Finland (2003) | Thailand (2004) | |
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Administrative divisions | 6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani | 76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, Ang Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 17.7% (male 468,077; female 450,785)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,753,760; female 1,719,253) 65 years and over: 15.4% (male 312,883; female 486,027) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years: 24.1% (male 7,985,724; female 7,631,337)
15-64 years: 68.7% (male 21,998,552; female 22,538,765) 65 years and over: 7.3% (male 2,167,421; female 2,543,724) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish | rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans |
Airports | 150 (2002) | 109 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 74
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 12 (2002) |
total: 65
over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 76
914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 72 (2002) |
total: 44
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 337,030 sq km
land: 305,470 sq km water: 31,560 sq km |
total: 514,000 sq km
land: 511,770 sq km water: 2,230 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Montana | slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming |
Background | Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It finally won its complete independence in 1917. During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January 1999. | A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally following the conflict. Thailand is currently facing armed violence in its three Muslim-majority southernmost provinces. |
Birth rate | 10.54 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 16.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $36.1 billion
expenditures: $31 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues: $24.41 billion
expenditures: $24.01 billion, including capital expenditures of $5 billion (2003 est.) |
Capital | Helsinki | Bangkok |
Climate | cold temperate; potentially subarctic, but comparatively mild because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current, Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes | tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid |
Coastline | 1,126 km (excludes islands and coastal indentations) | 3,219 km |
Constitution | 1 March 2000 | new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Finland
conventional short form: Finland local long form: Suomen Tasavalta local short form: Suomi |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
conventional short form: Thailand former: Siam |
Currency | euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries |
baht (THB) |
Death rate | 9.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $30 billion (December 1993) | $53.75 billion (2003 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Bonnie McELVEEN-HUNTER
embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14A, FIN-00140, Helsinki mailing address: APO AE 09723 telephone: [358] (9) 616250 FAX: [358] (9) 174681 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE
embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok mailing address: APO AP 96546 telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000 FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131 consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI
chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800 FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York |
chief of mission: KASIT Piromya
chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007-3681 telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600 FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York |
Disputes - international | none | a 1 kilometer segment at the mouth of the Golok River remains in dispute with Malaysia; demarcation with Laos complete except for certain Mekong River islets and complaints of Thai squatters; despite continuing border committee talks, significant differences remain with Burma over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; Cambodia accuses Thailand of moving boundary markers and obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; 2003 anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh resulted in the destruction of the Thai Embassy and damage to 17 Thai-owned businesses and disputes over payments of full compensation persist; groups in Burma and Thailand express concern over China's construction of 13 hydroelectric dams on the Salween River in Yunnan Province |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $379 million (2001) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $131.5 million (1998 est.) |
Economy - overview | Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics industries. Trade is important, with exports equaling almost one-third of GDP. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the rural population. Rapidly increasing integration with Western Europe - Finland was one of the 11 countries joining the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on 1 January 1999 - will dominate the economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 2003 was held back by the global slowdown but will pick up in 2004 provided the world economy suffers no further blows. | Thailand has a free-enterprise economy and welcomes foreign investment. Exports feature textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances. Thailand has recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis and was one of East Asia's best performers in 2002. Increased consumption and investment spending and strong export growth pushed GDP growth up to 6.3% in 2003 despite a sluggish global economy. The highly popular government has pushed an expansionist policy, including major support of village economic development. |
Electricity - consumption | 76.18 billion kWh (2001) | 90.91 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 1.81 billion kWh (2001) | 200 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 11.77 billion kWh (2001) | 350 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 71.2 billion kWh (2001) | 97.6 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 39%
