Thailand borders. Location of thailand

- a state located in the southwestern part of the Indochina peninsula and in the northern part of the Malacca peninsula. Thailand is traditionally divided into 4 regions: Central, South, North and Northeast. It borders Myanmar in the northwest, Laos in the northeast, and Cambodia in the southeast. In the south and east it is washed by the waters of the Gulf of Thailand, and in the west by the waters of the Andaman Sea.

The name of the country comes from the ethnonym of the people - tai.

Official name: Kingdom of Thailand

Capital:

The area of the land: 514 thousand sq. km

Total population: 67.1 million people

Administrative division: Divided into 73 changwats (provinces).

Form of government: A constitutional monarchy.

Head of State: King.

Composition of the population: 80% - Thais, 10% - Chinese, 3.5% - Malaysians, 6% - Khmers, Karens, Vietnamese, Indians.

Official language: Thai. English is widely spoken in tourist centers. A small part of the population speaks Japanese, Chinese and Malay.

Religion: 95% are Buddhists, 4% are Muslims.

Internet domain: .th

Mains voltage: ~220 V, 50 Hz

Phone country code: +66

Country barcode: 885

Climate

Thailand is located in the tropical climate zone. In the tropical zone of Asia, there is a change in air currents: the trade wind dominates in winter, and the monsoon dominates in summer, which determines the seasons of the year. The characteristic features of the climatic regime of Thailand are due to the presence of mountains in the north, which protect its territory from the influence of the winter trade winds, so the cool season is weakly expressed.

In the northern, northeastern and central regions of Thailand, 3 seasons are distinguished per year, depending on the amount of precipitation, in the southern regions - 2. In the east of the country, a special climate has formed with a fairly even distribution of precipitation throughout most of the year and with a sharp increase in September .

During the influence of the trade wind (from November to February), mild weather is established throughout the country. The average temperature in December, the coldest month, is +19 degrees in the north and +26 in the south. At the same time, during the daytime, the air in these areas warms up to +27 and +30, respectively. In winter, the night temperature in most of Thailand does not fall below +20; only the mountainous regions in the north are characterized by lower temperatures - in January they are +10: +12 degrees, and on some days the thermometer can drop to 0.

The period from December to February is the dry season in most of Thailand. At this time, partly cloudy weather with light rains prevails; the average monthly rainfall does not exceed 40 - 50 mm. In the south, the driest month is February, in December and January the amount of precipitation varies depending on the location from 30 mm in the northernmost regions to 370 mm in the southernmost.

Summer lasts from March to May in the northern, northeastern and central regions of the country. The sun burns already in the morning, and by noon the temperature reaches +32:+35 degrees. At night, the air cools down to +25. In April, precipitation becomes more intense, and in May the third season begins in these areas - the monsoon rainy season, which lasts until the end of October. Thunderstorms occur almost daily, but they quickly end, and after them the sun shines again brightly. Daytime temperatures during this period go down by 2 - 3 degrees.

The maximum amount of precipitation occurs in September-October and is 230 - 250 mm.

In the south, the rainy season begins as early as March and lasts until January, with the maximum precipitation in different areas occurring at different times. In September-October it floods Phuket, in November-December - Koh Samui (more than 300 mm of precipitation falls per month) - At the same time, in the remaining months of the rainy season, the amount of precipitation exceeds 100 mm. The further south the territory is located, the shorter the dry season lasts. The hottest month is August, when in the daytime the air warms up to +32...34, and at night it cools down to +25.

The Central Plain, North and Northeast receive an average of 1000-1100 mm of precipitation per year, of which more than 90% falls during the wet season lasting from May to October. In the South and Southeast, the average annual rainfall is 2300–2500 mm, and their amount does not change significantly from month to month.

The dry season is especially noticeable in the Northeast. In the fields, the dry soil turns to stone and cracks. Ponds, shallow lakes, swamps and ditches are drying up due to lower groundwater levels. Some rivers become very shallow and become unsuitable for navigation, and sometimes they lose their flow.

The monsoon rains begin in April-May, and in early June the land is so moistened that it can be cultivated and sown. In July, irrigation canals fill with water following the rivers, which overflow widely in the Central Plain. As a result of the land in the delta of the river. The Chao Phraya are flooded almost entirely. To protect against the water element, the local population builds houses on stilts. In recent years, due to large-scale deforestation, the adverse effect of seasonal floods and droughts has increased.

Geography

Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia. It occupies the central part of the Indochina peninsula and the northern part of the Malacca peninsula, it also includes a number of small islands. In the west, Thailand borders with Laos and Cambodia, in the east - with Myanmar, in the south - with Malaysia. The country is washed by the waters of the Gulf of Thailand, the South China Sea in the south and the Andaman Sea in the southwest.

The area of Thailand is 531.1 thousand square meters. km. It stretches for 1500 km from north to south and 800 km from west to east. More than half of the country's territory is occupied by low plains; in the north and west there are mountain ranges that have a predominantly meridional direction and continue to the Malay Peninsula. The highest point in Thailand is Mount Doi Inthanon (2595 m) in the mountain range on the western border. To the east is the Korat plateau, almost devoid of vegetation as a result of intensive deforestation, and the coastal area is occupied by a plain known for its beautiful sandy beaches.

The rivers Menam, Mekong and Salween are of the greatest importance in the life of the country. The rivers are mainly fed by rain, so floods can occur during the rainy season. There are few lakes in Thailand, the largest of them is Lake Thaleluang on the Malay Peninsula.

On the territory of Thailand, 5 national parks have been created with a total area of about 8 thousand square meters. km.

The national parks include the Erawan waterfall (west of Bangkok), the highest mountain in Thailand, Doi Inthanon, and other interesting natural objects. The reserves located on the Khunthan and Tanentahunji mountain ranges in the west of the country preserve many of the plants and animals of the jungle. Here is the home of the elephants that survived in Thailand; animals can even be seen at work in forest clearings. Unique nature reserves are located on the islands in Phang Nga Bay.

