Head of state: Prime minister - elect : Yingluck Shinawatra
Population
73,599,190
67,091,089
Life Expectancy
55.740 years
73.830 years
Capital City
Bangkok
Largest city
Kinshasa (population: 7,785,960)
Bangkok (population: 5,104,480)
Human Development Index
0.361
0.786
GDP per capita
$9,500 US
Literacy Rate
67.2%
92.6%
Corruption Perception Index
1.7
3.5
Percentage of Women in Parliament
7.7%
12.7%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Chaleo Yoovidhya ($3.7bn US)
Unemployment Rate
0.700%
Death Penalty
NA
Legal
Political System
republic
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
Religions
Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 10%
Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)
Languages
French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
Exports
textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances
External Debt
$115,600,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
baht per US dollar - 33.37 (2008 est.), 34.52 (2007), 37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.800%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
4
Location
Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma
Area
2,344,858 km sq
513,120 km sq
Coastline
37 km
3,219 km
Climate
tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)
tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid
