| Thailand
Geography |
| Location: |
Southeastern
Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast
of Burma |
| Area: |
land:
511,770 sq km
water: 2,230 sq km |
total:
514,000 sq km |
| Land
boundaries: |
border
countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia
506 km |
total:
4,863 km |
| Coastline: |
3,219
km |
| Climate: |
tropical;
rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry,
cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); hot and humid year
round. |
| Terrain: |
central
plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest
point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m |
| Natural
resources: |
tin,
rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum,
lignite, fluorite, arable land |
Thailand
controls the only land route between Malaysia, Singapore and the
rest of Asia |
|
|
The people
of Thailand |
 |
| Population: |
64,631,595
For this country, estimates explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS, which can in turn affect
other data related to its population (2006) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14
years: 22% (male 7,284,068/female 6,958,632)
15-64 years: 70% (male 22,331,312/female 22,880,588)
65 years and over: 8% (male 2,355,190/female 2,821,805) (2006) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.68%
(2006) |
| Birth
rate: |
13.87
births/1,000 population (2006) |
| Death
rate: |
7.04
deaths/1,000 population (2006) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 72.25 years
male: 69.95 years
female: 74.68 years (2006) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
Approximately
570,000 (2003) |
| Major
infectious diseases: |
degree
of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis
A
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis,
and plague are high risks in some locations
animal contact disease: rabies
water contact disease: leptospirosis |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Thai (singular and plural)
adjective: Thai |
|
Ethnic groups: |
Thai
75%, Chinese 14%, other 11% |
|
Religions: |
Buddhist
94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000) |
|
Languages: |
Thai,
English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
|
|
Literacy: |
Age
15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6%
male: 94.9%
female: 90.5% (2002) |
|
The Thai government |
|
|
Country name: |
conventional
long form: Kingdom of Thailand
conventional short form: Thailand
local long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai
local short form: Prathet Thai
former: Siam |
|
Government type: |
constitutional
monarchy |
|
Capital: |
name:
Bangkok |
|
Administrative divisions: |
76
provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, Ang Thong,
Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai,
Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi,
Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun,
Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok,
Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon
Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi,
Pathum Thani, Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun,
Phetchaburi, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae,
Phuket, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong,
Roi Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram,
Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Suphan
Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon
Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon |
|
Independence: |
1238
(traditional founding date; never colonized) |
|
National holiday: |
Birthday
of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927) |
|
Constitution: |
constitution
signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997 abrogated on 19 September
2006 after coup |
|
Suffrage: |
18
years of age; universal and compulsory |
| Flag
description: |
five
horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white,
and red |
 |
| Transportation |
| Airports: |
109
(2006) |
| Heliports: |
3
(2006) |
| Railways: |
total:
4,071 km
narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge |
| Roadways: |
total:
57,403 km
paved: 56,542 km
unpaved: 861 km
note: this is changing extremely quickly and these numbers might be
underestimated compared to present situation. |
| Waterways: |
4,000
km
note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2005) |
| Ports
and terminals: |
Bangkok,
Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha |
|
