Thailand (2007) | Luxembourg (2008) | |
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 | 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 21.6% (male 7,195,750/female 6,870,858)
15-64 years: 70.1% (male 22,547,238/female 23,092,881) 65 years and over: 8.2% (male 2,437,640/female 2,923,782) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: 18.8% (male 46,478/female 43,656)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 161,466/female 158,261) 65 years and over: 14.7% (male 28,530/female 41,831) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans | wine, grapes, barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits; dairy products, livestock products |
Airports | 106 (2007) | 2 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 65
over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 6 (2007) |
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 28 (2007) |
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
Area | total: 514,000 sq km
land: 511,770 sq km water: 2,230 sq km |
total: 2,586 sq km
land: 2,586 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming | slightly smaller than Rhode Island |
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 separatist violence in its southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces. | Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area. |
Birth rate | 13.73 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 11.84 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $38.74 billion
expenditures: $36.61 billion (2006 est.) |
revenues: $14.29 billion
expenditures: $13.92 billion (2007 est.) |
Capital | name: Bangkok
geographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
name: Luxembourg
geographic coordinates: 49 36 N, 6 07 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
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 | modified continental with mild winters, cool summers |
Coastline | 3,219 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON (BHUMIBOL) on 24 August 2007 | 17 October 1868; occasional revisions |
Country name | conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
conventional short form: Thailand local long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai local short form: Prathet Thai former: Siam |
conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg |
Death rate | 7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 8.42 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $59.93 billion (2006 est.) | $NA |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE
embassy: 120-122 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330 mailing address: APO AP 96546 telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000 FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131 consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai |
chief of mission: Ambassador Ann WAGNER
embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail) telephone: [352] 46 01 23 FAX: [352] 46 14 01 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador KRIT Kanchanakunchon (KRIT Garnjana-Goonchorn)
chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600 FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph WEYLAND
chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171/72 FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270 consulate(s) general: New York, San Francisco |
Disputes - international | 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; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over several islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border committee talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities, and as of 2006, over 116,000 Karen, Hmong, and other refugees and asylum seekers from Burma; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of historic 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; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma; in 2004, international environmentalist pressure prompted China to halt construction of 13 dams on the Salween River that flows through China, Burma, and Thailand | none |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $235.6 million (2004) |
Economic aid - recipient | $171.1 million (2005) | - |
Economy - overview | With a well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and pro-investment policies, Thailand appears to have fully recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis. The country was one of East Asia's best performers from 2002-04. Boosted by increased consumption and strong export growth, the Thai economy grew 6.9% in 2003 and 6.1% in 2004 despite a sluggish global economy. Bangkok has pursued preferential trade agreements with a variety of partners in an effort to boost exports and to maintain high growth. 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. In 2006, investment stagnated as investors, spooked by the THAKSIN administration's political problems, stayed on the sidelines. The military coup in September brought in a new economic team led by the former central bank governor. In December, the Thai Board of Investment reported the value of investment applications from January to November had declined by 27% year-on-year. On the positive side, exports have performed at record levels, rising nearly 17% in 2006. Export-oriented manufacturing - in particular automobile production - and farm output are driving these gains. | This stable, high-income economy - benefiting from its proximity to France, Belgium, and Germany - features solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial sector, which now accounts for about 28% of GDP, has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Most banks are foreign-owned and have extensive foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for about 60% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU members, suffered from the global economic slump in the early part of this decade, the country continues to enjoy an extraordinarily high standard of living - GDP per capita ranks first in the world. After two years of strong economic growth in 2006-07, Luxembourg's economy probably will slow in 2008 as a result of turmoil in the world financial markets, but growth will remain above the European average. |