Flora and fauna

Vegetable world

Currently, forests occupy 20% of the country's territory. Up to 70% of the forest stand are deciduous species. In the mountains in northern Thailand and near the border with Myanmar, moist monsoon mixed deciduous forests dominate, in which teak, planer xylia, large-fruited pterocarpus and other hardwood species grow. These forests are interspersed with thickets of bamboo.

On the open slopes in northern Thailand there are oak forests, at altitudes of more than 1000 m above sea level. alternating with pine forests of Merkuza and Khazi pines. Moist evergreen broad-leaved monsoon forests are common in the Makhlong River valley in the west and in the most humid places in the southeast.

Dry monsoon forests are found in the Korat Plateau, the Central Plain, and in the high mountains of western Thailand. These forests are dominated by stunted trees, bamboo and thorny shrubs. Evergreen rainforests are widespread in the south and southeast. They are dominated by dipterocarp (yang, takyan), hopei, anisoptera, sal tree, palm trees (areca, sago), bamboo, pandanus are found. Lianas are widespread.

There are mangroves along the coast, but introduced tree species such as eucalyptus and acacia often crowd out indigenous communities that have been severely affected by logging. The Thai government in 1989 sharply limited the scale of logging, but nevertheless, the rate of deforestation decreased only slightly.

Animal world

Hunting and loss of natural habitats have contributed to a sharp decline in the number of wild animals in Thailand. However, in some remote areas and in protected areas, elephants, tigers, leopards (including the very rare clouded leopard), white-breasted and Malayan bears, gaur and banteng bulls, Asiatic buffalo, serow, and a very rare animal black-backed tapir are still found.

There are numerous monkeys (white-handed gibbons, macaques, orangutans, langurs), muntjac and sambar deer, small and large deer, antelopes and other mammals. Domesticated elephants and buffaloes are widely used in agriculture.

There are several dozen species of snakes in Thailand, including poisonous ones.

The fauna of birds is extremely diverse: there are many waterfowl (herons, white pelicans, ducks), pheasants, wild chickens, partridges, parrots, peacocks (including green ones), birds of prey, etc. are widespread. The world of insects is diverse, including more than 600 species of butterflies .

Attractions

Thailand is the leader in attendance among the countries of Southeast Asia. Thousands of Buddhist temples and monasteries, magnificent palaces and pagodas in Bangkok, the beautiful beaches of Pattaya, Patong, Koh Samui and Phuket, vibrant nightlife with a wide variety of shows and entertainment, the notorious sex tourism of all kinds, the famous Thai massage and martial arts, elephant riding , excellent diving conditions, unique floating bazaars and hundreds of exotic uninhabited islands of the Andaman Sea, famous Thai cuisine and colorful Buddhist festivities - all this attracts the attention of millions of tourists.

Banks and currency

The monetary unit of Thailand is the baht (THB). There are 100 satang in one baht. There are coins in circulation in denominations of 25 and 50 satang, 1, 2, 5 and 10 baht; banknotes are issued in denominations of 10 baht, 20 baht, 50 baht, 100 baht, 500 baht and 1,000 baht.

Banks are open on weekdays from 8.30 to 15.30. The resorts have a network of exchange offices that are open from 8.30 to 20.00 or even later.

In Thailand, only local money is accepted for payment. You can exchange currency at the hotel, however, as a rule, the exchange rate at banks and exchange offices is more profitable, and in Bangkok it is more favorable than in other cities. At airports, the exchange rate is acceptable. When exchanging US dollars, it should be borne in mind that old-style banknotes (until 1993) and banknotes of some later years of issue are not always and everywhere accepted, due to the large number of counterfeit banknotes of this year of issue.

In Thailand, the exchange of dollars is quite specific - depending on the denomination of dollar bills, the exchange rate also changes. The lowest rate is offered for banknotes in denominations from 1 to 20 dollars, the highest - for banknotes of a new sample in denominations of 50 and 100 dollars. There are also exchange machines, but they do not accept all banknotes.

Most hotels and shops accept international credit cards such as Visa, American Express, etc.

Useful information for tourists

It is forbidden to photograph military installations and the interior of some temples. Ask for permission before photographing a Thai. You can import no more than 5 photographic films into the country. In Thailand, buy film only in large department stores, because in a tropical climate, if stored improperly, it quickly becomes unusable

For Thais, a good tone is restrained. Here it is not supposed to touch a person, pat him on the shoulder, and even more so stroke his head, even small children.

The royal house enjoys a particularly deep respect, so under no circumstances is criticism of it unacceptable. Shoes should be removed not only before entering the temple, but also in a private home.

It is customary to bargain in small shops and markets. Traditional Thai souvenirs are Thai silk, wooden figurines, lacquer boxes, silver items, ceramics, snake and crocodile skin items. The export of Buddha figurines, fur, ivory, tortoise shells is prohibited.

The people of Thailand are neat in their clothes. Ripped jeans and worn T-shirts disgust them. Shorts (this, by the way, applies to both men and women) can only be worn on the beach and in the hotel. However, women in miniskirts are perceived normally. There is another interesting detail: when talking with Thais, it is not customary to talk about the heat.

THAILAND (English Thailand; in Thai Prathet Thai), the Kingdom of Thailand, is a state in the Southeast, occupying the southwestern part of the Indochinese Peninsula and the northern part of the Malay Peninsula. The area is 514 thousand km 2. Population 52.5 million (1986). The capital is Bangkok. Administratively, it is divided into 72 provinces (changvats), which are divided into districts (ampurs). The official language is Thai. The monetary unit is baht. Thailand is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations - ASEAN (since 1967), a member of the Association of Tin Producing Countries (since 1983).

General characteristics of the economy. The structure of GDP (1984%): agriculture 19.5 (about 70% of the economically active population is employed in it), mining 2.1; manufacturing industry 19.8; energy 1.9; construction 5.3; trade 22.1; transport and communications 8.4; other 20.9. Main industries: mining, textile, mechanical engineering, chemical, car assembly.

