|
Country
|
Thailand | 
Japan |
|
Leader
|
Head of state: Prime minister - elect : Yingluck Shinawatra
|
Head of state: Emperor Akihito Prime minister: Yoshihiko Noda
|
|
Population
|
67,091,089
| 127,368,088
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
73.830 years
| 83.910 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Bangkok
| Tokyo
|
|
Largest city
|
| Bangkok (population: 5,104,480) | Tokyo (population: 8,336,600) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.786
| 0.956
|
| GDP per capita |
$9,500 US
| $35,200 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
92.6%
| 99%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
3.5
| 7.3
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
12.7%
| 12.3%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
Chaleo Yoovidhya ($3.7bn US)
| Tadashi Yanai & family ($6.0bn US)
|
| Unemployment Rate |
0.700%
| 4.600%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Legal
| Legal
|
| |
|
Political System
|
constitutional monarchy
| constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government
|
|
Independence date
|
1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
| 660 B.C. (traditional date of the founding of the nation by Emperor JIMMU)
|
| Religions |
Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)
| observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
|
| Languages |
Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
| Japanese
|
| Exports |
textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances
| transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical machinery, chemicals
|
| External Debt |
$115,600,000,000 $
| $2,719,000,000,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
baht per US dollar - 33.37 (2008 est.), 34.52 (2007), 37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004)
| yen (JPY) per US dollar - 103.58 (2008 est.), 117.99 (2007), 116.18 (2006), 110.22 (2005), 108.19 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
1.800%
| 0.800%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
4
| 25
|
| Location |
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma
| Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula
|
| Area |
513,120 km sq
| 377,915 km sq
|
| Coastline |
3,219 km
| 29,751 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
| varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north
|
|
|
|
