Indonesia (2002) | Thailand (2005) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | 27 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara, Yogyakarta*; note - with the implementation of decentralization on 1 January 2001, the 357 districts (regencies) have become the key administrative units responsible for providing most government services
note: following the 30 August 1999 provincial referendum for independence which was overwhelmingly approved by the people of Timor Timur and the October 1999 concurrence of Indonesia's national legislature, the name East Timor was adopted as a provisional name for the political entity formerly known as Propinsi Timor Timur; East Timor gained its formal independence on 20 May 2002 |
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: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: 23.9% (male 7,988,529/female 7,633,405)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 22,195,625/female 22,731,767) 65 years and over: 7.5% (male 2,251,112/female 2,643,933) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, copra; poultry, beef, pork, eggs | rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans |
Airports | 490 (2001) | 109 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 153 156
over 3,047 m: 4 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 46 46 914 to 1,523 m: 48 48 under 914 m: 43 45 (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: 478 339
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 3 309 (2002) |
total: 44
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 1,919,440 sq km
land: 1,826,440 sq km water: 93,000 sq km |
total: 514,000 sq km
land: 511,770 sq km water: 2,230 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than three times the size of Texas | slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming |
Background | The world's largest archipelago, Indonesia achieved independence from the Netherlands in 1949. Current issues include: alleviating widespread poverty, implementing IMF-mandated reforms of the banking sector, effecting a transition to a popularly-elected government after four decades of authoritarianism, addressing charges of cronyism and corruption, holding the military and police accountable for human rights violations, and resolving growing separatist pressures in Aceh and Irian Jaya. On 30 August 1999 a provincial referendum for independence was overwhelmingly approved by the people of Timor Timur. Concurrence followed by Indonesia's national legislature, and the name East Timor was provisionally adopted. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an independent state. | 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 | 21.87 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 15.7 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $26 billion
expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues: $30.86 billion
expenditures: $31.94 billion, including capital expenditures of $5 billion (2004 est.) |
Capital | Jakarta | Bangkok |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands | 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 | 54,716 km | 3,219 km |
Constitution | August 1945, abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959 | new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997 |
Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia
conventional short form: Indonesia local long form: Republik Indonesia local short form: Indonesia former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
conventional short form: Thailand former: Siam |
Currency | Indonesian rupiah (IDR) | - |
Death rate | 6.28 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 7.02 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $135 billion (2001 est.) | $50.59 billion (2004 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE
embassy: Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan 4-5, Jakarta 10110 mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, APO AP 96520 telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000 FAX: [62] (21) 385-7189 consulate(s) general: Surabaya |
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 SOEMADI Brotodiningrat
chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200 FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco |
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 | Sipadan and Ligitan islands dispute with Malaysia remains with the ICJ for arbitration since 1998; East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee meets to survey and delimit land boundary; Indonesia seeks resolution of East Timor refugees in Indonesia; Australia-East Timor-Indonesia are working to resolve maritime boundary and sharing of seabed resources in "Timor Gap" | separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; Laos and Thailand pledge to complete demarcation of their boundary in 2005; 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 and Thailand dispute sections of boundary with missing boundary markers; Cambodia claims Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory and obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; ethnic Karens from Burma flee into Thailand to escape fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese troops resulting in Thailand sheltering about 118,000 Burmese refugees in 2004; Karens also protest Thai support for a Burmese hydroelectric dam construction on the Salween River near the border; environmentalists in Burma and Thailand remain concerned about China's construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on the Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province |
Economic aid - recipient | $43 billion from IMF program and other official external financing (1997-2000) | $72 million (2002) |
Economy - overview | Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, faces severe economic development problems, stemming from secessionist movements and the low level of security in the regions, the lack of reliable legal recourse in contract disputes, corruption, weaknesses in the banking system, and strained relations with the IMF. Investor confidence will remain low and few new jobs will be created under these circumstances. In November 2001, Indonesia agreed with the IMF on a series of economic reforms in 2002, thus enabling further IMF disbursements. Keys to future growth remain internal reform, the build-up of the confidence of international donors and investors, and a strong comeback in the global economy. | Thailand has a well developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and welcomes foreign investment. Thailand has fully recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis and was one of East Asia's best performers in 2002-04. Increased consumption and investment spending and strong export growth pushed GDP growth up to 6.9% in 2003 and 6.1% in 2004 despite a sluggish global economy. The highly popular government's expansionist policy, including major support of village economic development, has raised concerns about fiscal discipline and the health of financial institutions. Bangkok has pursued preferential trade agreements with a variety of partners in an effort to boost exports and maintain high growth, and in 2004 began negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with the US. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took 8,500 lives in Thailand and caused massive destruction of property in the southern provinces of Krabi, Phangnga, and Phuket. |
