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Thailand:
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Other pages in this profile of Thailand:
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
People, Government, Economy, Communications & Transportation, Military & Transnational Issues.
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Background |
A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally following the conflict. Thailand is currently facing separatist violence in its southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces. |
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Location |
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma |
Geographic coordinates |
15 00 N, 100 00 E |
Map references |
Southeast Asia |
Area |
total: 514,000 sq km land: 511,770 sq km water: 2,230 sq km |
Area - comparative |
slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming |
Land boundaries |
total: 4,863 km border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km |
Coastline |
3,219 km |
Maritime claims |
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Climate |
tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid |
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 |
Land use |
arable land: 27.54% permanent crops: 6.93% other: 65.53% (2005) |
Irrigated land |
49,860 sq km (2003) |
Natural hazards |
land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts |
Environment - current issues |
air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting |
Environment - international agreements |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
Geography - note |
controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore |
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Copyright 2008 World Sites Atlas (sitesatlas.com) |