- published: 12 Apr 2009
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- Aegean Sea
- Alboran Sea
- Amundsen Gulf
- Amundsen Sea
- Andaman Sea
- Arabian Sea
- Arafura Sea
- Aral Sea
- Archipelago Sea
- Arctic Ocean
- Argentine Sea
- Atlantic Ocean
- Baffin Bay
- Balearic Sea
- Bali Sea
- Baltic Sea
- Banda Sea
- Bandon Bay
- Bang Pakong River
- Barents Sea
- Bay of Bangkok
- Bay of Bengal
- Bay of Biscay
- Bay of Campeche
- Bay of Fundy
- Beaufort Sea
- Bellingshausen Sea
- Bering Sea
- Bering Strait
- Bismarck Sea
- Black Sea
- Bohai Sea
- Bohol Sea
- Bothnian Bay
- Bothnian Sea
- Ca Mau Province
- Cambodia
- Camotes Sea
- Cape of Camau
- Caribbean Sea
- Caspian Sea
- Celebes Sea
- Celtic Sea
- Ceram Sea
- Cha-am
- Chao Phraya River
- Chilean Sea
- Chonburi province
- Chukchi Sea
- Continental shelf
- Cooperation Sea
- Coral
- Coral Sea
- Cosmonauts Sea
- D'Urville Sea
- Davis Sea
- Davis Strait
- Dead Sea
- Denmark Strait
- Earth
- East China Sea
- East Siberian Sea
- English Channel
- Ethnic Malays
- Flores Sea
- Foxe Basin
- Fram Strait
- Greenland Sea
- Gulf of Aden
- Gulf of Alaska
- Gulf of Aqaba
- Gulf of Boothia
- Gulf of Bothnia
- Gulf of California
- Gulf of Carpentaria
- Gulf of Finland
- Gulf of Fonseca
- Gulf of Guinea
- Gulf of Khambhat
- Gulf of Kutch
- Gulf of Lion
- Gulf of Maine
- Gulf of Mexico
- Gulf of Oman
- Gulf of Suez
- Gulf of Thailand
- Gulf of Tonkin
- Gulf of Venezuela
- Halmahera Sea
- Hua Hin
- Hudson Bay
- Ice age
- Indian Ocean
- Ionian Sea
- Irish Sea
- Irminger Sea
- James Bay
- Java Sea
- Kara Sea
- Kara Strait
- Kelantan River
- Khmer language
- King Haakon VII Sea
- Ko Chang
- Ko Losin
- Ko Pha Ngan
- Ko Samet
- Ko Samui
- Ko Tao
- Koro Sea
- Kota Baru
- Labrador Sea
- Laccadive Sea
- Laptev Sea
- Lazarev Sea
- Levantine Sea
- Libyan Sea
- Ligurian Sea
- Lincoln Sea
- Mae Klong
- Makassar Strait
- Mawson Sea
- Mediterranean Sea
- Mekong
- Molucca Sea
- Moro Gulf
- Mozambique Channel
- Myrtoan Sea
- North Sea
- Norwegian Sea
- Ocean
- Pacific Ocean
- Pattaya
- Pechora Sea
- Persian Gulf
- Phetchaburi Province
- Philippine Sea
- Phú Quốc
- Rayong Province
- Red Sea
- Riiser-Larsen Sea
- Ross Sea
- Salinity
- Salish Sea
- Salton Sea
- Sargasso Sea
- Savu Sea
- Scotia Sea
- Sea
- Sea of Azov
- Sea of Crete
- Sea of Japan
- Sea of Marmara
- Sea of Okhotsk
- Sea of the Hebrides
- Sea of Åland
- Sediment
- Seto Inland Sea
- Sibuyan Sea
- Solomon Sea
- Somov Sea
- South China Sea
- South China sea
- Southern Ocean
- Strait of Malacca
- Sulu Sea
- Surat Thani province
- Tapi River, Thailand
- Tasman Sea
- Tha Chin River
- Thai language
- Thailand
- Thracian Sea
- Timor Sea
- Trat Province
- Tyrrhenian Sea
- Vietnam
- Visayan Sea
- Wandel Sea
- Weddell Sea
- White Sea
- Yellow Sea
-
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea (/ɨˈdʒiːən/; Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος, Egeo Pelagos [eˈʝeo ˈpelaɣos] (
listen); Turkish: Ege Denizi or historically Turkish: Adalar Denizi) is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus. The Aegean Islands are within the sea and some bound it on its southern periphery, including Crete and Rhodes. The Aegean Region consists of nine provinces in southwestern Turkey, in part bordering on the Aegean sea.
The sea was traditionally known as Archipelago (in Greek, Αρχιπέλαγος, meaning "chief sea"), but in English this word's meaning has changed to refer to the Aegean Islands and, generally, to any island group.
The Aegean Sea covers about 214,000 square kilometres (83,000 sq mi) in area, and measures about 610 kilometres (380 mi) longitudinally and 300 kilometres (190 mi) latitudinally. The sea's maximum depth is 3,543 metres (11,624 ft), east of Crete. The Aegean Islands are found within its waters, with the following islands delimiting the sea on the south (generally from west to east): Kythera, Antikythera, Crete, Kasos, Karpathos and Rhodes.
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Alboran Sea
Coordinates: 36°0′N 3°0′W / 36°N 3°W / 36; -3
The Alboran Sea is the westernmost portion of the Mediterranean Sea, lying between Spain on the north and Morocco and Algeria on the south. The Strait of Gibraltar, which lies at the west end of the Alboran Sea, connects the Mediterranean with the Atlantic Ocean.
Its average depth is 1,461 feet (445 m) and maximum depth is 4,920 feet (1,500 m).
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Alboran Sea as follows:
On the West. The Eastern limit of the Strait of Gibraltar [A line joining Europa Point to P. Almina (35°54′N 5°18′W / 35.9°N 5.3°W / 35.9; -5.3)].
On the East. A line joining Cape de Gata (Spain) to C. Fegalo (Africa) (35°36′N 1°12′W / 35.6°N 1.2°W / 35.6; -1.2).
Surface currents in the Alboran Sea flow eastward, bringing water from the Atlantic into Mediterranean; deeper subsurface currents flow westward, carrying saltier Mediterranean water into the Atlantic. There is typically a rotary circulation, also known as a gyre, in the Alboran Sea as a result of this exchange of water. The Alboran Sea is a transition zone between the two seas, containing a mix of Mediterranean and Atlantic species. The Alboran Sea is habitat for the largest population of bottlenose dolphins in the western Mediterranean, is home to the last population of harbour porpoises in the Mediterranean, and is the most important feeding grounds for loggerhead sea turtles in Europe. The Alboran sea also hosts important commercial fisheries, including sardines and swordfish. In 2003, the World Wildlife Fund raised concerns about the widespread drift net fishing endangering populations of dolphins, turtles, and other marine animals.
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Amundsen Gulf
Amundsen Gulf is a gulf located in Canadian Northwest Territories, between Banks Island and Victoria Island and the mainland . It is approximately 250 mi (400 km) in length and about 93 mi (150 km) across where it meets the Beaufort Sea.
The Amundsen Gulf was explored by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen between 1903 and 1906. The gulf is at the western end of the famous Northwest Passage, a route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific.
Few people live along the shores of the gulf, but there are a few towns and communities including: Sachs Harbour, Ulukhaktok and Paulatuk. Heading north in the gulf one would find the Prince of Wales Strait. Heading southeast and east, the gulf leads through the Dolphin and Union Strait, past Simpson Bay and into the Coronation Gulf. From there one would go through the Dease Strait and into the Queen Maud Gulf, and eventually head northeast into the Victoria Strait. Heading west and northwest a traveller would first enter the Beaufort Sea and then the Arctic Ocean.
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Amundsen Sea
The Amundsen Sea is an arm of the Southern Ocean off Marie Byrd Land in western Antarctica. It is bounded by Cape Flying Fish, the northwestern tip of Thurston Island to the east and Cape Dart on Siple Island to the west. East of Cape Flying Fish starts the Bellingshausen Sea. West of Cape Dart is no named marginal sea of the Southern Ocean between Amundsen Sea and Ross Sea. Named for the Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen by the Norwegian expedition of 1928–29, under Captain Nils Larsen, while exploring this area in February, 1929.
The sea is mostly ice-covered, and the Thwaites Ice Tongue protrudes into it. The ice sheet which drains into the Amundsen Sea averages about 3 km (1.9 mi) in thickness; is roughly the size of the state of Texas and the area is known as the Amundsen Sea Embayment (ASE); it forms one of the three major ice drainage basins of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
The ice sheet which drains into the Amundsen Sea averages about 3 km (1.9 mi) in thickness; is roughly the size of the state of Texas and the area is known as the Amundsen Sea Embayment (ASE); it forms one of the three major ice drainage basins of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, the others being the Ross Sea Embayment and the Weddell Sea Embayment. In March 2007, scientists studying the ASE through satellite and airborne surveys announced a significant thinning of the ASE, due to shifts in wind patterns that allow warmer waters to flow beneath the ice sheet.
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Andaman Sea
The Andaman Sea or Burma Sea (Burmese: မြန်မာပင်လယ်, IPA: [mjəmà pìɴlɛ̀]; Hindi: अंडमान सागर; Thai: ทะเลอันดามัน, IPA: [tʰa.leː ʔan.daː.man]) is a body of water to the southeast of the Bay of Bengal, south of Burma (Myanmar), west of Thailand and east of the Andaman Islands, India; it is part of the Indian Ocean.
The sea has been traditionally used for fishery and transportation of goods between the coastal countries and its coral reefs and islands are popular tourist destinations. The fishery and tourist infrastructure was severely damaged by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.
At its southeastern reaches, the Andaman Sea narrows to form the Straits of Malacca, which separate the Malay Peninsula from the island of Sumatra.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the "Andaman or Burma Sea" as follows:
On the Southwest. A line running from Oedjong Raja (5°32′N 95°12′E / 5.533°N 95.2°E / 5.533; 95.2) in Sumatra to Poeloe Bras (Breuëh) and on through the Western Islands of the Nicobar Group to Sandy Point in Little Andaman Island, in such a way that all the narrow waters appertain to the Burma Sea.
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Arafura Sea
Coordinates: 9°30′S 135°0′E / 9.5°S 135°E / -9.5; 135
The Arafura Sea lies west of the Pacific Ocean overlying the continental shelf between Australia and New Guinea.
The Arafura Sea is bordered by Torres Strait and through that the Coral Sea to the east, the Gulf of Carpentaria to the south, the Timor Sea to the west and the Banda and Ceram seas to the northwest. It is 1,290 kilometres (800 mi) long and 560 kilometres (350 mi) wide. The depth of the sea is primarily 50–80 metres (165–265 feet) with the depth increasing to the west. As a shallow tropical sea, its waters are a breeding ground for tropical cyclones.[citation needed]
The sea lies over the Arafura Shelf, part of the Sahul Shelf. When sea levels were low during the last glacial maximum, the Arafura Shelf, the Gulf of Carpentaria and Torres Strait formed a large flat land bridge connecting Australia and New Guinea and easing migration of humans from Asia into Australia. The combined landmass formed the continent of Sahul.
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the Arafura Sea as being one of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago. The IHO defines its limits as follows:
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Archipelago Sea
Coordinates: 60°18′N 21°00′E / 60.3°N 21°E / 60.3; 21
Archipelago Sea (Finnish Saaristomeri, Swedish Skärgårdshavet) is a part of the Baltic Sea between the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the Sea of Åland, within Finnish territorial waters. By some definitions it contains the largest archipelago (island group) in the world by the number of islands, although many of the islands are very small and tightly clustered.
The larger islands are inhabited and connected by ferries and bridges. The Åland Islands, including the largest islands of the region, form an autonomous region within Finland. The rest of the islands are part of Finland Proper. The Archipelago Sea is a significant tourist destination.
The Archipelago Sea covers a roughly triangular area with the cities of Mariehamn (60°5′52″N 19°56′23″E / 60.09778°N 19.93972°E / 60.09778; 19.93972), Uusikaupunki (60°48′4″N 21°24′50″E / 60.80111°N 21.41389°E / 60.80111; 21.41389), and Hanko (59°50′0″N 22°58′15″E / 59.833333°N 22.97083°E / 59.833333; 22.97083), at the corners. The archipelago can be divided into inner and outer archipelagos, with the outer archipelago consisting mainly of smaller, uninhabited islands. The total surface area is 8300 square kilometers, of which 2000 square kilometers is land.
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Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) recognizes it as an ocean, although some oceanographers call it the Arctic Mediterranean Sea or simply the Arctic Sea, classifying it as one of the mediterranean seas of the Atlantic Ocean. Alternatively, the Arctic Ocean can be seen as the northernmost part of the all-encompassing World Ocean.
Almost completely surrounded by Eurasia and North America, the Arctic Ocean is partly covered by sea ice throughout the year (and almost completely in winter). The Arctic Ocean's temperature and salinity vary seasonally as the ice cover melts and freezes; its salinity is the lowest on average of the five major oceans, due to low evaporation, heavy freshwater inflow from rivers and streams, and limited connection and outflow to surrounding oceanic waters with higher salinities. The summer shrinking of the ice has been quoted at 50%. The US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) uses satellite data to provide a daily record of Arctic sea ice cover and the rate of melting compared to an average period and specific past years.
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Argentine Sea
The Argentine Sea (Spanish: Mar Argentino) refers to the sea within the continental shelf off the Argentine mainland. It is a term often related to the Argentine claims to both the Falkland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula.
It is located in the South Atlantic Ocean off the southeastern coast of Argentina, extending from the approximate latitude of Montevideo, Uruguay, southward to Tierra del Fuego, and is situated about 500 miles (800 km) north of Antarctica. The Argentine Sea has a surface of 386,102 sq. mi. (1,000,000 km²) and is one of the largest seas in the world. The average depth of sea is 3,952 feet (1,205 m) and maximum depth is 7,296 feet (2,224 m). The area that matches this description has no specific name in The Times Atlas of the World. The quoted statistics are dubious because the continental shelf only includes land to a depth of 200 m making it impossible to have an average depth of 1200 m.
The Argentine Sea progressively widens going southward, in contrast with the narrowing of the continental mass. The sea platform has a series of plateaus which descend to the east as large terraces or steps. Because of its stair-shaped plateaus, the Argentine Sea is similar morphologically to the Extra-Andean Patagonia. The Falkland Islands are also located within the continental shelf of the Argentine Sea.
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Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about 106,400,000 square kilometres (41,100,000 sq mi), it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area. The first part of its name refers to Atlas of Greek mythology, making the Atlantic the "Sea of Atlas".
The oldest known mention of "Atlantic" is in The Histories of Herodotus around 450 BC (Hdt. 1.202.4): Atlantis thalassa (Greek: Ἀτλαντὶς θάλασσα; English: Sea of Atlas); see also: Atlas Mountains. The term Ethiopic Ocean, derived from Ethiopia, was applied to the southern Atlantic ocean as late as the mid-19th century. Before Europeans discovered other oceans, the term "ocean" itself was synonymous with the waters beyond the Strait of Gibraltar that we now know as the Atlantic. The early Greeks believed this ocean to be a gigantic river encircling the world.
The Atlantic Ocean occupies an elongated, S-shaped basin extending longitudinally between Europe and Africa to the east, and the Americas to the west. As one component of the interconnected global ocean, it is connected in the north to the Arctic Ocean (which is sometimes considered a sea of the Atlantic), to the Pacific Ocean in the southwest, the Indian Ocean in the southeast, and the Southern Ocean in the south. (Other definitions describe the Atlantic as extending southward to Antarctica.) The equator subdivides it into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean.
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Balearic Sea
Coordinates: 40°0′N 1°30′E / 40°N 1.5°E / 40; 1.5
The Balearic Sea or Iberian Sea is a body of water in the Mediterranean Sea near the Balearic Islands. In the Catalan language the area is also known as the Catalan-Balearic Sea (Mar Catalanobalear).
The Ebro River flows into this small sea.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Balearic Sea as follows:
Between the Islas Baleares and the coast of Spain, bounded:
On the Southwest. A line from Cape San Antonio, Spain (38°50′N 0°12′E / 38.833°N 0.2°E / 38.833; 0.2) to Cabo Berberia, the Southwest extreme of Formentera (Islas Baleares).
On the Southeast. The South Coast of Formentera, thence a line from Punta Rotja, its Eastern extreme, to the Southern extreme of Isla Cabrera (39°07′N 2°54′E / 39.117°N 2.9°E / 39.117; 2.9) and to Isla del Aire, off the Southern extreme of Minorca.
On the Northeast. The East coast of Minorca up to Cabo Favaritx (40°00′N 4°14′E / 40°N 4.233°E / 40; 4.233) thence a line to Cabo San Sebastian (Spain) (41°54′N 3°10′E / 41.9°N 3.167°E / 41.9; 3.167).
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Bali Sea
The Bali Sea (Indonesian: Laut Bali) is the body of water north of the island of Bali and south of Kangean Island in Indonesia. The sea forms the south-west part of the Flores Sea, and the Madura Strait opens into it from the west.
The Bali Sea is sometimes grouped with Flores Sea for oceanographic purposes, however in some nautical charts, Bali Sea is written as a distinct sea for navigation. The sea has an area of 45,000 km2 (17,000 sq mi) and a maximum depth of 1,590 m (5,217 ft).
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the Bali Sea as being one of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago. The IHO defines its limits as follows:
On the North. A line from the Western Paternoster Island to the East point of Sepandjang and thence through this island to the West point of Gedeh Bay on the South coast of Kangean (7°01′S 115°18′E / 7.017°S 115.3°E / -7.017; 115.3).
On the West. A line from the West point of Gedeh Bay, Kangean Island, to Tg Sedano, the Northeast extreme of Java and down the East coast to Tg Bantenan, the Southeast extreme of the island.
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Banda Sea
The Banda Sea is a sea in the Maluku Islands of Indonesia, technically[vague] part of the Pacific Ocean but separated[vague] from it by hundreds of islands, as well as the Halmahera and Ceram Seas. It is about 1000 km (600 mi) east to west, and about 500 km (300 mi) north to south.
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the Banda Sea as being one of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago. The IHO defines its limits as follows:
On the North The Southern limits of the Molukka Sea [sic] and the Western and Southern limits of the Ceram Sea.
On the East. From Tg Borang, the Northern point of Noehoe Tjoet [Kai Besar], through this island to its Southern point, thence a line to the Northeast point of Fordata, through this island and across to the Northeast point of Larat, Tanimbar Islands (7°06′S 131°55′E / 7.1°S 131.917°E / -7.1; 131.917), down the East coast of Jamdena [Yamdena] Island to its Southern point, thence through Anggarmasa to the North point of Selaroe and through this island to Tg Aro Oesoe its Southern point (8°21′S 130°45′E / 8.35°S 130.75°E / -8.35; 130.75).
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Bandon Bay
Bandon Bay (Thai: อ่าวบ้านดอน, RTGS: Ao Ban Don, Thai pronunciation: [ʔàːw bâːn dɔːn]) is a bay in the Gulf of Thailand in the Surat Thani Province, extending from the Sui cape in Chaiya district in the northwest to the Kanchanadit district to the east. The total coastline is about 100 km. The bay is dominated by the estuary of the rivers Tapi and Phum Duang. The islands of Ko Samui, Ko Phangan and Ko Tao enclose the bay from its eastern side.
The bay is relatively shallow, with water depths ranging from 1 to 5 meters. Along the coast are mudflats due to the high rate of sedimentation, which were naturally overgrown with mangroves (Sonneratia spp., Rhizophora spp.), but now mostly replaced by shrimp farms.
Coordinates: 9°17′N 99°17′E / 9.283°N 99.283°E / 9.283; 99.283
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Bang Pakong River
The Bang Pakong (Thai: แม่น้ำบางปะกง, pronounced [baːŋ pa.koŋ]) is a river in east Thailand. The river originates at the confluence of the Nakhon Nayok River and the Prachinburi River at Pak Nam Yothaka in Amphoe Ban Sang, Prachinburi Province. It empties into the Gulf of Thailand in the northeastern tip of the Bay of Bangkok. The watershed of the Bang Pa Kong is about 17,000 km².
Coordinates: 13°26′50″N 100°56′53″E / 13.4471°N 100.948°E / 13.4471; 100.948
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Barents Sea
The Barents Sea (Norwegian: Barentshavet, Russian: Баренцево море or Barentsevo More) is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia. Known in the Middle Ages as the Murman Sea, the sea takes its current name from the Dutch navigator Willem Barents. It is a rather deep shelf sea (average depth 760 feet (230 m) and maximum depth 1,480 feet (450 m)), bordered by the shelf edge towards the Norwegian Sea in the west, the islands of Svalbard (Norway) in the northwest, and the islands of Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya (Arkhangelsk Oblast) in the northeast and east. Novaya Zemlya separates the Kara Sea from the Barents Sea. Significant fossil fuel energy resources exist in the Barents Sea region.
The southern half of the Barents Sea, including the ports of Murmansk (Russia) and Vardø (Norway) remain ice-free year round due to the warm North Atlantic drift. In September, the entire Barents Sea is more or less completely ice-free. Until the Winter War (1939–40), Finland's territory also reached to the Barents Sea, with the harbor at Petsamo being Finland's only ice-free winter harbor.
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Bay of Bangkok
The Bay of Bangkok (Thai: อ่าวกรุงเทพ, RTGS: Ao Krung Thep, Thai pronunciation: [ʔàːw kruŋ tʰêːp]), also known as the Bight of Bangkok, is the northernmost part of the Gulf of Thailand, roughly extending from Hua Hin to the west and Sattahip to the east. Three of the major rivers of central Thailand empty into the bay - the Chao Phraya and its distributary Tha Chin, the Mae Klong and the Bang Pa Kong River.
There are some islands off the eastern shores of the bay, like Ko Sichang, Ko Lan and Ko Phai.
Coordinates: 13°04′N 100°30′E / 13.067°N 100.5°E / 13.067; 100.5
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Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal, the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. Roughly triangular in shape, it is bordered mostly by India and Sri Lanka to the west, Bangladesh to the north, and Burma (Myanmar) and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the east.
The Bay of Bengal occupies an area of 2,172,000 km². A number of large rivers – the Padma (a distributary of the Ganges), Meghna (a distributary of the Brahmaputra), Jamuna (a branch of the Brahmaputra), Ayeyarwady, Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna and Kaveri – flow into the Bay of Bengal. Among the important ports are Cuddalore, Ennore, Chennai, Karaikal, Pondicherry, Tuticorin, Kakinada, Machilipatnam, Vishakhapatnam, Gangavaram, Krishnapatnam, Paradip, Kolkata, Mongla, Chittagong and Yangon.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Bay of Bengal as follows:
On the East. A line running from Cape Negrais (16°03'N) in Burma through the larger islands of the Andaman group, in such a way that all the narrow waters between the islands lie to the Eastward of the line and are excluded from the Bay of Bengal, as far as a point in Little Andaman Island in latitude 10°48'N, longitude 92°24'E and thence along the Southwest limit of the Burma Sea [A line running from Oedjong Raja (5°32′N 95°12′E / 5.533°N 95.2°E / 5.533; 95.2) in Sumatra to Poeloe Bras (Breuëh) and on through the Western Islands of the Nicobar Group to Sandy Point in Little Andaman Island, in such a way that all the narrow waters appertain to the Burma Sea].
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Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay (Spanish: Golfo de Vizcaya; French: Golfe de Gascogne; Basque: Bizkaiko golkoa; Breton: Pleg-mor Gwascogn; Gascon: Golf de Gasconha) is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish Basque Country.
The average depth is 1,744 metres (5,722 ft) and maximum depth is 2,789 metres (9,150 ft).
Parts of the continental shelf extend far into the bay, resulting in fairly shallow water in many areas and thus cause the rough seas for which the region is known. The Bay of Biscay is home to some of the Atlantic Ocean's fiercest weather. Large storms occur in the bay, especially during the winter months. Up until recent years it was a regular occurrence for merchant vessels to founder in Biscay storms, and many lives were lost. Improved ships and weather prediction have reduced the toll of the storms.
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Bay of Campeche
The Bay of Campeche (Spanish: Golfo de Campeche) (sometimes confused with Bahía de Campeche[citation needed]) is the southern bight of the Gulf of Mexico. It is surrounded on three sides by the Mexican states of Campeche, Tabasco and Veracruz. It was named by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba and Antonio de Alaminos during their expedition in 1517.
The Cantarell Complex of five oil fields lies beneath the Bay of Campeche. It is the second most productive oil field in the world, supplying about two thirds of Mexico's crude oil output. On June 3, 1979, Ixtoc I, an exploratory oil well located in the bay, suffered a blowout that caused a catastrophic explosion, resulting in what has been ranked as the third largest unintentional oil spill in history. The area of the bay is 6,000 square miles (16,000 km2) and maximum depth of the bay is approximately 180 feet (55 m).
During the months of June and July, the Bay of Campeche is considered one of the "hot" breeding spots for Atlantic hurricanes. The bay is also considered the eastern border on the main migration routes for birds in the Americas.
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Bay of Fundy
The Bay of Fundy (French: Baie de Fundy) is a bay on the Atlantic coast of North America, on the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with a small portion touching the U.S. state of Maine. Some sources believe the name "Fundy" is a corruption of the French word "Fendu", meaning "split", while others believe it comes from the Portuguese fondo, meaning "funnel". The bay was also named Baie Française (French Bay) by explorer/cartographer Samuel de Champlain during a 1604 expedition led by Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Monts which resulted in a failed settlement attempt on St. Croix Island.
The Bay of Fundy is known for having the highest tidal range in the world. Rivaled by Ungava Bay in northern Quebec, King Sound in Western Australia, Gulf of Khambhat in India, and the Severn Estuary in the UK, it has one of the highest vertical tidal ranges in the world. The Guinness Book of World Records (1975) declared that Burntcoat Head, Nova Scotia has the highest tides in the world:
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Beaufort Sea
The Beaufort Sea (French: mer de Beaufort) is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, and Alaska, west of Canada's Arctic islands. The sea is named after hydrographer Sir Francis Beaufort. The major Mackenzie River empties into the Canadian part of the sea, west of Tuktoyaktuk, which is one of the few permanent settlements on the sea shores.
The sea, characterized by severe climate, is frozen over most of the year; only a narrow pass up to 100 km (62 mi) opens in August–September near its shores. The seacoast was populated about 30,000 years ago, but the population density is very low. The sea contains significant resources of petroleum and natural gas under its shelf, such as the Amauligak field. They were discovered in the period between 1950s and 1980s, and their exploration became the major human activity in the area since the 1980s. The traditional occupations of fishery and whale and seal hunting are practiced only locally, and have no commercial significance. As a result, the sea hosts one of the largest colonies of beluga whales, and there is no sign of overfishing. There is a long-standing dispute between the United States and Canada over the sea border area, but significant steps have been taken in 2010 toward its resolution.
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Bellingshausen Sea
The Bellingshausen Sea is an area along the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula, west of Alexander Island, east of Cape Flying Fish on Thurston Island, and south of Peter I Island (there the southern Vostokkysten). In the south are, from west to east, Eights Coast, Bryan Coast and English Coast (west part) of West Antarctica. To the west of Cape Flying Fish joins Amundsen Sea.
Bellingshausen Sea has an area of 487,000 km2 (188,000 sq mi) and reaches a maximum depth of 4,470 meters (14,670 ft).
It takes its name from Admiral Thaddeus Bellingshausen, who explored in the area in 1821.
In the late Pliocene Epoch, about 2.15 million years ago, the Eltanin asteroid impacted here. This is the only known impact in a deep-ocean basin in the world.
Coordinates: 71°S 85°W / 71°S 85°W / -71; -85
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Bering Sea
Coordinates: 58°0′N 178°0′W / 58°N 178°W / 58; -178
The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves.
The Bering Sea is separated from the Gulf of Alaska by the Alaska Peninsula. It covers over two million square kilometers, bordered on the east and northeast by Alaska, on the west by Russia's Siberia and Kamchatka Peninsula, on the south by the Alaska Peninsula and the Aleutian Islands and on the far north by the Bering Strait, which connects the Bering Sea to the Arctic Ocean's Chukchi Sea. Bristol Bay is the portion of the Bering Sea which separates the Alaska Peninsula from mainland Alaska. The Bering Sea is named for Vitus Bering, a Danish navigator in Russian service, who in 1728 was the first European to systematically explore it, sailing from the Pacific Ocean northward to the Arctic Ocean.[citation needed]
The Bering Sea ecosystem includes resources within the jurisdiction of the United States and Russia, as well as international waters in the middle of the sea (known as the "Donut Hole"). The interaction between currents, sea ice, and weather make for a vigorous and productive ecosystem.
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Bering Strait
Coordinates: 66°0′N 169°0′W / 66°N 169°W / 66; -169
The Bering Strait (Russian: Берингов пролив, Beringov proliv, Yupik: Imakpik) is a 53 mile long sea strait between Cape Dezhnev, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia, the easternmost point (169°43'W) of the Asian continent and Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, USA, the westernmost point (168°05'W) of the North American continent. It lies slightly south of the polar circle at approximately 65°40'N latitude, with the present US-Russia east-west boundary, agreed to only by the USA, at 168°58'37"W.
