Part 734

Land use: arable land: 34% permanent crops: 4% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 30% other: 31%

Irrigated land: 42,300 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting natural hazards: land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea

Geographic note: controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

People ------

Population: 58,851,357 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25% (male 7,627,916; female 7,351,264) 15-64 years: 69% (male 19,994,884; female 20,576,141) 65 years and over: 6% (male 1,468,814; female 1,832,338) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.03% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 17.29 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 33.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.6 years male: 64.89 years female: 72.49 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.89 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Thai (singular and plural) adjective: Thai

Ethnic divisions: Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Religions: Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, other 0.6% (1991)

Languages: Thai, English the secondary language of the elite, ethnic and regional dialects

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 93.8% male: 96% female: 91.6%

Government ----------

Name of country: conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand conventional short form: Thailand

Data code: TH

Type of government: constitutional monarchy

Capital: Bangkok

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

Independence: 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

National holiday: Birthday of His Majesty the King, 5 December (1927)