dk books

Publishers of award winning reference

	Home

	Africa

	Asia

	Australasia & Oceania

	Europe

	North America

	South America

Thailand

OFFICIAL NAME: Kingdom of Thailand

DATE OF FORMATION: 1238

POPULATION: 63.5 million

DENSITY: 322 people per square mile

LANGUAGES: Thai, Chinese, Malay, Khmer, Mon, Karen, Miao

RELIGIONS: Buddhist 95%, Muslim 4%, Other (including Christian) 1%

ETHNIC MIX: Thai 83%, Chinese 12%, Malay 3%, Khmer and Other 2%

GOVERNMENT: Multiparty elections

CURRENCY: Baht

Click to see a larger map

Thailand lies in the heart of southeast Asia. The north, the border with Burma, and the long Isthmus of Kra between the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand are mountainous. The central plain is the most fertile and densely populated area, while the low northeastern plateau is the poorest region. Thailand, formerly Siam, has been an independent kingdom for most of its history, and since 1932 a constitutional monarchy, though with frequent periods of military government. The tourism and fishing industries were severely affected by the Asian tsunami of 2004.