Thailand
Basic Facts
Official name Kingdom of Thailand
Capital Bangkok
Area 513,115 square kilometers
198,115 square miles
Administrative divisions (population)
Amnat Charoen 364,321 (1998 Estimate)
Ang Thong 290,595 (1998 Estimate)
Bangkok Metropolis 5,647,799 (1998 Estimate)
Buri Ram 1,513,889 (1998 Estimate)
Chachoengsao 636,323 (1998 Estimate)
Chai Nat 353,749 (1998 Estimate)
Chaiyaphum 1,124,447 (1998 Estimate)
Chanthaburi 1,582,222 (1998 Estimate)
Chiang Mai Province 809,185 (1998 Estimate)
Chiang Rai 2,534,287 (1998 Estimate)
Chon Buri 868,684 (1998 Estimate)
Chumphon 1,507,882 (1998 Estimate)
Kalasin 481,058 (1998 Estimate)
Kamphaeng Phet 1,268,569 (1998 Estimate)
Kanchanaburi 1,053,433 (1998 Estimate)
Khon Kaen 454,170 (1998 Estimate)
Krabi 982,951 (1998 Estimate)
Lampang 770,667 (1998 Estimate)
Lamphun 775,198 (1998 Estimate)
Loei 1,738,532 (1998 Estimate)
Lop Buri 351,548 (1998 Estimate)
Mae Hong Son 409,091 (1998 Estimate)
Maha Sarakham 635,845 (1998 Estimate)
Mukdahan 759,446 (1998 Estimate)
Nakhon Nayok 232,938 (1998 Estimate)
Nakhon Pathom 936,490 (1998 Estimate)
Nakhon Phanom 330,413 (1998 Estimate)
Nakhon Ratchasima Province 243,275 (1998 Estimate)
Nakhon Sawan 765,425 (1998 Estimate)
Nakhon Si Thammarat 711,116 (1998 Estimate)
Nan 1,137,945 (1998 Estimate)
Narathiwat 1,521,057 (1998 Estimate)
Nong Bua Lam Phu 488,192 (1998 Estimate)
Nong Khai 662,234 (1998 Estimate)
Nonthaburi 491,217 (1998 Estimate)
Pathum Thani 897,626 (1998 Estimate)
Pattani 826,464 (1998 Estimate)
Phangnga 616,636 (1998 Estimate)
Phatthalung 599,219 (1998 Estimate)
Phayao 231,649 (1998 Estimate)
Phetchabun 502,709 (1998 Estimate)
Phetchaburi 517,731 (1998 Estimate)
Phichit 1,049,516 (1998 Estimate)
Phitsanulok Province 456,527 (1998 Estimate)
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya 604,039 (1998 Estimate)
Phrae 730,740 (1998 Estimate)
Phuket 495,722 (1998 Estimate)
Prachin Buri 231,206 (1998 Estimate)
Prachuap Khiri Khan 441,343 (1998 Estimate)
Ranong 473,335 (1998 Estimate)
Ratchaburi 155,204 (1998 Estimate)
Rayong 819,360 (1998 Estimate)
Roi Et 515,008 (1998 Estimate)
Sa Kaeo 1,321,035 (1998 Estimate)
Sakon Nakhon 538,696 (1998 Estimate)
Samut Prakan 1,090,190 (1998 Estimate)
Samut Sakhon 969,321 (1998 Estimate)
Samut Songkhram 416,393 (1998 Estimate)
Saraburi 208,408 (1998 Estimate)
Satun 602,026 (1998 Estimate)
Si Sa Ket 256,800 (1998 Estimate)
Sing Buri 1,440,947 (1998 Estimate)
Songkhla 226,091 (1998 Estimate)
Sukhothai 1,210,921 (1998 Estimate)
Suphan Buri 630,292 (1998 Estimate)
Surat Thani 858,750 (1998 Estimate)
Surin 876,407 (1998 Estimate)
Tak 1,382,274 (1998 Estimate)
Trang 479,105 (1998 Estimate)
Trat 584,154 (1998 Estimate)
Ubon Ratchathani 221,904 (1998 Estimate)
Udon Thani Province 1,754,910 (1998 Estimate)
Uthai Thani 331,295 (1998 Estimate)
Uttaradit 484,737 (1998 Estimate)
Yala 429,501 (1998 Estimate)
Yasothon 553,794 (1998 Estimate)
Largest cities (population)
Bangkok 5,882,000 (1990)
Nakhon Ratchasima 445,000 (1990)
Nonthaburi 394,000 (1990)
Chiang Mai 354,000 (1990)
Songkhla 289,000 (1990)
Khon Kaen 279,000 (1990)
People
Population 61,163,833 (2000 Estimate)
Population growth
Population growth rate 0.89 per cent (2000 Estimate)
Population density
119 persons per square kilometre Estimate
309 persons per square mile Estimate
Urbanization
Per cent urban 21 per cent (1998 Estimate)
Per cent rural 79 per cent (1998 Estimate)
Life expectancy
Total 69.4 years (2000 Estimate)
Female 73.2 years (2000 Estimate)
Male 65.8 years (2000 Estimate)
Infant mortality rate
28 deaths per 1,000 live births (2000 Estimate)
Literacy rate
Total 95.6 per cent (2000)
Female 94 per cent (2000)
Male 97.2 per cent (2000)
Ethnic divisions
Thai 75 per cent
Chinese 14 per cent
Malay 3 per cent
Khmer, Miao, Karen, and other 8 per cent
