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Geography and Environment of Thailand
Terrain, climate, natural resources, hazards, and environmental conditions of Thailand.
Overview
The Kingdom of Thailand is located at a strategic crossroads in Southeast Asia. With an area of over 200,000 square miles, Thailand is the second largest nation in Southeast Asia. Topographically, Thailand presents a varied landscape of forested mountains, dry plateaus, fertile river plains, and sandy beaches. Mountain ranges extend along the border with Myanmar and down to Malaysia. Another range splits the country in half from north to south. The Chao Phraya River originates in the north and flows southward. It irrigates the fertile ricelands of the Central Plains through a network of "klongs" or canals. This long river serves as the main water transportation route through the central part of the country. It empties into the Gulf of Thailand some 35 miles south of Bangkok.
Detailed geography
Physical Features
- Terrain
- central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere
- Climate
- Located at 20 degrees north latitude, Thailand is generally hot and humid with a climate that is classified as tropical monsoon. A pronounced rainy season lasts from July to October. From November to February, the northeast monsoon brings a cooler, drier period, when humidity drops from an average high of 95 percent to an average low of 58 percent. During this season, temperatures typically range from the mid-60s in the early morning to the mid-80s during the day. The period from March to June is Bangkok's summer, which is usually hot and humid; temperatures can reach 100° Fahrenheit.
- Weather Patterns
- http://voap.weather.com/weather/oap/THXX0002?template=TRVLH&par=1003114983&unit=0&key=5b85ae1d85877a1b34827fba743e2133
- Highest Point
- 2576 — Doi Inthanon 2,576 m
- Lowest Point
- Gulf of Thailand 0 m
Borders and Area
- Area (Comparative)
- slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming
- Border Countries
- Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km
Natural Resources and Hazards
- Natural Resources
- tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land
- Natural Hazards
- land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts
Environment and Land Use
- Current Environmental Issues
- air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting
- 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