Vietnam is a large country with a population of almost 93 million people. The biggest city is Ho Chi Minh City, which locally also goes by the name of Saigon. The name is derived from the previous name of the city when it was part of the French colony of Cochin-China before the reunification of north and south Vietnam.
The current population of Ho Chi Minh City is difficult to determine as the most recent census was performed in 2009. According to that census, the population of Ho Chi Minh City stood at 7,521,130 people. 2017 estimates from the General Statistics offices give a number closer to 8,444,600 - showing the continued growth of the city. The only city to come close to the overall population of Ho Chi Minh city is the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi, which has a population of 6.4 million and a population density of 5,000 per square mile. The total population of Ho Chi Minh city accounts for 8.34% of all inhabitants of Vietnam.