Languages
Thai (official), English, Chinese, Malay, various ethnic and regional dialects
Religions
Buddhist (official) 95.0 per cent
Muslim 3.8 per cent
Other or none 1.2 per cent
Government
Type of government Constitutional monarchy
Independence
1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
Constitution
11 October 1997
Voting rights Universal at age 18
Membership of international organizations
APEC, ASEAN, Cairns Group, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IFAD,
IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Economy
Statistics
Fish (processed), export value
Gross domestic product (GDP) (US$)
111,327 million (1998)
GDP per capita (US$) 1,820 (1998)
GDP by economic sector
GDP, agriculture 11.2 per cent (1998)
GDP, industry 41.2 per cent (1998)
GDP, services 47.7 per cent (1998)
National budget (US$)
Total revenue 27,746 million (1997)
Total expenditure 28,750 million (1997)
Monetary unit 1 baht (B), consisting of 100 satangs
Exports
Machinery and manufactured goods, electronics, rice, fish products, tin, textiles, rubber, cassava, sugar, jewelry, clothing, handicrafts, footwear
Imports
Petroleum products, food and livestock, transport equipment, machinery, chemicals, iron and steel, consumer goods
Major trading partners for exports
United States, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, United Kingdom
Major trading partners for imports
Japan, United States, Singapore, Taiwan, Germany, Malaysia
Industries
Tourism, textiles, clothing, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing (jewelry, electric appliances, components), integrated circuits, furniture, plastics
Agriculture
Rice, cassava, rubber, maize, sugar cane, coconuts, soya beans
Natural resources
Tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite
Sources:
Basic Facts and People sections
Area data are from the individual country statistical bureaus. Population, population growth rate, infant mortality, and life expectancy data are from the United States Census Bureau, International Programs Center; International database, 2000;
(www.census.gov). Population density data are from the individual country statistical bureaus, and the United States Census Bureau, International Programs Center; International database, 2000;
(www.census.gov). Largest cities population data and administrative divisions data are from the individual country statistical bureaus. Literacy rate data are from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) database, 2000;
(www.unesco.org). Urban and rural population data are from the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) of the United Nations (UN), FAOSTAT database, 2000; (www.fao.org). Ethnic divisions and religion data are largely from the latest Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World
Factbook, as well as various country censuses and reports. Language data are largely from the
Ethnologue, Languages of the World, SIL International; (www.sil.org).
Government section
Government, independence, constitution, and voting rights data are largely from various government Web sites, the latest Europa World Yearbook, and the latest Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World
Factbook.
Economy section
Gross domestic product (GDP), GDP per capita, GDP by economic sector, and national budget data are from the World Bank database, 2000;
(www.worldbank.org). Monetary unit, exports and imports, natural resources, agriculture, and industries information is from the latest Europa World Yearbook, and various International Monetary Fund
(IMF) publications. All this
information has been taken from indirect sources.
Note: Due to rounding, totals may not add up to 100 per cent.
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