Thailand Geography 1997

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
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September);dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus alwayshot 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

Land use
arable land: 34%
permanent crops : 6%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 26%
other: 32% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land 44,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of thewater table; droughts

Environment - current issues air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic andfactory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatenedby illegal hunting

Environment - international agreements
party to: Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, NuclearTest Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea

Geography - note controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

NOTE: The information regarding Thailand on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Thailand Geography 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Thailand Geography 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.