About Thailand:
Principal languages: Thai (official)
Ethnicity/race: Chinese group, Cham, Malay
Religions: Buddhist
National Holiday: Independence Day, December 5
Literacy rate: 96%
Economic summary: GDP/PPP $673 billion (2013 est.) Real growth rate: 1.8%. Inflation: -1.07%. Unemployment: 0.7% Arable land: 32.4%. Agriculture: rice, fish and fishery products, tapioca, rubber, grain, and sugar. Exports of industrially processe foods such as canned tuna, pineapples and frozen shrimp. labour force: 39,654,276 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. Natural resources: Natural resources: tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land. Exports: US$229.1 billion (2013) Imports: Japan (22%), China (18%), Malaysia (6.3%), United States (5.3%), and South Korea (4.5%) Major trading partners: Japan, China, United states.
Member of Commonwealth of Nations
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 5,687,038; mobile cellular: 84,8 million. Radio: AM 204, FM 334, Television broadcast stations: 6. Internet users: 86 million.
Transportation: Railways: total: 4,070 km of 1.000 m gauge railway line (372.63 km double track and 106.01 km triple track). Waterways: 3,999 km (2011) Ports and harbors: 9. Airports: 103 (2012).
International disputes: separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Malay-Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem insurgent 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; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of boundary; in 2011 Thailand and Cambodia resorted to arms in the dispute over the location of the boundary on the precipice surmounted by Preah Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962 and part of a planned UN World Heritage site; 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; 140,000 mostly Karen refugees fleeing civil strife, political upheaval and economic stagnation in Burma live in remote camps in Thailand near the border
Tourism in Thailand:
Tourism is a major economic factor in the Kingdom of Thailand. In 2013 it is estimated that tourism directly contributed 9% (THB1 trillion) to Thailand's GDP. When including the indirect effects of tourism, it accounted for 20.2% of Thailand's GDP. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) uses the slogan "Amazing Thailand" to promote Thailand internationally.
Tourist numbers have grown from 336,000 foreign visitors and 54,000 GIs on R&R in 1967 to over 26 million international guests visiting Thailand in 2013. The average duration of their stay in 2007 was 9.19 days, generating an estimated 547 billion baht, around 11 billion Euro.
In 2008, Bangkok ranked 3rd behind London and New York in Euromonitor International's list of "Top City Destinations" with 10,209,900 visitors, Pattaya 23rd with 4,406,300 visitors, Phuket 31st with 3,344,700 visitors, and Chiang Mai ranked 78th place with 1,604,600 visitors.
In 2013, Thailand was the 10th "top tourist destination" in the world tourism rankings with 26.5 million international arrivals.
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