Country Details
Thailand
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma
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Geography
Detailed information and insights
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
513,120 sq km
Land
510,890 sq km
Water
2,230 sq km
Area - comparative
about three times the size of Florida; slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming
Land boundaries
Total
5,673 km
Border countries
Burma 2,416 km; Cambodia 817 km; Laos 1,845 km; Malaysia 595 km
Coastline
3,219 km
Maritime claims
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
Highest point
Doi Inthanon 2,565 m
Lowest point
Gulf of Thailand 0 m
Mean elevation
287 m
Natural resources
tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land
Land use
Agricultural land
43.8% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 31% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 11.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 1.6% (2023 est.)
Forest
39% (2023 est.)
Other
17.2% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land
64,150 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km)
Salt water lake(s)
Thalesap Songkhla - 1,290 sq km
Major rivers (by length in km)
Mae Nam Khong (Mekong) (shared with China [s], Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam [m]) - 4,350 km; Salween (shared with China [s] and Burma [m]) - 3,060 km; Mun - 1,162 km
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage
Salween (271,914 sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage
Mekong (805,604 sq km)
Population distribution
highest population density is found in and around Bangkok; significant population clusters throughout large parts of the country, particularly north and northeast of Bangkok and in the extreme southern region of the country
Natural hazards
land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts
Geography - note
controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore