Urban classification and urban classification criteria in Vietnam

Regarding this matter, LawNet would like to answer as follows:

1. What is urban center?

According to Article 3 of the Law on Urban Planning 2009, the term urban is explained as follows:

Urban center is an area with a dense population mainly engaged in non-agricultural economic activities, which is a political, administrative, economic, cultural or specialized center playing the role of promoting the socio­economic development of a country, a territorial region or a locality, and consists of inner city and suburbs, for a city; inner town and outskirts, for a town; and townships.

Thus, an urban center is a a dense population mainly engaged in non-agricultural economic activities, and is an economic center that plays a role of promoting the socio­economic development of a country.

Urban classification principles stipulated in Clause 1, Article 1 of Resolution 26/2022/UBTVQH15 amending Article 2 of Resolution 1210/2016/UBTVQH13 are as follows:

- Urban classification is done on the basis of national urban and rural system planning, provincial planning, urban planning and urban development programs at all levels to manage urban development, appropriate to each stage of socio-economic development.

- An urban area or area planned to form urban area, area planned to establish a district or ward, which is planned and built to meet the criteria and standards of a category of urban area shall be classified as such corresponding category, and subject to assessment of urban infrastructure development in that category.

- Classification of urban areas for areas planned to form urban areas, assessment of standards on the level of urban infrastructure development for areas planned to establish districts, wards is one of the bases for consider establishing, merging, dividing, adjusting the boundaries of urban administrative divisions, and arranging administrative divisions. The scope of urban classification and assessment of the level of urban infrastructure development that are recognized must coincide with the proposed scope of establishment and adjustment of urban administrative divisions.

- Urban classification is applied by region, by specific factors and by the scoring method. The urban classification score is the total score achieved by the urban classification criteria.".

2. Urban classification criterias in Vietnam

Current urban types and classification criteria: (According to regulations in Resolution 1210/2016/UBTVQH13):

(1) Class-I cities

- Position, functions, roles, structure and socio-economic growth level of the class-I city:

+ It plays a position, role and performs a function as a national-, regional- or provincial-level economic, financial, cultural, educational, training, tourism, health, scientific and technological centre, a domestic and international transport and exchange hub, and plays its role in promoting socio-economic development of an inter-provincial region or the entire nation;

+ Its socio-economic structure and growth level shall meet standards referred to in the Appendix 1 attached to Resolution 1210/2016/UBTVQH13.

- Population size:

+ As regards a centrally-controlled municipality, the size of population living in all city areas shall reach at least 1,000,000 residents while that in urban areas shall reach at least 500,000 residents;

+ As regards a provincially-controlled city and/or municipality-controlled city, the size of population living in all city areas shall reach at least 500,000 residents while that in urban areas shall reach at least 200,000 residents;

- The density of population living in all city areas shall reach at least 2,000 inhabitants/km2 while that in urban areas per urban construction land area shall reach 10,000 inhabitants/km2 or more.

- The rate of non-agricultural workers in the entire city shall equal at least 65% while that in urban areas shall be at least 85%.

- Level of its urban infrastructure, architectural and landscaping development shall meet standards referred to in the Appendix 1 attached to Resolution 1210/2016/UBTVQH13.

(2) Class-II cities

- Position, functions, roles, structure and socio-economic growth level of the class-II city:

+ It plays a position, role and performs a function as a regional- or provincial-level economic, financial, cultural, educational, training, tourism, health, scientific and technological centre or specialized centre, a provincial-level administrative center, a transport hub, and plays its role in promoting socio-economic development of a province or an inter-provincial region;

+ Its socio-economic structure and growth level shall meet standards referred to in the Appendix 1 attached to Resolution 1210/2016/UBTVQH13.

- The size of population living in all city areas shall reach at least 200,000 people out of whom there shall be at least 100,000 urban dwellers.

- The density of population living in all city areas shall reach at least 1,800 inhabitants/km2 while that in urban areas per urban construction land area shall reach 8,000 inhabitants/km2 or more.

- The rate of non-agricultural workers in the entire city shall equal at least 65% while that in urban areas shall be at least 80%.

- Level of its urban infrastructure, architectural and landscaping development shall meet standards referred to in the Appendix 1 attached to Resolution 1210/2016/UBTVQH13

(3) Class-III cities

- Position, functions, roles, structure and socio-economic growth level of the class-III city:

+ It plays a position, role and performs a function as a provincial-level economic, financial, cultural, educational, training, tourism, health, scientific and technological centre or specialized centre, a transport hub, and plays its role in promoting socio-economic development of a province or an inter-provincial region;

+ Its socio-economic structure and growth level shall meet standards referred to in the Appendix 1 attached to Resolution 1210/2016/UBTVQH13.

- The size of population living in all city areas shall reach at least 100,000 people out of whom there shall be at least 50,000 residents living in urban or civic areas.

- The density of population living in all city areas shall reach at least 1,400 inhabitants/km2 while that in urban or civic areas per urban construction land area shall reach 7,000 inhabitants/km2 or more.

- The rate of non-agricultural workers in the entire city shall equal at least 60% while that in civic areas shall be at least 75%.

- Level of its urban infrastructure, architectural and landscaping development shall meet standards referred to in the Appendix 1 attached to Resolution 1210/2016/UBTVQH13.

(4) Class-IV cities

- Position, functions, roles, structure and socio-economic growth level of the class-IV city:

+ It plays a position, role and performs a function as a provincial- or district-level economic, financial, cultural, educational, training, tourism, health, scientific and technological centre or specialized centre, a district-level administrative center, a transport hub, and plays its role in promoting socio-economic development of a province, a district or an inter-district region;

+ Its socio-economic structure and growth level shall meet standards referred to in the Appendix 1 attached to Resolution 1210/2016/UBTVQH13.

- The size of population living in all city areas shall reach at least 50,000 people out of whom there shall be at least 20,000 dwellers living in civic areas (if any).

- The density of population living in all city areas shall reach at least 1,200 inhabitants/km2 while that in civic areas (if any) per urban construction land area shall reach 6,000 inhabitants/km2 or more.

- The rate of non-agricultural workers in the entire city shall equal at least 55% while that in civic areas (if any) shall be at least 70%.

- Level of its urban infrastructure, architectural and landscaping development shall meet standards referred to in the Appendix 1 attached to Resolution 1210/2016/UBTVQH13.

(5)Class-V cities

- Position, functions, roles, structure and socio-economic growth level of the class-V city:

+ It plays a position, role and performs a function as an administrative centre, district-level economic, financial, cultural, educational, training centre or specialized centre, a transport hub, and plays its role in promoting socio-economic development of a district or an inter-communal cluster;

+ Its socio-economic structure and growth level shall meet standards referred to in the Appendix 1 attached to Resolution 1210/2016/UBTVQH13.

- The size of population living in all city areas shall reach at least 4,000 people.

- The density of population living in all city areas shall reach at least 1,000 inhabitants/km2 while that in urban areas per urban construction land area shall reach 5,000 inhabitants/km2 or more.

- The rate of non-agricultural workers in the entire city shall equal at least 55%.

- Level of its urban infrastructure, architectural and landscaping development shall meet standards referred to in the Appendix 1 attached to Resolution 1210/2016/UBTVQH13.

(6) Special-class cities

- Position, functions, roles, structure and socio-economic growth level of the special-class city:

+ It plays a position, role and performs a function as a capital or a national- and international- level economic, financial, cultural, educational, training, tourism, health, scientific, technological centre, a domestic and international transport and exchange hub, and plays its role in promoting nationwide socio-economic development;

+ Its socio-economic structure and growth level shall meet standards referred to in the Appendix 1 attached to Resolution 1210/2016/UBTVQH13.

- The size of population living in all city areas shall reach at least 5,000,000 people out of whom there shall be at least 3,000,000 urban dwellers.

- The density of population living in all cities shall reach at least 3,000 inhabitants/km2 while that in urban areas per urban construction land area shall reach 12,000 inhabitants/km2 or more.

- The rate of non-agricultural workers in the entire city shall equal at least 70% while that in urban areas shall be at least 90%.

- Level of its urban infrastructure, architectural and landscaping development shall meet standards referred to in the Appendix 1 attached to Resolution 1210/2016/UBTVQH13.

Best regards!

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