As many as 215,000 people in the metropolitan core of Hanoi are likely relocated due to infrastructure overload.

Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue at a meeting announcing Hanoi's Inner City Planning. Photo: Tuoi Tre Thu Do

The relocation is aimed to ease burden on the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, and surrounding areas as required in Hanoi’s Inner City Planning announced on March 22.

The planning is applied for four historic districts of Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Dong Da, and Hai Ba Trung that affects more than 887,000 people living in an area of 2,700 ha.

The move is aimed to refurbish the inner parts and develop urban areas along Red River.

As planned, universities, hospitals, and government offices are subjects to the relocation.

Population density of Hanoi between 2011 and 2019 (in people per square kilometer). Chart: Statista

According to the Department of Planning and Architecture, public land, including green and water surface will account for 11%, land for urban transport 18%, state agencies 51.43%, and sports land 9.46% under the planning.

It takes Hanoi 10 years to make planning for the inner city, Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Duong Duc Tuan said at a meeting on March 22.

Hanoi’s population density is estimated at 2,400 people for every square kilometer. This may be a tight squeeze for the city's residents, but the growth continues year after year, according to the World Population Review.

Meanwhile, the world’s average population density varies around 100-200 people/square kilometer.