Vietnamese people in the United Kingdom
Encyclopedia
Vietnamese British people (also British Vietnamese or Vietnamese Britons) are either citizens or non citizen immigrants in the United Kingdom
of Vietnamese
descent, they are part of the Việt Kiều.
in 1975, with the UK accepting refugees from Hong Kong, its former colony. Most early immigrants were refugee boat people
fleeing persecution by the victorious communists, the rest were students, academics or business people. Vietnamese refugees initially found it fairly difficult to settle into a British lifestyle. Because the Vietnamese British community was previously minute, the new wave of immigrants found it much harder to integrate than, say, in France
or the United States
where the Vietnamese populations were much larger. The early government policy of spreading newcomers thinly compounded matters by depriving them of vital mutual support. Many began gravitating towards larger cities such as London with the majority settling in the Lewisham
(Vietnamese is the second most common language in the borough), Southwark
and Hackney
areas. The existence of much larger and more established overseas Chinese communities
in the UK has had a significant though perhaps understated effect in helping the new immigrants setting roots in their new
country.
The 2001 UK Census recorded 23,347 people born in Vietnam with over 65% of these originated in Northern Vietnam
. According to Viethome.co.uk( http://www.viethome.co.uk/Cong-Dong-Viet-Anh/nguoi-viet-sau-30-nam-tai-anh-quoc.html ) there are at least 90,000 people of Vietnamese origin living in England
and Wales
, out of this around 20,000 are thought to be undocumented migrants and 8,000 are temporary students.
(33,000), with the majority (around 1/3 of all Vietnamese Londoners) being located in Lewisham
, Southwark
and Hackney
. Significant Vietnamese communities also exist in Birmingham
(over 4,000), Leeds
and Manchester
(over 2,500).
at all, second generation Vietnamese British people as well as more recent immigrants have a better understanding of the English language. It is unknown how many of the 55,000 Vietnamese people in the UK speak English as a primary or secondary language, but the Vietnamese language
is the main language of some 22,000 Vietnamese people in the UK (around half of all Vietnamese people in the UK).
and Roman Catholicism, which are followed by roughly 80% and 20% (respectively) of the total community's total population. This quite different from the actual religious breakdown of Vietnam, where 85% of the population is Buddhist and 7% are Roman Catholic.
and India
ns outperformed all other ethnic groups, with Vietnamese girls being more successful than Vietnamese boys. The lack of formal education or recognised qualifications, along with the fact that the vast majority of people in the community originally not being able to speak much English, had meant that finding employment was very difficult (around 23.5% of London's Vietnamese born community of a working ages are unemployed). Over recent years, the nail industry has become the fastest growing business sector within the Vietnamese British community. It is thought that in London, over half of all Vietnamese owned businesses revolve around this industry.Catering remains a historically significant employer for the Vietnamese British community as a whole. Education and employment statistics for second generation Vietnamese Britons (i.e. British born people of Vietnamese origin) are largely uncollated.
and memory problems amongst elderly Vietnamese people in the UK. It is believed that the Vietnamese community in the UK finds it extremely difficult to gain access to the country's health services, the main reasons for this include unfamiliarity with the British health and social care sectors, Vietnamese cultural beliefs, financial difficulties, lack of sympathy and support from professionals, as well as many immigrants being incapable of speaking English or being able to understand it in written form.
Notable Britons of Vietnamese descent
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
of Vietnamese
Vietnamese people
The Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
descent, they are part of the Việt Kiều.
History and settlement
Vietnamese immigration to the United Kingdom started after the end of the Vietnam WarVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
in 1975, with the UK accepting refugees from Hong Kong, its former colony. Most early immigrants were refugee boat people
Boat people
Boat people is a term that usually refers to refugees, illegal immigrants or asylum seekers who emigrate in numbers in boats that are sometimes old and crudely made...
fleeing persecution by the victorious communists, the rest were students, academics or business people. Vietnamese refugees initially found it fairly difficult to settle into a British lifestyle. Because the Vietnamese British community was previously minute, the new wave of immigrants found it much harder to integrate than, say, in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
or the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where the Vietnamese populations were much larger. The early government policy of spreading newcomers thinly compounded matters by depriving them of vital mutual support. Many began gravitating towards larger cities such as London with the majority settling in the Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
(Vietnamese is the second most common language in the borough), Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
and Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
areas. The existence of much larger and more established overseas Chinese communities
in the UK has had a significant though perhaps understated effect in helping the new immigrants setting roots in their new
country.
