Thailand vs. Burma
Geography
| Thailand | Burma | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma | Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand |
| Geographic coordinates | 15 00 N, 100 00 E | 22 00 N, 98 00 E |
| Map references | Southeast Asia | Southeast Asia |
| Area | total: 513,120 sq km land: 510,890 sq km water: 2,230 sq km | total: 676,578 sq km land: 653,508 sq km water: 23,070 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about three times the size of Florida; slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming | slightly smaller than Texas |
| Land boundaries | total: 5,673 km border countries (4): Burma 2416 km, Cambodia 817 km, Laos 1845 km, Malaysia 595 km | total: 6,522 km border countries (5): Bangladesh 271 km, China 2129 km, India 1468 km, Laos 238 km, Thailand 2416 km |
| Coastline | 3,219 km | 1,930 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
| 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 | tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April) |
| Terrain | central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere | central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,565 m lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m mean elevation: 287 m | highest point: Gamlang Razi 5,870 m lowest point: Andaman Sea/Bay of Bengal 0 m mean elevation: 702 m |
| Natural resources | tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land | petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower, arable land |
| Land use | agricultural land: 41.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 30.8% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 8.8% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 1.6% (2018 est.) forest: 37.2% (2018 est.) other: 21.6% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 19.2% (2018 est.) arable land: 16.5% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 2.2% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 0.5% (2018 est.) forest: 48.2% (2018 est.) other: 32.6% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 64,150 sq km (2012) | 22,950 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts | destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts |
| Environment - current issues | air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; water scarcity; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting; hazardous waste disposal | deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease; rapid depletion of the country's natural resources |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore; ideas for the construction of a canal across the Kra Isthmus that would create a bypass to the Strait of Malacca and shorten shipping times around Asia continue to be discussed | strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes; the north-south flowing Irrawaddy River is the country's largest and most important commercial waterway |
| Total renewable water resources | 438.61 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 1,167,800,000,000 cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | highest population density is found in and around Bangkok; significant population clusters found througout large parts of the country, particularly north and northeast of Bangkok and in the extreme southern region of the country | population concentrated along coastal areas and in general proximity to the shores of the Irrawaddy River; the extreme north is relatively underpopulated |
Source: CIA Factbook