The Strait has been the subject of scientific speculation that humans migrated from Asia to North America across a land bridge known as Beringia when lower ocean levels–perhaps a result of glaciers locking up vast amounts of water–exposed a ridge beneath the ocean.
The name of the sea containing the strait is sometimes spelled Behring in older books.
The Bering Strait is approximately 53 miles (85 km) wide, with depth varying between 98 feet (30 m) and 160 feet (49 m). It connects the Chukchi Sea (part of the Arctic Ocean) to the north with the Bering Sea (part of the Pacific Ocean) to the south.
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Bismarck Sea
The Bismarck Sea lies in the southwestern Pacific Ocean to the north of the island of Papua New Guinea and to the south of the Bismarck Archipelago and Admiralty Islands. Like the Bismarck archipelago, it is named in honour of the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck. The Bismarck archipelago extends round to the east and north of the sea, enclosing the Bismarck Sea and separating it from the Pacific Ocean. To the south it is linked to the Solomon Sea by the Vitiaz Strait.
It was the site of a major Japanese naval defeat in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea during World War II on 3 and 4 March 1943.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the Bismarck Sea as "that area of the South Pacific Ocean off the Northeast coast of New Guinea", with the following limits:
On the North and East. By the Northern and Northeastern coasts of the islands of New Ireland, New Hanover, the Admiralty Islands, Hermit Island, and the Ninigo Group, through Manu and Aua Islands to Wuvulu Island and thence a line to Baudissin Point in New Guinea (142°02'E).
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Bohai Sea
Coordinates: 38°42′N 119°54′E / 38.7°N 119.9°E / 38.7; 119.9
Bohai Sea (Chinese: 渤海; pinyin: Bó Hǎi; Wade–Giles: Po-hai), also known as Bohai Gulf, Bohai, or Bo Hai, is the innermost gulf of the Yellow Sea on the coast of Northeastern and North China. It is approximately 78,000 km2 (30,116 sq. mi) in area and its proximity to Beijing, the capital of the Peoples Republic of China, makes it one of the busiest seaways in the world.
Until the early 20th century, Bo Hai was often called the Gulf of Chihli (直隸海灣 Zhílì Hǎiwān) or the Gulf of Pechihli or Pechili (北直隸海灣 Běizhílì Hǎiwān). Zhili and Beizhili were historic provinces in the area surrounding Beijing.
The Bohai Sea is bounded by the Liaodong and Shandong Peninsulas. It has become one of busiest sea routes in recent times. There are three major bays inside the Bohai Sea: Laizhou Bay to the south, Liaodong Bay to the north, and Bohai Bay to the west. At the easternmost end of the Bohai Sea, between the southernmost end of the Liaodong Peninsula and northernmost end of the Shandong Peninsula, is the Bohai Strait (渤海海峡). A few of the rivers entering the gulf include the Yellow, Hai, Liao, and Luan Rivers. There are a few important oil reserves in the vicinity of the gulf, including the Shengli Field. Important island groups or islands in the gulf include the Changshan Islands (长山列岛), Changxing Island, and Xizhong Island (西中岛). The PRC provincial-level divisions that have a Bohai Sea coastline are, from the south, going clockwise: Shandong Province, Hebei Province, Tianjin Municipality, and Liaoning Province
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Bohol Sea
The Bohol Sea, also called the Mindanao Sea, is located between Visayas and Mindanao in the Philippines. It lies south of Bohol and Leyte and north of Mindanao. Siquijor and Camiguin are its two major islands.
The major cities on the sea are Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City, Butuan City, Dumaguete City, Ozamis City, and Tagbilaran City.
The sea connects to the Philippine Sea through the Surigao Strait, to the Camotes Sea through the Canigao Channel and Cebu Strait, and to the Sulu Sea through the strait between Negros Island and Zamboanga Peninsula.
The Bohol Sea is home to a large variety of premier scuba diving locations, dive charter boats, and hotels that cater to divers. Around the area of Tagbilaran and Balicasag Island there are numerous wall dives that range from 30 to 100 feet. Water temperatures are very warm and most divers use a standard 3/2 shorty wetsuit to dive the location.
Sea life is abundant and includes such attractions as clownfish, lionfish[disambiguation needed
], barracuda, dolphins, huge coral formations, and other common tropical sealife.
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Bothnian Bay
The Bothnian Bay or Bay of Bothnia (Swedish: Bottenviken, Finnish: Perämeri) is the northernmost part of the Gulf of Bothnia, the northern part of the Baltic Sea. Its northernmost point is situated in Töre. The bay is bounded by Finland to the east, Sweden to the west, and the Kvarken sound to the south.
Major ports on the Finnish side are the ports in Oulu, Kemi and Raahe.
The maximum depth of the bay is 482 feet (147 m).
The bay has the highest rate of rising of land by post-glacial rebound in the Baltic Sea with an estimated 9 mms a year, this being the area in Northern Europe where the glacier was at its thickest. Today the Bothnian Bay lies around 300 meters higher than it did at the end of the Ice age. Ancient coastlines can be seen at much higher sites than today's sealevel.
Coordinates: 65°0′N 23°0′E / 65°N 23°E / 65; 23
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Bothnian Sea
Coordinates: 61°30′N 19°30′E / 61.5°N 19.5°E / 61.5; 19.5
The Bothnian Sea (Swedish: Bottenhavet, Finnish: Selkämeri) links the Bothnian Bay (called also Bay of Bothnia) with the Baltic proper. Kvarken is situated between the two. Together, the Bothnian Sea and Bay make up a larger geographical entity, the Gulf of Bothnia. The whole Gulf of Bothnia is situated between Sweden, to the West, Finland, to the East, and the Sea of Åland and Archipelago Sea to the South. rr The surface area of Bothnian Sea is approximately 79,000 km². The largest coastal towns, from south to north, are Rauma and Pori in Finland, and Gävle and Sundsvall in Sweden. Umeå (Sweden) and Vaasa (Finland) lie in the extreme north, near Bothnian Bay.
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Cambodia
Cambodia (
i/kæmˈboʊdiə/;Khmer: ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា, Kampuchea, IPA: [kɑmˈpuˈciə]), officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. With a total landmass of 181,035 square kilometres (69,898 sq mi), it is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the northeast, Vietnam to the east, and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest.
With a population of over 14.8 million, Cambodia is the 68th most populous country in the world. The official religion is Theravada Buddhism, which is practiced by around 95% of the Cambodian population. The country minority groups include Vietnamese, Chinese, Chams and 30 various hill tribes. The capital and largest city is Phnom Penh; the political, economic, and cultural center of Cambodia. The kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with Norodom Sihamoni, a monarch chosen by the Royal Throne Council, as head of state. The head of government is Hun Sen, who is currently the longest serving leader in South East Asia and has ruled Cambodia for over 25 years.
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Camotes Sea
The Camotes Sea is a small sea within the Philippine archipelago, between the Eastern Visayas and the Central Visayas. It is bordered by the islands of Leyte to the north and east, Bohol to the south, and Cebu to the west. The sea is connected to the Visayan Sea to the northwest, and to the Bohol Sea to the south by the Canigao Channel and Cebu Strait. It contains the Camotes Islands and Mactan Island.
The major cities of the area are Ormoc City and Baybay in Leyte province, and Cebu City, Cebu.
Coordinates: 10°30′N 124°20′E / 10.5°N 124.333°E / 10.5; 124.333
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Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles.
The entire area of the Caribbean Sea, the numerous islands of the West Indies, and adjacent coasts, are collectively known as the Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea is one of the largest salt water seas and has an area of about 2,754,000 km² (1,063,000 sq. mi.). The sea's deepest point is the Cayman Trough, between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, at 7,686 m (25,220 ft) below sea level. The Caribbean coastline has many gulfs and bays: the Gulf of Gonâve, Gulf of Venezuela, Gulf of Darién, Golfo de los Mosquitos, Gulf of Paria and Gulf of Honduras.
The name "Caribbean" is derived from the Caribs, one of the dominant American Indian groups in the region at the time of European contact during the late 15th century. After the discovery of the West Indies by Christopher Columbus in 1492, the Spanish term Antillas was assigned to the lands; stemming from this, "Sea of the Antilles" is a common alternative name for the Caribbean Sea in various European languages. During the first century of development, the Spanish dominance was undisputed.
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Celebes Sea
The Celebes Sea (Indonesian: Laut Sulawesi) of the western Pacific Ocean is bordered on the north by the Sulu Archipelago and Sulu Sea and Mindanao Island of the Philippines, on the east by the Sangihe Islands chain, on the south by Sulawesi, and on the west by Kalimantan in Indonesia. It extends 420 miles (675 km) north-south by 520 miles (837 km) east-west and has a total surface area of 110,000 square miles (280,000 km2), to a maximum depth of 20,300 feet (6,200 m). The sea opens southwest through the Makassar Strait into the Java Sea.
The Celebes Sea is a piece of an ancient ocean basin that formed 42 million years ago in a locale removed from any landmass. By 20,000,000 years ago, earth crust movement had moved the basin close enough to the Indonesian and Philippine volcanoes to receive emitted debris. By 10 million years ago the Celebes Sea was inundated with continental debris, including coal, which was shed from a growing young mountain on Borneo and the basin had docked against Eurasia.
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Celtic Sea
The Celtic Sea (Irish: An Mhuir Cheilteach; Welsh: Y Môr Celtaidd; Cornish: An Mor Keltek; Breton: Ar Mor Keltiek; French: La mer Celtique) is the area of the Atlantic Ocean off the south coast of Ireland bounded to the east by Saint George's Channel; other limits include the Bristol Channel, the English Channel, and the Bay of Biscay, as well as adjacent portions of Wales, Cornwall, Devon, and Brittany. The southern and western boundaries are delimited by the continental shelf, which drops away sharply.
The Celtic heritage of the bounding lands to the north and east gives the sea its name, first proposed by E. W. L. Holt at a 1921 meeting in Dublin of fisheries experts from England, Ireland, Scotland and France. The northern portion of this sea had previously been considered as part of Saint George's Channel and the southern portion as an undifferentiated part of the "Southwest Approaches" to Britain. The need for a common name came to be felt because of the common marine biology, geology and hydrology. It was adopted in France before being common in the English-speaking countries. It was adopted by marine biologists and oceanographers, and later by oil exploration firms. It is named in a 1963 British atlas, but a 1972 article states "what British maps call the western approaches, and what the oil industry calls the Celtic Sea [...] certainly the residents on the western coast [of Great Britain] don't refer to it as such."
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Ceram Sea
The Ceram Sea or Seram Sea (Indonesian = Laut Seram) is one of several small seas between the scattered islands of Indonesia. It is a section of the Pacific Ocean with an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometers located between Buru and Seram, which are two of the islands once called the South Moluccas. These islands are the native habitat of plants long coveted for their use as spices, such as nutmeg, cloves, and black peppercorns, and the seas surrounding them were busy shipping routes. The Ceram Sea is also the habitat of several species of tropical goby and many other fish. Like many other small Indonesian seas, the Ceram Sea is rocky and very tectonically active.
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the Ceram Sea as being one of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago. The IHO defines its limits as follows:
On the North and Northeast. A line from Tanjong Dehekolano, the Eastern extreme of the Soela [Sula] Islands to the Western extreme of Obi Major, along its Southern coast to Tanjong Seranmaloleo its Eastern extreme, thence through Tobalai, Kekek, Pisang and Kofiau Islands to Tanjong Sele (1°26′S 130°55′E / 1.433°S 130.917°E / -1.433; 130.917), the Western point of New Guinea, down the coast to Karoefa (3°51.5′S 133°27′E / 3.8583°S 133.45°E / -3.8583; 133.45).
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Chao Phraya River
The Chao Phraya is a major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It runs through Bangkok, the capital city, and then empties into the Gulf of Thailand.
On many old European maps, the river is named Menam or Mae Nam (Thai: แม่น้ำ), Thai for "river". James McCarthy, F.R.G.S., who served as Director-General of the Siamese Government Surveys prior to establishment of the Royal Survey Department, wrote in his account:
Me Nam is a generic term, Me signifying "mother" and Nam "water," and the epithet Chao P'ia signifies that it is the chief river in the kingdom of Siam.
H. Warington Smyth, who served as Director of the Department of Mines in Siam from 1891 to 1896, refers to it in his book first published in 1898 as "the Me Nam Chao Phraya." Thai royal and noble title Chao Phraya may be translated as "Grand Duke." In the English-language media in Thailand, the name is often translated as River of Kings.
The Chao Phraya begins at the confluence of the Ping and Nan rivers at Nakhon Sawan (also called Pak Nam Pho) in Nakhon Sawan province. It then flows south for 372 kilometres (231 mi) from the central plains to Bangkok and the Gulf of Thailand. In Chainat, the river splits into the main course and the Tha Chin river, which then flows parallel to the main river and exits in the Gulf of Thailand about 35 kilometres (22 mi) west of Bangkok in Samut Sakhon. In the low alluvial plain which begins below the Chainat Dam, many small canals (khlong) split off from the main river. The khlong are used for the irrigation of the region's rice paddies.
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Chilean Sea
Coordinates: 23°00′S 70°45′W / 23°S 70.75°W / -23; -70.75
The Chilean Sea is the portion of the Pacific Ocean lying west of the Chilean mainland. The official Chilean usage for Chilean Sea was defined on May 30 of 1974 when the Diario oficial de la Republica de Chile published Supreme Decree #346, which declared that "the waters surrounding or touching the shores of the national territory shall be known as Mar Chileno.[citation needed]
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Chonburi province
Chonburi (Thai: ชลบุรี [tɕ͡ʰōn būrīː] ( listen)) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi and Rayong. To the west is the Gulf of Thailand. The eastern seaboard is heavily industrialized and underpinned by shipping, transportation, tourism, and manufacturing industries, and second to only Bangkok in economic output.[citation needed]
From historical evidence, Mueang Chonburi has been settled since the Ayutthaya period. Originally, it comprised many small towns such as Mueang Bang Sai, Mueang Bang Pla Soi, and Mueang Bang Phra. Later, King Rama V combined these towns together into Chonburi Province.
The word Chon originates from the Sanskrit word Jala meaning water, and the word buri from Sanskrit Puri meaning town or city. Hence the name of the province literally means City of Water.
The province is located at the Bay of Bangkok, the northern end of the Gulf of Thailand. The Khao Khiao mountain range stretches from the north-west to the south-east of the province, while the fertile plains of the north were long used for farming. In Laem Chabang, in the south of the province, is one of the few deep-water harbours of Thailand.
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Chukchi Sea
Chukchi Sea (Russian: Чуко́тское мо́ре; IPA: [tɕʊˈkotskəjə ˈmorʲə]) is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean. It is bounded on the west by the De Long Strait, off Wrangel Island, and in the east by Point Barrow, Alaska, beyond which lies the Beaufort Sea. The Bering Strait forms its southernmost limit and connects it to the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The principal port on the Chukchi Sea is Uelen in Russia. The International Date Line crosses the Chukchi Sea from NW to SE. It is displaced eastwards to avoid Wrangel Island as well as the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug on the Russian mainland.
The sea has an approximate area of 595,000 km² (230,000 mi²) and is only navigable about four months of the year. The main geological feature of the Chukchi Sea bottom is the 700 km (435 mi)-long Hope Basin, which is bound to the northeast by the Herald Arch. Depths less than 50 m (164 ft) occupy 56% of the total area.
The Chukchi Sea has very few islands compared to other seas of the Arctic. Wrangel Island lies at the northwestern limit of the sea, Herald Island is located near its northern limit, and a few small islands lie along the Siberian and Alaskan coasts.
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Cooperation Sea
Cooperation Sea, also called Commonwealth Sea or Sodruzhestva Sea, is a sea of the Southern Ocean, between Enderby Land (the eastern limit of which is 59°34'E) and West Ice Shelf (85°E), off the coast of MacRobertson Land and Princess Elizabeth Land. It stretches over an area of 258,000 km².
Davis Station is located on the coast of Cooperation Sea.
To the east of Cooperation Sea is Davis Sea, to the west is Cosmonauts Sea.
Coordinates: 65°00′S 72°00′E / 65°S 72°E / -65; 72
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Coral Sea
Coordinates: 18°S 158°E / 18°S 158°E / -18; 158
The Coral Sea is a marginal sea off the northeast coast of Australia. It is bounded in the west by the east coast of Queensland, thereby including the Great Barrier Reef, in the east by Vanuatu (formerly the New Hebrides) and by New Caledonia, and in the northeast approximately by the southern extremity of the Solomon Islands. In the northwest, it reaches to the south coast of eastern New Guinea, thereby including the Gulf of Papua. It merges with the Tasman Sea in the south, with the Solomon Sea in the north and with the Pacific Ocean in the east. On the west, it is bounded by the mainland coast of Queensland, and in the northwest, it connects with the Arafura Sea through the Torres Strait.
The sea is characterised by its warm and stable climate, with frequent rains and tropical cyclones. It contains numerous islands and reefs, as well as the world's largest reef system, the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981. All previous oil exploration projects were terminated at the GBR in 1975, and fishing is restricted in many areas. The reefs and islands of the Coral Sea are particularly rich in birds and aquatic life and are a popular tourist destination, both nationally and internationally.
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Cosmonauts Sea
Cosmonauts Sea, sometimes misspelled Cosmonaut Sea, is a sea of the Southern Ocean, off Prince Olav Coast and Enderby Land, Antarctica, between about 30°E and 50°E. It has an area of 699,000 km².
To the east of Cosmonauts Sea is Cooperation Sea, to the west is Riiser-Larsen Sea.
Coordinates: 65°00′S 45°00′E / 65°S 45°E / -65; 45
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Davis Sea
Davis Sea is an area of the sea along the coast of East Antarctica between West Ice Shelf in the west and the Shackleton Ice Shelf in the east, or between 82° and 96°E. East of it is Mawson Sea, and in the west is Cooperation Sea.
According to the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, it stretches from 87°E to 98°E, and is up to 1,300 metres deep. Its area is given as only 21,000 km.
It washes the coast of Princess Elizabeth Land (there only Leopold and Astrid Coast), Kaiser Wilhelm II Land, and Queen Mary Land, all sectors of the Australian Antarctic Territory.
About 55 km off the coast of Queen Mary Land is Drygalski Island. Russian Mirny Station was built on the coast of Queen Mary Land in 1956. Roscoe Glacier flows into the eastern part of Davis Sea. Close offshore are Bigelow Rock and the Gillies Islands.
Discovered by Australian Antarctic Expedition (1911–14) from the Aurora. Named by Sir Douglas Mawson for Captain J.K. Davis, master of the Aurora and second in command of the expedition.
Coordinates: 66°S 92°E / 66°S 92°E / -66; 92
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Davis Strait
Davis Strait (French: Détroit de Davis) is a northern arm of the Labrador Sea. It lies between mid-western Greenland and Nunavut, Canada's Baffin Island. The strait was named for the English explorer John Davis (1550–1605), who explored the area while seeking a Northwest Passage.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Davis Strait as follows:
On the North. The Southern limit of Baffin Bay [The parallel of 70° North between Greenland and Baffin Land].
On the East. The Southwest coast of Greenland.
On the South. The parallel of 60° North between Greenland and Labrador.
On the West. The Eastern limit of the Northwestern Passages South of 70° North [the East coast of Baffin Island to East Bluff, its Southeastern extremity] and of Hudson Strait [A line from East Bluff, the Southeast extreme of Baffin Island (61°53′N 65°57′W / 61.883°N 65.95°W / 61.883; -65.95), to Point Meridian, the Western extreme of Lower Savage Islands, along the coast to its Southwestern extreme and thence a line across to the Western extreme of Resolution Island, through its Southwestern shore to Hatton Headland, its Southern point, thence a line to Cape Chidley, Labrador (60°24′N 64°26′W / 60.4°N 64.433°W / 60.4; -64.433)].
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Denmark Strait
The Denmark Strait or Greenland Strait (Danish: Danmarksstrædet, Icelandic: Grænlandssund, the latter meaning Greenland Sound) is an oceanic strait between Greenland (to its northwest) and Iceland (to its southeast). The Norwegian island of Jan Mayen lies northeast of the strait.
It connects the Greenland Sea, an extension of the Arctic Ocean, to the Irminger Sea, a part of the Atlantic Ocean, and is 300 miles (480 km) long and 180 miles (290 km) miles wide at its narrowest, from Straumnes, the northwestern headland of the north west Icelandic peninsula of Hornstrandir, und Cape Tupinier on Blosseville Coast in East Greenland). The official IHO delineation between the Arctic and the North Atlantic Oceans, however, runs from Straumness to Cape Nansen, which is 132 km (82 miles) southwest of Cape Tunipier. From Straumnes to Cape Nansen the distance is 336 km (209 miles).
The narrow depth, where the Greenland-Iceland Rise runs on the bottom of the sea, is 625 feet (191 m). The cold East Greenland Current passes through the strait and carries icebergs south into the north Atlantic Ocean. It hosts important fishing grounds.
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East China Sea
Coordinates: 30°N 125°E / 30°N 125°E / 30; 125
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 square kilometres (482,000 sq mi).
The East China Sea is bounded on the east by Kyūshū and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, on the south by the island of Taiwan, and on the west by mainland China and the Asian continent. It is connected with the South China Sea by the Taiwan Strait and with the Sea of Japan by the Korea Strait; it opens in the north to the Yellow Sea.
States with borders on the sea (clockwise from north) include: South Korea, Japan, Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the "Eastern China Sea (Tung Hai)" as follows:
On the South.
On the East.
On the North.
On the West.
The Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) is the largest river flowing into the East China Sea.
There is a cluster of submerged reefs in the northern East China Sea. These include:
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East Siberian Sea
The East Siberian Sea (Russian: Восто́чно-Сиби́рское мо́ре) is a marginal sea in the Arctic Ocean. It is located between the Arctic Cape to the north, the coast of Siberia to the south, the New Siberian Islands to the west and Cape Billings, close to Chukotka, and Wrangel Island to the east. This sea borders on the Laptev Sea to the west and the Chukchi Sea to the east.
This sea is one of the least studied in the Arctic area. It is characterized by severe climate, low water salinity, and a scarcity of flora, fauna and human population, as well as shallow depths (mostly less than 50 meters), slow sea currents, low tides (below 25 cm), frequent fogs, especially in summer, and an abundance of ice fields which fully melt only in August–September. The sea shores were inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous tribes of Yukaghirs, Chukchi and then Evens and Evenks, which were engaged in fishing, hunting and reindeer husbandry. They were then absorbed by Yakuts and later by Russians.
Major industrial activities in the area are mining and navigation within the Northern Sea Route; commercial fishing is poorly developed. The largest city and port is Pevek, the northernmost city of mainland Russia.
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English Channel
The English Channel (French: la Manche, Breton: Mor Breizh, Cornish: Mor Bretannek), often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about 560 km (350 mi) long and varies in width from 240 km (150 mi) at its widest to 34 km (21 mi) in the Strait of Dover. It is the smallest of the shallow seas around the continental shelf of Europe, covering an area of some 75,000 km2 (29,000 sq mi).
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the English Channel as follows:
On the West. A line joining Isle Vierge (48°38′23″N 4°34′13″W / 48.63972°N 4.57028°W / 48.63972; -4.57028) to Lands End (50°04′N 5°43′W / 50.067°N 5.717°W / 50.067; -5.717).
On the East. The Southwestern limit of the North Sea.
The IHO defines the southwestern limit of the North Sea as "a line joining the Walde Lighthouse (France, 1°55'E) and Leathercoat Point (England, 51°10'N)". The Walde Lighthouse is 6 km east of Calais (50°59′06″N 1°55′00″E / 50.985°N 1.9166667°E / 50.985; 1.9166667), and Leathercoat Point is at the north end of St Margaret's Bay, Kent (51°10′00″N 1°24′00″E / 51.1666667°N 1.4°E / 51.1666667; 1.4).
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Flores Sea
The Flores Sea covers 93,000 square miles (240,000 square kilometres) of water in Indonesia.
The seas that border the Flores Sea are the Bali Sea (to the west), Java Sea (to the northwest), and the Banda Sea (to the east and northeast).
The Indian Ocean and Savu Sea lie to the south, but are separated from the Flores Sea by various Islands.
Islands that border this sea are the Lesser Sunda Islands and Celebes (Sulawesi).
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the Flores Sea as being one of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago. The IHO defines its limits as follows:
On the North. The South coast of Celedes [sic] [Sulawesi] from the West point of Laikang Bay (5°37′S 119°30′E / 5.617°S 119.5°E / -5.617; 119.5) to Tanjong Lassa (120°28'E).
On the East. The Western limit of the Banda Sea between Flores and Celebes [a line from Flores' Northern point (8°04′S 122°52′E / 8.067°S 122.867°E / -8.067; 122.867) to Kalaotoa Island (7°24′S 121°52′E / 7.4°S 121.867°E / -7.4; 121.867) and through the chain of islands lying between it and the South point of Pulo Salayar, through this island and across the Strait to Tanjong Lassa, Celebes (5°37′S 120°28′E / 5.617°S 120.467°E / -5.617; 120.467)].
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Foxe Basin
Not to be confused with Fox Bay, Falkland Islands
Foxe Basin is a shallow oceanic basin north of Hudson Bay, in Nunavut, Canada, located between Baffin Island and the Melville Peninsula. For most of the year, it is blocked by ice floes.
The nutrient-rich cold waters found in the basin are known to be especially favorable to phytoplankton and the numerous islands within it are important bird habitats, including Sabine's Gulls and many types of shorebirds. Bowhead whales migrate to the northern part of the basin each summer.
The basin takes its name from the English explorer Luke Foxe.
Foxe Basin is a broad, predominantly shallow depression, generally less than 100 metres (330 ft) in depth, while to the south, depths of up to 400 metres (1,300 ft) occur. The tidal range decreases from 5 m (16 ft) in the southeast to less than 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in the northwest. During much of the year, landfast ice dominates in the north, while pack ice prevails towards the south. Foxe Basin itself is rarely ice-free until September, open pack ice being common throughout the summer. Vigorous tidal currents and strong winds keep the ice pack in constant motion and contribute to the numerous polynyas and shore leads which are found throughout the region. This same motion, combined with the high sediment content of the water makes the sea ice of Foxe Basin dark and rough, easily distinguishable from other ice in the Canadian Arctic.
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Fram Strait
The Fram Strait is a passage from the Arctic Ocean to the Greenland Sea and Norwegian Sea, between Greenland and Spitsbergen. It is named after the Norwegian ship Fram. The Fram Strait is the major connection between the Arctic Ocean and the world ocean.
The Fram strait plays a central role in whether the north ice cap will survive future summers. Most of the ice pack appears over the winter, freezing up to 1 m deep, but then melts back to open water by August. The area covered by multi-year ice, however, is thought to have remained relatively stable, an equilibrium between creation (first-year ice that persists into its second winter, becoming multi-year ice) and destruction (flow of sea ice through the Fram Strait and southward along the eastern coast of Greenland). Approximately 90% of sea ice exported from the Arctic is transported by the Eastern Greenland Current, joining the current as it passes through the Fram Strait.
The amount of sea ice passing through the Fram Strait varies from year to year, as seen in this animation.
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Greenland Sea
The Greenland Sea is a body of water that borders Greenland to the west, the Svalbard archipelago to the east, Fram Strait and the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Norwegian Sea and Iceland to the south. The Greenland Sea is often defined as part of the Arctic Ocean, sometimes as part of the Atlantic Ocean. However, definitions of the Arctic Ocean and its seas tend to be imprecise or arbitrary. In general usage the term "Arctic Ocean" would exclude the Greenland Sea. In oceanographic studies the Greenland Sea is considered part of the Nordic Seas, along with the Norwegian Sea and Iceland Sea. The Nordic Seas are the main connection between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans and, as such, could be of great significance in a possible shutdown of thermohaline circulation. In oceanography the Arctic Ocean and Nordic Seas are often referred to collectively as the "Arctic Mediterranean Sea", a marginal sea of the Atlantic.
The sea has Arctic climate with regular northern winds and temperatures rarely rising above 0 °C. It previously contained the Odden ice tongue (or Odden) area, which extended eastward from the main East Greenland ice edge in the vicinity of 72–74°N during the winter and acted as a key winter ice formation area in the Arctic. The West Ice forms in winter in the Greenland Sea, north of Iceland, between Greenland and Jan Mayen island. It is a major breeding ground of harp seal and hooded seal that has been used for seal hunting for more than 200 years.
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Gulf of Aden
The Gulf of Aden (Arabic: خليج عدن Ḫalīǧ ʻAdan, Somali: Gacanka Cadmeed) is a gulf located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa. In the northwest, it connects with the Red Sea through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, which is about 20 miles wide.
The waterway is part of the important Suez canal shipping route between the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Sea in the Indian Ocean with 21,000 ships crossing the gulf annually. The gulf is known by the nickname "Pirate Alley" due to the large amount of pirate activity in the area.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Gulf of Aden as follows:
On the Northwest. The Southern limit of the Red Sea [A line joining Husn Murad (12°40′N 43°30′E / 12.667°N 43.5°E / 12.667; 43.5) and Ras Siyan (12°29′N 43°20′E / 12.483°N 43.333°E / 12.483; 43.333)].
On the East. The meridian of Cape Guardafui (Ras Asir, 51°16'E).