Electricity - consumption | 117.7 billion kWh (2005) | 6.315 billion kWh (2005 est.) |
Electricity - exports | 642 million kWh (2005) | 3.131 billion kWh (2005 est.) |
Electricity - imports | 4.419 billion kWh (2005) | 6.392 billion kWh (2005 est.) |
Electricity - production | 124.6 billion kWh (2005) | 3.156 billion kWh (2005 est.) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m |
lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 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 | air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland |
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 |
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification |
Ethnic groups | Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11% | Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European (guest and resident workers) |
Exchange rates | baht per US dollar - 37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004), 41.485 (2003), 42.96 (2002) | euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003) |
Executive branch | chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (BHUMIBOL Adulyadej) (since 9 June 1946)
head of government: Prime Minister SURAYUT Chulanon (SURAYUD Chulanont) (since 1 October 2006); Deputy Prime Minister KHOSIT Panpiamrat (KHOSIT Panpiemras) (since 8 October 2006); Deputy Prime Minister SONTHI Boonyaratglin (SOHTHI Boonyaratkalin) (since 1 October 2007); Deputy Prime Minister PHAIBUN Wattanasiritham (PAIBOON Wattanasiritham) (since 8 March 2007) note: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat (THAKSIN Shinawatra) was overthrown on 19 September 2006 in a coup led by General SONTHI Boonyaratglin (SONTHI Boonyaratkalin) cabinet: Council of Ministers note: there is also a Privy Council elections: none; monarch is hereditary; according to 2007 constitution, prime minister is designated from among members of House of Representatives; following national elections for House of Representatives, leader of party that could organize a majority coalition usually was appointed prime minister by king; prime minister is limited to two 4-year terms |
chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch)
head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 20 January 1995); Deputy Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP |
Exports | NA bbl/day | 283 bbl/day (2004) |
Exports - commodities | textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances | machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass |
Exports - partners | US 15%, Japan 12.7%, China 9%, Singapore 6.4%, Hong Kong 5.5%, Malaysia 5.1% (2006) | Germany 19.3%, France 15.5%, Italy 9.5%, UK 9.5%, Belgium 8.8%, Spain 5.3%, Netherlands 4.5% (2006) |
Fiscal year | 1 October - 30 September | calendar year |
Flag description | five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 10.7%
industry: 44.6% services: 44.7% (2006 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13% services: 86% (2005 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5% (2006 est.) | 5% (2007 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 15 00 N, 100 00 E | 49 45 N, 6 10 E |
Geography - note | controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore | landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world |
Heliports | 3 (2007) | 1 (2007) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 33.4% (2002) |
lowest 10%: 3.5%
highest 10%: 23.8% (2000) |
Illicit drugs | a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; transit point for illicit 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 methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer of methamphetamine since the 1990s despite a series of government crackdowns | - |
Imports | NA bbl/day | 61,070 bbl/day (2004) |
Imports - commodities | capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels | minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods |
Imports - partners | Japan 20.1%, China 10.6%, US 6.7%, Malaysia 6.6%, UAE 5.6%, Singapore 4.5% (2006) | Belgium 26.3%, Germany 20.1%, China 16.7%, France 8.5%, UK 5.5%, Netherlands 4.2% (2006) |
Independence | 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized) | 1839 (from the Netherlands) |
Industrial production growth rate | 6% (2006 est.) | 4.3% (2006 est.) |
Industries | tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and electric appliances, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, automobiles and automotive parts; world's second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer | banking and financial services, iron and steel, information technology, telecommunications, cargo transportation, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: 18.85 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 20.13 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
total: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4.6% (2006 est.) | 2.1% (2007 est.) |
International organization participation | APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ACCT, ADB (nonregional members), Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC |
Irrigated land | 49,860 sq km (2003) | NA |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch) | judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch |
Labor force | 36.55 million (2006 est.) | 205,000 of whom 121,600 are foreign cross-border workers commuting primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany (2007 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 49%
industry: 14% services: 37% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13% services: 86% (2004 est.) |
Land boundaries | total: 4,863 km
border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km |
total: 359 km
border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km |
Land use | arable land: 27.54%
permanent crops: 6.93% other: 65.53% (2005) |
arable land: 23.94%
permanent crops: 0.39% other: 75.67% (includes Belgium) (2005) |
Languages | Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects | Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language) |
