Thailand is perhaps one of the most advanced countries in terms of tourism. Well, who hasn't heard of the famous Thai massage or boxing? Where is Thailand located on the world map? About the geographical location and features of this country, read further in the article.
Thailand, Southeast Asia: general description
The state traces its history back to 1238. Then on the territory where Thailand is located, the Kingdom of Suhkotai was located. The modern name is derived from the word "thai", which translates as "freedom". The name fully corresponds to the country, because Thailand has never been a European colony. The location of the state partly influenced this fact. England and France, having subjugated many Asian lands, wanted to leave Thailand as a neutral territory.
And now the state remains independent, successfully developing agriculture and tourism. The capital and largest city of Thailand is Bangkok. In terms of population, the country ranks 20th in the world - approximately 70 million inhabitants. The main language is Thai, which is also well understood by the locals. Laos.
The head of state is the king. His role is extremely important. The King of Thailand is considered the ruler, and in addition, the patron of the country's religion and a national symbol. The state religion is Buddhism. It is professed by 94%. The rest of the population adheres to Islam, most of them are Malays.
Thailand on the world map
The country occupies the northern segment of the Malay Peninsula and the southwestern part of Indochina. Thailand is located almost in the center of Southeast Asia. What countries borders Thailand? In the east, it is surrounded by Laos and Cambodia, Myanmar - in the west, its southern neighbor is Malaysia. The state border is mainly divided according to natural objects. In the southeast of the country, the border is defined by a mountain range, in the northeast, the edge of the country adjoins the Mekong River.
Thailand looks like an elephant's head. An elongated part of the territory (the supposed trunk), bordering Malaysia, is washed by the seas from two sides - in the west by the Andaman, in the east by the South China. The southern and eastern shores of the country are also washed by the waters of the Gulf of Thailand. The length of Thailand from north to south reaches 1650 kilometers, from west to east - about 780 kilometers.
The country includes a large number of islands, they are located near the Malay Peninsula. The largest is Phuket. Thailand is well endowed with water resources. Many full-flowing rivers flow on the territory of the country, the largest is the Chao Phraya. Lakes in the country, on the contrary, are few, but there areseveral reservoirs. The largest lake in Thailand is called Thaleluang.
Climate
The place where Thailand is located and its considerable length are the main factors in shaping the climate in the country. Due to these reasons, the climatic conditions in different parts of Thailand are different. This allows you to repeatedly harvest throughout the year, because after the end of the favorable season in one end of the country, it begins in the other. The same applies to tourism, so Thailand can be visited all year round.
Geographically and climatically, the country is distinguished by five regions: Northern, Northeastern, Central, Southern and Eastern. In the center and south, the climate is subequatorial, near Malaysia - equatorial, and in the north - tropical humid. Thailand has a rainy season. In total, it rains in the country for about 6-8 months. In some areas, they begin in May, in the central and eastern parts - in August.
Differences in temperature decrease as you get closer to the equator. In December, the temperature ranges from +20 to +27 degrees. At night, the temperature drops, in the mountains it can reach zero. The highest temperature is observed from April to May, when it can reach +40 degrees.
Tourism in Thailand
A rare traveler does not know where Thailand is, because millions of tourists come here every year. During the day, hundreds of beaches are available for swimming, and in the evening, noisy entertainment and discos await guests. The northern part of Thailand is rich in monumentshistory and religious architecture. There are ancient temples and ruins here. In this area of the country is one of the most ancient Thai capitals - the city of Chaengmai.
In the central part is the largest metropolis - Bangkok. In this region, tourists get acquainted with urbanized Asia, visit national parks and nightingale farms. The southern part of the country offers lazy holidays on the coast. There are many picturesque islands here, and some of them even lit up in the cinema.