hydro: 18.7% nuclear: 30.4% other: 11.8% (2001) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
highest point: Halti 1,328 m |
lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m |
Environment - current issues | air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations | 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: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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 |
Ethnic groups | Finn 93%, Swede 6%, Sami 0.11%, Roma 0.12%, Tatar 0.02% | Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11% |
Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 1.06 (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999) | baht per US dollar - 41.4846 (2003), 42.9601 (2002), 44.4319 (2001), 40.1118 (2000), 37.8137 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June 2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Antti KALLIOMAKI (since 17 April 2003); note - former Prime Minister Anneli JAATTEENMAKI resigned cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 16 January 2000 and 6 February 2000 (next to be held NA February 2006); prime minister and deputy prime minister appointed from the majority party by the president after parliamentary elections election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote - Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4% note: government coalition - KESK, SDP, and SFP |
chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)
head of government: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat (since 9 February 2001) and Deputy Prime Ministers CHATURON Chaisaeng, Gen. CHAWALIT Yongchaiyut (Ret.), PURACHAI Piamsombun, VISHANU Krua-ngam (since 8 November 2003); LIPTAPANLOP Suwat (since 1 July 2004); SOMSAK Thepsuthin, PHINIT Charusombat (since 6 October 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers note: there is also a Privy Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister is designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following national elections for the House of Representatives, the leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the king |
Exports | 101,000 bbl/day (2001) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp (1999) | computers, office machine parts, transistors, rubber, vehicles (cars and trucks), plastic, seafood (2002) |
Exports - partners | Germany 11.8%, UK 9.6%, US 9%, Sweden 8.5%, Russia 6.6%, Netherlands 4.6%, France 4.5% (2002) | US 17%, Japan 14.2%, Singapore 7.3%, China 7.1%, Hong Kong 5.4%, Malaysia 4.8% (2003) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 October - 30 September |
Flag description | white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) | five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $133.8 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $477.5 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 4%
industry: 34% services: 62% (2002 est.) |
agriculture: 9.8%
industry: 44% services: 46.3% (2003) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $25,800 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $7,400 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 1.6% (2002 est.) | 6.7% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 64 00 N, 26 00 E | 15 00 N, 100 00 E |
Geography - note | long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national capital on European continent; population concentrated on small southwestern coastal plain | controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore |
Heliports | - | 3 (2003 est.) |
Highways | total: 77,943 km
paved: 50,305 km (including 750 km of expressways) unpaved: 27,688 km (2001) |
total: 64,600 km
paved: 62,985 km unpaved: 1,615 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 4.2%
highest 10%: 21.6% (1991) |
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 32.4% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | - | a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit transit point for heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in amphetamine production for regional consumption; increasing indigenous abuse of methamphetamine |
Imports | 318,300 bbl/day (2001) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics, grains (1999) | capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels (2000) |
Imports - partners | Germany 14.5%, Sweden 10.9%, Russia 9.9%, UK 5.7%, France 4.3%, Denmark 4.2% (2002) | Japan 24.1%, US 9.5%, China 8%, Malaysia 6%, Singapore 4.3%, Taiwan 4.2% (2003) |
Independence | 6 December 1917 (from Russia) | 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized) |
Industrial production growth rate | 5% (2002 est.) | 12.3% (2003 est.) |
Industries | metal products, electronics, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, copper refining, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles, clothing | tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry, electric appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, world's second-largest tungsten producer, and third-largest tin producer |
Infant mortality rate | total: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.21 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
total: 21.14 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 22.49 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.9% (2002 est.) | 1.8% (2003 est.) |
International organization participation | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC | APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 3 (2002) | - |
Irrigated land | 640 sq km (1998 est.) | 47,490 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president) | Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch) |
Labor force | 2.6 million (2000 est.) | 34.9 million (2003 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | public services 32%, industry 22%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, agriculture and forestry 8%, transport and communications 8%, construction 6% | agriculture 49%, industry 14%, services 37% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,628 km
border countries: Norway 729 km, Sweden 586 km, Russia 1,313 km |
total: 4,863 km
border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km |
Land use | arable land: 6.98%
permanent crops: 0.01% other: 93.01% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 29.36%
permanent crops: 6.46% other: 64.18% (2001) |