Legal system | based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consisted of the Senate or Wuthisapha (150 seats; 76 members elected by popular vote representing 76 provinces, 74 appointed by judges and independent government bodies; all serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (480 seats; 400 members elected from 157 multi-seat constituencies and 80 elected on proportional party-list basis of 10 per eight zones or groupings of provinces; all serve four-year terms); after coup in September 2006, coup leaders appointed an interim National Assembly with 250 members to act as Senate and House of Representatives
elections: Senate - last held on 19 April 2006; House of Representatives - last valid election held on 6 February 2005; elections held on 2 April 2006 invalidated by court ruling; next general election will be held on 23 December 2007 election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - (2005 election) percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TRT 376, DP 97, TNP 25, PP 2 |
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next to be held by June 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%, DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%, other 2.8%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP 14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5 note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 72.55 years
male: 70.24 years female: 74.98 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 79.03 years
male: 75.76 years female: 82.52 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6% male: 94.9% female: 90.5% (2000 census) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma | Western Europe, between France and Germany |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total: 405 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,640,857 GRT/4,043,938 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 53, cargo 140, chemical tanker 16, container 21, liquefied gas 30, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 101, refrigerated cargo 32, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1 foreign-owned: 15 (China 1, Japan 4, Malaysia 3, Russia 1, Singapore 2, Taiwan 1, UK 3) registered in other countries: 34 (Bahamas 1, Indonesia 1, Mongolia 1, Panama 10, Singapore 20, Tuvalu 1) (2007) |
total: 45 ships (1000 GRT or over) 682,955 GRT/858,985 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 7, chemical tanker 14, container 7, liquefied gas 2, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 7 foreign-owned: 44 (Belgium 9, France 14, Germany 10, Netherlands 1, UK 7, US 3) (2007) |
Military branches | Royal Thai Army (RTA), Royal Thai Navy (RTN, includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force (Knogtap Agard Thai, RTAF) (2006) | Army |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.8% (2005 est.) | 0.9% (2005 est.) |
National holiday | Birthday of King PHUMIPHON (BHUMIBOL), 5 December (1927) | National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June; note - the actual date of birth was 23 January 1896, but the festivities were shifted by five months to allow observance during a more favorable time of year |
Nationality | noun: Thai (singular and plural)
adjective: Thai |
noun: Luxembourger(s)
adjective: Luxembourg |
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 | iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 8.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 3,760 km; refined products 379 km (2006) | gas 155 km (2007) |
Political parties and leaders | Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [ABHISIT Wetchachiwa] (ABHISIT Vejjajiva); People's Party or PP (Mahachon Party) [ANEK Laothamatas]; People Power Party (Palang Prachachon Party) or PPP [SAMAK Sunthorawet] (SAMAK Sundaravej]; Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BARNHARN SILPA-ARCHA]; Thai Party (Thai Rak) or TRT [CHATURON Chaisang]; note - dissolved by Constitutional Tribunal on 30 May 2007 | Alternative Democratic Reform Party or ADR [Robert MENLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV [Francois BILTGEN] (also known as Christian Social Party or PCS); Democratic Party or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left); other minor parties |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); Greenpeace (environment protection); LCGP (center-right trade union); Mouvement Ecologique (protection of ecology); OGBL (center-left trade union) |
Population | 65,068,149
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 2007 est.) |
480,222 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 10% (2004 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.663% (2007 est.) | 1.207% (2007 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999) | AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) |
Railways | total: 4,071 km
narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2006) |
total: 275 km
standard gauge: 275 km 1.435-m gauge (243 km electrified) (2006) |
Religions | Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census) | Roman Catholic 87%, other (includes Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 13% (2000) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.047 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.976 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.834 male(s)/female total population: 0.979 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.065 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.682 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
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, 1 Pacific Ocean); landing country for APCN submarine cable |
general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; market for mobile-cellular phones is virtually saturated with roughly 150 cellular phones per 100 persons international: country code - 352 |
Telephones - main lines in use | 7.073 million (2006) | 246,700 (2006) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 40.816 million (2006) | 713,800 (2006) |
Television broadcast stations | 111 (2006) | 5 (1999) |
Terrain | central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere | mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast |
Total fertility rate | 1.64 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 1.78 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 2.1% (2006 est.) | 4.4% (2007 est.) |
Waterways | 4,000 km
note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2005) |
37 km (on Moselle River) (2007) |