Head of state: Prime minister - elect : Yingluck Shinawatra
President: Thomas Boni Yayi
Population
67,091,089
9,598,787
Life Expectancy
73.830 years
60.260 years
Capital City
Bangkok
Largest city
Bangkok (population: 5,104,480)
Cotonou (population: 690,584)
Human Development Index
0.786
0.459
GDP per capita
$9,500 US
Literacy Rate
92.6%
34.7%
Corruption Perception Index
3.5
3.1
Percentage of Women in Parliament
12.7%
10.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
Chaleo Yoovidhya ($3.7bn US)
NA
Unemployment Rate
0.700%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished in practice
Political System
constitutional monarchy
republic
Independence date
1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
Religions
Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)
Christian 42.8% (Catholic 27.1%, Celestial 5%, Methodist 3.2%, other Protestant 2.2%, other 5.3%), Muslim 24.4%, Vodoun 17.3%, other 15.5% (2002 census)
Languages
Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)
Exports
textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances
External Debt
$115,600,000,000 $
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
4
0
Location
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and Togo
Area
513,120 km sq
112,622 km sq
Coastline
3,219 km
121 km
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