The temperature of the Gulf of Aden varies between 15 °C (59 °F) and 28 °C (82 °F), depending on the season and the appearance of monsoons. The salinity of the gulf at 10 metres (33 ft) depth varies from 35.3 ‰ along the eastern Somali coast to as high as 37.3 ‰ in the gulf's center, while the oxygen content in the Gulf of Aden at the same depth is typically between 4.0 and 5.0 mg/L.
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Gulf of Alaska
The Gulf of Alaska is an arm of the Pacific Ocean defined by the curve of the southern coast of Alaska, stretching from the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island in the west to the Alexander Archipelago in the east, where Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage are found.
The entire shoreline of the Gulf is a rugged combination of forest, mountain, and a number of tidewater glaciers. Alaska's largest glaciers, the Malaspina Glacier and Bering Glacier spill out onto the coastal plain along the Gulf of Alaska. The coast is also heavily indented, with Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound the two largest connected bodies of water, but also including Yakutat Bay and Cross Sound. Lituya Bay is the site of the largest recorded tsunami in history and is a popular sheltered anchorage for fishing boats.
The Gulf of Alaska is considered a Class I, highly productive ecosystem (more than 300 grams of carbon per square meter per year).
Meteorologically, the Gulf is a great generator of storms. In addition to dumping vast quantities of snow and ice on southern Alaska, resulting in some of the largest concentrations south of the Arctic Circle, many of the storms move south along the coasts of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and as far south as Southern California (primarily during El Nino events). Much of the seasonal rainfall and snowfall in the Pacific Northwest and Southwestern United States comes from the Gulf of Alaska.
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Gulf of Aqaba
The Gulf of Aqaba (Arabic: خليج العقبة; transliterated: Khalyj al-'Aqabah) is a large gulf located at the northern tip of the Red Sea, east of the Sinai Peninsula and west of the Arabian mainland. Its coastline is divided between four countries: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. In Israel, it is often referred to as the Gulf of Eilat, after Eilat, the predominant Israeli city at its northern end (Hebrew: מפרץ אילת, transliterated: Mifratz Eilat).
The Gulf is located to the east of the Sinai Peninsula and west of the Arabian mainland. This and the Gulf of Suez are the two gulfs extending from the northern portion of the Red Sea; the Gulf of Aqaba is east of the Gulf of Suez. Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia all have coastlines on the Gulf. It reaches a maximum depth of 1,850 m in its central area (the Gulf of Suez is significantly wider but less than 100 m deep).
The Gulf of Aqaba measures 24 kilometres (15 mi) at its widest point and stretches some 160 kilometres (99 mi) north from the Straits of Tiran to a point where the border of Israel meets the borders of Egypt and Jordan.
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Gulf of Boothia
The Gulf of Boothia is a body of water in Nunavut, Canada, the western side being within Kitikmeot Region while the eastern side is in Qikiqtaaluk Region. It is situated between Baffin Island and the Boothia Peninsula. It is bounded by the Melville Peninsula and the Canadian mainland to the south; to the north it leads into Prince Regent Inlet and Lancaster Sound.
It was named by the Scottish explorer John Ross for Englishman Sir Felix Booth, the patron of his second expedition in search of the Northwest Passage.
Coordinates: 70°40′N 91°00′W / 70.667°N 91°W / 70.667; -91 (Gulf of Boothia)
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Gulf of Bothnia
The Gulf of Bothnia (Finnish: Pohjanlahti; Swedish: Bottniska viken, i.e. Bottenviken + Bottenhavet) is the northernmost arm of the Baltic Sea. It is situated between Finland's west coast and Sweden's east coast. In the south of the gulf lie the Åland Islands, between the Sea of Åland and the Archipelago Sea.
Bothnia is a Latinization. "Botten" in the Swedish name "Bottenviken" originally meant "gulf" or "bay" ; hence "Bottenviken" means "the Gulf-gulf".
The name botn was applied to the Gulf of Bothnia as Helsingjabotn in Old Norse, after Hälsingland, which at the time referred to the coastland west of the gulf. Later, botten was applied to the regions Västerbotten on the western side and Österbotten the eastern side ("East Bottom" and "West Bottom"). The Finnish name of Österbotten, Pohjanmaa, or "Pohja"-land, gives a hint as to the meaning in both languages: pohja means both "bottom" and "north."[citation needed]
Botn/botten is cognate with the English word bottom, and it might be part of a general north European distinction of lowlands, as opposed to highlands, such as the Netherlandic region, Samogitia (Lithuanian), and Sambia (Russia).[clarification needed][citation needed]
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Gulf of Fonseca
The Gulf of Fonseca (Spanish: Golfo de Fonseca), part of the Pacific Ocean, a gulf in Central America, bordering El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.
Fonseca Bay was discovered in 1522 by Gil Gonzalez de Avila, and named by him after his patron, Archbishop Juan Fonseca, the implacable enemy of Columbus[citation needed].
In 1849, E. G. Squier negotiated a treaty for the United States to build a canal across Honduras from the Caribbean Sea to the Gulf. Frederick Chatfield, the British commander in Central America, was afraid that American presence in Honduras would destabilize the British Mosquito Coast, and sent his fleet to occupy El Tigre Island at the entrance to the Gulf. Shortly thereafter, however, Squier demanded the British leave, since he had anticipated the occupation and negotiated the island's temporary cession to the United States. Chatfield could only comply.
All three countries—Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua—with coastline along the Gulf have been involved in a lengthy dispute over the rights to the Gulf and the islands located within. In 1992, a chamber of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) decided the Land, Island and Maritime Frontier Dispute, of which the Gulf dispute was a part. The ICJ determined that El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua were to share control of the Gulf of Fonseca. El Salvador was awarded the islands of Meanguera and Meanguerita, while Honduras was awarded El Tigre island.
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Gulf of Guinea
Coordinates: 1°0′N 4°0′E / 1°N 4°E / 1; 4
The Gulf of Guinea is the northeasternmost part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean between Cape Lopez in Gabon, north and west to Cape Palmas in Liberia. The intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian (zero degrees latitude and longitude) is in the gulf.
Among the many rivers that drain into the Gulf of Guinea are the Niger and the Volta. The coastline on the gulf includes the Bight of Benin and the Bight of Bonny.
The Niger River in particular deposited organic sediments out to sea over millions of years which became crude oil.[citation needed] The Gulf of Guinea region, along with the Congo River delta and Angola further south, are expected to provide around a quarter of the United States' oil imports by 2015.[citation needed] This region is now regarded as one of the world's top oil and gas exploration hotspots.[citation needed]
The origin of the name Guinea is thought to be an area in the region, although the specifics are disputed. Bovill (1995) gives a thorough description:
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Gulf of Khambhat
The Gulf of Khambhat (formerly known as the Gulf of Cambay) is an inlet of the Arabian Sea along the west coast of India, in the state of Gujarat. It is about 80 miles in length, and divides the Kathiawar peninsula to the west from the eastern part of Gujarat state on the east.
The Narmada and Tapti rivers empty into the Gulf. The Gulf is shallow and abounds in shoals and sandbanks including the Mal Bank at the river mouths and the Malacca Banks at the gulf's entrance to the Arabian Sea. The Gulf is known for its extreme tides, which vary greatly in height and run into it with amazing speed. At low tide the bottom is left nearly dry for some distance below the town of Khambhat.
The Alang Ship Recycling Yard takes advantage of the extreme high tides of the gulf. Large ships are beached during the twice-monthly highest tides, and are dismantled when the tide recedes.
The Gulf of Khambhat has been an important centre of trade since ancient times; its ports connect central India to the maritime trade routes of the Indian Ocean. Bharuch (Broach), Surat, Khambhat, Bhavnagar, and Daman are historically important seaports. Bharuch has been important since ancient times; Khambhat was the gulf's chief port in the Middle Ages, but after the silting of its harbour, Surat rose to prominence as the most important harbour of the Mughal empire.
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Gulf of Kutch
The Gulf of Kutch is an inlet of the Arabian Sea along the west coast of India, in the state of Gujarat, and renowned for extreme daily tides [1].
The maximum depth of Gulf of Kutch is 401 feet (122 m).
It is about 99 miles in length, and divides Kutch and the Kathiawar peninsula regions of Gujarat. The Rukmavati River empties into the Arabian Sea nearby.
Coordinates: 22°36′N 69°30′E / 22.6°N 69.5°E / 22.6; 69.5
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Gulf of Lion
The Gulf of Lion (French: golfe du Lion, Spanish: golfo de León, Occitan: golf del/dau Leon, Catalan: golf del Lleó, Medieval Latin: sinus Leonis, mare Leonis, Classical Latin: sinus Gallicus) is a wide embayment of the Mediterranean coastline of Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence in France, reaching from the border with Catalonia in the west to Toulon.
The chief port on the gulf is Marseille. Toulon is another important port. The fishing industry in the gulf is based on hake (Merluccius merluccius), being bottom-trawled, long-lined and gill-netted and currently declining from over-fishing.
Rivers that empty into the gulf include the Tech, Têt, Aude, Orb, Hérault, Vidourle, and the Rhône.
The continental shelf is exposed here as a wide coastal plain, and the offshore terrain slopes rapidly to the Mediterranean's abyssal plain. Much of the coastline is composed of lagoons and salt marsh.
This is the area of the famous cold, blustery winds called the Mistral and the Tramontane.
The current name of the Gulf appeared at least during the 13th century (in medieval Latin sinus Leonis, mare Leonis) and could come from comparison with a lion: it would simply suggest that this part of the sea is as dangerous as a lion because it has very violent, surprising winds that threaten boats (sailors and fishermen know these dangers very well). This comparison with a lion is suggested by various converging sources: Deroy and Mulon's dictionary of French place names, Mistral's comprehensive Occitan dictionary, Diderot and D'Alembert's famous French encyclopedia and several texts in Latin since the 13th century.
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Gulf of Maine
The Gulf of Maine is a large gulf of the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of North America.
It is delineated by Cape Cod at the eastern tip of Massachusetts in the southwest and Cape Sable at the southern tip of Nova Scotia in the northeast. It includes the entire coastlines of the U.S. states of New Hampshire and Maine, as well as Massachusetts north of Cape Cod, and the southern and western coastlines of the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia respectively.
Both Massachusetts Bay and the Bay of Fundy are included within the Gulf of Maine system. As such, the Gulf of Maine is also home to the highest tidal variations on the planet (see Bay of Fundy for further information).
The coastline of the Gulf of Maine is predominantly rocky and scenic; the only significant coastal developments are located in the Boston, Portsmouth, Portland and Saint John metropolitan areas. The effects of glaciation are responsible for stripping sedimentary soil away from the coastline, therefore the gulf lacks the sandy beaches found to the south along the Eastern Seaboard. The underwater features of the seabed sculptured during the lower sea levels of the ice ages make the gulf a semi-enclosed sea bounded to the south and east by underwater banks. Georges Bank in particular, on its southern end, protects the Gulf of Maine waters from the Gulf Stream. Gulf of Maine waters are more strongly influenced by the Labrador Current, making the gulf waters significantly colder and more nutrient-rich than those found to the south. Undersea valleys in the central basin can reach depths of 1,500 feet (500 m) while undersea mountains rise up 800 feet (266 m) from the sea floor, almost reaching the surface in some locations, or even exceeding it, creating islands.
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Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico (Spanish: Golfo de México) is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In Texas and Louisiana it is often called the "Third Coast," in comparison with the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The shape of its basin is roughly oval and is approximately 810 nautical miles (1,500 km) wide and filled with sedimentary rocks and debris. It is connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Florida Straits between the U.S. and Cuba, and with the Caribbean Sea (with which it forms the American Mediterranean Sea) via the Yucatan Channel between Mexico and Cuba. With this narrow connection to the Atlantic, the Gulf experiences very small tidal ranges. The size of the Gulf basin is approximately 615,000 mi² (1.6 million km²). Almost half of the basin is shallow continental shelf waters. At its deepest it is 14,383 ft (4,384 m) at the Sigsbee Deep, an irregular trough more than 300 nautical miles (560 km) (550 km) long. The basin contains a volume of roughly 660 quadrillion gallons (2.5 × 106 km3). It was formed approximately 300 million years ago as a result of plate tectonics.
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Gulf of Oman
The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman (Arabic: خليج عُمان—Ḫalīdj ʾUmān; alternatively known as خليج مکران—, Ḫalīdj Makrān; in Persian: دریای عمان Daryā-ye Ommān, or دریای پارس Daryā-ye Pārs) is a strait (and not an actual gulf) that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It is generally included as a branch of the Persian Gulf, not as an arm of the Arabian Sea. The gulf borders Pakistan and Iran on the north, Oman on the south, and the United Arab Emirates on the west.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Gulf of Oman as follows:
On the Northwest. A line joining Ràs Limah (25°57'N) on the coast of Arabia and Ràs al Kuh (25°48'N) on the coast of Iran (Persia)
On the Southeast. The Northern limit of the Arabian Sea [A line joining Ràs al Hadd, East point of Arabia (22°32'N) and Ràs Jiyùni (61°43'E) on the coast of Pakistan].
Coordinates: 25°N 58°E / 25°N 58°E / 25; 58
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Gulf of Thailand
The Gulf of Thailand (Thai: อ่าวไทย, RTGS: Ao Thai, Thai pronunciation: [ʔàːw tʰaj]), also known to Malays as Teluk Siam, literally meaning Gulf of Siam, and Boeung Tonle Siem in Khmer is a shallow arm of the South China Sea.
The Gulf of Thailand is bordered by Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. The northern tip of the gulf is the Bay of Bangkok at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River. The gulf covers roughly 320,000 km². The boundary of the gulf is defined by the line from Cape Bai Bung in southern Vietnam (just south of the mouth of the Mekong river) to the city Kota Baru on the Malaysian coast. At the height of the last ice age the Gulf of Thailand did not exist, due to the lower sea level, the location being part of the Chao Phraya river valley.
The Gulf of Thailand is relatively shallow: its mean depth is 45 m, and the maximum depth only 80 m. This makes water exchange slow, and the strong water inflow from the rivers make the Gulf low in salinity (3.05-3.25%) and rich in sediments. Only at the greater depths does water with a higher salinity (3.4%) flow into the gulf from the South China sea and fills the central depression below a depth of 50 m. The main rivers which empty into the gulf are the Chao Phraya (including its distributary Tha Chin River), Mae Klong and Bang Pakong Rivers at the Bay of Bangkok, and to a lesser degree the Tapi River into Bandon Bay in the southwest of the gulf.
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Gulf of Tonkin
The Gulf of Tonkin (Vietnamese: Vịnh Bắc Bộ, simplified Chinese: 北部湾; traditional Chinese: 北部灣; pinyin: Běibù Wān) is a body of water located off of northern Vietnam and southern China. It is a northern arm of the South China Sea. The Gulf is defined in the west by the northern coastline of Vietnam, in the north by China's Guangxi province, and to the east by China's Leizhou Peninsula and Hainan Island.
The bay's Vietnamese and Chinese names – Vịnh Bắc Bộ and Běibù Wān, respectively – both mean "Northern Bay". The name Tonkin, written "東京" in Hán tự characters and Đông Kinh in romanised Vietnamese, means "Eastern Capital", and is the former toponym for Hanoi, the present capital of Vietnam. Incidentally, the same Chinese characters – known as kanji when used in Japanese – are used to write "Tokyo"; "Gulf of Tonkin" is written identically to "Tokyo Bay" (東京灣/湾) in Japanese.
On 4 August 1964, United States President Lyndon B. Johnson erroneously claimed that North Vietnamese forces had twice attacked American destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin. Known today as the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, this event spawned the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution of 7 August 1964, ultimately leading to open war between North Vietnam and the United States. It furthermore foreshadowed the major escalation of the Vietnam War in South Vietnam, which began with the landing of US regular combat troops at Da Nang in 1965.
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Gulf of Venezuela
Coordinates: 11°30′N 71°0′W / 11.5°N 71°W / 11.5; -71
The Gulf of Venezuela is a gulf of the Caribbean Sea bounded by the Venezuelan states of Zulia and Falcón and by Guajira Department, Colombia. A 54 km (34 mi) strait connects it with Maracaibo Lake to the south.
The Gulf is located in the north of South America, between Paraguaná Peninsula of the Falcón State in Venezuela and Guajira Peninsula in Colombia and is connected to Maracaibo Lake through an artificial navigation canal. There is currently a dispute between Colombia and Venezuela over the gulf that has not been resolved, despite the decades-long negotiations conducted by a bilateral commission.
It was discovered by westerners in 1499 when an expedition commanded by Alonso de Ojeda in which he was accompanied by Amerigo Vespucci, explored the Venezuelan coasts compiling information and naming the new lands, said expedition arrived to the gulf after passing through the Netherlands Antilles and the Peninsula of Paraguaná.
Territorial waters are also in dispute over the gulf. The border dispute surged after the independence of Colombia and Venezuela from Spain in the 19th Century. The Spanish empire did not delimit the area because the Wayuu indigenous group posed resistance in the area. The land boundary was finally settled in 1941, but not the maritime.
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Halmahera Sea
Halmahera Sea is a regional sea located in the central eastern part of the Australasian Mediterranean Sea. It is centered at about 1°S and 129°E and is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the north, Halmahera to the west, Waigeo and Irian Jaya to the east, and the Seram Sea to the south. It covers about 95,000 km and its topography comprises a number of separate basins and ridges, the chief of which is the Halmahera Basin reaching a depth of 2039 m.
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the Halmahera Sea as being one of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago. The IHO defines its limits as follows:
On the North A line from Wajaboela (Morotai) to Tg. Djodjefa, the Northern point of Halmahera.
On the East. A line from Tg. Gorango, the Northeastern point of Morotai Island, through Sajang and Kawé Islands to the Western extremes of Waigeo and Batanta Islands across to the Northwest point of Samawati Island, down the coast to Tg. Menonket its Southwest point, and thence to Tg. Sele, New Guinea (1°26′S 130°56′E / 1.433°S 130.933°E / -1.433; 130.933).
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Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula (or, more generally, by southern and western Asia); on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and Australia; and on the south by the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, by Antarctica). The ocean is named after the geographic location of India.
As one component of the interconnected global ocean, the Indian Ocean is delineated from the Atlantic Ocean by the 20° east meridian running south from Cape Agulhas, and from the Pacific by the meridian of 146°55' east. The northernmost extent of the Indian Ocean is approximately 30° north in the Persian Gulf. This ocean is nearly 10,000 kilometres (6,200 mi) wide at the southern tips of Africa and Australia; its area is 73,556,000 square kilometres (28,350,000 sq mi), including the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.
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Ionian Sea
The Ionian Sea (Greek: Ιόνιο Πέλαγος, Greek pronunciation: [iˈonio ˈpelaɣos], Italian: Mar Ionio, Italian pronunciation: [maɾ ˈjɔːnio], Albanian: Deti Jon), is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and west coast of Greece.
All major islands in the sea belong to Greece. They are collectively referred to as the Ionian Islands, the major ones being Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and Lefkas.
There are ferry routes between Patras and Igoumenitsa, Greece, and Brindisi and Ancona, Italy, that cross the east and north of the Ionian Sea, and from Piraeus westward. Calypso Deep, the deepest point in the Mediterranean at −5,267 m (−17,280.2 ft), is located in the Ionian Sea, at 36°34′N 21°8′E / 36.567°N 21.133°E / 36.567; 21.133. The sea is one of the most seismically active areas in the world.
The name Ionian comes from Greek Ἰόνιον (πέλαγος). In Ancient Greek the adjective Ionios (Ἰόνιος) was used as an epithet for the sea because Io swam across it. Its etymology is unknown. Ancient Greek writers, especially Aeschylus, linked it to the myth of Io. There were also narratives about other eponymic legendary figures; according to one version, Ionius was a son of Adrias (eponymic for the Adriatic Sea); according to another, Ionius was a son of Dyrrhachus, eponymic for the ancient Greek city of Dyrrhachium (modern Durrës in Albania). When Dyrrhachus was attacked by his own brothers, Heracles, who was passing through the area, came to his aid, but in the fight the hero killed his ally's son by mistake. The corpse was cast into the sea, which thereafter was called the Ionian Sea.
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Irish Sea
The Irish Sea (Irish: Muir Éireann or Muir Meann,Scottish Gaelic: Muir Èireann or Muir Mhanainn,Manx: Mooir Vannin or Y Keayn Yernagh,Welsh: Môr Iwerddon, Scots: Erse Sea) separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man. The sea is occasionally, but rarely, referred to as the Manx Sea.
The sea is of significant economic importance to regional trade, shipping and transport, fishing, and power generation in the form of wind power and nuclear plants. Annual traffic between Great Britain and Ireland amounts to over 12 million passengers and 17 million tonnes of traded goods.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Irish Sea (with St George's Channel) as follows:
On the North. The Southern limit of the Scottish Seas [or Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland, defined as "a line joining the South extreme of the Mull of Galloway (54°38'N) in Scotland and Ballyquintin Point (54°20'N) in Ireland"].
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Irminger Sea
The Irminger Sea is a marginal sea of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is 480 km long and 290 km wide at its narrowest. The northern limit is the Greenland-Iceland Rise on the bottom of Denmark Strait between Iceland and East Greenland, which connects to Greenland Sea. To the southwest, it reaches to Cape Farvel, the southern tip of Greenland, and meets the Labrador Sea at this point. South of this point is the open North Atlantic Ocean. The sea floor of the Irminger Sea is largely part of the Irminger Basin, a north-eastern continuation of the maximally 4600 m deep Labrador Basin, which on the east is bordered by the Reykjanes Ridge. This delineation is oceanographic only and does not represent any official borders. The Irminger Sea is one of the main fishing areas of the Rose fish.
The Irminger Sea was named after Danish vice-admiral Carl Ludvig Christian Irminger (1802–1888), after whom also the Irminger Stream was named.
Coordinates: 62°N 35°W / 62°N 35°W / 62; -35
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Java Sea
The Java Sea (Indonesian: Laut Jawa) is a large (320,000 km²) shallow sea on the Sunda Shelf. It was formed as sea levels rose at the end of the last ice age. The Java Sea lies between the Indonesian islands of Borneo to the north, Java to the south; Sumatra to the west, and Sulawesi to the east. Karimata Strait to its northwest, links it to the South China Sea.
Fishing is an important economic activity in the Java Sea. There are over 3,000 species of marine life in the area. A number of national parks exist in the area such as Karimunjawa. The Thousand Islands are located north of the mainland Jakarta. The area around the Java Sea is a popular tourist destination. Scuba diving offers a chance to explore and photograph underwater caverns, wrecks, coral, sponges, and other marine life.
The Battle of the Java Sea, during February and March 1942, was one of the costliest naval battles of World War II. The naval forces of the Netherlands, Britain, Australia, and the U.S. were nearly completely destroyed trying to defend Java from Japanese attack.
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Kara Sea
Coordinates: 77°N 77°E / 77°N 77°E / 77; 77
The Kara Sea (Russian: Ка́рское мо́ре, Karskoe More) is part of the Arctic Ocean north of Siberia. It is separated from the Barents Sea to the west by the Kara Strait and Novaya Zemlya, and the Laptev Sea to the east by the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago. It is named for the Kara River (flowing into Baydaratskaya Bay), which is now relatively insignificant but which played an important role in the Russian conquest of northern Siberia.
The Kara Sea's northern limit is marked geographically by a line running from Cape Kohlsaat in Graham Bell Island, Franz Josef Land, to Cape Molotov (Arctic Cape), the northernmost point of Komsomolets Island in Severnaya Zemlya.
The Kara Sea is roughly 1,450 kilometres long and 970 kilometres wide with an area of around 880,000 km² and a mean depth of 110 metres (360 ft).
Compared to the Barents Sea, which receives relatively warm currents from the Atlantic, the Kara Sea is much colder, remaining frozen for over nine months a year.
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Kara Strait
Coordinates: 70°30′N 58°0′E / 70.5°N 58°E / 70.5; 58
The Kara Strait or Kara Gates (Russian: Пролив Карские Ворота; Proliv Karskiye Vorota) is a 56 km (35 mi) wide channel of water between the southern end of Novaya Zemlya and the northern tip of Vaygach Island. This strait connects the Kara Sea and the Barents Sea in northern Russia.
The Kara Strait was an important waterway in the early exploration of the Northern Sea Route.
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Kelantan River
The Kelantan River (named Sungai Kelantan in Malay language) is the major river in Kelantan, Malaysia. It drains a catchment area of about 11900 km² in north-east Malaysia including part of the Taman Negara National Park, and flows northwards into the South China Sea. The rainfall over the area varies between 0 mm in the dry season (March-May) to 1750 mm in the monsoon season (November-January). The average runoff from the area is about 500 m³/s.
The description of the river is complicated by the local naming convention: instead of using the name Kelantan river from estuary to source, the name is only used for the section from the estuary to the confluence of its two main tributaries, the Galas River and the Lebir River, near the town of Kuala Krai. The same naming convention applies to these tributaries. Thus to describe the main river from source to mouth involves four names: the River Betis (first 20 miles from the source), then the River Nenggiri, then the River Galas, and finally the Kelantan River.
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King Haakon VII Sea
Coordinates: 67°00′S 20°00′E / 67°S 20°E / -67; 20
King Haakon VII Sea (Norwegian: Kong Haakon VII Hav) is an arm of the Southern Ocean on the coast of East Antarctica.
From the international point of view, King Haakon VII Sea lies between Weddell Sea and Lazarev Sea, and thus stretches only along Kronprinsesse Märtha Kyst from Cape Norvegia at 12°18'W, the easternmost point of the Weddell Sea, to Fimbul Ice Shelf close to the Prime Meridian at 0°0', which is recognized as the western border of Lazarev Sea.[citation needed]
From the Norwegian point of view, which does not recognize Lazarev Sea, King Haakon VII Sea is situated along the entire coast of Dronning Maud Land between 20°W and 45°E and stretches for about 10 090 km (6 270 miles) from the Stancomb-Wills Glacier at 19°W on Kronprinsesse Märtha Kyst in the west to Shinnan Glacier at 44°38'E on the eastern border of Kronprins Olav Kyst in the east.
The sea covered by ice most of the year. During autum Pack ice forms which does not break up until spring. The rough coordinates of the sea area are 67°00′S 20°00′E / 67°S 20°E / -67; 20.
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Ko Pha Ngan
Ko Pha Ngan (or Koh Phangan, Thai: เกาะพะงัน, RTGS: Ko Pha-ngan, Thai pronunciation: [kɔ̀ʔ pʰa.ŋan]) is an island in the Gulf of Thailand in South East Thailand, and located in Surat Thani Province. It is famous for its full moon party at Haad Rin Beach and as a backpackers destination. Ko Pha Ngan has two sister islands: the larger Ko Samui to the south and the smaller Ko Tao to the north.
The name of Ko Pha Ngan comes from the word 'Ngan', meaning 'sand bar' in the southern dialect, for there are many sand bars offshore around the island. Ko Pha Ngan has been a long time favorite of past kings of Thailand. Specifically Rama V, or Chulalongkorn visited Ko Pha Ngan 14 times during his reign. The Bronze Drum of Dongson Culture (500BC - 100BC) that was found on Ko Samui in 1977 is evidence that there were settlements of people on Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan, and their islets from more than two thousand years ago. Some historians and archaeologists believe that the first group who migrated to Ko Pha Ngan were the Muslim sea Gypsies (Pygmy, Semung, and Proto-Malay) who travelled by boat from the Malay Peninsula. However, nowadays there are few Muslims who live on the island.
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Ko Samet
Ko Samet (Thai: เกาะเสม็ด, Thai pronunciation: [kɔ̀ʔ samèt]), is one of the Eastern Seaboard Islands of Thailand. It is located in the Gulf of Thailand off the coastline of the Thai province of Rayong, approximately 220 kilometres (140 mi) southeast of Bangkok. Ko Samet is part of the Phe (Thai: เพ) Subdistrict of the Amphoe Mueang Rayong (Thai: เมืองระยอง, the capital district, or Amphoe Mueang), of Rayong province. Ko Samet is the largest and westernmost of a cluster of islands not far from the coast.
The island derives its name from the cajeput tree found throughout the island, as the Thai language word for cajeput is samet (the cajeput tree is formally known in Thai ต้นเสม็ดขาว).
Popular with foreign tourists and as a weekend getaway for residents of nearby Bangkok, most of the island (excluding the Na Dan area) belongs to the Khao Laem Ya - Mu Ko Samet National Park. In 1981, the Royal Forest Department declared the archipelago of Samet, along with nine other small islands, the headland of Khao Laem Ya, and the 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) Mae Ramphueng Beach to be a National Park, and is thus Ko Samet is under the protection of the National Parks Division of the Thai Government.
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Ko Samui
Ko Samui island of Surat Thani Province (or Koh Samui, Thai: เกาะสมุย, Thai pronunciation: [kɔ̀ʔ samǔj]), or often, simply Samui as it is referred to by locals, is an island off the east coast of the Kra Isthmus in Thailand, close to the mainland Surat Thani town and in Surat Thani Province. It is Thailand's second largest island after Phuket, with an area of 228.7 km2 and a population of over 50,000 (2008) attracting 1.5 million tourists per year. It is rich with natural resources, white sandy beaches, coral reefs and coconut trees.
