| Learning objectives |
 In
this lesson you will learn about the geography and
people of Thailand.
Focus: culture and travel
Post a comment about Thailand |
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Geography |
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Capital |
Bangkok (population 9,668,854). |
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Area |
513,115 sq. km. (198,114 sq. mi.); equivalent to the size of France,
or slightly smaller than Texas. |
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Terrain |
Densely populated central plain; northeastern plateau;
mountain range in the west; southern isthmus joins the
land mass with Malaysia. |
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Climate |
Tropical monsoon. |
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People |
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Nationality |
Noun and adjective--Thai. |
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Population |
(2006): 65.28 million. (Data based on Bank of Thailand.) |
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Groups |
Thai 89%, other 11%. |
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Religions |
Buddhist 94-95%, Muslim 4-5%, Christian, Hindu, Brahmin, other. |
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Languages |
Thai (official language); English is the second language
of the elite; regional dialects. |
Thailand's population is relatively homogeneous. More than 85% speak
a dialect of Thai and share a common culture. This core population
includes the central Thai (33.7% of the population, including
Bangkok), Northeastern Thai (34.2%), northern Thai (18.8%), and
southern Thai (13.3%).
The language of the central Thai population is the language taught
in schools and used in government. Several other small Thai-speaking
groups include the Shan, Lue, and Phutai.
Up to 12% of Thai are of significant Chinese heritage, but the
Sino-Thai community is the best integrated in Southeast Asia.
Malay-speaking Muslims of the south comprise another significant
minority group (2.3%). Other groups include the Khmer; the Mon, who
are substantially assimilated with the Thai; and the Vietnamese.
Smaller mountain-dwelling tribes, such as the Hmong and Mein, as
well as the Karen, number about 788,024.
The population is mostly rural, concentrated in the rice-growing
areas of the central, northeastern, and northern regions. However,
as Thailand continues to industrialize, its urban population--31.6%
of total population, principally in the Bangkok area--is growing.
Thailand's highly successful government-sponsored family planning
program has resulted in a dramatic decline in population growth from
3.1% in 1960 to less than 1% today. Life expectancy also has risen,
a positive reflection of Thailand's efforts at public health
education. However, the AIDS epidemic has had a major impact on the
Thai population. Today, over 500,000 Thais live with HIV or
AIDS--approximately 1.4% of the adult population. Each year,
25-30,000 Thais die from AIDS-related causes. Ninety percent of them
are aged 20-49, the most productive sector of the workforce. The
situation could have been worse; an aggressive public education
campaign in the early 1990s reduced the number of new HIV infections
from over 100,000 annually to around 15,000 annually now.
The constitution mandates 12 years of free education, however, this
is not provided universally. Education accounts for 18.0% of total
government expenditures.
Theravada Buddhism is the major religion of Thailand and is the
religion of about 95% of its people. The government permits
religious diversity, and other major religions are represented.
Spirit worship and animism are widely practiced. |
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