Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
conventional short form: Thailand
former: Siam

Government type

constitutional monarchy

Capital

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

National holiday

Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

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
water: 2,230 sq km
land: 511,770 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 - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions)

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: 29.36%
permanent crops: 6.46%
other: 64.18% (2001)

GDP

purchasing power parity - $524.8 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $8,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 9%
industry: 42%
services: 49% (2002)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 9%
industry: 44.3%
services: 46.7% (2004 est.)

Industries

Tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry, electric appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, world's second-largest tungsten producer, and third-largest tin producer.

Agriculture - products

Rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans

Exports

$87.91 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

Textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances

Exports - partners

US 15.9%, Japan 13.9%, China 7.3%, Singapore 7.2%, Malaysia 5.4%, Hong Kong 5.1% (2004)

Imports

$80.84 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels

Imports - partners

Japan 23.6%, China 8.6%, US 7.6%, Malaysia 5.8%, Singapore 4.4%, Taiwan 4.1% (2004)

Currency

baht (THB)

Currency code

THB

Exchange rates

baht per US dollar - 40.222 (2004), 41.485 (2003), 42.96 (2002), 44.432 (2001), 40.112 (2000)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September