The island was probably first inhabited about 15 centuries ago, settled by fishermen from the Malay Peninsula and Southern China. It appears on Chinese maps dating back to 1687, under the name Pulo Cornam. The name Samui is mysterious in itself. Perhaps it is an extension of the name of one of the native trees, mui, or from the Malay word Saboey, meaning "safe haven"[citation needed]. Ko is the Thai word for "island".
Until the late 20th century, Ko Samui was an isolated self-sufficient community, having little connection with the mainland of Thailand. The island was even without roads until the early 1970s, and the 15 km journey from one side of the island to the other involved a whole-day trek through the mountainous central jungles.
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Ko Tao
Ko Tao (also often Koh Tao, Thai: เกาะเต่า, Thai pronunciation: [kɔ̀ʔ tàw], lit. "Turtle Island") is an island in Thailand located near the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. It covers an area of about 21 km². Administratively it forms a tambon within the district (Amphoe) Ko Pha Ngan of Surat Thani Province. As of 2006 its official population is 1382. The main settlement is Ban Mae Hat.
The economy of the island is almost exclusively centered around tourism, especially scuba diving.
Ko Tao was named by its first settlers for the island's turtle-like geographic shape.[citation needed] Coincidentally, the island is an important breeding ground for Hawksbill turtles and Green turtles. Development of tourism has negatively impacted the health of these grounds but a breeding program organised in 2004 by the Royal Thai Navy and KT-DOC, a coalition of local scuba diving centres has reintroduced hundreds of juvenile turtles to the island's ecosystem.
Initially the island was uninhabited, there was only the occasional fisherman from the neighboring islands, looking for shelter in a storm or just taking a break before continuing his tiresome journey.
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Koro Sea
The Koro Sea or Sea of Koro is a sea in the Pacific Ocean between Viti Levu island, Fiji to the west and the Lau Islands to the east, surrounded by the islands of the Fijian archipelago.
It is named after Koro Island.
Coordinates: 18°S 180°E / 18°S 180°E / -18; 180
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Laccadive Sea
The Laccadive Sea or Lakshadweep Sea (Malayalam: ലക്ഷദ്വീപ കടല്) is a body of water bordering India (including its Lakshadweep islands), the Maldives, and Sri Lanka. It is located to the west of Kerala. This warm sea has a stable water temperature through the year and is rich in marine life, with the Gulf of Mannar alone hosting about 3,600 species.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Laccadive Sea as follows:
On the West. A line running from Sadashivgad Lt. on West Coast of India (14°48′N 74°07′E / 14.8°N 74.117°E / 14.8; 74.117) to Corah Divh (13°42′N 72°10′E / 13.7°N 72.167°E / 13.7; 72.167) and thence down the West side of the Laccadive [Lakshadweep] and Maldive Archipelagos to the most Southerly point of Addu Atoll in the Maldives.
On the South. A line running from Dondra Head in Ceylon [Sri Lanka] to the most Southerly point of Addu Atoll.
On the East. The West coasts of Ceylon and India.
On the Northeast. Adams Bridge (between India and Ceylon).
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Lazarev Sea
The Lazarev Sea is a marginal sea of the Southern Ocean. It is located between the King Haakon VII Sea to the west and the Riiser-Larsen Sea to the east, or between the Prime Meridian of 0°0' and 14°E. The prevailing depth is 3000 meters, and the maximum depth exceeds 4500 meters. It stretches over an area of 929,000 km².
To the south of Lazarev Sea lies Princess Astrid Coast of Queen Maud Land.
The Lazarev Sea is named after Russian Admiral and Explorer Mikhail Lazarev (1788-1851).
Coordinates: 68°00′S 7°00′E / 68°S 7°E / -68; 7
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Libyan Sea
The Libyan Sea (Greek Λιβυκόν πέλαγος, Latin Libycum Mare) is the portion of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the African coast of ancient Libya, i.e. Cyrenaica and Marmarica (the coast of what is now eastern Libya and western Egypt, between Tobruk and Alexandria). This designation was used by ancient geographers describing the southern Mediterranean, but the term is also used by modern travel writers and cartographers. The southern coastline of Crete which borders the Libyan Sea includes the Asterousia Mountains and Mesara Plain; this area is the locus of considerable ancient Bronze Age settlement including the sites of Kommos, Hagia Triada and Phaistos.
To the east is the Levantine Sea, to the north the Ionian Sea, and to the west the Strait of Sicily.
Coordinates: 34°00′N 24°24′E / 34°N 24.4°E / 34; 24.4
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Ligurian Sea
The Ligurian Sea (Italian: Mar Ligure; French: Mer Ligurienne) is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, between the Italian Riviera (Liguria and Tuscany) and the island of Corsica. The sea is probably named after the ancient Ligures people.
The sea borders the countries Italy, France, and Monaco. In the east the sea borders the Tyrrhenian Sea, while in the west it borders the Mediterranean Sea proper. Genoa is the most prominent city in the area. The northwest coast is noted for its scenic beauty and favourable climate.
The Gulf of Genoa is its northernmost part. The sea receives the Arno River from the east and many other rivers that originate in the Apennines. The ports of Genoa, La Spezia, and Livorno are on its rocky coast. It reaches a maximum depth of more than 9,300 feet (2,850 m) northwest of Corsica.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Ligurian Sea as follows:
On the Southwest. A line joining Cape Corse (Cape Grosso, 9°23'E) the Northern point of Corsica to the frontier between France and Italy (7°31'E).
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Lincoln Sea
Lincoln Sea is a body of water in the Arctic Ocean, stretching from Cape Columbia, Canada, in the west to Cape Morris Jesup, Greenland, in the east. The northern limit is defined as the great circle line between those two headlands. It is covered with sea ice throughout the year, the thickest sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, which can be up to 15 m (49 ft) thick. Water depths range from 100 m (330 ft) to 300 m (980 ft). Water and ice from Lincoln Sea empty into Robeson Channel, the northernmost part of Nares Strait, most of the time.
The sea was named after Robert Todd Lincoln, then United States Secretary of War, on Adolphus W. Greely's 1881–1884 Arctic expedition into Lady Franklin Bay.
Alert, the northernmost station of Canada, is the only populated place on the shore of Lincoln Sea.
The body of water to the east of Lincoln Sea (east of Cape Morris Jesup) is Wandel Sea.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Lincoln Sea as follows:
On the North. Cape Columbia to Cape Morris Jesup (Greenland).
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Mae Klong
The Mae Klong (Thai: แม่น้ำแม่กลอง, RTGS: Maenam Mae Klong, Thai pronunciation: [mɛ̂ːnáːm mɛ̂ː klɔːŋ]) is a river in western Thailand. The river begins at the confluence of the Khwae Noi or Khwae Sai Yok and the Khwae Yai River or Khwae Si Sawat in Kanchanaburi, passes Ratchaburi Province and empties into the Gulf of Thailand in Samut Songkhram.
In the 1960s the upper stretch of the river until the town of Kanchanaburi was renamed to Khwae Yai (แควใหญ่, big tributary), as the famous Bridge on the River Kwai spanned the Mae Klong and not the Khwae (Kwai) river. However the actual origin of the river is in the Tenasserim Hills, around the Khuean Srinagarindra National Park area in the north of Kanchanaburi Province.
Note that an early portion of Khwae Yai River in Amphoe Umphang, Tak Province is also called Klong River. It becomes known as Khwae Yai River when it flows into Kanchanaburi Province.
It feeds the giant Umphang Thee Lor Sue Waterfall in its upper reaches.
Giant freshwater stingrays are often caught in the Mae Klong River.
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Makassar Strait
Makassar Strait is a strait between the islands of Borneo and Sulawesi in Indonesia. To the north it joins the Celebes Sea, while to the south it meets the Java Sea. The Mahakam River of Borneo empties into the strait.
Ports along the strait include Balikpapan in Borneo, and Makassar and Palu in Sulawesi. The city of Samarinda is 48 km (30 mi) from the strait, along the Mahakam.
The strait is a common shipping route for ocean going ships too big to fit through the Straits of Malacca.
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the Makassar Strait as being one of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago. The IHO defines its limits as follows:
The channel between the East coast of Borneo and the West coast of Celebes [Sulawesi], is bounded:
On the North. By a line joining Tanjong Mangkalihat, Borneo (1°02′N 118°57′E / 1.033°N 118.95°E / 1.033; 118.95) and Stroomen Kaap (Cape Rivers), Celebes (1°20′N 120°52′E / 1.333°N 120.867°E / 1.333; 120.867).
On the South. By a line from the Southwestern extreme of Celebes (5°37′S 119°27′E / 5.617°S 119.45°E / -5.617; 119.45), through the Southern point of Tana Keke, to the Southern extreme of Laoet (4°06′S 116°06′E / 4.1°S 116.1°E / -4.1; 116.1) thence up the West coast of that island to Tanjong Kiwi and thence across to Tanjong Petang, Borneo (3°37′S 115°57′E / 3.617°S 115.95°E / -3.617; 115.95) at the Southern end of Laoet Strait.
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Mawson Sea
Mawson Sea is an area of the sea along the Queen Mary Land coast of East Antarctica between the Shackleton Ice Shelf in the west and Vincennes Bay in the east. West of it, on the western side of Shackleton Ice Shelf, is the Davis Sea. To the east is Bowman Island and Vincennes Bay.
Two important glacier debouche into the Mawson Sea: Scott Glacier, and Denman Glacier. Calving of Denman Glacier into the Mawson Sea gives rise to the periodically appearing Pobeda Ice Island.
It was named in honor of Australian Antarctic explorer Douglas Mawson.
"Mawson Sea". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:5:::NO::P5_ANTAR_ID:9591. Retrieved 31 May 2010.
Coordinates: 65°00′S 105°00′E / 65°S 105°E / -65; 105
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Molucca Sea
Coordinates: 0°25′S 125°25′E / 0.417°S 125.417°E / -0.417; 125.417
The Molucca Sea (Indonesian: Laut Maluku) is located in the western Pacific Ocean, within the country of Indonesia. The region is rich in coral and has many diving sites.
The Molucca Sea borders the Banda Sea to the south and the Celebes Sea to the north.
The islands bordering the Molucca Sea include Halmahera to the north east, Buru and Ceram in the centre, and Sulawesi to the west. The Talaud Islands to the north are the general limit of the sea, though the Molucca Sea Plate, the tectonic plate named after the sea, extends further north.
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the "Molukka Sea" [sic] as being one of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago. The IHO defines its limits as follows:
On the North. By a line from the Northeast extreme of Celebes [Sulawesi] through the Siau Islands to the South point of Sangi (3°21′N 125°37′E / 3.35°N 125.617°E / 3.35; 125.617) thence to the Southern extreme of the Talaud Group, through these islands to their Northeastern extreme (4°29′N 126°52′E / 4.483°N 126.867°E / 4.483; 126.867) and thence a line to Tanjong Sopi, the Northern point of Morotai Island.
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Moro Gulf
The Moro Gulf is a sea in Mindanao in the Philippines. It is part of Celebes Sea and is surrounded by the Zamboanga Peninsula and the central part of Mindanao. Sibuguey Bay and Illana Bay are its major branches. Zamboanga City is the most important port city on its coast. Cotabato City, on the eastern coast, is another major port.
The Moro Gulf is also an area of significant tectonic activity with several fault zones in the region capable of producing major earthquakes and destructive local tsunamis, such as the devastating 1976 Moro Gulf Earthquake which killed over 5,000 people and left over 90,000 people homeless as it hit the coast of Mindanao.
On July 23, 2010 at 22:08, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter of Moro Gulf hit Mindanao. This was quickly followed by two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.6 and 7.4.
Coordinates: 7°N 123°E / 7°N 123°E / 7; 123
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Mozambique Channel
The Mozambique Channel is a portion of the Indian Ocean located between the island nation of Madagascar and southeast Africa, primarily the country of Mozambique. It was a World War II clashpoint during the Battle of Madagascar. The channel is approximately 460 km across at its narrowest point between Angoche, Mozambique, and Tambohorano, Madagascar.
The channel reaches a depth of 3,292 m (10,800 feet) about 230 km off the coast of Mozambique. A warm current flows in a southward direction in the channel, leading into the Agulhas Current off the east coast of South Africa. It is around 1000 miles (1600 km) long and the width of it varies from 250-600 miles (400-950 km).
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the limits of the Mozambique Channel as follows:
On the North. A line from the estuary of the River Rovuma (10°28′S 40°26′E / 10.467°S 40.433°E / -10.467; 40.433) to Ras Habu, the Northern point of Ile Grande Comore, the Northern of the Comore (Comoro) Islands, to Cap d'Ambre (Amber) the Northern extremity of Madagascar (11°57′S 49°17′E / 11.95°S 49.283°E / -11.95; 49.283).
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Myrtoan Sea
The Myrtoan (Mirtoan) Sea (Greek: Mυρτώο Πέλαγος, Myrtöo Pelagos) is a subdivision of the Mediterranean Sea that lies between the Cyclades and the Peloponnesos. It is described as the part of the Aegean Sea south of Euboea, Attica, and Argolis. [1] Some of the water mass of the Black Sea reaches the Myrtoan Sea, via transport through the Aegean Sea. (Saundry, Hogan & Baum. 2011)
The Saronic Gulf, the gulf of Athens, lies between the Corinth Canal and the Myrtoan Sea.
It is said to have been named after the mythical hero Myrtilus, who was thrown into this sea by an enraged Pelops. The name has also been connected with that of the maiden Myrto. It is also said to have derived its name from a small island named Myrtus.
Coordinates: 37°N 24°E / 37°N 24°E / 37; 24
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Norwegian Sea
The Norwegian Sea (Norwegian: Norskehavet) is a marginal sea in the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of Norway. It is located between the North Sea (i.e. north of Scotland) and the Greenland Sea and adjoins the North Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Barents Sea to the northeast. In the southwest, it is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a submarine ridge running between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. To the North, the Jan Mayen Ridge separates it from the Greenland Sea.
Unlike many other seas, most of the bottom of the Norwegian Sea is not part of a continental shelf and therefore lies at a great depth of about two kilometres on average. Rich deposits of oil and natural gas are found under the sea bottom and are being explored commercially, in the areas with sea depths of up to about one kilometre. The coastal zones are rich in fish that visit the Norwegian Sea from the North Atlantic for spawning. The warm North Atlantic Current ensures relatively stable and high water temperatures, so that unlike the Arctic seas, the Norwegian Sea is ice-free throughout the year.
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Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.
At 165.2 million square kilometres (64.1 million square miles) in area, this largest division of the World Ocean – and, in turn, the hydrosphere – covers about 46% of the Earth's water surface and about one-third of its total surface area, making it larger than all of the Earth's land area combined. The equator subdivides it into the North Pacific Ocean and South Pacific Ocean, with two exceptions: the Galápagos and Gilbert Islands, while straddling the equator, are deemed wholly within the South Pacific. The Mariana Trench in the western North Pacific is the deepest point in the world, reaching a depth of 10,911 metres (35,797 ft).
The eastern Pacific Ocean was first sighted by Europeans early in the 16th century. Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama in 1513 and named it Mar del Sur (South Sea). The ocean's current name was given by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan during the Spanish expedition of world circumnavigation in 1521, who encountered favourable winds as he reached the ocean and called it Mar Pacifico in Portuguese, meaning "peaceful sea".
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Pattaya
Pattaya (Thai: พัทยา,
พัทยา (help·info), RTGS: Phatthaya, Thai pronunciation: [pʰát.tʰā.jāː]) is a city in Thailand, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 165 km southeast of Bangkok located within but not part of Amphoe Bang Lamung (Banglamung) in the province of Chonburi.
Pattaya City (Thai: เมืองพัทยา; RTGS: Mueang Phatthaya) is a self governing municipal area which covers the whole tambon Nong Prue and Na Kluea and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. The City is situated in the heavily industrial Eastern Seaboard zone, along with Si Racha, Laem Chabang, and Chonburi. It has a population exceeding 100,000 (2007). Pattaya is also the center of the Pattaya-Chonburi Metropolitan Area, the conurbation in Chonburi Province, with a total population exceeding 1,000,000 (2010).
The name Pattaya evolved from the march of Phraya Tak (later King Taksin) and his army from Ayutthaya to Chanthaburi, which took place before the fall of the former capital to the Burmese invaders in 1767.
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Pechora Sea
Pechora Sea (Russian: Печо́рское мо́ре, or Pechorskoye More), is a sea at the northwest of Russia, the southeastern part of the Barents Sea. The western border of the sea is off Kolguyev Island, while the eastern border is the western coasts of Vaygach Island and the Yugorsky Peninsula, and the northern border the southern end of Novaya Zemlya.
The Pechora Sea is quite shallow, its average depth being only 6 m. The deepest point reaches 210 m. In the southern part of the sea runs the eastward-flowing Kolguyev Current. There are a few islands close to the coast, the largest of which is Dolgiy Island.
The Pechora Sea is blocked by floating ice from November to June. The main river entering the sea is the Pechora.
Historically, before the adjacent Barents Sea was named as such, the Pechora Sea's own name was already established. The rest of the present-day Barents Sea was known then as "Sea of Murmansk" (Murmanskoye Morye).
The Pechora Sea was used as a starting point of the exploration of the hitherto unknown icy seas lying to the east. The earliest recorded voyage across the Pechora Sea through the Yugorsky Strait was made by early Russian explorer Uleb, from Nizhny Novgorod. Uleb's passing into the Kara Sea was recorded in 1032.
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Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf is located in Western Asia between Iran (Persia) and the Arabian Peninsula. It is an extension of the Indian Ocean.
The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers. In 1991, the Persian Gulf again was the background for what was called the "Persian Gulf War" or the "Gulf War" when Iraq invaded Kuwait and was subsequently pushed back, despite the fact that this conflict was primarily a land conflict.
The Persian Gulf has many good fishing grounds, extensive coral reefs, and abundant pearl oysters, but its ecology has come under pressure from industrialization, and in particular, oil and petroleum spillages during wars in the region.
Historically and internationally known as the Persian Gulf, this body of water is sometimes controversially referred to as the Arabian Gulf or simply The Gulf by most Arab states, although neither of the latter two terms are recognized internationally. The name Gulf of Iran (Persian Gulf) is used by the International Hydrographic Organization.
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Phetchaburi Province
Phetchaburi (Thai: เพชรบุรี (Pronunciation)) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram and Prachuap Khiri Khan. In the west it borders Tanintharyi Division of Myanmar.
Phetchaburi is located at the northern end of the Malay Peninsula, with the Gulf of Thailand to the East and the Tanaosi mountain range forming the boundary to Myanmar. Except these border mountains most of the province is a flat plain area. With an area of about 3000 km² the Kaeng Krachan National Park is Thailands largest national park, covering nearly half of the province. It protects mostly rainforests in the mountains along the boundary to Myanmar, but also the Kaeng Krachan reservoir is part of the park. The only significant river of the province is the Phetchaburi River.
Several caves are found in the province, most notable the Khao Luang caves near the capital city. Illuminated by a hole in the roof several Buddha statues are placed in the cave.
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Philippine Sea
The Philippine Sea is a marginal sea east and north of the Philippines occupying an estimated surface area of 2 million mi² (5 million km²) on the western part of the North Pacific Ocean. It is bordered by the Philippine archipelago (Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao) on the southwest; Palau, Yap, and Ulithi (of the Carolines) on the southeast; the Marianas, including Guam, Saipan, and Tinian, on the east; the Bonin and Iwo Jima on the northeast; the Japanese islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyūshū on the north; the Ryukyu Islands on the northwest; and Taiwan in the west.
The sea has a complex and diverse undersea relief. The floor is formed into a structural basin by a series of geologic faults and fracture zones. Island arcs, which are actually extended ridges protruding above the ocean surface due to plate tectonic activity in the area, enclose the Philippine Sea to the north, east and south. The Philippine archipelago, Ryukyu Islands, and the Marianas are examples. Another prominent feature of the Philippine Sea is the presence of deep sea trench, among them the Philippine Trench and the Mariana Trench, containing the deepest point on the planet.
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Rayong Province
Rayong province (Thai: ระยอง) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Chon Buri and Chanthaburi. To the south is the Gulf of Thailand.
King Taksin (of Thailand) came to Rayong after the fall of Ayutthaya. During a short stay in Rayong he built a navy, and then went on to Chantaburi to collect his arms to fight back against the Burmese. There is a shrine in Rayong where local people pay respects to Taksin.
Although the north is hilly, the province consists mostly of low coastal plains. Several islands in the Gulf of Thailand belong to the province, including the popular tourist destinations, Ko Samet, Ko Mun and Ko Kodi.
The seal of the province shows the island Ko Samet. The provincial tree is Alexandrian laurel (Calophyllum inophyllum).
The province is subdivided in 8 districts (amphoe). These are further subdivided into 58 subdistricts (tambon) and 388 villages (muban).
The Shrine of King Taksin the Great (ศาลสมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสิน) Folklore says that King Taksin the Great tied his elephant to the tree while leading the troops to Chanthaburi for retrieving the Kingdom of Siam from Burmese occupation. The shrine houses a statue of the king.
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Ross Sea
The Ross Sea is a deep bay of the Southern Ocean in Antarctica between Victoria Land and Marie Byrd Land.
The Ross Sea was discovered by James Ross in 1841. In the west of the Ross Sea is Ross Island with the Mt. Erebus volcano, in the east Roosevelt Island. The southern part is covered by the Ross Ice Shelf.Roald Amundsen started his South Pole expedition in 1911 from the Bay of Whales, which was located at the shelf. In the west of the Ross sea, McMurdo Sound is a port which is usually free of ice during the summer. The southernmost part of the Ross Sea is Gould Coast, which is approximately two hundred miles from the Geographic South Pole.
All land masses in the Ross Sea are claimed by New Zealand to fall under the jurisdiction of the Ross Dependency, but few non-Commonwealth nations recognise this claim.
A 10 metre (32.8 feet) long colossal squid weighing 495 kilograms (1,091 lb) was captured in the Ross Sea on February 22, 2007.
The flora and fauna are considered similar to other southern Antarctic marine regions. Particularly in Summer, the nutrient-rich sea water supports an abundant planktonic life in turn providing food for larger species, such as fish, seals, whales, and sea- and shore-birds.
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Salish Sea
The Salish Sea is the intricate network of coastal waterways located between the south-western tip of the Canadian province of British Columbia, and the north-western tip the U.S. state of Washington. Its major bodies of water are the Strait of Georgia, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound. It reaches from Desolation Sound at the north end of the Strait of Georgia to Oakland Bay at the head of Hammersley Inlet at the south end of Puget Sound. The inland waterways of the Salish Sea are partially separated from the open Pacific Ocean (a pelagic zone) by Vancouver Island and the Olympic Peninsula, and are thus partially shielded from Pacific Ocean storms. Major port cities on the Salish Sea include Seattle, Vancouver, Tacoma, Bellingham, and Victoria.
The Salish Sea includes the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Strait of Georgia, and Puget Sound, and all their connecting channels and adjoining waters, such as Haro Strait, Rosario Strait, Bellingham Bay, and the waters around and between the San Juan Islands in the U.S. state of Washington and the Gulf Islands in British Columbia, Canada. The western boundary is the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, defined as a line between Cape Flattery and Carmanah Point. The southern boundary is the southern end of Puget Sound. The northern boundary reaches just beyond the northern end of the Strait of Georgia to include waters that experience the floodstream or tidal surge from the south: Discovery Passage south of Seymour Narrows, Sutil Channel south of Penn Islands, Lewis Channel (between Cortes and West Redonda Island), Waddington Channel (between West Redonda and East Redonda Island), and Pendrell Sound, Desolation Sound, and the southern portion of Homfray Channel (between East Redonda Island and the mainland). These boundaries were based on the 2002 "Georgia Basin–Puget Sound Ecosystem Indicators Report". The total extent of the Salish Sea is about 18,000 square kilometres (6,900 sq mi).
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Sargasso Sea
The Sargasso Sea is a region in the gyre in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is bounded on the west by the Gulf Stream; on the north, by the North Atlantic Current; on the east, by the Canary Current; and on the south, by the North Atlantic Equatorial Current. This system of ocean currents forms the North Atlantic Gyre. All the currents deposit the marine plants and garbage they carry into this sea.
The Sargasso Sea is 700 statute miles wide and 2,000 statute miles long (1,100 km wide and 3,200 km long). It stretches from roughly 70 degrees west to 40 degrees west, and from 20 degrees north to 35 degrees north. Bermuda is near the western fringes of the sea. The Sargasso Sea is the only "sea" without shores. The ocean water in the Sargasso Sea is distinctive for its deep blue color and exceptional clarity, with underwater visibility of up to 200 feet (61 m).
Portuguese sailors were among the first to discover this region in the 15th century, naming it after the Sargassum seaweed growing there (sargaço / sargasso in Portuguese). However, the sea may have been known to earlier mariners, as a poem by the late 4th century AD author, Rufus Festus Avienus, describes a portion of the Atlantic as being covered with seaweed, citing a now-lost account by the 5th-century BC Carthaginian explorer Himilco the Navigator. Christopher Columbus and his men also noted the Saragasso Sea, and brought reports of the masses of seaweed on the surface.
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Savu Sea
The Savu Sea (or the Sawu Sea) is a small sea within Indonesia named for the island of Savu (Sawu) on its southern boundary. It is bounded by Savu and Rai Jua to the south, the islands of Rote and Timor (split between East Timor and Indonesia) to the east, Flores and the Alor archipelago to the north/northwest, and the island of Sumba to the west/northwest. Between these islands, it flows into the Indian Ocean to the south and west, the Flores Sea to the north, and the Banda Sea to the northeast.
The Savu Sea reaches about 3500 m in depth. It spans about 600 km from west to east, and 200 km from north to south. The largest city on the sea is Kupang, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara province on the island of Timor, with about 450,000 inhabitants.
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the Savu Sea as being one of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago. The IHO defines its limits as follows:
On the North. By the Southern limits of Flores Sea [The North coasts of Flores, Komodo, Banta and a line to Tanjong Naroe the Northeast point of Soembawa, thence along its North coast to Tanjong Sarokaja (8°22′S 117°10′E / 8.367°S 117.167°E / -8.367; 117.167)] and Banda Sea [A line from Tanjong Aro Oesoe, through Sermata to Tanjong Njadora the Southeast point of Lakov (8°16′S 128°14′E / 8.267°S 128.233°E / -8.267; 128.233) along the South coasts of Lakov, Moa and Leti Islands to Tanjong Toet Pateh, the West point of Leti, thence a line to Tanjong Sewirawa the Eastern extremity of Timor and along the North coast as far as longitude 125° East].
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Sea of Crete
The Sea of Crete (Greek: Κρητικό Πέλαγος, Kritiko Pelagos) is the sea south of the Aegean Sea, north of the island Crete, and south of the Cyclades. The sea also stretches from Kythera east to the Dodecanese islands of Karpathos and Kassos. The bounding seas to the west are the Ionian Sea as well as the rest of the Mediterranean Sea. Ferry routes to and from Piraeus, as well as the southern islands of the Aegean and the Dodecanese, run in this area.
Coordinates: 36°N 25°E / 36°N 25°E / 36; 25
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Sea of Japan
The Sea of Japan is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, between the Asian mainland, the Japanese archipelago and Sakhalin. It is bordered by Japan, North Korea, Russia and South Korea. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific Ocean. This isolation also reflects in the fauna species and in the water salinity, which is lower than in the ocean. The sea has no large islands, bays or capes. Its water balance is mostly determined by the inflow and outflow through the straits connecting it to the neighboring seas and Pacific Ocean. Few rivers discharge into the sea and their total contribution to the water exchange is within 1%.
The seawater is characterized by the elevated concentration of dissolved oxygen that results in high biological productivity. Therefore, fishing is the dominant economic activity in the region. The intensity of shipments across the sea has been moderate owing to political issues, but it is steadily increasing as a result of the growth of East Asian economies. A controversy exists about the sea name, with South Korea promoting the appellation East Sea.
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Sea of Marmara
The Sea of Marmara /ˈmɑrmərə/ (Greek: Θάλασσα του Μαρμαρά, Turkish: Marmara Denizi), also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, and in the context of classical antiquity as the Propontis (Greek: Προποντίς), is the inland sea that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, thus separating Turkey's Asian and European parts. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Black Sea and the Dardanelles strait to the Aegean. The former also separates Istanbul into its Asian and European sides. The Sea has an area of 11,350 km² (280 km x 80 km) with the greatest depth reaching 1,370 m.
The salinity of the sea averages about 22 parts per thousand, which is slightly greater than that of the Black Sea but only about two-thirds that of most oceans. However, the water is much more saline at the sea-bottom, averaging salinities of around 38 parts per thousand — similar to that of the Mediterranean Sea. This high-density saline water, like that of the Black Sea itself, does not migrate to the surface. Water from the Susurluk, Biga (Granicus) and Gonen Rivers also reduces the salinity of the sea, though with less influence than on the Black Sea. With little land in Thrace draining southward, almost all of these rivers flow from Anatolia.
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Sea of Okhotsk
Coordinates: 55°N 150°E / 55°N 150°E / 55; 150
The Sea of Okhotsk (Russian: Охо́тское мо́ре, tr. Okhotskoye More; IPA: [ɐˈxotskəjə ˈmorʲə]) is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, lying between the Kamchatka Peninsula on the east, the Kuril Islands on the southeast, the island of Hokkaidō to the south, the island of Sakhalin along the west, and a long stretch of eastern Siberian coast (including the Shantar Islands) along the west and north. The northeast corner is Shelikhov Gulf. It is named after Okhotsk, the first Russian settlement in the Far East.