The structure of the fuel and energy balance of the country (1984%): oil and oil products 77.2, brown coal 5.3; natural gas 14.7; hydropower 1; other types (wood, agricultural waste, etc.) 2.7. In 1984 Thailand produced 18 billion kWh of electricity. The length of railways (1984) is 3.9 thousand km, roads - over 45 thousand km, incl. with a hard surface of 8 thousand km. An important role is played by water, incl. river, transport (22 ports). Main ports: Bangkok, Songkhla, Trat, Phuket, Sattahip.

Nature. 1/2 of the country's territory is occupied by mountains. In the north and west are the mountains of Khunthan, Tanentahunji, and others (the highest height is 2576 m, the city of Inthanon), in the east is the vast Korat plateau (100-200 m) with elevated western and southern margins. In the center of Thailand is the Menam lowland, in the southern part there are low-lying plains with insular mountains and ridges. The climate is tropical monsoon. The average air temperature in the plains and foothills is 22-29°C, on the Malay Peninsula 27-29°C, in the mountains in the north in winter up to 10-15°C. Precipitation is 1000-2000 mm, in the mountains up to 5000 mm per year. The largest rivers are Menam Chao Phraya, Mekong (on the border with Laos).

Geological structure. The territory of Thailand is located within the Yunnan-Malay fold belt (in the west), the Indosinian median massif (in the east) and the Menam Cenozoic superimposed depression located between them. The folded belt is formed by crystalline rocks of the Precambrian (presumably lower - middle Riphean) and carbonate-terrigenous deposits of all systems of the Paleozoic and Triassic with members of effusives of medium and acidic composition with a total thickness of 5-7 km. Angular unconformities have been established between the Riphean and Middle Cambrian, at the base of the Carboniferous and Upper Permian, and in the middle part of the Upper Triassic section (the Indo-Sinian phase of tectogenesis, which basically completed the evolution of the belt). Linear folds and thrusts of submeridional strike with an easterly slope predominate. Intrusions of granitoids of the Carboniferous (290-300 Ma), Late Permian-Middle (225-255 Ma), Late Triassic-Early (190-205 Ma) and (70-115 Ma) are widespread. Late Paleozoic ophiolite belts are located in the northeast and extreme south. The folded complexes in the depressions are overlain by gently dislocated molasses of the Upper Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous and. The manifestations of chromites and nickel are associated with the ultrabasic rocks of the ophiolite belts, with the granitoids - deposits of ores of tin, tungsten, tantalum, niobium, rare earths, less often copper. There are metasomatic iron ore deposits at the contacts of granites with carbonate strata. Paleozoic limestones contain deposits of manganese and polymetallic ores. Epithermal ore occurrences of gold, antimony, fluorite, and barite are confined to zones of fracture and silicification. The near-fault Cenozoic depressions contain brown coal.

Hydrogeology. On the territory of Thailand, the Menam and Korat artesian basins and the mountain-folded structures framing them stand out.

In the Korat basin, aquifers of Mesozoic terrigenous deposits are widely developed, which are exploited by wells with a depth of 60-150 m. Flow rates are 1.5-15 l / s. The waters are fresh, according to the composition of HCO 3 - - Ca 2+ and Na +, in the presence of salts in the host rocks, brackish (up to 3-4 g / l) Cl - - Na +. The main aquifer complex in the Menam and Korat basins is associated with Quaternary and alluvial deposits with a thickness of tens to hundreds of meters. Well flow rates vary from 1 to 30 l/s. The waters are fresh, according to the composition HCO 3 - - Ca 2+. In the delta deposits of the river. Menam-Chao Phraya, along with fresh waters, are widely developed and brackish waters. In the Bangkok area, over 8 aquifers have been identified in these deposits (the second, third and fourth are most intensively used). As a result of uncontrolled selection, there is a decrease in fresh groundwater reserves, "suction" of salt water and subsidence of the earth's surface. The lowering of the surface due to a drop in the groundwater level by 25-30 m is more than 6 cm per year. In this regard, in the mid-80s. groundwater consumption reduced by 40%. Within the mountain-folded areas, aquifers of Paleozoic carbonate karst rocks are of the greatest importance. Average flow rates of water intakes are 7.5 l/s, sometimes up to 40 l/s. The composition of water is HCO 3 - - Ca 2+, mineralization up to 1 g / l. In non-carbonate rocks of the Paleozoic, as well as in igneous and effusive rocks of different ages, groundwater is developed in zones of exogenous and tectonic fracturing. Water intake flow rates do not exceed 3 l/s; waters are mostly fresh.

Numerous manifestations of thermal groundwater have been identified in Thailand. There are over 40 sites in the north of the country that are promising for obtaining geothermal energy, incl. on 5 sites in the vicinity of Chiang Mai, it is possible to create several geothermal power plants with a total capacity of 10 MW.

Minerals. Thailand is rich in natural gas, tin and antimony ores, potash salts, and fluorspar. There are also deposits of oil, ores of copper, zinc, tungsten, niobium, tantalum, rare earths, barite, precious stones and small deposits of coal, lead, gold, salt (Table 1).

More than 20 oil and gas fields have been discovered in Thailand. Most of the commercial oil reserves are concentrated in the Phitsanulok basins in the north of the Menam depression, where the Sirikit group of fields is the largest. Oil is confined to the Neogene deposits. Productive deposits are characterized by heterogeneity and wedging out of individual oil-bearing horizons. The oils are highly paraffinic (up to 18%), thickening at a temperature of 35°C. Small inflows of oil have been established in the intermountain Cenozoic depressions in the north. The main part of natural gas resources is concentrated within the Cenozoic depression on the shelf of the Gulf of Thailand, where deposits of the Oligocene - Lower Miocene are productive. The most important fields are Eravan (proved reserves 17.7 billion m 3) and the group of fields of structure "B" (43.7 billion m 3 and 2 million tons of condensate). Two gas fields were also discovered on the Korat plateau, confined to Permian limestones.

