|
Country
|
Thailand | 
Korea, South |
|
Leader
|
Head of state: King Bhumibol Adulyadej
|
President: Park Geun-hye
|
|
Population
|
67,448,120
| 48,955,203
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
74.050 years
| 79.550 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Bangkok
| Seoul
|
|
Largest city
|
| Bangkok (population: 5,104,480) | Seoul (population: 10,349,300) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.786
| 0.928
|
| GDP per capita |
$10,000 US
| $32,400 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
92.6%
| 97.9%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
3.5
| NA
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
12.7%
| 13.7%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
Chaleo Yoovidhya ($3.7bn US)
| NA
|
| Unemployment Rate |
0.600%
| 3.200%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Legal
| NA
|
| |
|
Political System
|
constitutional monarchy
| republic
|
|
Independence date
|
1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
| 15 August 1945 (from Japan)
|
| Religions |
Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)
| Christian 26.3% (Protestant 19.7%, Roman Catholic 6.6%), Buddhist 23.2%, other or unknown 1.3%, none 49.3% (1995 census)
|
| Languages |
Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
| Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school
|
| Exports |
textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances
| semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals
|
| External Debt |
$126,400,000,000 $
| $413,400,000,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
baht per US dollar - 33.37 (2008 est.), 34.52 (2007), 37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004)
| South Korean won (KRW) per US dollar - 1,101.7 (2008 est.), 929.2 (2007), 954.8 (2006), 1,024.1 (2005), 1,145.3 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
1.800%
| 2.700%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
4
| 31
|
| Location |
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma
| Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
|
| Area |
513,120 km sq
| 99,720 km sq
|
| Coastline |
3,219 km
| 2,413 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
| temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter
|
|
|
|