Languages | Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities | Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects |
Legal system | civil law system based on Swedish law; Supreme Court may request legislation interpreting or modifying laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%, Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP 4.6%; seats by party - Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, others 4 |
bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate or Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 4 March, 29 April, 4 June, 9 July, and 22 July 2000 (next to be held by March 2006); House of Representatives - last held 6 January 2001 (next to be held 6 February 2005) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - TRT 248, DP 128, TNP 41, NDP 29, other 54 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 77.92 years
male: 74.28 years female: 81.68 years (2003 est.) |
total population: 71.41 years
male: 69.23 years female: 73.71 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6% male: 94.9% female: 90.5% (2002) |
Location | Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia | Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma |
Map references | Europe | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM; extends to continental shelf boundary with Sweden territorial sea: 12 NM (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 NM) |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Merchant marine | total: 93 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,181,687 GRT/1,185,653 DWT
ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 24, chemical tanker 5, container 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 11, roll on/roll off 32, short-sea passenger 9 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 1, Sweden 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 339 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,038,597 GRT/3,104,712 DWT
by type: bulk 40, cargo 135, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 1, container 19, liquefied gas 22, multi-functional large load carrier 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 79, refrigerated cargo 22, roll on/roll off 2, short-sea/passenger 2, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: Egypt 1, Germany 3, Indonesia 1, Japan 4, Norway 38, Panama 2, Singapore 3 registered in other countries: 43 (2004 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, Frontier Guard (including Sea Guard) | Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (including Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $1.8 billion (FY98/99) | $1.775 billion (FY00) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2% (FY98/99) | 1.8% (2003) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 1,230,934 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49: 17,944,151 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 1,016,693 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49: 10,735,354 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2003 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 31,926 (2003 est.) | males: 531,511 (2004 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 6 December (1917) | Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927) |
Nationality | noun: Finn(s)
adjective: Finnish |
noun: Thai (singular and plural)
adjective: Thai |
Natural hazards | NA | land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts |
Natural resources | timber, copper, zinc, iron ore, silver | tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land |
Net migration rate | 0.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 694 km (2003) | gas 3,112 km; refined products 265 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD [Bjarne KALLIS]; Green League or VIHR [Osmo SOININVAARA]; Left Alliance or VAS (Communist) composed of People's Democratic League and Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition (conservative) Party or Kok [Ville ITALA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Paavo LIPPONEN]; Swedish People's Party or SFP [Jan-Erik ENESTAM] | Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [BANYAT Bantadtan]; People's Party or PP (Mahachon Party) [ANEK Laothamatas]; Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BARNHARN SILPA-ARCHA]; Thai Rak Thai Party or TRT [THAKSIN Chinnawat] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | 5,190,785 (July 2003 est.) | 64,865,523
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 10.4% (2002 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.14% (2003 est.) | 0.91% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Hamina, Helsinki, Kokkola, Kotka, Loviisa, Oulu, Pori, Rauma, Turku, Uusikaupunki, Varkaus | Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha, Songkhla |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999) |
Railways | total: 5,850 km
broad gauge: 5,850 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2002) |
total: 4,071 km
narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2003) |
Religions | Evangelical Lutheran 89%, Russian Orthodox 1%, none 9%, other 1% | Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, other 0.6% (1991) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment: modern system with excellent service
domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and an extensive cellular net provide domestic needs international: 1 submarine cable; satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) |
general assessment: service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed international: country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 2,847,900 (2001) | 6.6 million (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 3,728,600 (2001) | 16.117 million (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999) | 5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low hills | central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere |
Total fertility rate | 1.7 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.89 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 8.5% (2002 est.) | 2.2% (2003 est.) |
Waterways | 6,675 km
note: includes Saimaa Canal; 3,700 km suitable for large ships |
4,000 km
note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2003) |