethnic minority groups with a population below 10,000 people”^[3]. The ethnic majority group, the Kinh people, account for 86%of the population, while 53 ethnic minority groups account for 14%of the population. Ethnic minority groups are distributed throughout the country, mostly living in the mountainous regions. There are no ‘ethnic-specific’ areas in Viet Nam, or areas that may be referred to as “indigenous peoples’ territories” in other parts of the world^[4].

Viet Nam defines members of local communities as households and individuals living in the same village, hamlet or similar population quarters, typically having shared traditions and customs, and/or shared descent^[5]. Local communities in Viet Nam may comprise households and individuals from either the ethnic majority group or from ethnic minority groups.

 

[1] The Constitution of Viet Nam (2013), Article 5.

[2] Government Decree No. 05/2011/ND-CP, Article 4(2,3). Vietnamese; English

[3] Government Decree No. 05/2011/ND-CP, Article 4(6). Vietnamese; English

[4] Socialist Republic of Viet Nam (2011) Periodic Report of Viet Nam to International Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (2011), pg.4.

[5] The Law on Forest Protection and Development (2004), Article 3(13); the Land Law (2013), Article 5(3); the Law on Forestry (2017, effective 1 January 2019), Article 2 (24). Vietnamese; English

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The following section provides contextual information, showing the distribution of ethnic minority people across Viet Nam’s provinces and metropolitan areas. This includes the total number of ethnic minority people as well as the proportion living in identifed ‘ethnic minority areas’. Son La province had the highest number of ethnic minority people in 2015, at 1,006,312.

 

Number of ethnic minority people living in each province of Viet Nam, 2015^[1]

Province / metropolitan area	Total number of ethnic minority persons	Ethnic minority people living in ethnic minority areas (persons)	Proportion of ethnic minority people living in ethnic minority areas (%)
Nationwide (63 provinces)	13,386,330	11,959,384	89.34
Forested provinces / metropolitan areas
Hà Giang	709663	691336	97.42
Cao Bằng	486318	486318	100
Bắc Kạn	2764	2764	100
Tuyên Quang	433832	401843	92.63
Lào Cai	447473	425561	95.1
Điện Biên	461359	449202	97.36
Lai Châu	358879	358879	100
Sơn La	1006312	979295	97.32
Yên Bái	445858	420273	94.26
Hoà Bình	625496	60004	95.93
Thái Nguyên	339036	268013	79.05
Lạng Sơn	641224	626472	97.7
Bắc Giang	22299	19101	85.66
Phú Thọ	234014	214803	91.79
Hà Nội	92223	44708	48.48
Quảng Ninh	148127	119434	80.63
Vĩnh Phúc	4973	41094	82.63
Ninh Bình	26015	21151	81.3
Thanh Hoá	653309	618359	94.65
Nghệ An	465709	443949	95.33
Hà Tỉnh	2586	1119	43.27
Quảng Bình	23534	21739	92.37
Quảng Trị	82497	79462	96.32
Thừa Thiên Huế	52599	48307	91.84
Quảng Nam	133472	125317	93.89
Quảng Ngãi	178876	174223	97.4
Bình Định	40707	35892	88.17
Phú Yên	57063	54229	95.03
Khánh Hoà	68779	60426	87.86
Ninh Thuận	137629	133556	97.04
Bình Thuận	89906	75927	84.45
Kon Tum	272152	257104	94.47
Gia Lai	650816	625981	96.18
Đắk Lắk	636491	588046	92.39
Đắk Nông	170363	153584	90.15
Lâm Đồng	318085	280147	88.07
Bình Phước	178551	149712	83.85
Tây Ninh	16382	1006	61.41
Bình Dương	61492	6436	10.47
Đồng Nai	179045	103366	57.73
Bà Rịa - Vũng Tàu	24712	9036	36.57
Hồ Chí Minh	450124	188084	41.78
Trà Vinh	334924	301743	90.09
An Giang	112575	90919	80.76
Kiên Giang	240011	163507	68.12
Hậu Giang	28948	15063	52.03
Sóc Trãng	472428	432002	91.44
Bạc Liêu	91634	58078	63.38
Cà Mau	40425	10061	24.89
Non-forest provinces / metropolitan areas
Vĩnh Long	27108	15753	58.11
Cần Thơ	37062	12365	33.36

 

[1] Committee for Ethnic Minority Affairs. 2016. Results of the survey on socio-economic situation of 53 ethnic minorities in 2015. http://cema.gov.vn/ket-qua-dieu-tra-thuc-trang-kt-xh-53-dan-toc-thieu-so-nam-2015.htm

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• EMLCs identified in REDD+ emission reduction program areas
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• EMLC participation in REDD+ consultation processes