Commercial reserves of brown coal (lignites) are confined to the Cenozoic deposits of small superimposed depressions in the west of the country. Six lignite basins are known, the Memo, Banpakha and Krabi basins are of primary industrial importance. Productive horizons are associated with Pliocene, rarely Quaternary deposits. Along with lignites, oil shales have been identified in the Maesot basin.

The territory of Thailand is promising from the point of view of the search for deposits of radioactive raw materials. Monazites from tin placers in the Phuket-Phannga-Takuapa and Ranong regions contain up to 15.69% ThO 2 and up to 7% U 3 O 8 . There are signs of uranium-copper mineralization in continental Jurassic sandstones in the west of the Korat Plateau. A possible source of energy can be geothermal resources, experimental work on the use of which has been carried out since 1984 in the area of Chiang Mai.

Commercial reserves of tungsten ores are mainly associated with primary deposits: metasomatic scheelite deposits in garnet-diopside skarns at the contact of granites with limestones (Doimok deposit in the north), quartz veins with cassiterite and wolframite in greisen granites (Doingom deposit in the west) and wolframite-quartz veins in hornfelses in the roof of a granite massif (Khaosun deposit in the south). Deposits of all genetic types are confined to Late Triassic and Cretaceous granites.

Most of the commercial reserves of copper ores are concentrated north of the city of Ley, where deposits of porphyry copper stockwork type with vein-disseminated sulfide mineralization in small intrusions of medium and acidic composition, presumably of Triassic age, are known.

The main part of the resources of lead-zinc and zinc ores is concentrated to the north-west of Bangkok near the border with Burma. At the Songtokh deposit, disseminated ores with a total content of lead and zinc of 0.5% are confined to a horizon with an average thickness of 2.5 m (maximum up to 10 m), in richer lenses the average content is about 30%. The zinc ore reserves of the Padeng deposit are estimated at 3.7 million tons with a zinc content of up to 3.5%.

In terms of reserves of antimony ores, Thailand ranks third among industrialized capitalist and developing countries (1985). The deposits are confined to the folded belt in the west of the country (the largest deposit is Bonsong, antimony reserves are 50,000 tons). Characterized by small quartz-stibnite veins in rocks of different ages. In the Rathburi area, ore bodies (with an average content of about 4.5% antimony, 1.3% lead and 0.155 g/t gold) are localized along a series of cracks cutting at right angles a horizon of brecciated quartzite-like Paleozoic rocks 15 m thick. Association of stibnite with gold also recorded at the Tokhmokh vein deposit located in the extreme south of the country on the continuation of the gold ore belt in the central part of the Malay Peninsula. Other deposits of antimony ores are known south of Bangkok, in the provinces of Lampang and Chiang Mai in the north of the country.

Mining. General characteristics. The value of mining products in 1985 was 11.2 billion baht, and its exports were 7.8 billion baht. The mining industry in Thailand employs about 170,000 people (1983). The country produces 39 types of minerals (including 22 non-metallic, 14 metal and 3 fuel), of which 17 are exported. The extraction and production of antimony, tungsten, lead, zinc, gypsum, kaolin, rock salt, and talc are of great importance for the national economy (map, table 2).

In the 80s. the production of fuel and energy raw materials is rapidly increasing (its cost increased from several million dollars in the late 70s to hundreds of millions of dollars in the mid 80s), which made it possible to significantly reduce the import of liquid fuel. In 1984, about 1/2 of the value of mined mineral raw materials accounted for fuel and energy raw materials (lignite, natural gas, oil with condensate).

Brown coal mining began in the mid-1950s. 20th century and by the end of the 70s. exceeded 1 million tons, and by 1987 reached 7 million tons. Coal mining is carried out in three provinces, coal is used mainly (over 80%) to supply power plants; the rest of the coal goes to cement plants and other consumers. Almost all production comes from two open pits "Memo" (near Lampang in the north of the country) and "Krabi" (in the south), owned by the state company "Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand" (EGAT). The Memo quarry is developing a deposit with proven reserves of 650 million tons, there are 2 seams up to 30 m thick (with high ash content and moisture content); work is underway to expand the capacity of the quarry, by 1990 it is planned to extract 9 million tons. A seam of coal with a capacity of 28 m is being developed at the Krabi quarry. About 0.3 million tons of coal were mined per year. Most of the coal from both open pits goes to nearby power plants.

Oil and gas. The first oil field, Sirikit, in the Phitsanulok Basin (Kamphang Phet Province, 320 km from Bangkok) was discovered in 1981 (operation began in 1983).

The field is being developed by the Thai Shell Expo company. A number of foreign companies are conducting prospecting and exploration work in other parts of the Phitsanulok basin. The activities of foreign oil companies in Thailand are controlled by 2 government organizations - "Petroleum Authority of Thailand" ("PTT") and the Office of Natural Resources. Since 1982, Thailand's production has entered into concession agreements; the first agreement was signed with Royal Dutch - Shell Group after the discovery of the Sirikit fields. In early 1988, Shell began producing 6,000 barrels of oil per day in the Gulf of Thailand.

Thailand has significant and diverse mineral resources. Since the Middle Ages, Thailand has been known for its richest tin and gold placers. The deposits of these metals are associated with alluvial deposits, which Thailand's river valleys abound. The locals have long wash gold in many parts of the country. There were cases when large gold nuggets. However, at present, gold is mined in negligible amounts. When developing deposits a wide variety of methods are used, ranging from traditional, based on the use of unskilled labor to highly mechanized large-scale production methods. Many miners are engaged in washing gold. The high density of gold makes it easier to mine. The simplest technological processes, such as, for example, flushing at locks, can provide a very high degree of recovery of gold from the washed rock.

SILVER. There is an interesting feature in the Thailand-silver relationship. Large-scale silver mining in Thailand began relatively recently, but at the same time, silver jewelry has been made here for more than one century.

