Thailand's Geography | Thailand Geography

Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: Total: 514,000 sq km land: 511,770 sq km water: 2,230 sq km

Area - comparative: Slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries: Total: 4,863 km border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km

Coastline: 3,219 km

Maritime claims: Territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

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

Terrain: Central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Natural resources: Tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Land use: Arable land: 29.36% permanent crops: 6.46% other: 64.18% (2001)

Irrigated land: 47,490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: Land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts

Environment - current issues: Air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting

Environment - international agreements: Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: Controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

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