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Geography
Thailand is a Southeast Asian,
predominantly Buddhist kingdom almost equidistant between India and
China. For centuries known by outsiders as Siam, Thailand has been
something of a Southeast Asian migratory, cultural and religious
cross-roads. With an area of some 510,000 square kilometers and a
population of some 57 million, Thailand is approximately the same
size as France. Thailand shares borders with Myanmar to the west and
north, Laos to the north-east, Kampuchea to the west, and Malaysia
to the south. Geographically speaking, Thailand is divided into six
major regions: the mountainous north where elephants work forests
and winter temperatures are sufficiently cool to permit cultivation
of temperate fruits such as strawberries and peaches; the sprawling
north-east plateau, largely bordered by the Mekong River, where the
world's oldest Bronze Age civilization flourished some 5,000 years
ago; the central plain, one of the world's most fertile rice and
fruit-growing areas; the eastern coastal plain, where fine sandy
beaches support the growth of summer resorts; western mountains and
valleys, suitable for the development of hydro-electric power: and
the peninsular south where arresting scenic beauty complements
economically vital tin mining, robber cultivation and fishing.
Climate
Thailand lies within the humid tropics and remains hot
throughout the year. Average temperatures are about 29oC,
ranging in Bangkok from 35oC in April to 17oC
in December. There are three seasons: the cool season (November to
February), the hot season (April to May), and the rainy season (June
to October), though downpours rarely last more than a couple of
hours.
Time Zone
GMT +7 |