Electricity - consumption | 86.095 billion kWh (2000) | 106.1 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 188 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 600 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | 92.575 billion kWh (2000) | 118.9 billion kWh (2003) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 81%
hydro: 14% nuclear: 0% other: 5% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m |
lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires | 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation |
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 | Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%, other 26% | Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11% |
Exchange rates | Indonesian rupiahs per US dollar - 10,377.3 (January 2002), 10,260.9 (2001), 8,421.8 (2000), 7,855.2 (1999), 10,013.6 (1998), 2,909.4 (1997) | baht per US dollar - 40.222 (2004), 41.485 (2003), 42.96 (2002), 44.432 (2001), 40.112 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri (since 23 July 2001) and Vice President Hamzah HAZ (since 26 July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri (since 23 July 2001) and Vice President Hamzah HAZ (since 26 July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected separately by the People's Consultative Assembly or MPR for five-year terms; selection of president last held 23 July 2001); selection of vice president last held 26 July 2001; next election to be held NA 2004; in accordance with constitutional changes, the election of the president and vice president will be by direct vote of the citizenry election results: MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri elected president, receiving 591 votes in favor (91 abstentions); Hamzah HAZ elected vice president, receiving 340 votes in favor (237 against) note: the People's Consultative Assembly (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) includes the House of Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat or DPR) plus 195 indirectly selected members; it meets every five years to elect the president and vice president and to approve broad outlines of national policy and also has yearly meetings to consider constitutional and legislative changes; constitutional amendments adopted in 2001 and 2002 provide for the MPR to be restructured in 2004 and to consist entirely of popularly-elected members who will be in the DPR and the new House of Regional Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD); the MPR will no longer formulate national policy |
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 CHITCHAI Wannasathi (since 11 March 2005), PHINIT Charusombat (since 6 October 2004), SOMKHIT Chatusiphithak (since 11 March 2005), SURAKIAT Sathianthai (since 11 March 2005); SURIYA Chungrungruankit (since 3 August 2005), SUWAT Liptapanlop (since 3 August 2005), WISANU Kruangam (since 8 November 2003) 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 | $56.5 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | NA |
Exports - commodities | oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber | textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances |
Exports - partners | Japan 23.4%, US 13.8%, Singapore 10.7%, South Korea 7%, China 4.5%, Malaysia 3.2% (2000 est.) | US 15.9%, Japan 13.9%, China 7.3%, Singapore 7.2%, Malaysia 5.4%, Hong Kong 5.1% (2004) |
Fiscal year | calendar year; note - previously was 1 April - 31 March, but starting with 2001, has been changed to calendar year | 1 October - 30 September |
Flag description | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of Poland, which is white (top) and red | five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $687 billion (2001 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 17%
industry: 41% services: 42% (2001 est.) |
agriculture: 9%
industry: 44.3% services: 46.7% (2004 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $8,100 (2004 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.3% (2001 est.) | 6.1% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 5 00 S, 120 00 E | 15 00 N, 100 00 E |
Geography - note | archipelago of 17,000 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles Equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean | controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore |
Heliports | 9 (2002) | 3 (2004 est.) |
Highways | total: 342,700 km
paved: 158,670 km unpaved: 184,030 km (1997) |
total: 57,403 km
paved: 56,542 km unpaved: 861 km (2000 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 27% (1999) |
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 32.4% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; possible growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle heroin | 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 | $38.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) | NA |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment; chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs | capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels |
Imports - partners | Japan 16.3%, Singapore 11.4%, US 10.2%, South Korea 6.3%, China 6.1%, Australia 5.1% (2000 est.) | Japan 23.6%, China 8.6%, US 7.6%, Malaysia 5.8%, Singapore 4.4%, Taiwan 4.1% (2004) |
Independence | 17 August 1945 (proclaimed independence; on 27 December 1949, Indonesia became legally independent from the Netherlands) | 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized) |
Industrial production growth rate | 3.5% (2001 est.) | 8.5% (2004 est.) |
Industries | petroleum and natural gas; textiles, apparel, and footwear; mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood; rubber; food; tourism | 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 | 39.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 20.48 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.83 deaths/1,000 live births female: 19.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 11.5% (2001 est.) | 2.8% (2004 est.) |
International organization participation | APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | APEC, APT, 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) | 24 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 48,150 sq km (1998 est.) | 47,490 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by the president from a list of candidates approved by the legislature); note - the Supreme Court is preparing to assume administrative responsibility for the federal court system, previously run by the executive | Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch) |
