Hanoi  - Vietnam's annual population growth rate fell to 1.2 per cent over the past 10 years, down from 1.7 per cent in the previous decade, state media reported Friday.

The newspaper Tuoi Tre reported that statistics released at a population conference Thursday showed the population hit 85.8 million in April 2009, an increase of 9.5 million since 1999. Vietnam is the world's 13th most populous country.

The new figure places Vietnam at close to the world average of 1.17 per cent annual population growth, according to UN figures. Poorer countries generally have higher rates of population growth. (dpa)