The Sea of Okhotsk covers 611,000 sq.mi. (1,583,000 km2), with a mean depth of 2,818 feet (859 metres). Its maximum depth is 11,063 feet (3,372 metres). It is connected to the Sea of Japan on either side of Sakhalin: on the west through the Sakhalin Gulf and the Gulf of Tartary; on the south, through the La Pérouse Strait.
In winter, navigation on the Sea of Okhotsk becomes difficult, or even impossible, due to the formation of large ice floes, because the large amount of freshwater from the Amur River lowers the salinity and raises the freezing point of the sea. The distribution and thickness of ice floes depends on many factors: the location, the time of year, water currents, and the sea temperatures.
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Sea of the Hebrides
The Sea of the Hebrides is a portion of the North Atlantic Ocean, located off the coast of western Scotland, separating the mainland and the northern Inner Hebrides islands (to the east) from the southern Outer Hebrides islands (to the west). To the north, the Sea of the Hebrides joins The Minch.
The Sea of the Hebrides forms part of the Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland, as defined by the International Hydrographic Organization, and part of the Seas west of Scotland as far as fisheries management is concerned.
Coordinates: 57°N 7°W / 57°N 7°W / 57; -7
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Sea of Åland
The Sea of Åland is the waters located in the southern Gulf of Bothnia, between the Åland islands and the Swedish mainland. The sea connects Kvarken and the Bothnian Sea with the Baltic Sea proper. The seas are often choppy here. The narrowest part is named Södra Kvarken or South Kvarken.
Coordinates: 60°10′59.92″N 19°06′31.48″E / 60.1833111°N 19.1087444°E / 60.1833111; 19.1087444
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Seto Inland Sea
The Seto Inland Sea (瀬戸内海, Seto Naikai?), often shortened to Inland Sea, is the body of water separating Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū, three of the main islands of Japan. It serves as an international waterway, connecting the Pacific Ocean to the Sea of Japan. It connects to Osaka Bay and provides a sea transport link to industrial centers in the Kansai region, including Osaka and Kobe. Before the construction of the Sanyō Main Line, it was the main transportation link between Kansai and Kyūshū.
Yamaguchi, Hiroshima, Okayama, Hyōgo, Osaka, Kagawa, Ehime, Fukuoka, and Ōita prefectures all have coastlines on the Inland Sea; the cities of Hiroshima, Iwakuni, Takamatsu, and Matsuyama are also located on it.
The Inland Sea region is known for its moderate climate, with a stable year-round temperature and relatively low rainfall levels: The area is often called "the land of fair weather" (晴れの国, hare no kuni?). The sea is also famous for its periodic red tides (赤潮, akashio?) caused by dense groupings of certain phytoplankton that result in the death of large numbers of fish.
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Sibuyan Sea
The Sibuyan Sea is a small sea in the Philippines that separates the Visayas from the northern Philippine island of Luzon.
It is bounded by the island of Panay to the south, Mindoro to the west, Masbate to the east, and to the north Marinduque and the Bicol Peninsula of Luzon Island.
The Sibuyan Sea is connected to the Sulu Sea via the Tablas Strait in the west, the South China Sea via the Isla Verde Passage in the north-west, and the Visayan Sea via the Jintotolo Channel in the south-east. The Romblon Islands lie inside the Sibuyan Sea.
The Battle of the Sibuyan Sea was fought here on October 24, 1944 where the Japanese battleship Musashi sank and other ships were damaged.
Coordinates: 12°40′N 122°30′E / 12.667°N 122.5°E / 12.667; 122.5
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Solomon Sea
The Solomon Sea is a sea located within the Pacific Ocean. It lies between Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Many major battles were fought there during World War II.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Solomon Sea as follows:
On the Northwest. By the Southeast limit of Bismarck Sea [A line from the Southern point of New Ireland along the parallel of 4°50' South to the coast of New Britain, along its Northern coast and thence a line from its Western extreme through the Northern point of Umboi Island to Teliata Point, New Guinea (5°55′S 147°24′E / 5.917°S 147.4°E / -5.917; 147.4)].
On the Northeast. By a line from the Southern point of New Ireland to the North point of Buka Island, through this island to the Northwest point of Bougainville Island, along the Southern coasts of Bougainville, Choisel [Choiseul], Ysabel [Santa Isabel], Malaita and San Cristobal [Makira] Islands.
On the South. The Northern limit of the Coral Sea between San Cristobal Island, Solomons, and Gado-Gadoa Island, off the Southeast extreme of New Guinea [Gado-Gadoa Island near its Southeastern extreme (10°38′S 150°34′E / 10.633°S 150.567°E / -10.633; 150.567), down this meridian to the 100 fathom line and thence along the Southern edges of Uluma (Suckling) Reef and those extending to the Eastward as far as the Southeast point of Lawik Reef (11°43.5′S 153°56.5′E / 11.725°S 153.9417°E / -11.725; 153.9417) off Tagula Island [Vanatinai], thence a line to the Southern extreme of Rennell Island and from its Eastern point to Cape Surville, the Eastern extreme of San Cristobal Island].
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Somov Sea
The Somov Sea ist a sea of the Southern Ocean and is located north of the easternmost part of the Antarctic subcontinent East Antarctica, north of Oates Coast, Victoria Land, and of George V Coast, between 150° und 170° East. West of it is D'Urville Sea. East of Cape Adare, at 170°14' East, is the Ross Sea.
The Somov Sea has an area of 1,150,000 km² and is up to 3000 meters deep.
240 km north of the mainland coast are the Balleny Islands in the Somov Sea.
The Somov Sea was named in honor of Russian oceanologist and polar explorer Mikhail Somov.
Coordinates: 67°00′S 160°00′E / 67°S 160°E / -67; 160
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South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around 3,500,000 square kilometres (1,400,000 sq mi). The area's importance largely results from one-third of the world's shipping transiting through its waters, and that it is believed to hold huge oil and gas reserves beneath its seabed.
It is located
The minute South China Sea Islands, collectively an archipelago, number in the hundreds. The sea and its mostly uninhabited islands are subject to competing claims of sovereignty by several countries. These claims are also reflected in the variety of names used for the islands and the sea.
South China Sea is the dominant term used in English for the sea, and the name in most European languages is equivalent, but it is sometimes called by different names in neighboring countries, often reflecting historical claims to hegemony over the sea.
The English name is a result of early European interest in the sea as a route from Europe and South Asia to the trading opportunities of China. In the sixteenth century Portuguese sailors called it the China Sea (Mar da China); later needs to differentiate it from nearby bodies of water led to calling it the South China Sea. The International Hydrographic Organization refers to the sea as "South China Sea (Nan Hai)".
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South China sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around 3,500,000 square kilometres (1,400,000 sq mi). The area's importance largely results from one-third of the world's shipping transiting through its waters, and that it is believed to hold huge oil and gas reserves beneath its seabed.
It is located
The minute South China Sea Islands, collectively an archipelago, number in the hundreds. The sea and its mostly uninhabited islands are subject to competing claims of sovereignty by several countries. These claims are also reflected in the variety of names used for the islands and the sea.
South China Sea is the dominant term used in English for the sea, and the name in most European languages is equivalent, but it is sometimes called by different names in neighboring countries, often reflecting historical claims to hegemony over the sea.
The English name is a result of early European interest in the sea as a route from Europe and South Asia to the trading opportunities of China. In the sixteenth century Portuguese sailors called it the China Sea (Mar da China); later needs to differentiate it from nearby bodies of water led to calling it the South China Sea. The International Hydrographic Organization refers to the sea as "South China Sea (Nan Hai)".
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Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean (also known as the Great Southern Ocean, the Antarctic Ocean, and the South Polar Ocean) comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions. This ocean zone is where cold, northward flowing waters from the Antarctic mix with warmer subantarctic waters.
Geographers disagree on the Southern Ocean's northern boundary or even its existence, with many considering the waters part of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans instead. Others regard the Antarctic Convergence, an ocean zone which fluctuates seasonally, as separating the Southern Ocean from other oceans, rather than the 60th parallel.Australian authorities regard the Southern Ocean as lying immediately south of Australia.
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) has not yet ratified its 2000 definition of the ocean as being south of 60°S. Its latest published definition of oceans dates from 1953; this does not include the Southern Ocean. However, the more recent definition is used by the IHO and others.
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Strait of Malacca
Coordinates: 4°N 100°E / 4°N 100°E / 4; 100 (Strait of Malacca) The Strait of Malacca (Malay: Selat Melaka; Jawi: سلت ملاك) is a narrow, 805 km (500 mi) stretch of water between the Malay Peninsula (Peninsular Malaysia) and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is named after the Malacca Sultanate that ruled over the archipelago between 1414 and 1511.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the "Malacca Strait" as follows:
On the West. A line joining Pedropunt, the Northernmost point of Sumatra (5°40′N 95°26′E / 5.667°N 95.433°E / 5.667; 95.433) and Lem Voalan the Southern extremity of Goh Puket [Phuket Island] in Siam [Thailand] (7°45′N 98°18′E / 7.75°N 98.3°E / 7.75; 98.3).
On the East. A line joining Tanjong Piai (Bulus), the Southern extremity of the Malay Peninsula (1°16′N 103°31′E / 1.267°N 103.517°E / 1.267; 103.517) and The Brothers (1°11.5′N 103°21′E / 1.1917°N 103.35°E / 1.1917; 103.35) and thence to Klein Karimoen (1°10′N 103°23.5′E / 1.167°N 103.3917°E / 1.167; 103.3917).
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Sulu Sea
The Sulu Sea is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago. Borneo is found to the southwest and Visayas to the northeast.
Sulu Sea contains a number of islands. The Cuyo Islands and Cagayan Sulu are part of the province of Palawan while Mapun and the Turtle Islands are part of the province of Tawi-Tawi. Sulu Sea is also where the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park, one of the World Heritage Sites is located.
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the Sulu Sea as being one of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago. The IHO defines its limits as follows:
On the Northwest. From Tanjong Sampanmangio, the North point of Borneo, along the Eastern limit of South China Sea to Cape Calavite, the Northwest point of Mindoro.
On the Northeast. The Southwest coast of Mindoro to Buruncan Point, its Southern extreme, thence a line through Semirara and Kaluya Islands to Nasog Point (11°53′N 121°53′E / 11.883°N 121.883°E / 11.883; 121.883) the Northwestern extreme of Panay, along the West and Southeast coast of that island to Tagubanhan Island (11°08′N 123°07′E / 11.133°N 123.117°E / 11.133; 123.117), thence a line to the Northern extreme of Negros and down the West coast to Siaton Point, its Southern extreme, thence across to Tagolo Point (8°44′N 123°22′E / 8.733°N 123.367°E / 8.733; 123.367), Mindanao.
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Surat Thani province
Surat Thani (often in short Surat, Thai: สุราษฎร์ธานี) former name Chaiya Province is the largest of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand, on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Surat Thani means City of Good People, the title given to the city by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI).
The area of Surat Thani was already inhabited in prehistoric times by Semang and Malayan tribes. Founded in the 3rd century, until the 13th century the Srivijaya kingdom dominated the Malay Peninsula. The city Chaiya contains several ruins from Srivijaya times, and was probably a regional capital of the kingdom. Some Thai historians even claim that it was the capital of the kingdom itself for some time, but this is generally disputed. Wiang Sa was another main settlement of that time.
After the fall of the Srivijaya it was divided into the cities (Mueang) Chaiya, Thatong (now Kanchanadit) and Khirirat Nikhom. While Chaiya was administrated directly from the capital, Thatong and Khirirat were controlled by the Nakhon Si Thammarat kingdom. In 1899 they were merged into one province named Chaiya. In 1915 also the court of the Monthon Chumphon was moved to Bandon, which received its new name Surat Thani on July 29, 1915 during a visit of King Vajiravudh (Rama VI). The monthon was renamed to Surat accordingly. In 1926 it was abolished and incorporated into monthon Nakhon Si Thammarat. In 1933 the monthon was dissolved, so the province became the first level administrative subdivision.
wn.com/Surat_Thani_province -
Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, approximately 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) across. It extends 2,800 km (approx.) from north to south. It is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first recorded European to encounter New Zealand and Tasmania. The British explorer Captain James Cook later extensively navigated the Tasman Sea in the 1770s as part of his first voyage of exploration.
The Tasman Sea is commonly referred to in both Australia and New Zealand as The Ditch; for example, crossing the ditch means going to Australia from New Zealand or vice versa. In Māori, the Tasman Sea is called Te Tai-o-Rehua.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Tasman Sea as follows:
On the North. The parallel of 30°S from the Australian coast Eastward as far as a line joining the East extremities of Elizabeth Reef and South East Rock (31°47′S 159°18′E / 31.783°S 159.3°E / -31.783; 159.3) then to the Southward along this line to the South East Rock.
wn.com/Tasman_Sea -
Tha Chin River
The Tha Chin river (Thai: แม่น้ำท่าจีน, RTGS: Maenam Tha Chin, pronounced [mɛ̂ːnáːm tʰâː tɕiːn]) is a distributary of the Chao Phraya river, Thailand. It splits near the province of Chainat and then flows westerly from the Chao Phraya through the central plains, until it mouths into the Gulf of Thailand at the province of Samut Sakhon.
The Tha Chin river has many regional names. After it splits from Chao Phraya river at Chainat, it's called Makham Thao River; while passing Suphan Buri it is the Suphan River; while passing Nakhon Pathom it becomes the Nakhon Chai Si river. Only near its mouth at Samut Sakhon does it become the Tha Chin River, named after the old name of Samut Sakhon. However, for purposes of discussing the river in its entirety, the name Tha Chin is the conventional choice in most scientific documents.
Tributaries of the Tha Chin include the Kra Sieo, Yang, Tawip, Chorakhe Sam, Bang Len and Chin Si Rivers.
The Tha Chin drains a total area of 13,681 square kilometers (5,282 sq mi). The Tha Chin Basin is part of the Chao Phraya Watershed.
wn.com/Tha_Chin_River -
Thailand
Thailand (
/ˈtaɪlænd/ TY-land or /ˈtaɪlənd/;Thai: ประเทศไทย, RTGS: Prathet Thai), officially the Kingdom of Thailand (Thai: ราชอาณาจักรไทย, RTGS: Ratcha Anachak Thai; IPA: [râːt.tɕʰā ʔāːnāːtɕàk tʰāj] (
listen)), formerly known as Siam (Thai: สยาม; RTGS: Sayam), is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and the southern extremity of Burma. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast, and Indonesia and India in the Andaman Sea to the southwest.
The country is a constitutional monarchy, headed by King Rama IX, the ninth king of the House of Chakri, who, having reigned since 1946, is the world's longest-serving head of state and the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history. The king of Thailand is titled Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, the Upholder of the Buddhist religion, and the Defender of all Faiths.
wn.com/Thailand -
Thracian Sea
The Thracian Sea (Greek: Θρακικό Πέλαγος, Thrakiko Pelagos; Turkish: Trakya Denizi) is a sea that is part of the Aegean Sea and forms the northernmost point of the sea. Regions surrounding the sea are Macedonia and Thrace as well as northwestern Turkey. The entire stretch of the sea lies north of the 40th parallel. The length from east to west is from 23°E to about 25.8°E or from the Strymonian Gulf east to the northernmost part of the Gallipoli peninsula and the width from north to south is about 40.25°N to 41°N or from the Dardanelles north to the boundary between the Xanthi and the Rhodope prefectures. Islands includes Thasos and Samothrace in Greece and Gökçeada (Imvros in Greek) and Bozcaada (Tenedos in Greek) in Turkey. The bays and gulfs includes the Ierissian Gulf to the southwest, the Strymonian Gulf where the Strymon River empties, the Kavala Gulf and the Saros Gulf in Turkey. Rivers emptying into this portion of the gulf include the Nestos and the Evros/Meriç. The famous thermal springs are Loutra Eleftheron in Kavala.
wn.com/Thracian_Sea -
Trat Province
Trat (Thai: ตราด) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. It is located in the east of Thailand, and has borders with Chanthaburi Province to the northwest, Cambodia to the east, and the Gulf of Thailand to the south.
Trat is most famous for gemstone mining and trading.
The history of Trat can be traced back to the reign of King Prasat Thong of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Formerly known as Mueang Thung Yai, Trat has played an important role in the development of country’s stability and economy due to its strategic location. The town of Trat has later become a community of Chinese Merchants.
Trat served as a checkpoint and buffer city in 1767 and was responsible for providing provisions to King Taksin the Great before he moved his navy from Chanthaburi to Ayutthaya, where he expelled the Burmese and liberated the Kingdom from Burmese rule.
In Rattanakosin era, during the Paknam crisis in 1893 the French colonist army occupied the western part of Chantaburi. In 1904 in order to get back Chantaburi Siam had to give Trat to French Indochina. Trat became part of Thailand again on March 23, 1906 in exchange for many areas east of the Mekong river like Battambang, Siam Nakhon and Sisophon.
wn.com/Trat_Province -
Tyrrhenian Sea
The Tyrrhenian Sea (Corsican: Mari Tirrenu, French: Mer Tyrrhénienne, Italian: Mare Tirreno, Neapolitan: Mar Tirreno, Sardinian: Mare Tirrenu, Sicilian: Mari Tirrenu, Latin: Mare Tyrrhenum) is part of the Mediterranean Sea off the western coast of Italy.
The sea is bounded by Corsica and Sardinia (to the west), Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Basilicata and Calabria (to the east) and Sicily (to the south).
The maximum depth of the sea is 3,785 metres (12,418 ft).
The Tyrrhenian Sea is situated near where the African and European Plates meet; therefore mountain chains and active volcanoes such as Mount Marsili are found in its depths. The eight Aeolian Islands and Ustica are located in the southern part of the sea, north of Sicily.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Tyrrhenian Sea as follows:
There are four exits from the Tyrrhenian Sea (north to south):
The Tyrrhenian Sea is divided into two basins (or plains), the Vavilov plain and the Marsili plain. They are separated by the undersea ridge known as the Issel Bridge, after Arturo Issel.[dead link]
wn.com/Tyrrhenian_Sea -
Vietnam
Vietnam ( listen), formally the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Cộng hòa xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam; listen), is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. With an estimated 91.5 million inhabitants as of 2012, it is the world's 13th-most-populous country, and the eighth-most-populous Asian country. The name Vietnam translates as "South Viet", and was officially adopted in 1945. The country is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea to the east.
The Vietnamese became independent from Imperial China in 938 AD, following the Battle of Bạch Đằng River. Successive Vietnamese royal dynasties flourished as the nation expanded geographically and politically into Southeast Asia, until the Indochina Peninsula was colonized by the French in the mid-19th century. The First Indochina War eventually led to the expulsion of the French in 1954, leaving Vietnam divided politically into two states, North and South Vietnam. Conflict between the two sides intensified, with heavy foreign intervention, during the Vietnam War, which ended with a North Vietnamese victory in 1975.
wn.com/Vietnam -
Visayan Sea
The Visayan Sea is a sea in the Philippines, surrounded by the islands of the Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Western Visayas located to the east and west, while the Central Visayas is located to the south. It is bounded by the islands Masbate to the north, Leyte to the east, Cebu and Negros to the south and Panay to the west.
The sea is connected to the Sibuyan Sea to the northwest via the Jintotolo Channel, the Samar Sea to the northeast, the Camotes Sea to the southeast, the Bohol Sea to the south via the Tañon Strait and the Sulu Sea via the Guimaras Strait and Panay Gulf. The largest island within this sea is Bantayan Island.
Coordinates: 11°30′N 123°40′E / 11.5°N 123.667°E / 11.5; 123.667
wn.com/Visayan_Sea -
Wandel Sea
The Wandel Sea (also known as McKinley Sea) is a body of water in the Arctic Ocean, stretching from northeast of Greenland to Svalbard. This arctic sea is located at 82° north longitude and 21° west latitude. Seas farther north and northwest of the Wandel Sea are frozen year-round. The Wandel Sea stretches as far west as Cape Morris Jesup. Further west is the Lincoln Sea. In the south, it stretches to Nordostrundingen. The Wandel Sea connects to the Greenland Sea in the south through the Fram Strait.
Coordinates: 82°15′N 17°00′W / 82.25°N 17°W / 82.25; -17
wn.com/Wandel_Sea -
Weddell Sea
The Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean and contains the Weddell Gyre. Its land boundaries are defined by the bay formed from the coasts of Coats Land and the Antarctic Peninsula. The easternmost point is Cape Norvegia at Princess Martha Coast, Queen Maud Land. To the east of Cape Norvegia is the King Haakon VII Sea. Much of the southern part of the sea, up to Elephant Island, is permanent ice, the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf. The sea is contained within the two overlapping Antarctic territorial claims of Argentina, (Argentine Antarctica) and Britain (British Antarctic Territory), and also resides partially within the territorial claim of Chile (Antarctic Chilean Territory). At its widest the sea is around 2,000 km across, in area it is around 2.8 million km².
In his 1950 book The White Continent, historian Thomas R. Henry writes, "The Weddell Sea is, according to the testimony of all who have sailed through its berg-filled waters, the most treacherous and dismal region on earth. The Ross Sea is the relatively peaceful, predictable, and safe." He continues on for an entire chapter, relating myths of the green-haired merman sighted in the sea's icy waters, the inability of crews to navigate a path to the coast until 1949, and treacherous "flash freezes" that left ships, such as Ernest Shackleton's Endurance, at the mercy of the ice floes.
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White Sea
The White Sea (Russian: Бе́лое мо́ре) is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the northeast. The whole of the White Sea is under Russian sovereignty and considered to be part of the internal waters of Russia. Administratively, it is divided between Arkhangelsk and Murmansk Oblasts and the Republic of Karelia.
The major port of Arkhangelsk is located on the White Sea. For much of Russia's history this was Russia's main centre of international maritime trade, conducted by the so-called Pomors ("seaside settlers") from Kholmogory. In the modern era it became an important Soviet naval and submarine base. The White Sea-Baltic Canal connects the White Sea with the Baltic Sea.
The White Sea is one of four seas named in English after common colour terms — the others being the Black Sea, the Red Sea and the Yellow Sea.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the northern limit of the White Sea as "A line joining Svyatoi Nos (Murmansk Coast, 39°47'E) and Cape Kanin".
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Yellow Sea
Coordinates: 35°0′N 123°0′E / 35°N 123°E / 35; 123
The Yellow Sea is the name given to the northern part of the East China Sea, which is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It is located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula. Its name comes from the sand particles from Gobi Desert sand storms that turn the surface of the water golden yellow.
The innermost bay of the Yellow Sea is called the Bohai Sea (previously Pechihli Bay or Chihli Bay). Into it flow both the Yellow River (through Shandong province and its capital Jinan) and Hai He (through Beijing and Tianjin). Deposits of sand and silt from those rivers contribute to the sea color.
The Yellow Sea is one of four seas named in English after common color terms — the others being the Black Sea, the Red Sea and the White Sea.
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Yellow Sea (which it also names as "Hwang Hai") as follows:
On the South. The parallel of 33°17' North from Saisyu To (Quelpart) [now known as Jeju-do] to the mainland [of China].
wn.com/Yellow_Sea
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Ethnic Malays
Malays (Malay: Melayu Jawi: ملايو) are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula including the southernmost parts of Thailand, south coast Myanmar and island of Singapore, coastal Indonesian including east of Sumatra, coastal Borneo, including Brunei, coastal Sarawak and Sabah, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations. These locations today is part of the modern nations of Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Southern Myanmar, Southern Thailand and Western Indonesia.
Today, the common identity that binds Malay people together is their language (with variant of dialects exist among them), Islam and their culture; although in the past Malay people were largely animist and Hindu-Buddhist before conversion to Islam took place in the 15th century. Malay culture has a number of similarities with cultures of neighboring ethnic groups, such as those of Minang culture, Aceh, and to some degree Javanese culture; however it differs by being more overtly Islamic than the Javanese culture which is more multi-religious.
wn.com/Ethnic_Malays
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Koh Kham, beautiful island in the northeast gulf of Thailand. เกาะขาม
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:48
- Updated: 05 Feb 2013
Next to Koh Chang close to the border of Cambodia lies a beautiful small island. A short boat ride from Koh Mak, aka Ko Kham (Thai: เกาะขาม), takes you to the emerald pearl of Trat, Koh Kham. The small island only features one hotel, the Koh Kham resort.
http://wn.com/Koh_Kham,_beautiful_island_in_the_northeast_gulf_of_Thailand_เกาะขาม
Next to Koh Chang close to the border of Cambodia lies a beautiful small island. A short boat ride from Koh Mak, aka Ko Kham (Thai: เกาะขาม), takes you to the emerald pearl of Trat, Koh Kham. The small island only features one hotel, the Koh Kham resort.
The Corals In Recovery "Gulf of Thailand Koh Tao"
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:22
- Updated: 02 Aug 2012
Following the coral bleaching that we experienced around Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand last year, it is great to see that the reefs are fighting back! The shots in this film where taken in January this year, in the course of normal business, around the dive sites twins and white rock, and as you can see things are looking good. To see the full shorts showing the corals progress through October to Now check out "its cool to breathe underwater geordie style", "Merry Christmas" and Flavias Tear Drops of the Ocean.
http://wn.com/The_Corals_In_Recovery_Gulf_of_Thailand_Koh_Tao
Following the coral bleaching that we experienced around Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand last year, it is great to see that the reefs are fighting back! The shots in this film where taken in January this year, in the course of normal business, around the dive sites twins and white rock, and as you can see things are looking good. To see the full shorts showing the corals progress through October to Now check out "its cool to breathe underwater geordie style", "Merry Christmas" and Flavias Tear Drops of the Ocean.
- published: 25 Jan 2011
- views: 958
- author: filmedonkohtao
ESCAPE: Gulf of Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:47
- Updated: 25 Jan 2013
Gulf of Thailand (Koh Samui - Koh Tao - Koh Nangyuan) The best time to visit: from Feburary to September (dry season) From September to December: Tropical monsoon (rainy season) Camera: GoPro Hero HD Music: The Book of Morris Johnson by Zee Avi.
http://wn.com/ESCAPE_Gulf_of_Thailand
Gulf of Thailand (Koh Samui - Koh Tao - Koh Nangyuan) The best time to visit: from Feburary to September (dry season) From September to December: Tropical monsoon (rainy season) Camera: GoPro Hero HD Music: The Book of Morris Johnson by Zee Avi.
- published: 04 Oct 2011
- views: 1794
- author: Rewan Ishak
Koh Tao, Nang Yuan, Gulf of Thailand, Southern Thailand Islands
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:33
- Updated: 25 Dec 2012
Koh Tao, Nang Yuan, Gulf of Thailand, Southern Thailand Islands samuibest.com
http://wn.com/Koh_Tao,_Nang_Yuan,_Gulf_of_Thailand,_Southern_Thailand_Islands
Koh Tao, Nang Yuan, Gulf of Thailand, Southern Thailand Islands samuibest.com
- published: 11 Oct 2012
- views: 272
- author: mekongbest
PPG flying across Gulf of Thailand (1)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 10:00
- Updated: 16 Apr 2011
April 7, 2011...Thai PPG team, Jumbo TFF team. The first group did flying from Tapsai, Chonburi to Laem Pakbia, Petchaburi and back to Tapsai. 190 Km. of route took approximately 5 hours. 4 Pilots were all using Apco wing and 4-stroke engine , Bailey. We did it...hoped this will be last long a decade... see more details www.thaiparamotor.com
http://wn.com/PPG_flying_across_Gulf_of_Thailand_1
April 7, 2011...Thai PPG team, Jumbo TFF team. The first group did flying from Tapsai, Chonburi to Laem Pakbia, Petchaburi and back to Tapsai. 190 Km. of route took approximately 5 hours. 4 Pilots were all using Apco wing and 4-stroke engine , Bailey. We did it...hoped this will be last long a decade... see more details www.thaiparamotor.com
- published: 16 Apr 2011
- views: 509
- author: pup9paman
Cambodia: Sihanoukville on The Gulf of Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:41
- Updated: 02 Oct 2012
www.TravelsWithSheila.com The group settled in at Sihanoukville for a little R&R.; Warm water, blazing hot sun, restaurants, bars, white sand beach...what more could someone ask for? A massage. Run by the Seeing Eye Association for the Blind. Give them your business. They are professionally trained in Japanese Am Shiatsu massages. (I found that Shiatsu massages are just as painful as Thai massages!)
http://wn.com/Cambodia_Sihanoukville_on_The_Gulf_of_Thailand
www.TravelsWithSheila.com The group settled in at Sihanoukville for a little R&R.; Warm water, blazing hot sun, restaurants, bars, white sand beach...what more could someone ask for? A massage. Run by the Seeing Eye Association for the Blind. Give them your business. They are professionally trained in Japanese Am Shiatsu massages. (I found that Shiatsu massages are just as painful as Thai massages!)