Labor force | 99 million (1999) | 36.43 million (November 2004 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 45%, industry 16%, services 39% (1999 est.) | agriculture 49%, industry 14%, services 37% (2000 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 2,830 km
border countries: East Timor 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New Guinea 820 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: 9.9%
permanent crops: 7.2% other: 82.9% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 29.36%
permanent crops: 6.46% other: 64.18% (2001) |
Languages | Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese | Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects |
Legal system | based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat (DPR) (500 seats; 462 elected by popular vote, 38 are appointed military representatives; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 7 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - PDI-P 37.4%, Golkar 20.9%, PKB 17.4%, PPP 10.7%, PAN 7.3%, PBB 1.8%, other 4.5%; seats by party - PDI-P 154, Golkar 120, PPP 58, PKB 51, PAN 35, PBB 14, other 30; note - subsequent to the election, there has been a change in the distribution of seats; the new distribution is: PDI-P 153, Golkar 120, PPP 58, PKB 51, PAN 35, PBB 13, other 32 |
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 February 2005 (next to be held in February 2009) 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 376, DP 97, TNP 25, PP 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 68.63 years
male: 66.24 years female: 71.13 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 71.95 years
male: 69.65 years female: 74.37 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 83.8% male: 89.6% female: 78% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6% male: 94.9% female: 90.5% (2002) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean | Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Merchant marine | total: 668 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,969,281 GRT/4,043,526 DWT
ships by type: bulk 41, cargo 392, chemical tanker 12, container 32, liquefied gas 3, livestock carrier 1, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 126, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 15, short-sea passenger 8, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 1, Hong Kong 2, India 1, Japan 2, Malaysia 1, Monaco 3, Panama 1, Philippines 1, Singapore 11, South Korea 1, Switzerland 1, UK 2, US 1 (2002 est.) |
total: 386 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,038,597 GRT/3,104,712 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 57, cargo 142, chemical tanker 12, combination ore/oil 1, container 21, liquefied gas 25, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 89, refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 55 (Indonesia 1, Japan 3, Norway 45, Singapore 6) registered in other countries: 35 (2005) |
Military branches | Army, Navy (including marines and naval air arm), Air Force | Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $1 billion (FY98/99) | $1.775 billion (FY00) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.3% (FY98/99) | 1.8% (2003) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 65,013,184 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 37,942,329 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 2,263,706 (2002 est.) | - |
National holiday | Independence Day, 17 August (1945) | Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927) |
Nationality | noun: Indonesian(s)
adjective: Indonesian |
noun: Thai (singular and plural)
adjective: Thai |
Natural hazards | occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, forest fires | land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts |
Natural resources | petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver | tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land |
Net migration rate | -0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 2,505 km; petroleum products 456 km; natural gas 1,703 km (1989) | gas 3,112 km; refined products 265 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [Yusril Ihza MAHENDRA, chairman]; Federation of Functional Groups or Golkar [Akbar TANDJUNG, general chairman]; Indonesia Democracy Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri, chairperson]; National Awakening Party or PKB [Alwi SHIHAB, chairman]; National Mandate Party or PAN [Amien RAIS, chairman]; United Development Party or PPP (federation of former Islamic parties) [Hamzah HAZ, chairman] | Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [ABHISIT Wetchachiwa]; 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 | NA |
Population | 231,328,092 (July 2002 est.) | 65,444,371
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 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 27% (1999) | 10% (2004 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.54% (2002 est.) | 0.87% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Cilacap, Cirebon, Jakarta, Kupang, Makassar, Palembang, Semarang, Surabaya | Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998) | AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999) |
Radios | 31.5 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total: 6,458 km
narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (101 km electrified; 101 km double-track); 497 km 0.750-m gauge (2001) |
total: 4,071 km
narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2004) |
Religions | Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1998) | Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census) |
Sex ratio | at birth: NA
under 15 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA total population: NA |
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 (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | 17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment: domestic service fair, international service good
domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net; domestic satellite communications system international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok; WTO requirement for privatization of telecom sector is planned to be complete by 2006
domestic: fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines international: country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); landing country for APCN submarine cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | 5,588,310 (1998) | 6,617,400 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1.07 million (1998) | 26.5 million (2005) |
Television broadcast stations | 41 (1999) | 5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains | central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere |
Total fertility rate | 2.54 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.88 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 8% (2001 est.) | 1.5% (November 2004 est.) |
Waterways | 21,579 km total
note: Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460 km, Sulawesi (Celebes) 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km |
4,000 km
note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2003) |