Population
Northern Vietnam
For the former country, see North VietnamNorthern Vietnam is one of the three regions within Vietnam ....
. According to Viethome.co.uk( http://www.viethome.co.uk/Cong-Dong-Viet-Anh/nguoi-viet-sau-30-nam-tai-anh-quoc.html ) there are at least 90,000 people of Vietnamese origin living in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, out of this around 20,000 are thought to be undocumented migrants and 8,000 are temporary students.
Distribution
As with most emerging ethnic groups in the UK, the largest concentrations of Vietnamese people can be found in the larger metropolitan areas and cities, such as LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(33,000), with the majority (around 1/3 of all Vietnamese Londoners) being located in Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
and Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
. Significant Vietnamese communities also exist in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
(over 4,000), Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
(over 2,500).
Languages
Although the majority of the first Vietnamese immigrants to the UK spoke no EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
at all, second generation Vietnamese British people as well as more recent immigrants have a better understanding of the English language. It is unknown how many of the 55,000 Vietnamese people in the UK speak English as a primary or secondary language, but the Vietnamese language
Vietnamese language
Vietnamese is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of 86% of Vietnam's population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese. It is also spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities of Vietnam...
is the main language of some 22,000 Vietnamese people in the UK (around half of all Vietnamese people in the UK).
Religion
By far the most common religions for Vietnamese people in the UK are BuddhismBuddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
and Roman Catholicism, which are followed by roughly 80% and 20% (respectively) of the total community's total population. This quite different from the actual religious breakdown of Vietnam, where 85% of the population is Buddhist and 7% are Roman Catholic.
Education and employment
Amongst the first Vietnamese refugees in the country, it was estimated that 76% received education below secondary school level. According to 2001 findings, only 18.7% of London's Vietnamese born population had higher level qualifications, which is 15% below the London average. Despite this, in the London borough of Lewisham, Vietnamese pupils along with ChineseChinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
ns outperformed all other ethnic groups, with Vietnamese girls being more successful than Vietnamese boys. The lack of formal education or recognised qualifications, along with the fact that the vast majority of people in the community originally not being able to speak much English, had meant that finding employment was very difficult (around 23.5% of London's Vietnamese born community of a working ages are unemployed). Over recent years, the nail industry has become the fastest growing business sector within the Vietnamese British community. It is thought that in London, over half of all Vietnamese owned businesses revolve around this industry.Catering remains a historically significant employer for the Vietnamese British community as a whole. Education and employment statistics for second generation Vietnamese Britons (i.e. British born people of Vietnamese origin) are largely uncollated.
Social issues
Health
A PRIAE study in 2005 showed a high number of cases of osteoporosisOsteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced, bone microarchitecture is deteriorating, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered...
and memory problems amongst elderly Vietnamese people in the UK. It is believed that the Vietnamese community in the UK finds it extremely difficult to gain access to the country's health services, the main reasons for this include unfamiliarity with the British health and social care sectors, Vietnamese cultural beliefs, financial difficulties, lack of sympathy and support from professionals, as well as many immigrants being incapable of speaking English or being able to understand it in written form.
Housing
A study by Refugee Action showed that during the years leading up to 1993, the majority of Vietnamese British people were concentrated in overcrowded local authority housing. More recent findings state the reasons for South East Asians in the UK requesting council housing as being because they were told to leave the family home, health/ medical issues and relationship breakdowns.See also
- East Asian people in the United KingdomEast Asian people in the United KingdomEast and Southeast Asians in the United Kingdom are British citizens or full time residents of the United Kingdom who descended from East or Southeast Asia...
- Vietnamese peopleVietnamese peopleThe Vietnamese people are an ethnic group originating from present-day northern Vietnam and southern China. They are the majority ethnic group of Vietnam, comprising 86% of the population as of the 1999 census, and are officially known as Kinh to distinguish them from other ethnic groups in Vietnam...
- Overseas Vietnamese
Notable Britons of Vietnamese descent
- Vietnamese AmericanVietnamese AmericanA Vietnamese American is an American of Vietnamese descent. They make up about half of all overseas Vietnamese and are the fourth-largest Asian American group....