- published: 01 Feb 2008
- views: 23840
- author: travelswithsheila
Rayong Beach Fun - Gulf of Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:39
- Updated: 05 Feb 2012
Rayong is located southeast of Bangkok, along the beautiful coastline of the Gulf of Thailand. The beach is gentle and as smooth as Thai silk making it a great family beach. Cafes line the beach with great fresh local food. Ong Moon is a baby elephant who goes for morning walks on the beach with her humans. Feed her for good luck. Elephants are endangered species now. Ong Moon is lucky to have humans to protect her. Please help the elephants when you can. Enjoy the film!
http://wn.com/Rayong_Beach_Fun_Gulf_of_Thailand
Rayong is located southeast of Bangkok, along the beautiful coastline of the Gulf of Thailand. The beach is gentle and as smooth as Thai silk making it a great family beach. Cafes line the beach with great fresh local food. Ong Moon is a baby elephant who goes for morning walks on the beach with her humans. Feed her for good luck. Elephants are endangered species now. Ong Moon is lucky to have humans to protect her. Please help the elephants when you can. Enjoy the film!
- published: 15 Nov 2009
- views: 1767
- author: earthmagictours
Thailand's flood waters threaten marine life
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:02
- Updated: 02 Dec 2012
Marine life is suffering in the Gulf of Thailand, where the Chao Phraya River, which runs through the capital Bangkok, meets the sea. Following the worst flooding in the country in decades, millions of cubic metres of extra water has been draining into the gulf causing shellfish and other fish to die or swim away. At least 10000 shellfish farmers have been affected and conservationists say it will be months before they can resume their trade. Al Jazeera's Florence Looi reports from Samut Sakhon province, Thailand.
http://wn.com/Thailand's_flood_waters_threaten_marine_life
Marine life is suffering in the Gulf of Thailand, where the Chao Phraya River, which runs through the capital Bangkok, meets the sea. Following the worst flooding in the country in decades, millions of cubic metres of extra water has been draining into the gulf causing shellfish and other fish to die or swim away. At least 10000 shellfish farmers have been affected and conservationists say it will be months before they can resume their trade. Al Jazeera's Florence Looi reports from Samut Sakhon province, Thailand.
- published: 02 Jan 2012
- views: 4330
- author: AlJazeeraEnglish
Gulf of Siam Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:06
- Updated: 26 Jul 2012
The Gulf of Thailand, formerly the Gulf of Siam, is an inlet of the South China Sea; idyllic beaches, pristine waters and unending adventure: the chain of islands in the Gulf of Siam is the exquisite location for a memorable holiday.Video brought to you by Travelindex Network and Travel & Tourism Foundation. Travelindex.com is the World's largest Travel Directory. We invite you to submit your tourism, travel or destination site for publication, its free, at www.Travelindex.com More travel and tourism information and travel videos at www.ThailandTourist.net http www.Travelindex.com www.BestDestination.com http www.DestinationChannel.com and more...
http://wn.com/Gulf_of_Siam_Thailand
The Gulf of Thailand, formerly the Gulf of Siam, is an inlet of the South China Sea; idyllic beaches, pristine waters and unending adventure: the chain of islands in the Gulf of Siam is the exquisite location for a memorable holiday.Video brought to you by Travelindex Network and Travel & Tourism Foundation. Travelindex.com is the World's largest Travel Directory. We invite you to submit your tourism, travel or destination site for publication, its free, at www.Travelindex.com More travel and tourism information and travel videos at www.ThailandTourist.net http www.Travelindex.com www.BestDestination.com http www.DestinationChannel.com and more...
- published: 27 May 2012
- views: 88
- author: bestdestination
Traditional Culture Gulf Of Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:03
- Updated: 07 Sep 2012
Seafood is an important part of the Thai diet, and here we take you on a journey to the shores of Chonburi, on Thailand's Eastern Seaboard. Meet the honest, hard-working, independent people who together bring seafood from the Gulf of Thailand to kitchens across the country. We hope you enjoy our video and take a moment to leave a comment below. More information and pictures at ImportFood.com: importfood.com A complete selection of imported Thai groceries and cookware: importfood.com
http://wn.com/Traditional_Culture_Gulf_Of_Thailand
Seafood is an important part of the Thai diet, and here we take you on a journey to the shores of Chonburi, on Thailand's Eastern Seaboard. Meet the honest, hard-working, independent people who together bring seafood from the Gulf of Thailand to kitchens across the country. We hope you enjoy our video and take a moment to leave a comment below. More information and pictures at ImportFood.com: importfood.com A complete selection of imported Thai groceries and cookware: importfood.com
- published: 25 Jan 2012
- views: 995
- author: ImportFood
Vertrep Gulf of Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:14
- Updated: 26 Jul 2012
Vertical replenishment at sea in the Gulf of Thailand
http://wn.com/Vertrep_Gulf_of_Thailand
Vertical replenishment at sea in the Gulf of Thailand
- published: 26 Jul 2012
- views: 122
- author: jctessier
Fishing in Gulf of Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:29
- Updated: 25 Jan 2013
Fishing in Gulf of Thailand 2 days 1 night
http://wn.com/Fishing_in_Gulf_of_Thailand
Fishing in Gulf of Thailand 2 days 1 night
- published: 03 Apr 2012
- views: 1525
- author: นิตยสาร เจาะสนามนก
Whale Shark! Sail Rock, Gulf of Thailand, October 12, 2010
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:27
- Updated: 20 Nov 2010
This day was actually my birthday!! Staff of Koh Divers, accompanying 7 divers (4 of which were first-time divers!), were visited by two whale sharks at Sail Rock, off the island of Koh Phangan in the Gulf of Thailand. Totally exhilarating experience!!! Come and dive to see Sail Rock and its inhabitants and visitors in all their splendor!!
http://wn.com/Whale_Shark!_Sail_Rock,_Gulf_of_Thailand,_October_12,_2010
This day was actually my birthday!! Staff of Koh Divers, accompanying 7 divers (4 of which were first-time divers!), were visited by two whale sharks at Sail Rock, off the island of Koh Phangan in the Gulf of Thailand. Totally exhilarating experience!!! Come and dive to see Sail Rock and its inhabitants and visitors in all their splendor!!
- published: 19 Nov 2010
- views: 342
- author: melodyruthharwood
USS Essex, USS Juneau, USS Harpers Ferry in Gulf of Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:54
- Updated: 08 Feb 2013
GULF OF THAILAND (May 8, 2008) Aerial video showing the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49)and the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) as well as the at anchor amphibious transport dock ship USS Juneau (LPD 10) is one moored pier side in the Gulf of Thailand. Essex is the lead ship of the only forward-deployed US expeditionary strike group and is participating in Cobra Gold 08, a joint military exercise sponsored by the United States and Thailand designed to enhance interoperability between joint US forces and the combined forces of the Thai, Singaporean, Japanese and Indonesian militaries. US Navy video (RELEASED)
http://wn.com/USS_Essex,_USS_Juneau,_USS_Harpers_Ferry_in_Gulf_of_Thailand
GULF OF THAILAND (May 8, 2008) Aerial video showing the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49)and the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) as well as the at anchor amphibious transport dock ship USS Juneau (LPD 10) is one moored pier side in the Gulf of Thailand. Essex is the lead ship of the only forward-deployed US expeditionary strike group and is participating in Cobra Gold 08, a joint military exercise sponsored by the United States and Thailand designed to enhance interoperability between joint US forces and the combined forces of the Thai, Singaporean, Japanese and Indonesian militaries. US Navy video (RELEASED)
- published: 08 Dec 2009
- views: 1386
- author: USNavyVisualNews
Anchor Jobs by Crest Sapphire @ Gulf of Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 14:44
- Updated: 15 Feb 2013
Anchor Job for Craine Barge Robray T-6 at CPOC Thailand
http://wn.com/Anchor_Jobs_by_Crest_Sapphire_@_Gulf_of_Thailand
Anchor Job for Craine Barge Robray T-6 at CPOC Thailand
- published: 17 Sep 2010
- views: 345
- author: ralysiregar
Lamai Beach, Koh Samui, Gulf of Thailand, Feb. 2010
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:33
- Updated: 10 Jun 2012
View from the Moana seaside restaurant at the Aloha Resort on Lamai Beach, Koh Samui, Feb. 18, 2010. Shot by The Grouper using a handheld Canon PowerShot A1000is, distributed courtesy of Grouperism (see grouperism.blogspot.com).
http://wn.com/Lamai_Beach,_Koh_Samui,_Gulf_of_Thailand,_Feb_2010
View from the Moana seaside restaurant at the Aloha Resort on Lamai Beach, Koh Samui, Feb. 18, 2010. Shot by The Grouper using a handheld Canon PowerShot A1000is, distributed courtesy of Grouperism (see grouperism.blogspot.com).
- published: 20 Feb 2010
- views: 5887
- author: Dj Grouper
Sea Fishing in The Gulf of Thailand.mpg
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:48
- Updated: 30 Jan 2013
Dene Mundy arranges, 2 times a month, on behalf of Pattaya Sports Club, fantastic fishing trips. Departure usually from Sattahip at 7 in the morning, returning to about the same time in the evening. The boat is 60 feet long and it is good space for each, as it is a very limited number of fishermen allowded. This video is made from two trips in October and November 2011. The fishing trip is highly recommended. I had real good times and got lots of fish. Find out more on PSC`s website; www.pattayasports.org/site/ RotVonRat
http://wn.com/Sea_Fishing_in_The_Gulf_of_Thailandmpg
Dene Mundy arranges, 2 times a month, on behalf of Pattaya Sports Club, fantastic fishing trips. Departure usually from Sattahip at 7 in the morning, returning to about the same time in the evening. The boat is 60 feet long and it is good space for each, as it is a very limited number of fishermen allowded. This video is made from two trips in October and November 2011. The fishing trip is highly recommended. I had real good times and got lots of fish. Find out more on PSC`s website; www.pattayasports.org/site/ RotVonRat
- published: 07 Nov 2011
- views: 2892
- author: rotvonrat
1AUG10 THAILAND ;5of5; The OK Dinghy Racing Opening Ceremony ''Hua Hin Regatta 2010'' Glorifying HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great, and Welcoming the Sailing Sportsmen Crossing the Gulf of Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 12:30
- Updated: 10 Aug 2010
http://wn.com/1AUG10_THAILAND_;5of5;_The_OK_Dinghy_Racing_Opening_Ceremony_''Hua_Hin_Regatta_2010''_Glorifying_HM_King_Bhumibol_Adulyadej_The_Great,_and_Welcoming_the_Sailing_Sportsmen_Crossing_the_Gulf_of_Thailand
Ko Samet Island - Lung Dam Beach - Gulf of Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:01
- Updated: 12 Feb 2013
Ko Samet is a small tropical island in the northeast part of the Gulf of Thailand. It is a quiet, peaceful island with white sand beaches and blue green waters. The shore is full of quiet coves with bungalows and small cafes right on the beach. Enjoy the film!
http://wn.com/Ko_Samet_Island_Lung_Dam_Beach_Gulf_of_Thailand
Ko Samet is a small tropical island in the northeast part of the Gulf of Thailand. It is a quiet, peaceful island with white sand beaches and blue green waters. The shore is full of quiet coves with bungalows and small cafes right on the beach. Enjoy the film!
- published: 19 Feb 2010
- views: 2540
- author: earthmagictours
Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan, Gulf of Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:58
- Updated: 09 Feb 2013
www.facebook.com/cameronhansenfineartphotography Cameron Hansen shooting on location at Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan - February 2012. Visit www.cameronhansen.net to view more of Cameron's photos of beautiful Southeast Asia. Or visit his gallery on the exotic island of Koh Samui in Thailand.
http://wn.com/Koh_Tao_and_Koh_Nang_Yuan,_Gulf_of_Thailand
www.facebook.com/cameronhansenfineartphotography Cameron Hansen shooting on location at Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan - February 2012. Visit www.cameronhansen.net to view more of Cameron's photos of beautiful Southeast Asia. Or visit his gallery on the exotic island of Koh Samui in Thailand.
- published: 13 Feb 2012
- views: 559
- author: Cameron Hansen
Cha-Am Beach - Gulf of Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:31
- Updated: 13 Jan 2013
Cha-Am Beach is about two hours south of Bangkok on the west side of the Gulf of Thailand. It was a sleepy fishing village, but now is a great vacation spot. There are abundant hotels and guesthouses on and near the beach. The sea usually gives gentle rocking waves to play in and the atmosphere is peaceful and very laid back. Neung-Neung will give you a great foot massage and pedicure right in the sand on the beach - a treasured visit and experience. Enjoy the beach!
http://wn.com/Cha-Am_Beach_Gulf_of_Thailand
Cha-Am Beach is about two hours south of Bangkok on the west side of the Gulf of Thailand. It was a sleepy fishing village, but now is a great vacation spot. There are abundant hotels and guesthouses on and near the beach. The sea usually gives gentle rocking waves to play in and the atmosphere is peaceful and very laid back. Neung-Neung will give you a great foot massage and pedicure right in the sand on the beach - a treasured visit and experience. Enjoy the beach!
- published: 01 Jan 2010
- views: 5387
- author: earthmagictours
Reef LIfe - The HD Underwater Video from Koh Tao, Gulf of Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:02
- Updated: 18 Feb 2013
A selection of HD Underwater Video clips filmed during Liquid Media Videography courses from around various dive sites, Chumpon Pinnacles, Southwest Pinnacles, Sail Rock, White Rock, Twin Peaks, Japanese Gardens, Ao Leuk, King Kong Rock and many more. If you are planning a dive trip to Koh Tao, this is just some of what you might see, this HD Underwater Video footage has been filmed on Underwater Videography Training Courses and internships with Liquid Media. Filmed by Alan Tansey Music Emptiness by Alexander Blu on Jamendo.com www.liquidmedia.co.th or check out our facebook fan page for the latest in video news from Koh tao. www.facebook.com
http://wn.com/Reef_LIfe_The_HD_Underwater_Video_from_Koh_Tao,_Gulf_of_Thailand
A selection of HD Underwater Video clips filmed during Liquid Media Videography courses from around various dive sites, Chumpon Pinnacles, Southwest Pinnacles, Sail Rock, White Rock, Twin Peaks, Japanese Gardens, Ao Leuk, King Kong Rock and many more. If you are planning a dive trip to Koh Tao, this is just some of what you might see, this HD Underwater Video footage has been filmed on Underwater Videography Training Courses and internships with Liquid Media. Filmed by Alan Tansey Music Emptiness by Alexander Blu on Jamendo.com www.liquidmedia.co.th or check out our facebook fan page for the latest in video news from Koh tao. www.facebook.com
- published: 09 Jul 2009
- views: 225480
- author: LiquidVDO
1AUG10 THAILAND ;Part 3; The OK Dinghy Racing Opening Ceremony ''Hua Hin Regatta 2010'' Glorifying HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great, and Welcoming the Sailing Sportsmen Crossing the Gulf of Thailand
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 14:56
- Updated: 17 Aug 2010
http://wn.com/1AUG10_THAILAND_;Part_3;_The_OK_Dinghy_Racing_Opening_Ceremony_''Hua_Hin_Regatta_2010''_Glorifying_HM_King_Bhumibol_Adulyadej_The_Great,_and_Welcoming_the_Sailing_Sportsmen_Crossing_the_Gulf_of_Thailand
photo: Public Domain
23 Feb 2013
-President Barack Obama, State of the Union Address, 2013. As of late, I have grown very fond and reflective of the workers at McDonalds ... While some of the workers are current or former students, others are single parents or grandparents ... As I sense and observe their anxiousness and worries, I cannot help but notice their service and labor of love which causes customers to smile or experience satisfaction....(size: 3.7Kb)
photo: AP / SANA
22 Feb 2013
MOSCOW ' Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the United States on Friday of having double standards on Syria, saying it had blocked a UN Security Council statement condemning a car bomb attack in Damascus ... The disagreement was likely to sour the atmosphere before Lavrov meets newly appointed US Secretary of State John Kerry next week in Berlin....(size: 3.0Kb)
photo: AP / Photo
22 Feb 2013
Down the hall, at a safe distance, Rahema Hageyo, an Orma girl, stared blankly out of a window, a long scar above her thimble-like neck ... Orma men were patrolling their village in the Tana River Delta, fearful of Pokomo attacks ... The reason is elections, and another huge one — one of the most important in this country’s history and definitely the most complicated — is barreling this way....(size: 6.3Kb)
photo: AP
23 Feb 2013
At least 13 Chadian soldiers and 65 Islamist rebels were killed in clashes in northern Mali on Friday, the heaviest loss by African troops since the launch of a French-led military campaign there against militants six weeks ago ... News of the battle came after two suicide car bombers targeted ethnic Tuareg forces in the northern town of Tessalit, killing three people ... MUJAO spokesman Abu Walid Sahraoui warned of more such attacks....(size: 9.0Kb)
photo: AP
22 Feb 2013
Oscar Pistorius appears at the Magistrate Court in Pretoria on day four of his bail hearing ... ‘‘He must realise that a long term of imprisonment is almost guaranteed ... ‘‘Blade Runner’’ Pistorius is charged with murder for shooting dead his girlfriend and is in court hoping to secure bail after three days of hearings in which the prosecution’s case was seriously undermined....(size: 3.0Kb)
noodls
13 Dec 2012
ASX & Media Release Gulf of Thailand - Sainampueng-1 Progress Report No.3 ... MEOAY) provides the following update in relation to Sainampueng-1 drilled in the Gulf of Thailand G2/48 Concession by Pearl Oil Offshore Limited (an affiliate of Mubadala Petroleum) ... The issuer is solely responsible for the accuracy of the information contained therein.....(size: 2.9Kb)
noodls
30 Nov 2012
MEO Australia Limited. ABN 43 066 447 952 ... ASX & Media Release Gulf of Thailand - Sainampueng-1 Progress Report No.1 ... MEOAY) advises that Pearl Oil Offshore Limited (an affiliate of Mubadala Petroleum) commenced drilling Sainampueng-1 in the Gulf of Thailand G2/48 ... "Sainampueng-1 is approaching the first zone of an extensive interval of interest." ... The issuer is solely responsible for the accuracy of the information contained therein.....(size: 3.9Kb)
noodls
23 Nov 2012
ASX & Media Release Gulf of Thailand G2/48 drilling update ... MEOAY) advises that Pearl Oil Offshore Limited (an affiliate of Mubadala Petroleum) has completed drilling of Anchan-1 in the Gulf of Thailand G2/48 ... November and reached a Total Depth of ... "We are pleased Anchan-1 was drilled without incident and now keenly anticipate the commencement of Sainampueng-1 drilling."....(size: 3.9Kb)
noodls
16 Nov 2012
ASX & Media Release Gulf of Thailand G2/48 drilling commences with Anchan-1 ... MEOAY) advises that Pearl Oil Offshore Limited (an affiliate of Mubadala Petroleum) has commenced drilling in the Gulf of Thailand G2/48 Concession with the spudding of Anchan-1 at 23.00 hrs (local time) on 15th November ... Gulf of Thailand G2/48 Location Map Schematic cross section showing targets ... THAILAND ... GULF OF THAILAND....(size: 4.5Kb)
noodls
05 Nov 2012
ASX & Media Release Regulatory approval received for Gulf of Thailand G2/48 concession interest transfer ... MEOAY) advises that the Thailand Department of Mineral Fuels, Ministry of Energy has ... Gulf of Thailand G2/48 Location Map ... GULF OF THAILAND ... We are pleased to be partnering with Mubadala Petroleum, a very experienced Gulf of Thailand operator....(size: 5.2Kb)
noodls
19 Oct 2012
TAP) provides the following update on the 2012 Gulf of Thailand exploration drilling campaign, including the final update on the Manora-5 exploration well ... The Manora-5 exploration well is located in the G1/48 concession in the Gulf of Thailand, three kilometres north of the Manora Oil Development, and was drilled in 44.8 metres of water by the jack-up rig ENSCO 85 ... The 2012 Gulf of Thailand exploration drilling program has changed....(size: 4.4Kb)
noodls
24 Sep 2012
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Graciously Visits PTTEP's Bongkot South Platform in the Gulf of Thailand ... grand opening and overview the gas field operations of PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited, and welcomed by Minister of Energy Mr ... GBS is a major natural gas field in Bongkot Project in the Gulf of Thailand....(size: 3.8Kb)
Rig Zone
28 Feb 2012
MEO Australia Limited announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Rayong Offshore Exploration Limited has executed a binding farm-in agreement with Pearl Oil Offshore Limited (Pearl Oil) to acquire a 50 percent Participating Interest in the Block G2/48 Concession in the Gulf of Thailand ... "We have evaluated a number of opportunities in the Gulf of ......(size: 2.4Kb)
Business Wire
24 Oct 2011
CVX) announced today that its Thailand subsidiary has commenced natural gas production from the Platong II project in the Gulf of Thailand ... The natural gas will feed growing demand for energy in Thailand, increasing the country’s domestic production by more than 10 percent, and boosting Chevron’s net natural gas production from the Gulf of Thailand by more than 20 percent....(size: 6.6Kb)
Rig Zone
09 Sep 2011
Salamander Energy has agreed to farm-in to Block G4/50 in the Gulf of Thailand, earning equity in the acreage from Mitsui Oil Exploration ... Block G4/50 lies in the western Gulf of Thailand and ......(size: 1.0Kb)
m&c;
03 Aug 2011
The Pheu Thai Party, which won the July 3 general election and is expected to form a new government this month, in mid-April announced plans to build a new city in the Gulf of Thailand in a bid to expand the capital and protect it from rising sea waters in the future as a result of global warming ... The idea of building a dyke in the Gulf of Thailand ......(size: 4.4Kb)
The Examiner
22 May 2011
Situated amidst the lush tropical rainforest on the beautiful island of Koh Kood in the Gulf of Thailand Soneva Kiri is yet another perfect barefoot island in the tradition of the Group's first and still loved resort Soneva Fushi ... Speaking of the kitchen ... But of course Soneva Kiri offers way more than just delicious food ... Soneva Kiri - barefoot paradise in the Gulf of Thailand ... Soneva Kiri - barefoot paradise in the Gulf of Thailand....(size: 8.2Kb)
The Gulf of Thailand (Thai: อ่าวไทย, RTGS: Ao Thai, Thai pronunciation: [ʔàːw tʰaj]), also known to Malays as Teluk Siam, literally meaning Gulf of Siam, and Boeung Tonle Siem in Khmer is a shallow arm of the South China Sea.[1]
Contents |
Geography[link]
The Gulf of Thailand is bordered by Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam. The northern tip of the gulf is the Bay of Bangkok at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River. The gulf covers roughly 320,000 km². The boundary of the gulf is defined by the line from Cape Bai Bung in southern Vietnam (just south of the mouth of the Mekong river) to the city Kota Baru on the Malaysian coast. At the height of the last ice age the Gulf of Thailand did not exist, due to the lower sea level, the location being part of the Chao Phraya river valley.
The Gulf of Thailand is relatively shallow: its mean depth is 45 m, and the maximum depth only 80 m. This makes water exchange slow, and the strong water inflow from the rivers make the Gulf low in salinity (3.05-3.25%) and rich in sediments. Only at the greater depths does water with a higher salinity (3.4%) flow into the gulf from the South China sea and fills the central depression below a depth of 50 m. The main rivers which empty into the gulf are the Chao Phraya (including its distributary Tha Chin River), Mae Klong and Bang Pakong Rivers at the Bay of Bangkok, and to a lesser degree the Tapi River into Bandon Bay in the southwest of the gulf.
Extent[link]
The International Hydrographic Organization defines the southern limit of the Gulf of Thailand as "A line running from the Western extreme of Cambodia or Camau Point (8°36'N) [Note: this point is actually in Vietnam] to the Northern extreme of the point on the East side of the estuary of the Kelantan River (6°14′N 102°15′E / 6.233°N 102.25°E / 6.233; 102.25)".[2]
Tourism[link]
The Gulf of Thailand harbours many coral reefs, and thus several diving resorts. Due to the tropical warmth of the water, it is popular with tourists. Some of the most important tourist destinations in the Gulf of Thailand are the islands of Ko Samui and Ko Pha Ngan in Surat Thani province, Pattaya in Chonburi province, Cha-am in Phetchaburi Province, Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, Ko Samet in Rayong Province,and Ko Chang in Trat Province
Ko Tao is a center of the diving tourism.
Territorial disputes[link]
There are territorial disputes in the area between Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
- Malaysia and Thailand in particular have chosen to jointly develop the disputed areas, which include the islands of Ko Kra and Ko Losin.[citation needed]
- A long-standing dispute between Cambodia and Vietnam in the Gulf of Siam concerns mainly the island of Phú Quốc, which is located off the Cambodian coast.[3] Cambodia also claims 48,000 km2 of shelf area.[4]
Also see[link]
References[link]
- ^ Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society
- ^ "Limits of Oceans and Seas, 3rd edition". International Hydrographic Organization. 1953. http://www.iho-ohi.net/iho_pubs/standard/S-23/S23_1953.pdf. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
- ^ John Robert Victor Prescott, Boundaries and frontiers
- ^ Paul Ganster & David E. Lorey, Borders and border politics in a globalizing world.
http://wn.com/Gulf_of_Thailand
Related pages:
http://it.wn.com/Golfo del Siam
http://cs.wn.com/Thajský záliv
http://id.wn.com/Teluk Thailand
http://es.wn.com/Golfo de Tailandia
http://ru.wn.com/Сиамский залив
http://nl.wn.com/Golf van Thailand
http://pt.wn.com/Golfo da Tailândia
http://pl.wn.com/Zatoka Tajlandzka
http://fr.wn.com/Golfe de Thaïlande
http://de.wn.com/Golf von Thailand
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_of_Thailand
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
| Kingdom of Thailand
ราชอาณาจักรไทย
Ratcha Anachak Thai ประเทศไทย Prathet Thai |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Anthem: Phleng Chat Thai Thai National Anthem  Royal anthem: Sansoen Phra Barami |
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![Location of Thailand (green)in ASEAN (dark grey) — [Legend]](http://web.archive.org./web/20130224093202/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Location_Thailand_ASEAN.svg) |
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| Capital (and largest city) |
Bangkok (Thai: Krung Thep)1 13°45′N 100°29′E / 13.75°N 100.483°E / 13.75; 100.483 |
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| Official language(s) | Thai[1] | |||||
| Official scripts | Thai alphabet | |||||
| Ethnic groups | Thai (75%), Chinese (14%), Malay (3%), Other (8%) | |||||
| Demonym | Thai | |||||
| Government | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy | |||||
| - | King | Bhumibol Adulyadej | ||||
| - | Prime Minister | Yingluck Shinawatra (PT) | ||||
| Legislature | National Assembly | |||||
| - | Upper house | Senate | ||||
| - | Lower house | House of Representatives | ||||
| Formation | ||||||
| - | Sukhothai Kingdom | 1238–1448 | ||||
| - | Ayutthaya Kingdom | 1351–1767 | ||||
| - | Thonburi Kingdom | 1768–1782 | ||||
| - | Rattanakosin Kingdom | 6 April 1782 | ||||
| - | Constitutional monarchy | 24 June 1932 | ||||
| - | 2007 Constitution | 24 August 2007 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 513,120 km2 (51st) 198,115 sq mi |
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| - | Water (%) | 0.4 (2,230 km2) | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | 2011 estimate | 66,720,1532[2] (20th) | ||||
| - | 2010 census | 65,479,453 [3] | ||||
| - | Density | 132.1/km2 (88th) 342/sq mi |
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| GDP (PPP) | 2011 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $602.074 billion[4] | ||||
| - | Per capita | $9,396[4] | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2011 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $345.649 billion[4] | ||||
| - | Per capita | $5,394[4] | ||||
| Gini (2009) | 42.5[5] | |||||
| HDI (2011) |  0.682[6] (medium) (103rd) |
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| Currency | Baht (฿) (THB) |
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| Time zone | (UTC+7) | |||||
| Drives on the | left | |||||
| ISO 3166 code | TH | |||||
| Internet TLD | .th, .ไทย | |||||
| Calling code | +66 | |||||
| 1 | ^ Thai name: กรุงเทพมหานคร Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or Krung Thep. The full name is กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุทธยา มหาดิลกภพ นพรัตนราชธานีบุรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์มหาสถาน อมรพิมานอวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะวิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์ Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit. | |||||
| 2 | ^ According to the Department of Provincial Administration's official register, not taking into account unregistered citizens and immigrants. | |||||
 |
This article contains Thai text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Thai script. |
Thailand ( /ˈtaɪlænd/ TY-land or /ˈtaɪlənd/;[7] Thai: ประเทศไทย, RTGS: Prathet Thai), officially the Kingdom of Thailand (Thai: ราชอาณาจักรไทย, RTGS: Ratcha Anachak Thai; IPA: [râːt.tɕʰā ʔāːnāːtɕàk tʰāj] ( listen)), formerly known as Siam (Thai: สยาม; RTGS: Sayam), is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and the southern extremity of Burma. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast, and Indonesia and India in the Andaman Sea to the southwest.
The country is a constitutional monarchy, headed by King Rama IX, the ninth king of the House of Chakri, who, having reigned since 1946, is the world's longest-serving head of state and the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history.[8] The king of Thailand is titled Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, the Upholder of the Buddhist religion, and the Defender of all Faiths.
Thailand is the world's 51st-largest country in terms of total area, with an area of approximately 513,000 km2 (198,000 sq mi), and is the 20th-most-populous country, with around 64 million people. The capital and largest city is Bangkok, which is Thailand's political, commercial, industrial and cultural hub. About 75% of the population is ethnically Thai, 14% is of Chinese origin, and 3% is ethnically Malay;[1] the rest belong to minority groups including Mons, Khmers and various hill tribes. The country's official language is Thai. The primary religion is Buddhism, which is practiced by around 95% of the population.