In Greek, silver is "ἄργυρος", " á rgyros”, from the Indo-European root meaning “white”, “shiny”. Hence comes its Latin name - "argentum". Silver- element of the 11th group, indicated by the symbol Ag(lat. Argentum).

Silver in jewelry. It is used as a precious metal in jewelry (usually in an alloy with copper, sometimes with nickel and other metals). Traditionally, experts divide silver into three types: sterling silver, Mexican and British. The difference between the types, first of all, is in the sample (that is, in the percentage of pure silver): sterling - 92.5%, Mexican - 95%, British - from 95.8 and above. Silver of Thailand refers to silver of the highest standard (up to 99%). The fact is that the production of silver in Thailand is taken under the control of the state and the sample of sold silver products, according to the law, cannot fall below 92.7%. But at the same time, the bulk of jewelry has 95% pure silver in its composition.

925 sterling silver For example, a 925 sample means that the alloy contains 92.5% silver and 7.5% alloying metal. An alloy of 925 silver is also called sterling silver (sterling, sterling silver, ster). It is an alloy of dazzling white color with high strength. Most jewelry is made from sterling silver due to its affordability and beautiful appearance. 925 sterling silver remains one of the main precious metals used to make highly artistic jewelry. Application (sputtering) of the thinnest (several microns) silver/gold layer, or “gluing” a thin silver/gold plate with another metal during pressing.
3. Rhodium-plated - silver plated with rhodium (to prevent oxidation)

See also Silver Blackening Technique.

silver nuggets. Silver sulfide compounds predominate in nature together with other metals: antimony, arsenic, bismuth, copper, tin, and gold. There is 20 times more silver in the earth's crust than gold. The facts of finding not just large, but huge silver nuggets are known and documented. So, for example, in 1477, a silver nugget weighing 20 tons was discovered at the St. George mine (the Schneeberg deposit in the Ore Mountains, 40-45 km from the city of Freiberg). workings, arranged a festive dinner on it, and then split it and weighed it. In Denmark, in the Museum of Copenhagen, there is a nugget weighing 254 kg, discovered in 1666 in the Norwegian mine Kongsberg. Large nuggets were also found on other continents. Currently, one of the native silver plates mined at the Cobalt deposit in Canada, weighing 612 kg, is stored in the Canadian Parliament building. Another plate, found in the same deposit and called "silver pavement" for its size, had a length of about 30 m and contained 20 tons of silver. However, for all the impressiveness of the finds ever discovered, it should be noted that silver is chemically more active than gold, and for this reason it is less common in nature in its native form. For the same reason, the solubility of silver is higher and its concentration in sea water is an order of magnitude greater than that of gold.

Silver in Ayurveda very important healing metal. It has a cooling effect and is beneficial in treating pitta excesses. Helps strength and endurance. It is used to treat vata diseases. However, for people of kapha constitution, it should be used with caution. Silver helps with exhaustion, chronic fever, weakness after fever, heartburn, inflammation of the intestines, overactive gallbladder and heavy menstrual bleeding. Silver is very helpful in inflammatory heart diseases, liver and spleen disorders. Silver water is prepared in the same way as golden water. Drinking warm milk warmed in a silver bowl increases strength and endurance.

TIN. But Thailand is especially famous for tin. Deposits of tin ore (cassiterite*) concentrated mainly in the southern part of the country. * Cassiterite(from Greek kassiteros - tin) - the main ore mineral for obtaining tin. The giant ridge of granite, sandstone and limestone that forms the Malacca Peninsula and the islands adjacent to it hides in its bowels, according to some sources, two-thirds of the world's tin reserves. Usually cassiterite is mined among the products of destruction of rocks - in alluvial deposits. Tin ores Thailand are of very high quality, they contain 65% metal.
For the first time tin mining was started in the ninth century. or even earlier by colonists from southern India who settled on the West Coast of the Peninsula. Around the 15th century local deposits were rediscovered by Chinese merchants crossing the Kra Isthmus on their way from China to India. To this day, tin is mined where the old developments were laid.
Vessels made from tin or from an alloy of tin and lead were used in China in antiquity, and the technique of bronze casting in India and China was known long before our era. Traces of Chinese activity were found by European explorers in almost all the promising tin deposits they identified.

The world's tin deposits are located in Southeast Asia, mainly in China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. There are also large deposits in South America (Bolivia, Peru, Brazil) and Australia.

When a person first met tin, it is impossible to say for sure. Tin and its alloys have been known to mankind since ancient times. Tin is mentioned in the early books of the Old Testament. Alloys of tin and copper, the so-called tin bronzes, appear to have been in use more than 4000 BC. And with the metal tin itself, a person met much later, around 800 BC.

Tin is one of the seven metals of antiquity, which is able to preserve the taste and smell of drinks.

Tin(lat. Stannum; denoted by the symbol sn) is an element of the 14th group.

Latin name stannum, associated with the Sanskrit word meaning "resistant, durable", originally referred to an alloy of lead and silver, and later to another alloy that imitates it, containing about 67% tin; by the 4th century, this word began to be called tin itself.

Word tin- common Slavic, which has correspondences in the Baltic languages \u200b\u200b(cf. lit. alavas, alvas- "tin", Prussian. alwis- "lead"). It is a suffix from the root ol– (cf. Old High German elo- "yellow", lat. albus- “white”, etc.), so that the metal is named by color.

Application. An important use of tin is the tinning of iron and the production of tinplate, which is used in the canning industry. For these purposes, about 33% of all mined tin is consumed.

The method of long-term preservation of food products by canning in tin-plated tin cans was first proposed by the French chef F. Appert in 1809.

More than 60% goes to metallurgy, to obtain various alloys, for example, the most famous of the tin alloys is bronze.

Tin can be rolled into a thin foil - staniole, such foil is used in the production of capacitors, organ pipes, dishes, art products.

"Tin Plague". The result of white tin turning gray is sometimes referred to as "tin plague". Stains and growths on army teapots, wagons with tin dust, seams that have become permeable to liquid are the consequences of this “disease”.

