Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved new poverty standards that will apply in the making of economic and social policies for the next five years.

Rural household with average monthly per capita income equal or less than 400,000 VND (20.5 USD) will be deemed poor.

The figure for urban households is 500,000 VND.

Rural households with an average monthly per capita income of between 401,000 VND and 520,000 VND will be deemed almost poor.

The figure for urban household is 501,000 VND -650,000 VND.

In 2009, the figure for rural households was 300,000 VND and 390,000 VND for urban households.

In 2007, the figures were 200,000 VND and 260,000 VND.

The Ministry of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs says Vietnam has about 3.3 million poor households, about 14.5- 15.5 percent of the total population, calculated from the new standards.

The new figures will be used for a planned national-poverty survey and the ministry says they reflect the improved living standards of Vietnamese./.