Thailand experienced rapid economic growth between 1985 and 1995, and is presently a newly industrialized country and a major exporter. Tourism also contributes significantly to the Thai economy, as the country is home to a number of well-known tourist destinations, including Ayutthaya, Pattaya, Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin and Ko Samui.[9][10] There are approximately 5.2 million legal and illegal migrants in Thailand,[11] and the country has also attracted a number of expatriates from developed countries.[12]
Contents |
Etymology[link]
The country's official name was Siam (Thai: สยาม RTGS: Sayam, pronounced [sàjǎːm]) until 23 June 1939,[13] when it was changed to Thailand. It was then renamed Siam from 1945 to 11 May 1949, after which it was again renamed Thailand. Also spelled Siem, Syâm or Syâma, it has been identified with the Sanskrit Śyâma (श्याम, meaning "dark" or "brown"). The names Shan and A-hom seem to be variants of the same word, and Śyâma is possibly not its origin but a learned and artificial distortion.[14]
The word Thai (ไทย) is not, as commonly believed,[citation needed] derived from the word Tai (ไท) meaning "freedom" in the Thai language; it is, however, the name of an ethnic group from the central plains (the Thai people).[citation needed] A famous Thai scholar argued that Tai (ไท) simply means "people" or "human being" since his investigation shows that in some rural areas the word "Tai" was used instead of the usual Thai word "khon" (คน) for people.[15]
The Thai use the phrase "land of the free" to express pride in the fact that Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia never colonized by a European power. While the Thai people will often refer to their country using the polite form Prathet Thai (Thai: ประเทศไทย), they most commonly use the more colloquial word Mueang Thai (Thai: เมืองไทย) or simply Thai (Thai: ไทย); the word mueang (Thai: เมือง) meaning nation but most commonly used to refer to a city or town. Ratcha Anachak Thai (Thai: ราชอาณาจักรไทย) means "Kingdom of Thailand" or "Kingdom of Thai".
Etymologically, its components are: -Ratcha- (from Sanskrit raja, meaning "king, royal, realm") ; -ana- (from Pāli āṇā, "authority, command, power", itself from Sanskrit ājñā, same meaning) -chak (from Sanskrit cakra or cakraṃ meaning "wheel", a symbol of power and rule). The Thai National Anthem (Thai: เพลงชาติ), composed and written by Peter Feit during the extremely "patriotic" 1930s, refers to the Thai nation as: prathet-thai (Thai: ประเทศไทย). The first line of the national anthem is: prathet thai ruam lueat nuea chat chuea thai (Thai: ประเทศไทยรวมเลือดเนื้อชาติเชื้อไทย) and was translated in 1939 by Colonel Luang Saranuprabhandi as: "Thailand is the unity of Thai blood and body."
History[link]
Main articles: History of Thailand and People of Thailand
The region known as Thailand has been inhabited by humans for at least 4,000 years. Similar to other regions in Southeast Asia, it was heavily influenced by the culture and religions of India, starting with the Kingdom of Funan around the 1st century CE to the Khmer Empire.[16]
After the fall of the Khmer Empire in the 13th century, various states thrived there, such as the various Tai, Mon, Khmer and Malay kingdoms, as seen through the numerous archaeological sites and artifacts that are scattered throughout the Siamese landscape. Prior to the 12th century however, the first Thai or Siamese state is traditionally considered to be the Buddhist kingdom of Sukhothai, which was founded in 1238.
Following the decline and fall of the Khmer empire in the 13th–15th century, the Buddhist Tai kingdoms of Sukhothai, Lanna and Lan Xang (now Laos) were on the ascension. However, a century later, the power of Sukhothai was overshadowed by the new kingdom of Ayutthaya, established in the mid-14th century in the lower Chao Phraya River or Menam area.
Ayutthaya's expansion centred along the Menam while in the northern valley the Lanna Kingdom and other small Tai city-states ruled the area. In 1431, the Khmer abandoned Angkor after the Ayutthaya forces invaded the city.[17] Thailand retained a tradition of trade with its neighbouring states, from China to India, Persia and Arab lands. Ayutthaya became one of the most vibrant trading centres in Asia. European traders arrived in the 16th century, beginning with the Portuguese, followed by the French, Dutch and English.
After the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 to the Burmese, King Taksin the Great moved the capital of Thailand to Thonburi for approximately 15 years. The current Rattanakosin era of Thai history began in 1782, following the establishment of Bangkok as capital of the Chakri dynasty under King Rama I the Great. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, "A quarter to a third of the population of some areas of Thailand and Burma were slaves in the 17th through the 19th centuries."[18][19]
Despite European pressure, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian nation that has never been colonized.[20] This has been ascribed to the long succession of able rulers in the past four centuries who exploited the rivalry and tension between French Indochina and the British Empire. As a result, the country remained a buffer state between parts of Southeast Asia that were colonized by the two colonizing powers, Great Britain and France. Western influence nevertheless led to many reforms in the 19th century and major concessions, most notably being the loss of a large territory on the east side of the Mekong to the French and the step-by-step absorption by Britain of the Malay Peninsula.
20th century[link]
The losses initially included Penang and eventually culminated in the loss of four predominantly ethnic-Malay southern provinces, which later became Malaysia's four northern states, under the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909.
In 1932, a bloodless revolution carried out by the Khana Ratsadon group of military and civilian officials resulted in a transition of power, when King Prajadhipok was forced to grant the people of Siam their first constitution, thereby ending centuries of absolute monarchy.
During World War II, the Empire of Japan demanded the right to move troops across Thailand to the Malayan frontier. Japan invaded the country and engaged the Thai Army for six to eight hours before Plaek Pibulsonggram ordered an armistice. Shortly thereafter Japan was granted free passage, and on 21 December 1941, Thailand and Japan signed a military alliance with a secret protocol wherein Tokyo agreed to help Thailand regain territories lost to the British and French. Subsequently, Thailand declared war on the United States and the United Kingdom on 25 January 1942 and undertook to 'assist' Japan in its war against the Allies, while at the same time maintaining an active anti-Japanese resistance movement known as the Seri Thai. Approximately 200,000 Asian labourers (mainly romusha) and 60,000 Allied POWs worked on the Thailand–Burma Death Railway.[21]
After the war, Thailand emerged as an ally of the United States. As with many of the developing nations during the Cold War, Thailand then went through decades of political instability characterised by coups d'état as one military regime replaced another, but eventually progressed towards a stable prosperity and democracy in the 1980s.[citation needed]
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An example of pottery discovered near Ban Chiang in Udon Thani province, the earliest dating to 2100 BCE.
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Pimai1.jpg
Phimai, Prasat Phimai is the largest temple in the country from the Khmer Empire.
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The Ayutthaya period immense 19 meter high seated bronze Buddha in Wat Phanan Choeng from 1324 pre-dates the founding of the city in 1351.
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Kosa Pan presents King Narai's letter to Louis XIV at Versailles, 1 September 1686.
Politics and government[link]
Main articles: Politics of Thailand, Constitutions of Thailand, Law of Thailand, and Government of Thailand
The politics of Thailand is currently conducted within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government and a hereditary monarch is head of state. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislative branches.
History[link]
Since the political reform of the absolute monarchy in 1932, Thailand has had 17 constitutions and charters.[22][23] Throughout this time, the form of government has ranged from military dictatorship to electoral democracy, but all governments have acknowledged a hereditary monarch as the head of state.[24][25]
28 June 1932[link]
Prior to 1932, the Kingdom of Siam did not possess a legislature, as all legislative powers were vested within the person of the monarch. This had been the case since the foundation of the Sukhothai Kingdom in the 12th century: as the king was seen as a "Dharmaraja" or "King who rules in accordance with Dharma" (the Buddhist law of righteousness). However on 24 June 1932 a group of civilians and military officers, calling themselves the Khana Ratsadon (or People's Party) carried out a bloodless revolution, in which the 150 years of absolute rule of the House of Chakri was ended. In its stead the group advocated a constitutional form of monarchy with an elected legislature.
The "Draft Constitution" of 1932 signed by King Prajadhipok, created Thailand's first legislature, a People's Assembly with 70 appointed members. The assembly met for the first time on 28 June 1932, in the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall. The Khana Ratsadon decided that the people were not yet ready for an elected assembly; however they later changed their minds. By the time the "permanent" constitution came into force in December of that year, elections were scheduled for 15 November 1933. The new constitution also changed the composition of the assembly to 78 directly elected and 78 appointed (by the Khana Ratsadon) together compromising 156 members.
1933 to 1997[link]
For events subsequent to the abdication of the king, including the name change of 1939, up to the coup d'état of 1957, see Plaek Pibulsonggram. For additional history to 1997, refer to his successors in the List of Prime Ministers of Thailand.
1997 to 2006[link]
See also: 1997 Constitution of Thailand
The 1997 Constitution was the first constitution to be drafted by popularly elected Constitutional Drafting Assembly, and was popularly called the "People's Constitution".[26] The 1997 Constitution created a bicameral legislature consisting of a 500-seat House of Representatives (สภาผู้แทนราษฎร, sapha phutaen ratsadon) and a 200-seat Senate (วุฒิสภา, wuthisapha). For the first time in Thai history, both houses were directly elected.
Many human rights are explicitly acknowledged, and measures were established to increase the stability of elected governments. The House was elected by the first past the post system, where only one candidate with a simple majority could be elected in one constituency. The Senate was elected based on the province system, where one province can return more than one senator depending on its population size.
The two houses of the National Assembly have two different terms. In accordance with the constitution the Senate is elected to a six year term, while the House is elected to a four year term. Overall the term of the National Assembly is based on that of the House. The National Assembly each year will sit in two sessions an "ordinary session" and a "legislative session". The first session of the National Assembly must take place within thirty days after the general election of the House of Representatives. The first session must be opened by the king in person by reading a Speech from the Throne; this ceremony is held in the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall. He may also appoint the crown prince or a representative to carry out this duty. It is also the duty of the king to prorogue sessions through a Royal Decree when the House term expires. The king also has the prerogative to call extraordinary sessions and prolong sessions at his discretion.
The National Assembly may host a "Joint-sitting" of both Houses under several circumstances. These include: The appointment of a regent, any alteration to the 1924 Palace Law of Succession, the opening of the first session, the announcement of policies by the Cabinet of Thailand, the approval of the declaration of war, the hearing of explanations and approval of a treaty and the amendment of the Constitution.
Members of the House of Representatives served four-year terms, while senators served six-year terms. The 1997 People's Constitution also promoted human rights more than any other constitutions. The court system (ศาล, saan) included a constitutional court with jurisdiction over the constitutionality of parliamentary acts, royal decrees, and political matters.
The January 2001 general election, the first election under the 1997 Constitution, was called the most open, corruption-free election in Thai history.[27] The subsequent government was the first in Thai history to complete a four-year term. The 2005 election had the highest voter turnout in Thai history.[28][29] Despite efforts to clean up the system, vote buying and electoral violence remained problems of electoral quality in 2005.[30]
The PollWatch Foundation, Thailand's most prominent election watchdog, declared that vote buying in this election, specifically in the North and the Northeast, was more serious than in the 2001 election. The organization also accused the government of violating the election law by abusing state power in presenting new projects in a bid to seek votes.
2006 coup d'état[link]
See also: 2006 Thai coup d'état
Without meeting much resistance, a military junta overthrew the interim government of Thaksin Shinawatra on 19 September 2006. The junta abrogated the constitution, dissolved Parliament and the Constitutional Court, detained and later removed several members of the government, declared martial law, and appointed one of the king's Privy Counselors, General Surayud Chulanont, as the Prime Minister. The junta later wrote a highly abbreviated interim constitution and appointed a panel to draft a new permanent constitution. The junta also appointed a 250-member legislature, called by some critics a "chamber of generals" while others claimed that it lacks representatives from the poor majority.[31][32]
In this interim constitution draft, the head of the junta was allowed to remove the prime minister at any time. The legislature was not allowed to hold a vote of confidence against the cabinet and the public was not allowed to file comments on bills.[33] This interim constitution was later surpassed by the permanent constitution on 24 August 2007. Martial law was partially revoked in January 2007. The ban on political activities was lifted in July 2007,[34] following the 30 May dissolution of the Thai Rak Thai party. The new constitution was approved by referendum on 19 August, which led to a return to a democratic general election on 23 December 2007.
Political crisis[link]
See also: 2008–2010 Thai political crisis
The People's Power Party (Thailand), led by Samak Sundaravej formed a government with five smaller parties. Following several court rulings against him in a variety of scandals, and surviving a vote of no confidence, and protesters blockading government buildings and airports, in September 2008, Sundaravej was found guilty of conflict of interest by the Constitutional Court of Thailand (due to being a host in a TV cooking program),[35] and thus, ended his term in office.
He was replaced by PPP member Somchai Wongsawat. As of October 2008, Wongsawat was unable to gain access to his offices, which were occupied by protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy. On 2 December 2008, Thailand's Constitutional Court in a highly controversial ruling found the Peoples Power Party[36] guilty of electoral fraud, which led to the dissolution of the party according to the law. It was later alleged in media reports that at least one member of the judiciary had a telephone conversation with officials working for the Office of the Privy Council and one other. The phone call was taped and has since circulated on the Internet. In it, the callers discuss finding a way to ensure the ruling PPP party would be disbanded. Accusations of judicial interference were levelled in the media but the recorded call was dismissed as a hoax. However, in June 2010, supporters of the eventually disbanded PPP were charged with tapping a judge's phone.
Immediately following what many media described as a "judicial coup", a senior member of the Armed Forces met with factions of the governing coalition to get their members to join the opposition and the Democrat Party was able to form a government, a first for the party since 2001. The leader of the Democrat party, and former leader of the opposition, Abhisit Vejjajiva was appointed and sworn-in as the 27th Prime Minister, together with the new cabinet on 17 December 2008.
Thailand remains an active member of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations).
In of April 2010, a set of new protests by the Red Shirt opposition movement resulted in 87 deaths (mostly civilian and some military) and 1,378 injured.[37] When the army tried to disperse the protesters on 10 April 2010, the army was met with automatic gunfire, grenades, and fire bombs from the opposition faction in the army, known as the "watermelon". This resulted in the army returning fire with rubber bullets and some live ammunition. During the time of the "red shirt" protests against the government, there have been numerous grenade and bomb attacks against government offices and the homes of government officials. Grenades were fired at protesters, that were protesting against the "red shirts" and for the government, by unknown gunmen killing one pro-government protester, the government stated that the Red Shirts protesters were firing the weapons at civilians.[38][39][40][41]
On 3 July 2011, the oppositional Pheu Thai Party led by Yingluck Shinawatra (the youngest sister of Thaksin Shinawatra) won the general election by a landslide (265 seats in the House of Representatives). They could form a coalition government presided over by Yingluck.
Administrative divisions[link]
Main article: Subdivisions of Thailand
Thailand is divided into 76 provinces (จังหวัด, changwat), which are gathered into 5 groups of provinces by location. There are also 2 special governed districts: the capital Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon) and Pattaya, of which Bangkok is at provincial level and thus often counted as a province.
Each province is divided into districts and the districts are further divided into sub-districts (tambons). As of 2006 there are 877 districts (อำเภอ, amphoe) and the 50 districts of Bangkok (เขต, khet). Some parts of the provinces bordering Bangkok are also referred to as Greater Bangkok (ปริมณฑล, pari monthon). These provinces include Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon. The name of each province's capital city (เมือง, mueang) is the same as that of the province. For example, the capital of Chiang Mai province (Changwat Chiang Mai) is Mueang Chiang Mai or Chiang Mai.
A clickable map of Thailand exhibiting its provinces.
The southern region[link]
See also: South Thailand insurgency
Thailand controlled the Malay Peninsula as far as Malacca in the 1400s and held much of the peninsula, including Temasek (Singapore) some of the Andaman Islands and a colony on Java, but eventually failed when the British used force to guarantee their suzerainty over the sultanate.
Mostly the northern states of the Malay Sultanate presented annual gifts to the Thai king in the form of a golden flower, which understood the gesture to be tribute and an acknowledgement of vassalage. The British intervened in the Malay State and with the Anglo-Siamese Treaty tried to build a railway from the south to Bangkok. Thailand relinquished sovereignty over what are now the northern Malay provinces of Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and Terengganu to the British. Satun and Pattani provinces were given to Thailand.
The Malay peninsula provinces were infiltrated by the Japanese during World War II, and by the Malayan Communist Party (CPM) from 1942 to 2008, when they decided to sue for peace with the Malaysian and Thai governments after the CPM lost its support from Vietnam and China subsequent to the Cultural Revolution. Recent insurgent uprisings may be a continuation of separatist fighting which started after World War II with Sukarno's support for the PULO, and the intensification. Most victims since the uprisings have been Buddhist and Muslim bystanders.
Foreign relations[link]
Main article: Foreign relations of Thailand
The foreign relations of Thailand are handled by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.
Thailand participates fully in international and regional organizations. It is a Major non-NATO ally and Priority Watch List Special 301 Report of the United States. Thailand has developed increasingly close ties with other ASEAN members—Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Burma, and Vietnam—whose foreign and economic ministers hold annual meetings. Regional cooperation is progressing in economic, trade, banking, political, and cultural matters. In 2003, Thailand served as APEC host. Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, currently serves as Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). In 2005 Thailand attended the inaugural East Asia Summit.
In recent years, Thailand has taken an increasingly active role on the international stage. When East Timor gained independence from Indonesia, Thailand, for the first time in its history, contributed troops to the international peacekeeping effort. Its troops remain there today as part of a UN peacekeeping force. As part of its effort to increase international ties, Thailand has reached out to such regional organizations as the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Thailand has contributed troops to reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Thaksin initiated negotiations for several free trade agreements with China, Australia, Bahrain, India, and the US. The latter especially was criticized, with claims that high-cost Thai industries could be wiped out.[42]
Thailand joined the US-led invasion of Iraq, sending a 423-strong humanitarian contingent. It withdrew its troops on 10 September 2004. Two Thai soldiers died in Iraq in an insurgent attack.
Thaksin announced that Thailand would forsake foreign aid, and work with donor countries to assist in the development of neighbors in the Greater Mekong Sub-region.[43]
Thaksin was criticized for acting undiplomatically with foreign leaders and the international community and there were allegations of gaffes at international meetings.[44]
Thaksin was ambitious to position Thailand as a regional leader, initiating various development projects in poorer neighbouring countries like Laos. More controversially, he established close, friendly ties with the Burmese dictatorship, including extending the impoverished country a 4 billion baht credit line so it could conclude a satellite telecom deal with his family business.[45]
Thaksin energetically supported his former foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai's somewhat improbable campaign to become UN Secretary General.
Abhisit appointed Peoples Alliance for Democracy leader Kasit Piromya as Foreign Minister. Prior to his appointment, Kasit had led anti-Cambodia protests and called Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen a "gangster minded (ใจนักเลง jai-nak-leng)" (he later claimed the word he used actually meant "a person who is lionhearted, a courageous and magnanimous gentleman"). In April 2009, "large-scale fighting" erupted between Thai and Cambodian troops on territory immediately adjacent to the 900-year-old ruins of Cambodia's Preah Vihear Hindu temple near the border. The Cambodian government claimed its army had killed at least four Thais and captured 10 more, although the Thai government denied that any Thai soldiers were killed or injured. Two Cambodian soldiers were killed and three Thai soldiers were killed. Both armies blamed the other for firing first and denied entering the other's territory.[46][47]
Military[link]
Main article: Royal Thai Armed Forces
The Royal Thai Armed Forces (Thai: กองทัพไทย: Kongthap Thai) constitutes the military of the Kingdom of Thailand. It consists of the Royal Thai Army (กองทัพบกไทย), the Royal Thai Navy (กองทัพเรือไทย, ราชนาวีไทย) and the Royal Thai Air Force (กองทัพอากาศไทย). It also incorporates various paramilitary forces.
Currently, the Royal Thai Armed Forces has a combined manpower of about 800,000 personnel. The Head of the Thai Armed Forces (จอมทัพไทย: Chomthap Thai) is King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX),[48] although this position is only nominal. The Armed Forces is managed by the Ministry of Defence of Thailand, which is headed by the Minister of Defence (a member of the Cabinet of Thailand) and commanded by the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, which in turn is headed by the Chief of Defence Forces of Thailand.[49] In 2011, Thailand's known military expenditure totalled approximately US$5.1 billion.[50]
According to the Constitution of the Kingdom, serving in the Armed Forces is a duty of all Thai citizens.[51] However, only males over the age of 21, who have not gone through reserve training of the Army Reserve Force Students, are given the option of whether they want to volunteer for the armed forces, or choose the random draft. The candidates are subjected to varying lengths of training, from 6 months to 2 years of full-time service, depending on their education, whether they have partially completed the reserve training course, and whether they volunteered prior to the drafting date (usually 1 April every year).
Candidates with a recognized bachelor's degree will be subjected to 1 year of full-time service if they chose the random draft, or 6 months if they volunteer at their respective district office (Sasadee). Likewise, the training length is also reduced for those who have partially completed the 3-year reserve training course (Ror Dor). A person who completed 1 year out of 3 will only have to serve full-time for 1 year. Those who completed 2 years of reserve training will only have to do 6 months of full-time training, while those who complete 3 years or more of reserve training will be exempted entirely.
The Royal Thai Armed Forces Day is celebrated on 18 January, commemoratinh the victory of King Naresuan the Great in battle against the Crown Prince of Burma in 1593.
Geography[link]
Main article: Geography of Thailand
Totalling 513,120 square kilometres (198,120 sq mi),[1] Thailand is the world's 51st-largest country by total area. It is slightly smaller than Yemen and slightly larger than Spain.
Thailand is home to several distinct geographic regions, partly corresponding to the provincial groups. The north of the country is the mountainous area of the Thai highlands, with the highest point being Doi Inthanon in the Thanon Thong Chai Range at 2,565 metres (8,415 ft) above sea level. The northeast, Isan, consists of the Khorat Plateau, bordered to the east by the Mekong River. The centre of the country is dominated by the predominantly flat Chao Phraya river valley, which runs into the Gulf of Thailand.
Southern Thailand consists of the narrow Kra Isthmus that widens into the Malay Peninsula. Politically, there are six geographical regions which differ from the others in population, basic resources, natural features, and level of social and economic development. The diversity of the regions is the most pronounced attribute of Thailand's physical setting.
The Chao Phraya and the Mekong River are the sustainable resource of rural Thailand. Industrial scale production of crops use both rivers and their tributaries. The Gulf of Thailand covers 320,000 square kilometres (124,000 sq mi) and is fed by the Chao Phraya, Mae Klong, Bang Pakong and Tapi Rivers. It contributes to the tourism sector owing to its clear shallow waters along the coasts in the Southern Region and the Kra Isthmus. The Gulf of Thailand is also an industrial centre of Thailand with the kingdom's main port in Sattahip along with being the entry gates for Bangkok's Inland Seaport.
The Andaman Sea is regarded as Thailand's most precious natural resource as it hosts the most popular and luxurious resorts in Asia. Phuket, Krabi, Ranong, Phang Nga and Trang and their lush islands all lay along the coasts of the Andaman Sea and despite the 2004 Tsunami, they continue to be and ever more so, the playground of the rich and elite of Asia and the world.
Plans have resurfaced of a logistical connection of the two bodies of water which would be coined the Thai Canal, analogous to the Suez and the Panama Canal. Such an idea has been greeted with positive accounts by Thai politicians as it would cut fees charged by the Ports of Singapore, improve ties with China and India, lower shipping times and increase ship safety owing to pirate fears in the Strait of Melaka and, support the Thai government's policy of being the logistical hub for Southeast Asia.
The ports would improve economic conditions in the south of Thailand, which relies heavily on tourism income, and it would also change the structure of the Thai economy moving it closer to a services centre of Asia. The canal would be a major engineering project and has expected costs of 20–30 billion dollars.
The local climate is tropical and characterized by monsoons. There is a rainy, warm, and cloudy southwest monsoon from mid-May to September, as well as a dry, cool northeast monsoon from November to mid-March. The southern isthmus is always hot and humid.
Education[link]
Main article: Education in Thailand
Thailand enjoys a high level of literacy, and education is provided by a well-organized school system of kindergartens, primary, lower secondary and upper secondary schools, numerous vocational colleges, and universities. The private sector of education is well developed and significantly contributes to the overall provision of education which the government would not be able to meet through the public establishments. Education is compulsory up to and including age group 14, and the government provides free education through to age group 17.
Thailand has never been colonized, and its teaching relies heavily on rote rather than on student-centred methodology.
The establishment of reliable and coherent curricula for its primary and secondary schools is subject to such rapid changes that schools and their teachers are not always sure what they are supposed to be teaching, and authors and publishers of textbooks are unable to write and print new editions quickly enough to keep up with the volatile situation. The issue concerning university entrance has therefore also been in constant upheaval for a number of years. Nevertheless, education has seen its greatest progress in the years since 2001. Most of the present generation of students are computer literate. Thailand was ranked 54th out of 56 countries globally for English proficiency, the second-lowest in Asia. [52]
Extensive nationwide IQ tests were carried out in December 2010 to January 2011 on 72,780 Thai students. The average IQ was found to be at 98.59, which is higher than previous studies have found. The IQ levels are not consistent throughout the country though, with the lowest average of 88.07 found in the southern region of Narathiwat and the highest average of 108.91 reported in Nonthaburi province. The Thai Ministry of Public Health blames the discrepancies on iodine deficiency and steps are being taken to require that iodine be added to table salt, a practice common in many Western countries.[53]
Science and technology[link]
Main article: Science and technology in Thailand
The National Science and Technology Development Agency is an agency of the government of Thailand which supports research in science and technology and their application in the Thai economy.
From the agency's website:
The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) reflects the Thai government's deep commitment to apply scientific and technological capabilities to promote and sustain the nation's economic, social development and growth through the promotion of linkage and collaboration between the public and private sectors. Since its inception in 1991, NSTDA has grown into an active organization with a diverse program focusing on cutting-edge S&T research, design, development and engineering. NSTDA offers a full potential and opportunity for cooperative challenges and investment. Through such a convergence, the organization brings a layered, multi-faceted approach to the scholarly and most practical description of scientific and technological discoveries and advancement to serve national needs and maintain a sustained linkage with the international community.
The Synchrotron Light Research Institute (SLRI) is a Thai research institution on physics, chemistry, material science and life sciences. It is located on the Suranaree University of Technology(SUT), in Nakhon Ratchasima, about 300 km north east of Bangkok. The Institute, financed by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), houses the only large scale synchrotron in South East Asia. It was originally built as the SORTEC synchrotron in Japan and later moved to Thailand and modified for 1.2 GeV operation. It provides users with regularly scheduled light.
Economy[link]
Main article: Economy of Thailand
Thailand is an emerging economy and considered as a newly industrialized country. After enjoying the world's highest growth rate from 1985 to 1996 – averaging 12.4% annually – increased pressure on Thailand's currency, the baht, in 1997, the year in which the economy contracted by 1.9% led to a crisis that uncovered financial sector weaknesses and forced the Chavalit Yongchaiyudh administration to float the currency, however, Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh was forced to resign after his cabinet came under fire for its slow response to the crisis. The baht was pegged at 25 to the US dollar from 1978 to 1997, however, the baht reached its lowest point of 56 to the US dollar in January 1998 and the economy contracted by 10.8% that year. This collapse prompted the Asian financial crisis.
Thailand's economy started to recover in 1999, expanding 4.2% and 4.4% in 2000, thanks largely to strong exports. Growth (2.2%) was dampened by the softening of the global economy in 2001, but picked up in the subsequent years owing to strong growth in Asia, a relatively weak baht encouraging exports and increasing domestic spending as a result of several mega projects and incentives of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, known as Thaksinomics. Growth in 2002, 2003 and 2004 was 5–7% annually. Growth in 2005, 2006 and 2007 hovered around 4–5%. Due both to the weakening of the US dollar and an increasingly strong Thai currency, by March 2008, the dollar was hovering around the 33 baht mark.
Thailand exports an increasing value of over $105 billion worth of goods and services annually.[1] Major exports include Thai rice, textiles and footwear, fishery products, rubber, jewellery, cars, computers and electrical appliances. Thailand is the world's no.1 exporter of rice, exporting more than 6.5 million tons of milled rice annually. Rice is the most important crop in the country. Thailand has the highest percentage of arable land, 27.25%, of any nation in the Greater Mekong Subregion.[54] About 55% of the arable land area is used for rice production.[55]
Substantial industries include electric appliances, components, computer parts and cars, while tourism in Thailand makes up about 6% of the economy. Prostitution in Thailand and sex tourism also form a de facto part of the economy. Cultural milieu combined with poverty and the lure of money have caused prostitution and sex tourism in particular to flourish in Thailand. One estimate published in 2003 placed the trade at US$4.3 billion per year or about 3% of the Thai economy.[56] According to research by Chulalongkorn University on the Thai illegal economy, prostitution in Thailand in the period between 1993 and 1995, made up around 2.7% of the GDP.[57] It is believed that at least 10% of tourist dollars are spent on the sex trade.[58]
The economy of Thailand is an emerging economy which is heavily export-dependent, with exports accounting for more than two thirds of gross domestic product (GDP) The exchange rate is Baht 30.90/USD as of 26 April 2012[59]
Thailand has a GDP worth US$602 billion (on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis). This classifies Thailand as the 2nd largest economy in Southeast Asia after Indonesia. Despite this, Thailand ranks midway in the wealth spread in Southeast Asia as it is the 4th richest nation according to GDP per capita, after Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia.