Why don't stories like this happen now? Only for one reason: they learned to “treat” the tin plague. Its physico-chemical nature has been clarified, it has been established how certain additives affect the metal's susceptibility to the "plague". It turned out that aluminum and zinc contribute to this process, while bismuth, lead and antimony, on the contrary, counteract it.

Tin in Ayurveda. Rejuvenating element. Refined tin ash is used in the treatment of diabetes, gonorrhea, syphilis, asthma, respiratory infections, anemia, skin diseases, lung diseases, and lymphatic blockages.

COPPER. Copper deposits are found in northern Thailand and on the Korat plateau.

The iron ores found in different parts of the country belong to the type of formation to laterites or contact metamorphic rocks. The iron content is usually high. Geological surveys in the country are far from being completed, and it is still impossible to judge the total reserves of iron ores and their industrial significance.

COPPER in Ayurveda. Alleviates excess kapha and fat. A good tonic for the liver, spleen and lymphatic system. Especially useful for people who tend to gain weight, retain water, or have lymphatic buildup. Copper also helps in the treatment of anemia. For the treatment of obesity and liver, as well as diseases of the spleen, drink two teaspoons of copper water three times a day for a month. To prepare this water, tenpence coins are washed in lime water, then placed in a quart of water and boiled until half the volume of water is boiled away. Wearing a copper bracelet around your wrist also helps.

IRON ORE. Since ancient times, iron ore deposits have been known in Thailand. On the far northern outskirts of Thailand, in the mountainous spurs that form the right bank of the Mekong, near the village of Chiengkong, red iron ore has long been mined on a small scale. Deposits of brown iron ore have long been known in the Lampang region (southeast of Chiengmai). Ore comes to the surface here, which facilitates its development. But especially rich deposits of iron ore were discovered after the Second World War near the city of Lopburi, 130 km north of Bangkok, as well as on the island of Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand.

IRON in Ayurveda. Beneficial for bone marrow, bone tissue, red blood cells, liver and spleen. It increases the formation of red blood cells and therefore its ashes are used in the treatment of anemia. It is effective for enlargement of the liver or spleen. Iron strengthens muscles and nerve tissues, has restorative properties.

Alluvial deposits are also associated placers of precious stones. In the spurs of the Cardamom Mountains are found rubies and sapphires. Their main production is carried out in the provinces of Trat and Chanthaburi, located along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, in the east of the country in the province of Sisaket, near the border with Burma - in Kanchanaburi and near the northern border with Laos - in Muang Phre.

70% of all gems mined come from Chanthaburi. The stones are mined by hand, with the exception of the Makhlong deposit, where a combined mining method is carried out.

Private companies and miners work mainly by hand in open pipes, pits and cuts, the depth of which starts from 5m and reaches a maximum of 15m. The sapphire gravel is then washed in baskets. mined gemstones are then cut in the capital of Thailand - Bangkok, which since the 80s of the last century has become one of the world's largest centers for the processing of precious stones. In Bangkok, due to cheap labor, 80% of sapphires mined in Australia are processed, as well as emeralds, zircons and garnets from South Africa, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Burma, whose rubies are considered world standards.

Found in Thailand more than 20 oil and gas fields. Most of the commercial oil reserves are concentrated in the Phitsanulok basins in the north of the Menam lowland, where the Sirikit group of fields is the largest. In the far north, near the town of Muangfang, rich oil field.

The bulk of the resources natural gas concentrated within the Cenozoic basin on shelf of the Gulf of Thailand. The most important deposit is Erawan. Identified also 2 gas fields on the Korat Plateau.
Oil and gas. The first oil field - Sirikit of the Phitsanulok basin (Kamphang Phet province, 320 km from Bangkok) was discovered in 1981 (operation began in 1983).

Natural gas. Thailand's first field is the Erawan field, discovered in 1972 in the Gulf of Thailand, about 300 miles from Bangkok. Erawan, the largest offshore field in the country, started gas production in 1981.

Possiblesourceenergy raw materials can servegeothermal resources, experimental work, the use of which has been carried out since 1984 in the area of Chiang Mai.

An alternative source of energy raw materials is bioethanol (ethanol obtained from biological raw materials and used to create an environmentally more neutral fuel). The cost of producing bioethanol from cassava in Thailand is about 35 USD per barrel of oil equivalent (for comparison: Thailand buys a barrel of oil from the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia for almost 100 USD); that is why at Thai gas stations you can see prices not only for gasoline ( gas), but also for various mixtures of gasoline and bioethanol (called differently, depending on the manufacturer and the percentage of gasoline / ethanol in the mixture - gasohol, E95 etc.).

Of the non-metallic minerals, limestone deposits have been found in different parts of the country, marble (on the coast and in Saraburi province), clays for the production of ceramics (in the center of the country), kaolin (in the north and south), quartz sand (Songkhla province), gypsum (in north and south), etc.

The territory of Thailand is promising from the point of view of the search for deposits of radioactive raw materials.Monazitesfrom tinplacersdistricts Phuket - Phangnga - Takuapa and Ranong.

Thailand is rich salt.
The role of salt in the trade of Southeast Asia is still great.
Salt in Thailand is extracted from sea water, from salt springs found in the Mesozoic red sandstone formations, and from crystalline formations on the soil surface in the Korat region. Huge salt marshes form on the surface of the Korat plateau in summer. Locals have been collecting salt for a long time and sending it to Central Thailand. A lot of salt is evaporated on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand from sea water. The most important source, far superior in value to all others, is the evaporation of sea water in salt ponds. Such ponds are arranged along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand.

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by geography

on the theme: "Thailand".

Prepared by: Eleonora Vorobyova

1. General information

2. Geography

3. Population

4. Administrative division

5. Economy

6. Political structure

8. Culture

Information sources

1. General information

Thailand, the Kingdom of Thailand is a state of Southeast Asia, located in the southwestern part of the Indochina peninsula and in the northern part of the Malay Peninsula. It borders Cambodia and Laos to the east, Myanmar to the west, and Malaysia to the south. The name (the word "thai" means "freedom") justifies itself: Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that has retained independence from European states, while all neighboring countries were colonies of France or Great Britain.

