Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos
Geographic coordinates:
13 00 N, 105 00 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area: Area - comparative: Land boundaries: Coastline: Maritime claims: Climate: Terrain: Elevation extremes: Natural resources: Land use: Irrigated land: Total renewable water resources: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements: Geography - note:
total: 181,035 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 90
land: 176,515 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 4,520 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
slightly smaller than Oklahoma
total: 2,572 km
border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
443 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation
More Climate Details
mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]
oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential
arable land: 20.44%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.59%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 78.97% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]
2,850 sq km (2008)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
476.1 cu km (1999)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
total: 4.08 cu km/yr (1%/0%/98%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 290 cu m/yr (2000)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]
monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts
illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, most of the population does not have access to potable water; declining fish stocks because of illegal fishing and overfishing
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and Tonle Sap