Thailand Geography:
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:
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 1800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1754 km, Malaysia 506 km
Coastline:
3,219 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
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)
Irrigated land:
47,490 sq km (1998 est.)
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 (not ratified)
Geography - Note:
Controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore |
