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Compare Thailand (2004) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)

Compare Thailand (2004) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)

 Thailand (2004)British Indian Ocean Territory (2002)
 ThailandBritish Indian Ocean Territory
Administrative divisions 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: 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 rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans -
Airports 109 (2003 est.) 1 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways 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.)
total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 44


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 15


under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.)
-
Area total: 514,000 sq km


land: 511,770 sq km


water: 2,230 sq km
total: 60 sq km


land: 60 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
Area - comparative slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Background 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. Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Birth rate 16.04 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) -
Budget revenues: $24.41 billion


expenditures: $24.01 billion, including capital expenditures of $5 billion (2003 est.)
-
Capital Bangkok -
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 tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline 3,219 km 698 km
Constitution new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997 -
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand


conventional short form: Thailand


former: Siam
conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory


conventional short form: none


abbreviation: BIOT
Currency baht (THB) -
Death rate 6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) -
Debt - external $53.75 billion (2003 est.) -
Dependency status - overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Diplomatic representation from the US 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
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US 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
none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international 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 Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain
Economic aid - recipient $131.5 million (1998 est.) -
Economy - overview 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. All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.
Electricity - consumption 90.91 billion kWh (2001) NA kWh
Electricity - exports 200 million kWh (2001) -
Electricity - imports 350 million kWh (2001) -
Electricity - production 97.6 billion kWh (2001) NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Elevation extremes lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m


highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Environment - current issues air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting NA
Environment - international agreements 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 Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11% -
Exchange rates baht per US dollar - 41.4846 (2003), 42.9601 (2002), 44.4319 (2001), 40.1118 (2000), 37.8137 (1999) -
Executive branch 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
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)


head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK


cabinet: NA


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Exports NA (2001) -
Exports - commodities computers, office machine parts, transistors, rubber, vehicles (cars and trucks), plastic, seafood (2002) -
Exports - partners US 17%, Japan 14.2%, Singapore 7.3%, China 7.1%, Hong Kong 5.4%, Malaysia 4.8% (2003) -
Fiscal year 1 October - 30 September -
Flag description five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
GDP purchasing power parity - $477.5 billion (2003 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 9.8%


industry: 44%


services: 46.3% (2003)
-
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $7,400 (2003 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 6.7% (2003 est.) -
Geographic coordinates 15 00 N, 100 00 E 6 00 S, 71 30 E
Geography - note controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Heliports 3 (2003 est.) -
Highways total: 64,600 km


paved: 62,985 km


unpaved: 1,615 km (1999 est.)
total: NA km


paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia


unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share 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 NA (2001) -
Imports - commodities capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels (2000) -
Imports - partners Japan 24.1%, US 9.5%, China 8%, Malaysia 6%, Singapore 4.3%, Taiwan 4.2% (2003) -
Independence 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized) -
Industrial production growth rate 12.3% (2003 est.) -
Industries 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: 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) 1.8% (2003 est.) -
International organization participation 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) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 47,490 sq km (1998 est.) 0 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch) -
Labor force 34.9 million (2003 est.) -
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 49%, industry 14%, services 37% (2000 est.) -
Land boundaries total: 4,863 km


border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 29.36%


permanent crops: 6.46%


other: 64.18% (2001)
arable land: NEGL


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100% (1998 est.)
Languages Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects -
Legal system based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
Legislative branch 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: 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: 92.6%


male: 94.9%


female: 90.5% (2002)
-
Location Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references Southeast Asia Political Map of the World
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 3 NM
Merchant marine 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 - note - defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Military branches Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (including Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $1.775 billion (FY00) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.8% (2003) -
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 17,944,151 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 10,735,354 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 531,511 (2004 est.) -
National holiday Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927) -
Nationality noun: Thai (singular and plural)


adjective: Thai
-
Natural hazards land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts NA
Natural resources tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -
Pipelines gas 3,112 km; refined products 265 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders 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 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.)
no indigenous inhabitants


note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 10.4% (2002 est.) -
Population growth rate 0.91% (2004 est.) -
Ports and harbors Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha, Songkhla Diego Garcia
Radio broadcast stations AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - NA
Railways total: 4,071 km


narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)
-
Religions Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, other 0.6% (1991) -
Sex ratio 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 and compulsory -
Telephone system 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)
general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available


domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet


international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use 6.6 million (2003) NA
Telephones - mobile cellular 16.117 million (2002) -
Television broadcast stations 5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997) 1 (1997)
Terrain central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate 1.89 children born/woman (2004 est.) -
Unemployment rate 2.2% (2003 est.) -
Waterways 4,000 km


note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2003)
none
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