Head of state: Prime minister - elect : Yingluck Shinawatra
Population
67,091,089
21,952,093
Life Expectancy
73.830 years
57.250 years
Capital City
Bangkok
Largest city
Bangkok (population: 5,104,480)
(population: )
Human Development Index
0.786
NA
GDP per capita
$9,500 US
Literacy Rate
92.6%
48.7%
Corruption Perception Index
3.5
NA
Percentage of Women in Parliament
12.7%
NA
Wealthiest Citizens
Chaleo Yoovidhya ($3.7bn US)
NA
Unemployment Rate
0.700%
Death Penalty
Legal
NA
Political System
constitutional monarchy
republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960 note: the government is currently operating under a power-sharing agreement mandated by international mediators
Independence date
1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
Religions
Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)
Muslim 38.6%, Christian 32.8%, indigenous 11.9%, none 16.7% (2008 est) note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim (70%) and Christian (20%)
Languages
Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken
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 North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana and Liberia
Area
513,120 km sq
322,463 km sq
Coastline
3,219 km
515 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
tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet (June to October)