The official language is Thai, and the capital and largest city in the country is Bangkok.

Population - 70 498 494 people. (20s). Currency - Thai baht. The state religion is Buddhism.

The territory of Thailand (the 50th in the world) is stretched from north to south (the distance from the northernmost point to the southernmost point is 1860 km). Due to its central position in Southeast Asia and the largest north-south stretch among the countries of the region, Thailand has the most diverse climate in Southeast Asia, so the main crops are harvested several times a year, and the tourist season “flows” from some climatic zones to others, making Thailand one of the world's few year-round tourist destinations. Forests occupy 10% of the country's territory: tropical deciduous in the north, tropical evergreen in the wetter southern regions.

Geographically, climatically, in terms of natural resources, diversity of landforms and even the ethnic composition of the population, Thailand is divided into five main regions: Central, Eastern, Northern, Northeastern and Southern Thailand.

2. Geography

Thailand is located between 5°36" and 20°28" north latitude and 97°20" and 105°35" east longitude. It occupies an area of 514 thousand km², of which the sea zone is 2.23 thousand km².

The maximum length of the territory from west to east is 780 km, from north to south - 1650 km. In the southwest, the territory of the country is washed by the Andaman Sea, from the east and south by the Gulf of Thailand of the South China Sea, the total length of the coastline is 3,219 km. Most of the coast is low-lying, swampy in places. The western coast of the Malay Peninsula is dotted with numerous rias bays and estuaries of small rivers. In the Gulf of Thailand, near the Cambodian border, there are the islands of Chang and Kut, off the Malay Peninsula - the islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and several smaller ones. In the Andaman Sea lie the islands of Surin, Similan, Phuket (the largest island), as well as other smaller islands.

Most of the state border of Thailand (total length 4,863 km) runs along natural dividers - the border with Cambodia (803 km) goes along the mountain ranges in the southeast, with Laos (1754 km) - along the Mekong River in the east and northeast. east. In the west, Thailand borders on Myanmar (1,800 km), and in the southern part of the country there is a border with Malaysia (506 km). Most of the borders were established in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in accordance with treaties imposed on Thailand and its neighbors by Britain and France. However, back in the late 1980s, there was a territorial dispute on the border with Laos and Cambodia.

The mountain systems located in the north, west and south of Thailand belong to the Paleozoic geosynclinal South Asian folding, activated in the Mesozoic. The mountains are composed of slates, sandstones and limestones of Paleozoic and Triassic seffusives containing large bodies of granites.

More than half of the country's territory lies in low-lying alluvial plains, the largest of which, the Menam Lowland, is located in the central part of the country along the Chao Phraya River. Due to river sediments at the mouth of the Chua Phraya, the land advances on the Gulf of Thailand at a speed of 2-3 m per year.

3. Population

The majority of the population of Thailand belong to the Thai group (75-80%) and 94.6% practice Buddhism.

Approximately two thirds of the Thai group are Thais, a third are Lao. In the Isan region, the percentage of Lao is much higher, in many areas they make up the majority of the population. Most Thais and Laos practice Buddhism. Malays live in the south, most of them professing Islam, for most of them the native language is yavi.

Near the border with Myanmar live the Karen, Miao and Mon, who have Christianity, the Uthai-Cambodian Khmer. After the Vietnam War, the number of Viet increased, mainly living in the northeast of the country.

One in seven people in Thailand is an ethnic Chinese. The Chinese live all over the country, but mostly isolated, in separate neighborhoods.

General information about the age composition:

0-14 years old -- 21.2%

15-64 years old -- 70.3%

Over 65 years old -- 8.5%

National composition:

Thai group - 75% (about a third - Lao),

Chinese - 14%.

Religious composition

Buddhism 94.6%,

Islam - 4.6%,

Christianity - 0.7%.

4. Administrative division

Thailand is divided into 76 provinces and one municipality - the capital city of Bangkok. Some Thais still consider Bangkok to be a separate province, which it was until 1972.

Each province is subdivided into districts -- as of 2011, there are a total of 878 districts and 50 metropolitan areas of Bangkok. Each of the provinces has one central district. Until 2007, there were 81 small districts.

In Bangkok, the districts of the city are called khet, which are further divided into kwengs, roughly similar to tambons (communities or sub-districts) in other provinces.

In addition to the specified administrative division, the settlements of Thailand are divided into large and (medium) cities, towns and villages, to which some functions of districts and communities in the territory belonging to the city have been transferred.

Three levels of administrative division of urban (municipal) entities:

large city with over 50 thousand inhabitants, population density over 3 thousand people per 1 km²

· (average) city of more than 10 thousand inhabitants, population density of more than 3 thousand people per 1 km² - or the center of the province

settlement (small town): over 5 thousand inhabitants, population density above 1.5 thousand people per 1 km²

The provinces surrounding Bangkok are referred to as Greater Bangkok as the emerging capital is already taking over these areas. The 4 regions of Thailand -- north, northeast, south and central region are generally used for statistical purposes only. Sometimes other regions are also distinguished.

5. Economy

Thailand is an agro-industrial country. In 2012, according to the National Economic and Social Development Authority, Thailand's GDP at current market prices was 11.375 trillion baht.

Benefits: Success in export production that can even offset imports. Rapid economic growth. Availability of natural gas. One of the world's main exporters of rice, fruits and rubber.

Weaknesses: The economy is concentrated mainly around Bangkok. Insufficient supply of fresh water. Rapidly growing external debt. 60% of the population work in small farms.

Energy: about 70% of electricity is generated using natural gas. Natural gas is produced in the offshore Platong field, located at the bottom of the Gulf of Thailand. Another major supplier of natural gas is Qatar, which transports liquefied gas to the Map Ta Phut LNG LNG terminal.

