This research was conducted by editing soil map at scale 1/250,000, comparing soil areas on different soil maps, and determining top soil properties of the grey degraded soils in targeted research areas (in 13 provinces from Phu Tho to Thua Thien Hue province). Research results show that the total areas of these soils on the soil map at scale 1/250,000 (2012) reduced 28,096.3 hectares (10 percent total area of these soils) compared to the data on the soil map of Northern Vietnam at scale 1/500,000 (1979). Reasons of the change are (i) the different scales of soil maps used for collecting data, (ii) the detail levels for making the soil maps, (iii) the changes of land use, and (iv) the change of soil characteristics. The change of the top soil properties are significant compared to previous data. Organic carbon, nitrogen and potassium content in the top soils are slightly increased while phosphorus content is rapidly increased. Total and available phosphorus in most of the soil samples are 0.12 - 0.18 percent P2O5 and 16.72 - 44.88 mg P2O5/100g soil, respectively.