Map Of Thailand Created By The CIA

The map of Thailand above comes from the CIA World Factbook

Thailand Location Map

Thailand Facts

Full Official Name: Kingdom of Thailand
Demonym: Thai

Flag:

Area

Total Area: 513,120 km²
Total Land Area: 510,890 km²
Total Water Area: 2,230 km²

Demographics

Population: 69,920,998

Population Growth Rate: 0.17% (2024 est.)

Largest City: Bangkok (Population: 8,305,218)

Ethnic Groups: Thai 97.5%, Burmese 1.3%, other 1.1%, unspecified <0.1% (2015 est.)

Languages: Thai (official) only 90.7%, Thai and other languages 6.4%, only other languages 2.9% (includes Malay, Burmese); English is a secondary language among the elite (2010 est.)

Religions: Buddhist 92.5%, Muslim 5.4%, Christian 1.2%, other 0.9% (includes animist, Confucian, Hindu, Jewish, Sikh, and Taoist) (2021 est.)

Economy

Currency: Thai baht

Real GDP at Purchasing Power Parity ($ PPP): $1.516 trillion (2023 est.)

GDP per capita (PPP): $21,100 (2023 est.)

Exports Value Per Year: $336.871 billion (2023 est.)

Biggest Export Partners: US 17%, China 11%, Japan 8%, Vietnam 4%, Malaysia 4% (2022)

Imports Value Per Year: $328.009 billion (2023 est.)

Biggest Import Partners: China 26%, Japan 11%, UAE 6%, US 5%, Malaysia 5% (2022)

Government

Type: constitutional monarchy

Capital City: Bangkok (Population: 8,305,218)

Other Facts

Time Zone: UTC+7 (ICT)

Country Code: TH

Internet TLD: .th

Climate Map of Thailand

The climate map of Thailand above was created by Beck, H.E., Zimmermann, N. E., McVicar, T. R., Vergopolan, N., Berg, A., & Wood, E. F.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

Topographic Map of Thailand

The topographic map of Thailand was created by Sadalmelik

Flag Map of Thailand

Map created by Fry1989

Odd Shape?

Thailand was included in my list of The 17 Oddest Shaped Countries In The World & How They Came To Be.

Thailand’s shape is notably odd due to its distinctive “axe-like” or “elephant’s head” form, featuring a prominent, narrow southern peninsula, a wide northern region, and an irregular border with unusual protrusions and indentations.

Here’s clearly why Thailand has this unique shape and how it came about:

What’s Odd About Thailand’s Shape?

Thailand has an unusual outline resembling an axe or an elephant’s head and trunk:
- A broad northern region, curving around Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
- A narrow southern “tail” extending down the Malay Peninsula, creating a long, slender region.
Borders show odd angles and indentations, particularly along Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, creating an irregular shape overall.

How Thailand Got Its Odd Shape:

Historical & Colonial Influences (Main Reason):

Thailand’s modern borders largely resulted from negotiations with European colonial powers (Britain and France) during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Thailand, historically known as Siam, was never fully colonized but lost territories on its borders to British (Burma, Malaysia) and French (Laos, Cambodia) colonies.
Treaties, such as the Anglo-Siamese Treaty (1909), defined precise boundaries, carving out territories and shaping its distinctive, irregular borders.

Geographic Factors (Peninsula & Mountains):

Natural geographic features—such as mountain ranges (e.g., the Tenasserim Hills along Myanmar) and rivers (Mekong River)—influenced border agreements and gave shape to Thailand’s unusual outlines.
The Malay Peninsula’s geography naturally narrowed southward, creating Thailand’s long, narrow southern peninsula.

Political Decisions and Diplomacy:

Thai rulers strategically accepted border concessions to preserve the country’s independence, shaping modern Thailand into its distinct current form.
Territories were deliberately surrendered or retained to balance relationships with powerful neighbors, resulting in the uneven borders.

Consequences of Thailand’s Odd Shape:

Regional diversity: The shape contributes to diverse cultural, linguistic, and ethnic communities in different regions.
Economic opportunities and challenges: The elongated southern region facilitates maritime trade but also poses transportation and governance challenges.
Geopolitical Complexity: Odd border shapes can complicate relations with neighbors, historically causing disputes and diplomatic challenges.