The total population is
674,530 people (2016 ) with an average population density of 106people/km2,
including:
- Lao Cai city: 110,2018people,
population density of 484 people/km2.
Districts: Bat Xat has a population of 75,757 people and a population density of 72 people/km2;
Muong Khuong has a population of 58,593 people and a population density of 106 people/km2; Si Ma
Cai has a population of 35,766 people, and a population density of 153 people/km2; Bac
Ha has a population of 60,529 people, and a population density of 89 people/km2; Bao
Thang has a population of 106,989 people and a population density of 156 people/km2; Bao
Yen has a population of 82,817 people and a population density of 101 people/km2; Sa Pa
has a population of 59,172 people, and a population density of 87 people/km2; Van Ban has a
population of 84,709 people, and a population
density of 60 people/km2.
- Ethnic groups: There are 25 ethnic groups
living in harmony, of which the ethnic minorities is accounted for 64.09% of the population
in the province. Kinh ethnic group occupies 35.9%, Mong ethnic minority
occupies 22.21%, Tay minority of15.84%, Dao of 14.05%, Giay of 4.7%, Nung of 4.4%, the rest are the
special ethnic groups with very few people such as Phu
La, San Chay, Ha Nhi, La Chi, etc. The ethnic minorities are distributed in 9/9
districts and cities of the province.
Administrative units: There are 1 Lao Cai city and 8 districts of Sa Pa, Bat Xat, Bao Yen, Bao
Thang, Si Ma Cai, Van Ban, Muong Khuong and Bac Ha with 164 communes, wards and
towns. Lao Cai province is divided
into 3 areas:
- Area No.I: Those
are communes with favorable conditions for socio-economic development, mainly
the lowland communes, close to the centers of districts, cities, and with
convenient transportation and favorable social services.
- Area No.2: Those
are communes that have difficult socio-economic development conditions, most of
them are located in the remote areas where the transportation infrastructure is
relatively poor; the basic social services have been met relatively well.
- Area No.III: These are communes with extremely difficult socio-economic
conditions, communes in deep-lying and border areas, far from the centers of
the districts and cities; moreover, the terrain is severely divided that causes
the poor transportation infrastructure, resulting in limited social services.