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At 514,000 km˛ (198,000 sq mi) , Thailand is the world's
50th largest country in land mass, whilst it is the world's 28th largest
country in terms of population. It is comparable in population to
countries such as France and United Kingdom, and is similar in land size
to France and California in the US; it is just over twice the size of the
entire United Kingdom, and 1.4 times the size of Germany.
Thailand is home to several distinct geographic regions, partly
corresponding to the provincial groups. The north of the country is
mountainous, with the highest point being Doi Inthanon at 2,565 meters
above sea level (8,415 ft). The northeast, Isan, (see special section on
this region) consists of the Khorat Plateau, bordered to the east by the
Mekong river. The centre of the country is dominated by the predominantly
flat Chao Phraya river valley, which runs into the Gulf of Thailand. The
south consists of the narrow Kra Isthmus that widens into the Malay
Peninsula.
The local climate is tropical and characterized by monsoons. There is a
rainy, warm, and cloudy southwest monsoon from mid-May to September, as
well as a dry, cool northeast monsoon from November to mid-March. The
southern isthmus is always hot and humid. Major cities beside the capital
Bangkok include Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Ubon Ratchathani,
Nakhon Sawan, Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok, Surat Thani, Phuket and Hat Yai.
resource : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/thailand |