Tourism brings considerable income to Thailand. So, in 2011, Thailand was visited by more than 19 million foreign tourists. Main destinations: Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and Samui.

The share of agriculture in GDP is 10.7%, it employs half of the working population. The main agricultural crop is rice, which occupies a third of cultivated land. Industrial crops include sugar cane, cotton and jute. An important role is played by fishing (3 million tons of fish per year).

The share of industry in GDP is 44.5%, it employs 14% of the able-bodied population. About 70% of electricity in Thailand is generated from natural gas. The sources of gas are the offshore Platong field located in the Gulf of Thailand, which is operated by Chevron. The second source of gas is liquefied natural gas, the main supplier of which is Qatar. Natural gas consumption in the country is growing rapidly: if in 2004 Thailand used 24 billion cubic meters, then in 2010 it was already 37 billion cubic meters.

6. Political structure

The form of government is a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is King Bhumibol Adulyadej (since 1946). The king has lost absolute power, but still remains the protector of Buddhism, the symbol of unity and the Supreme Commander. The current king enjoys the full respect of the nation, which is sometimes used during political crises. The Thai Parliament is a bicameral National Assembly, consisting of a 150-seat Senate and a 480-seat House of Representatives. The leader of the party with the majority in the House of Representatives usually becomes prime minister. Members of both chambers are elected by the people of Thailand, with the exception of 50% of the Upper House (Senate), they are appointed by the monarch. The lower house (House of Representatives) is elected for 4 years, the Senate for 6 years. Until March 2000, the Senate was appointed exclusively by the king.

Thailand is an active member of the Southeast Asian Association of Nations.

King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej.

His name means "Strength of the country, incomparable power." The color of the king is yellow (by birthday - Monday). He succeeded his brother, King Rama VIII (September 20, 1925 - June 9, 1946), who died in 1946, on the throne.

Despite the ceremonial status of the king in Thailand, Bhumibol repeatedly made important political decisions, and also used the right of veto. The people gave the title "Great". Has been on the throne since June 9, 1946. Crowned 5 May 1950. He is the longest-reigning head of state and of all monarchs in the history of Thailand. He is also one of the oldest sitting heads of state in the world. The crown name of the monarch.

7. Russian-Thai relations

thailand geographical population economic

Diplomatic relations between Russia and Siam were officially established during the visit of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) to Russia from July 2 to 10, 1897. On December 4, 1897, Alexander Olarovsky was appointed Charge d'Affaires and Consul General of the Russian Empire in Siam. The Russian Consulate General was opened in Bangkok, and later it was expanded to a mission that lasted until 1917. On June 23, 1899, the Declaration on Jurisdiction, Trade and Navigation was signed in Bangkok. Due to the friendly nature of Russian-Siamese relations and the expansion of cultural ties, the royal guards of Siam until the 70s. wore the uniform of Russian life hussars, some elements of this uniform have survived to this day.

After 1917 there was a short break in bilateral relations. Diplomatic relations between the USSR and Thailand were established on March 12, 1941. In 1947, an Agreement on the exchange of diplomatic missions was signed between the two countries, and a year later the embassy began its work in the capital of Thailand. During the Cold War and until the end of the 70s. bilateral relations were neutral.

A new period in relations was the official visit of Thai Prime Minister Kriangsak Chamanan to the USSR in 1979. During this visit, the Soviet-Thai Friendship Society was established. Since the mid 80s. In connection with positive changes in the world political arena, bilateral relations gradually began to strengthen again. In 1987, the first exchange of visits between the foreign ministers of the two countries took place. In May 1988, General Prem Tinsulanon, Prime Minister of Thailand, paid an official visit to Moscow. In February 1990, N. I. Ryzhkov, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, arrived on an official visit to Bangkok.

On December 28, 1991, the Thai government recognized the Russian Federation as a sovereign state and confirmed its intentions to develop mutually beneficial bilateral relations.

Since the beginning of the XXI century. bilateral relations have steadily gained momentum in key areas of cooperation. The culmination of this process was the visit to Thailand in October 2003 by the President of the Russian Federation V. V. Putin and his wife, which became the first visit of the head of the Russian state to the Kingdom of Thailand since the collapse of the USSR.

8. Culture

Architecture. The entire development of Thai artistic culture is associated with Buddhism, which in the Thai version also included some Hindu motifs. In monumental architecture, the main types of buildings are the stupa and the temple. Thai stupas go back to the Mon and Khmer prototypes (prasang, prasat, chedi; the prefix "pra" means "holy"). The basis for the development of temples is vekhan - a building with brick or stone columns and a wooden roof.

The most striking example of the architectural creativity of the Thais is the complex of temples and the Grand Royal Palace in Bangkok. The buildings located on the territory of the temples have a different form and meaning - these are usually sanctuaries, halls for religious ceremonies, libraries and schools. The walls can be decorated with scenes from the Hindu epic (Ramakien: King Rama 2 translated the Ramayana into Thai) and images of mythological animals. The sacred Bodhi tree is often found in the courtyard of monasteries. There are also numerous sculptures of mythical creatures with supernatural powers and guarding the monastery.

Music. In the ceremonial, court and religious life of the Thais, music has always occupied an important place. The traditional orchestra consists of gongs, bells, strings, xylophones. For Europeans, Thai music sounds quite unusual. It still accompanies important public ceremonies and classical theater performances today.

Artistic crafts. Thailand is famous for its folk art crafts. They are found everywhere - the largest centers of crafts in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Thailand is one of Asia's largest producers of silk and cotton products, furniture and carved wood products. Numerous shops offer ceramics, caskets, painted fans and umbrellas, bronze and brass products, Thai dolls, etc. In Thailand, you can find a lot of inexpensive jewelry made of silver and traditional Asian "yellow" gold with precious stones (rubies, emeralds , sapphires).

Information sources

1. Atlas of geography for grades 10-11.

2. http://guide.travel.ru/thailand/

3. http://tonkosti.ru

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