It functions as an anchor economy for the neighboring developing economies of Laos, Burma, and Cambodia. Thailand's recovery from the 1997–1998 Asian financial crisis depended mainly on exports, among various other factors. Thailand ranks high among the world's automotive export industries along with manufacturing of electronic goods.
Between 1997 and 2010, 4'306 mergers & acquisitions with a total known value of USD$81 billion with the involvement of Thai firms have been announced.[60] The year 2010 was a new record in terms of value with USD$12 billion of transactions. The largest transaction with involvement of Thai companies has been: PTT Chemical PCL merged with PTT Aromatics and Refining PCL valued at USD$3.8 billion in 2011.[61]
49% of Thailand's labor force is employed in agriculture, however this is less than the 70% employed in 1980.[62] Agriculture has been experiencing a transition from labour intensive and transitional methods into a more industrialised and competitive sector.[62] Between 1962 and 1983, the agricultural sector grew by 4.1% on average a year and continued to grow at 2.2% between 1983 and 2007.[62] However, the relative contribution of agriculture to GDP has declined while exports of goods and services have increased. As of December 2011, the unemployment rate in Thailand stands at 0.4%
With the instability surrounding the recent coup and the military rule, however, the GDP growth of Thailand has settled at around 4–5% from previous highs of 5–7% under the previous civilian administration, as investor and consumer confidence has been degraded somewhat due to political uncertainty. The IMF has predicted that the Thai economy will rebound strongly from the low 0.1% GDP growth in 2011 to 5.5% in 2012, 7.5% in 2013 thanks to the accommodative monetary policy of the Bank of Thailand and a package of fiscal stimulus measures by the incumbent Yingluck Shinawatra government.[63]
Thailand generally uses the metric system but traditional units of measurement for land area are used, and imperial measure (feet, inches etc.) are occasionally used with building materials such as wood and plumbing sizes. Years are numbered as B.E. (Buddhist Era) in education, the civil service, government, and on contracts and newspaper datelines; in banking, however, and increasingly in industry and commerce, standard Western year (Christian or Common Era) counting prevails.[64]
Demographics[link]
Main article: Demographics of Thailand
|
Largest cities or towns of Thailand [citation needed] |
|||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | City name | Province | Pop. | Rank | City name | Province | Pop. | ||
 Bangkok |
1 | Bangkok | Krung Thep Maha Nakhon | 5,658,953 (2005)[65] |
11 | Pattaya | Chonburi | 104,318 (2007)[66] |
 Pak Kret |
| 2 | Nonthaburi | Nonthaburi | 260,555 (2011)[67] |
12 | Nakhon Sawan | Nakhon Sawan | 90,412 | ||
| 3 | Pak Kret | Nonthaburi | 168,763 (2008)[68] |
13 | Ubon Ratchathani | Ubon Ratchathani | 84,509 | ||
| 4 | Hat Yai | Songkhla | 157,682 (2008)[69] |
14 | Nakhon Pathom | Nakhon Pathom | 83,007 | ||
| 5 | Udon Thani | Udon Thani | 141,953 (2010)[70] |
15 | Phitsanulok | Phitsanulok | 79,535 | ||
| 6 | Chiang Mai | Chiang Mai | 141,361 (2011)[71] |
16 | Phuket | Phuket | 74,218 | ||
| 7 | Nakhon Ratchasima | Nakhon Ratchasima | 138,303 (2011)[72] |
17 | Songkhla | Songkhla | 73,170 | ||
| 8 | Surat Thani | Surat Thani | 127,496 (2008)[73] |
18 | Chiang Rai | Chiang Rai | 67,176 | ||
| 9 | Khon Kaen | Khon Kaen | 113,754 | 19 | Laem Chabang | Chonburi | 64,607 | ||
| 10 | Nakhon Si Thammarat | Nakhon Si Thammarat | 109,353 | 20 | Yala | Yala | 62,896 | ||
Language[link]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1910 | 8,131,247 | — |
| 1919 | 9,207,355 | +13.2% |
| 1929 | 11,506,207 | +25.0% |
| 1937 | 14,464,105 | +25.7% |
| 1947 | 17,442,689 | +20.6% |
| 1960 | 26,257,916 | +50.5% |
| 1970 | 34,397,371 | +31.0% |
| 1980 | 44,824,540 | +30.3% |
| 1990 | 54,548,530 | +21.7% |
| 2000 | 60,916,441 | +11.7% |
| 2010 | 65,926,261 | +8.2% |
| Source: [3] National Statistical Office of Thailand | ||
The official language of Thailand is Thai, a Tai–Kadai language closely related to Lao, Shan in Burma, and numerous smaller languages spoken in an arc from Hainan and Yunnan south to the Chinese border. It is the principal language of education and government and spoken throughout the country. The standard is based on the dialect of the central Thai people, and it is written in the Thai alphabet, an abugida script that evolved from the Khmer script. Several other dialects exist, and coincide with the regional designations. Southern Thai is spoken in the southern provinces, and Northern Thai is spoken in the provinces that were formally part of the independent kingdom of Lannathai.
Thailand is also host to several other minority languages, the largest of which is the Lao dialect of Isan spoken in the northeastern provinces. Although sometimes considered a Thai dialect, it is a Lao dialect, and the region in where it is traditionally spoken was historically part of the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang. In the far south, Yawi, a dialect of Malay, is the primary language of the Malay Muslims. Varieties of Chinese are also spoken by the large Chinese population, with Teochew being best represented.
Numerous tribal languages are also spoken, including those belonging to the Mon–Khmer family, such as Mon, Khmer, Viet, Mlabri and Orang Asli; Austronesian family, such as Cham and Moken; Sino-Tibetan family such as Lawa, Akhan, and Karen; and other Tai languages such as Nyaw, Phu Thai, and Saek. Hmong is a member of the Hmong–Mien languages, which is now regarded as a language family of its own.
English is a mandatory school subject, but the number of fluent speakers remains very low, especially outside the cities.
Religion[link]
Main article: Religion in Thailand
| Religious composition[1] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| religion | percent | |||
| Buddhism |
|
94.6% | ||
| Islam |
|
4.6% | ||
| Christianity |
|
0.7% | ||
| Others |
|
0.1% | ||
The national religion is Theravada Buddhism. Thai Buddhism ranks amongst the highest in the world. According to the last census (2000) 94.6% of the total population are Buddhists of the Theravada tradition. Muslims are the second largest religious group in Thailand at 4.6%.[1][74] Thailand's southernmost provinces – Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and part of Songkhla Chumphon have dominant Muslim populations, consisting of both ethnic Thai and Malay. The southern tip of Thailand is mostly ethnically Malay, and most Malays are Sunni Muslims. Christians represent 0.7% of the population. A small community of Sikhs in Thailand and some Hindus also live in the country's cities. There is also a small Jewish community in Thailand, dating back to the 17th century.
Culture[link]
Main article: Culture of Thailand
Thai culture has been shaped by many influences, including Indian, Lao, Burmese, Cambodian, and Chinese.
Its traditions incorporate a great deal of influence from India, China, Cambodia, and the rest of Southeast Asia. Thailand's national religion Theravada Buddhism is important to modern Thai identity. Thai Buddhism has evolved over time to include many regional beliefs originating from Hinduism, animism as well as ancestor worship. The official calendar in Thailand is based on the Eastern version of the Buddhist Era, which is 543 years ahead of the Gregorian (western) calendar. For example, the year AD 2012 is 2555 BE in Thailand.
Several different ethnic groups, many of which are marginalized, populate Thailand. Some of these groups overlap into Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia and have mediated change between their traditional local culture, national Thai and global cultural influences. Overseas Chinese also form a significant part of Thai society, particularly in and around Bangkok. Their successful integration into Thai society has allowed for this group to hold positions of economic and political power.
The traditional Thai greeting, the wai, is generally offered first by the younger of the two people meeting, with their hands pressed together, fingertips pointing upwards as the head is bowed to touch their face to the hands, usually coinciding with the spoken word "Sawasdee khrap" for male speakers, and "Sawasdee ka" for females. The elder then is to respond afterwards in the same way. Social status and position, such as in government, will also have an influence on who performs the wai first. For example, although one may be considerably older than a provincial governor, when meeting it is usually the visitor who pays respect first. When children leave to go to school, they are taught to wai to their parents to represent their respect for them. They do the same when they come back. The wai is a sign of respect and reverence for another, similar to the namaste greeting of India and Nepal.
Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, is the national sport in Thailand and its native martial art call "Muay". In the past "Muay" was taught to royal soldiers for combat on battlefield if unarmed. After they retired from the army, these soldiers often became Buddhist monks and stayed at the temples. Most of the Thai people's lives are closely tied to Buddhism and temples; they often send their sons to be educated with the monks. "Muay" is also one of the subjects taught in the temples.[75] Muay Thai achieved popularity all over the world in the 1990s. Although similar martial arts styles exist in other Southeast Asian countries, few enjoy the recognition that Muay Thai has received with its full-contact rules allowing strikes including elbows, throws and knees.
Association football, however, has possibly overtaken Muay Thai's position as most widely viewed and liked sport in contemporary Thai society and it is not uncommon to see Thais cheering their favourite English Premier League teams on television and walking around in replica kits. Another widely enjoyed pastime, and once a competitive sport, is kite flying.
Thai cuisine blends five fundamental tastes: sweet, spicy, sour, bitter and salty. Some common ingredients used in Thai cuisine include garlic, chillies, lime juice, lemon grass, and fish sauce. The staple food in Thailand is rice, particularly jasmine variety rice (also known as Hom Mali rice) which is included in almost every meal. Thailand is the world's largest exporter of rice, and Thais domestically consume over 100 kg of milled rice per person per year.[55] Over 5000 varieties of rice from Thailand are preserved in the rice gene bank of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), based in the Philippines. The king of Thailand is the official patron of IRRI.[76]
Like most Asian cultures, respect towards ancestors is an essential part of Thai spiritual practice. Thais have a strong sense of hospitality and generosity, but also a strong sense of social hierarchy. Seniority is an important concept in Thai culture. Elders have by tradition ruled in family decisions or ceremonies. Older siblings have duties to younger ones.
Taboos in Thailand include touching someone's head or pointing with the feet, as the head is considered the most sacred and the foot the dirtiest part of the body. Thai society has been influenced in recent years by its widely available multi-language press and media. There are some English and numerous Thai and Chinese newspapers in circulation; most Thai popular magazines use English headlines as a chic glamor factor. Many large businesses in Bangkok operate in English as well as other languages.
Thailand is the largest newspaper market in Southeast Asia with an estimated circulation of over 13 million copies daily in 2003. Even upcountry, out of Bangkok, media flourishes. For example, according to Thailand's Public Relations Department Media Directory 2003–2004, the nineteen provinces of Isan, Thailand's northeastern region, hosted 116 newspapers along with radio, TV and cable.
Sports[link]
See also: Thailand at the Olympics, Rugby union in Thailand, Golf in Thailand, and Football in Thailand
Muay Thai (Thai: มวยไทย, RTGS: Muai Thai, [muɛj tʰɑj], lit. "Thai Boxing") is a form of hard martial art practiced in large parts of the world, including Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. The art is similar to others in Southeast Asia such as: Pradal Serey in Cambodia, Lethwei in Burma, Tomoi in Malaysia, and Muay Lao in Laos. Muay Thai has a long history in Thailand and is the country's national sport.
Pone Kingpetch was a Thai boxer, from Hua Hin, who defeated Pascal Perez, an Argentinean boxer to become the first Thai WBC Flyweight Champion on 16 April 1960 and later a 3 time WBC Flyweight Champion. Pone Kingpetch originally known as Mana Sidokbuab, assumed this name from his training camp; Kingpetch. Thai fighters traditionally take on the name of the camps they train for. That owner of the gym and head coach's, Thongtos Intratat is present in these pictures. Thongtos Intratat is also known for being the first person to officially formulate and bottle Namman Muay (Thai Liniment) which is desired for his fighter, Pone Kingpetch. Namman Muay (Thai Liniment) is still only produced by his direct descendants in Thailand.
Traditional Muay Thai practiced today varies significantly from the ancient art Muay Boran and uses kicks, punches and knee and elbow strikes in a ring with gloves similar to those used in Western boxing and this has led to Thailand gaining medals at the Olympic Games in Boxing.
Takraw (Thai: ตะกร้อ) is a sport native to Thailand, which the players hit a rattan ball and only be allowed to use their feet, knees, chest and head to touch the ball. Sepak Takraw is a form of this sport which appears in volley ball style, the players must volley a ball over a net and force it to hit the ground on oppnent's side. It is a popular in other countries in Southeast Asia also. A rather similar game but played only with the feet is Buka ball.
Rugby is also a growing sport in Thailand with the Thailand national rugby union team rising to be ranked 61st in the world.[77] Thailand became the first country in the world to host an international 80 kg welterweight rugby tournament in 2005.[78] The national domestic Thailand Rugby Union (TRU) competition includes several universities and services teams such as Chulalongkorn University, Mahasarakham University, Kasetsart University, Prince of Songkla University, Thammasat University, Rangsit University, the Thai Police, the Thai Army, the Thai Navy and the Royal Thai Air Force. Local sports clubs which also compete in the TRU include the British Club of Bangkok, the Southerners Sports Club (Bangkok) and the Royal Bangkok Sports Club.
Thailand has been called the Golf Capital of Asia[79] as it is a popular destination for golf. The country attracts a large number of golfers from Japan, Korea, Singapore, South Africa and Western countries who come to play golf in Thailand every year.[80] The growing popularity of golf, especially among the middle classes and expats, is evident since there are more than 200 world-class golf courses nationwide,[81] and some of them are chosen to host PGA and LPGA tournaments, such as Amata Spring Country Club, Alpine Golf & Sports Club, Thai Country Club and Black Mountain Golf Club.
Thammasat Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium holds 25,000. It is located in Thammasat University's Rangsit campus.
It was built for the 1998 Asian Games by construction firm Christiani and Nielsen, the same company that constructed the Democracy Monument in Bangkok.
Its appearance is that of a scaled down version of the Rajamangala Stadium. The tribunes form a continuous ring which are quite low behind each goal but rise up on each side. Unlike the Rajamangala though, Thammasat has a roof covering both side tribunes. Most striking about this stadium are the floodlights. Thai architects usually favour concrete pylons but these are the steel variety. As viewed from the exterior of the stadium the base of each pylon seems to grip the outside of the stadium and they dramatically lean over the tribunes so as to better illuminate the playing area.
Thammasat was going to be used for PEA FC's match against Singapore Armed Forces FC in an Asian Champions League qualifier in February 2009 but the pitch was deemed unplayable and the match was switched to the Rajamangala.
Rajamangala National Stadium is the biggest sporting arena in Thailand. It currently has a capacity of 65,000. It is located in Bang Kapi, Bangkok. The stadium was built in 1998 for the 1998 Asian Games and is the home stadium of Thailand national football team up to present.
Other sports in Thailand are slowly growing as the country develops its sporting infrastructure. The success in sports like weightlifting and Taekwondo at the last two Summer Olympic Games has demonstrated that boxing is no longer the only medal chance for Thailand.
International rankings[link]
Main article: International rankings of Thailand
| Organization | Survey | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Heritage Foundation | Indices of Economic Freedom | 60 out of 179 |
| A.T. Kearney/Foreign Policy Magazine | Global Services Location Index 2011 | 7 out of 50 |
| Reporters Without Borders | Worldwide Press Freedom Index | 137 out of 179 |
| Transparency International | Corruption Perceptions Index | 80 out of 179 |
| United Nations Development Programme | Human Development Index | 78 out of 177 |
| World Economic Forum | Global Competitiveness Report(2008) | 34 out of 134[82] |
| World Gold Council | Gold reserve(2010) | 24 out of 111 |
See also[link]
.svg){kind=small}
 |
Book: Thailand |
| Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print. | |
- Outline of Thailand
- Index of Thailand-related articles
- Royal Thai Police
- Telecommunications in Thailand
- Thai ceramics
- Thai temple art and architecture
- Tourism in Thailand
- Transportation in Thailand
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- ^ Thailändisches Verfassungsgericht verbietet Regierungspartei. Spiegel, 2 December 2008
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- ^ BBC News, Bangkok clashes death toll climbs to 18, with 800 hurt, 11 April 2010
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External links[link]
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- Government
- Thaigov.go.th Royal Government of Thailand
- Thai National Assembly Official Thai Parliament website
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- Thailand entry at The World Factbook
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- Other
- Flickr: Photos tagged with "Thailand"
- Thailand Country Fact Sheet from the Common Language Project
- Southeast Asia Visions. "Browse the Southeast Asia Visions Collection". Cornell University Library. http://dlxs.library.cornell.edu/s/sea/browse_image/date/1900.php. Retrieved 2 October 2011. "Browse by image date"
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| Bhumibol Adulyadej | |
|---|---|
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| King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 2010 | |
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| Reign | 9 June 1946 – present (&1000000000000006600000066 years, &1000000000000001700000017 days) |
| Coronation | 5 May 1950 |
| Predecessor | Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) |
| Heir apparent | Maha Vajiralongkorn |
| Prime Ministers |
See list
|
| Consort | Sirikit Kitiyakara (Since 28 April 1950) |
| Issue | |
| Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya HRH The Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn HRH The Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn HRH The Princess Chulabhorn Walailak |
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| House | House of Mahidol Chakri Dynasty |
| Father | Mahidol Adulyadej, Prince of Songkla |
| Mother | Srinagarindra |
| Born | (1927-12-05) 5 December 1927 (age 84) Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States |
| Signature |  |
| Religion | Theravada Buddhism |
Bhumibol Adulyadej (Thai: ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; RTGS: Phumiphon Adunyadet; pronounced [pʰūː.mí.pʰōn ʔà.dūn.jā.dèːt] ( listen); see full title below; born 5 December 1927) is the current Monarch of Thailand. He is known as Rama IX. Having reigned since 9 June 1946, he is the world's longest-serving current head of state and the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history.[1]
Although Bhumibol is legally a constitutional monarch, he has made several decisive interventions in the Thai political sphere. He was credited with facilitating Thailand's transition to democracy in the 1990s, although he has supported numerous military regimes, including Sarit Dhanarajata's during the 1960s and the Council for National Security in 2006–8. During his long reign, he has authorized over 15 coups, 16 constitutions, and 27 changes of prime ministers.[2] He has also used his influence to stop military coups, including attempts in 1981 and 1985. Bhumibol is advised by a hand-picked Privy Council.
Bhumibol is respected[3][4] and revered by many Thais.[5] He is, by law passed by the Thai parliament, considered "inviolable" and lèse majesté, i.e. offence against the dignity of the monarch, may be punished.[5] In 1957, the overthrow of the government was justified with allegations of lese majeste.[6][7] Bhumibol however invited public criticism in a 2005 speech.[8]
Bhumibol is credited with a social-economic theory of self-sufficiency. His personal wealth is tremendous: Forbes estimated Bhumibol's personal fortune, including property managed by the Crown Property Bureau which is considered national property,[9] to be US$30 billion in 2010, and he has been consistently placed at number one of the magazine's list of "The World's Richest Royals".[10][11] The Crown Property Bureau spends money on public welfare such as youth development, however it does not pay taxes and its finances are reported only to Bhumibol.[12] Bhumibol himself has made donations to numerous development projects in Thailand, in areas including agriculture, environment, public health, occupational promotion, water resources, communications and public welfare.[13] Commemoration of Bhumibol's contributions to Thailand are ubiquitous in the Thai media.[14]
Contents
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Early life[link]
He was born at the Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States on 5 December 1927.[15] He was the younger son of HRH Prince Mahidol Adulyadej and Mom Sangwan (later HRH Princess Srinagarindra, the Princess Mother: Somdet Phra Si Nakharinthra Boromaratchachonnani). His name, Bhumibol Adulyadej, means "Strength of the Land, Incomparable Power".[16] His father was enrolled in the Public Health program at Harvard University, hence his unusual place of birth for a monarch.
He came to Thailand in 1928, after Prince Mahidol obtained a certificate from Harvard. He briefly attended Mater Dei school in Bangkok but in 1933 his mother took the family to Switzerland, where he continued his education at the Ecole Nouvelle de la Suisse Romande in Lausanne. He received the baccalauréat des lettres (high-school diploma with major in French literature, Latin, and Greek) from the Gymnase Classique Cantonal of Lausanne, and by 1945 had begun studying science at the University of Lausanne, when World War II ended and the family returned to Thailand.[17]
Succession and marriage[link]
| Thai Royal Family |
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HM The King
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Bhumibol ascended the throne following the death by gunshot wound of his brother, King Ananda Mahidol, on 9 June 1946, in mysterious circumstances.[18] Bhumibol returned to Switzerland in order to complete his education, and his uncle, Rangsit, Prince of Chainat, was appointed Prince Regent. Bhumibol then switched over his field of study to law and political science.
While finishing his degree in Switzerland, Bhumibol visited Paris frequently. It was in Paris that he first met Mom Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara, daughter of the Thai ambassador to France.[19]
On 4 October 1948, while Bhumibol was driving a Fiat Topolino on the Geneva-Lausanne road, he collided with the rear of a braking truck 10 km outside of Lausanne. He hurt his back and incurred cuts on his face that cost him the sight of his right eye.[20][21] While he was hospitalised in Lausanne, Sirikit visited him frequently. She met his mother, who asked her to continue her studies nearby so that Bhumibol could get to know her better. Bhumibol selected for her a boarding school in Lausanne, Riante Rive. A quiet engagement in Lausanne followed on 19 July 1949, and the couple were married on 28 April 1950, just a week before his coronation.
Bhumibol and his wife Queen Sirikit have four children:
- (Formerly HRH) Princess Ubol Ratana, born 5 April 1951 in Lausanne, Switzerland;
- HRH The Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, born 28 July 1952;
- HRH The Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, born 2 April 1955;
- HRH The Princess Chulabhorn Walailak, born 4 July 1957.
One of Bhumibol's grandchildren, Bhumi Jensen, was killed in the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. He was the autistic son of Princess Ubol Ratana.[22]
Coronation and titles[link]
Bhumibol was crowned King of Thailand on 5 May 1950 at the Royal Palace in Bangkok where he pledged that he would "reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people" ("เราจะครองแผ่นดินโดยธรรม เพื่อประโยชน์สุขแห่งมหาชนชาวสยาม").[23] Notable elements associated with the coronation included the Bahadrabith Throne beneath the Great White Umbrella of State; and he was presented with the royal regalia and utensils.[24]
In 1950 on Coronation Day, Bhumibol's consort was made Queen (Somdej Phra Boromarajini). The date of his coronation is celebrated each 5 May in Thailand as Coronation Day, a public holiday. On 9 June 2006, Bhumibol celebrated his 60th anniversary as the King of Thailand, becoming the longest reigning monarch in Thai history.
Following the death of his grandmother Queen Savang Vadhana, Bhumibol entered a 15-day monkhood (22 October 1956 – 5 November 1956) at Wat Bowonniwet, as is customary for Buddhist males on the death of elder relatives.[25] During this time, Sirikit was appointed his regent. She was later appointed Queen Regent (Somdej Phra Boromarajininat) in recognition of this.
Although Bhumibol is sometimes referred to as King Rama IX in English, Thais refer to him as Nai Luang or Phra Chao Yu Hua (ในหลวง or พระเจ้าอยู่หัว: both mean "the King" or "Lord Upon our Heads"). He is also called Chao Chiwit ("Lord of Life").[26] Formally, he would be referred to as Phrabat Somdej Phra Chao Yu Hua (พระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัว) or, in legal documents, Phrabat Somdej Phra Paraminthara Maha Bhumibol Adulyadej (พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรมินทรมหาภูมิพลอดุลยเดช), and in English as His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. He signs his name as ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช ป.ร. (Bhumibol Adulyadej Por Ror; this is the Thai equivalent of Bhumibol Adulyadej R[ex]).
Role in Thai politics[link]
Plaek Pibulsonggram era[link]
File:PPS.JPG
Marshal and Mrs. Pibulsonggram with Eleanor Roosevelt
In the early years of his reign, during the government of military dictator Plaek Pibulsonggram, Bhumibol had no real power and was little more than a ceremonial figure under the military-dominated government. In August 1957, 6 months after parliamentary elections, General Sarit Dhanarajata accused the government of Field Marshal Pibulsonggram of lèse majesté due to its conduct of the 2,500th anniversary celebration of Buddhism.[27][7] On 16 September 1957, Pibulsonggram went to Bhumibol to seek support for his government.[28] Bhumibol told the Field Marshal to resign to avoid a coup; Pibulsonggram refused. That evening, Sarit Dhanarajata seized power, and two hours later Bhumibol imposed martial law throughout the Kingdom.[29] Bhumibol issued a Proclamation appointing Sarit as "Military Defender of the Capital" without anyone countersigning this Proclamation. It included the following statements:[30]
| “ | Whereas it appears that the public administration of the government under the premiership of Field Marshal P. Phibunsonggram is untrustworthy, and that it could not maintain the public order, the military, led by Field Marshal Sarit Dhanarajata, has successfully taken over the public administration and now acts as the Military Defender of the Capital. I, hereby, appoint Field Marshal Sarit Dhanarajata as the Military Defender of the Capital, and command that all the citizens shall remain calm while all the public servants shall serve the orders issued by Field Marshal Sarit Dhanarajat. This Proclamation shall come into force immediately. Done this 16th Day of September, Buddhist Era 2500 (1957). | ” |
Sarit Dhanarajata era[link]
During Sarit's dictatorship, the monarchy was revitalised. Bhumibol attended public ceremonies, toured the provinces and patronised development projects. Under Sarit, the practice of crawling in front of royalty during audiences, banned by King Chulalongkorn, was revived in certain situations and the royal-sponsored Thammayut Nikaya order was revitalised. For the first time since the absolute monarchy was overthrown, a king was conveyed up the Chao Phraya River in a Royal Barge Procession to offer robes at temples.[31][32]
Other disused ceremonies from the classical period of the Chakri dynasty, such as the royally-patronised ploughing ceremony (Thai: พิธีพืชมงคล), were also revived.[33] Bhumibol's birthday (5 December) was declared the national day, replacing the previous national day, the anniversary of the Siamese Revolution of 1932 (24 June).[34] Upon Sarit's death in 8 December 1963, an unprecedented 21 days of mourning were declared in the palace. A royal five-tier umbrella shaded his body while it lay in state. Long-time royal adviser Phraya Srivisarn Vacha later noted that no Prime Minister ever had such an intimate relationship with Bhumibol as Sarit.[35]
Contemporary thinkers differ in their views about the relationship between Bhumibol and Sarit. Paul Handley, writer of The King Never Smiles views Sarit as Bhumibol's tool, whereas political scientist Thak Chaloemtiarana asserts that Sarit used Bhumibol in order to build his own credibility.[36][37]
Thanom Kittikachorn era and short democratic phase[link]
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This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (February 2012) |
Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn was appointed premier a day after Sarit's death in 1963. He continued most of Sarit's policies for a decade. In October 1973 after massive protests and the deaths of a large number of pro-democracy demonstrators, Bhumibol opened the gates of the Chitralada Palace to fleeing protesters, and held an audience with student leaders. Bhumibol subsequently appointed the Thammasat University Rector Sanya Dharmasakti as the new Prime Minister, replacing Thanom. Thanom subsequently moved to the United States and Singapore. A succession of civilian governments followed, but the return of Field Marshal Thanom and his ordination as a novice monk at Wat Bowonniwet in 1976 led to renewed conflict, culminating in the 6 October 1976 Massacre at Thammasat University by royalist paramilitary forces.
Prem Tinsulanond era[link]
The ensuing chaos was used as a pretext for a military coup. The junta submitted three names to the king to choose from to become the next Premier: Deputy President of the king's Privy Council Prakob Hutasingh, right-wing Bangkok Governor Thamnoon Thien-ngern, and conservative Supreme Court judge Tanin Kraivixien.[38] Bhumibol chose Tanin as the most suitable. However, Tanin proved to be very right-wing himself, causing student protesters to flee to join the communists in the jungle. Tanin was himself overthrown in a military coup in October 1977 led by General Kriangsak Chomanan. Kriangsak was succeeded in 1980 by the popular Army Commander-in-Chief, General Prem Tinsulanond, later the Privy Council President.
Bhumibol's refusal to endorse military coups in 1981 (the April Fool's Day coup) and 1985 (the Share Rebellion) ultimately led to the victory of forces loyal to the government, despite some violence – including in 1981, the seizure of Bangkok by rebel forces. The coups led many to believe that Bhumibol had misjudged Thai society and that his credibility as an impartial mediator between various political and military factions had been compromised.[39][40][41]
Crisis of 1992[link]
File:Black May Thailand.jpg
Royal intervention on the night of 20 May. Chamlong Srimuang (left) and Suchinda Kraprayoon (middle) submit to the King (seated).
Main article: Black May (1992)
In 1992, Bhumibol played a key role in Thailand's transition to a democratic system. A coup on 23 February 1991 returned Thailand back under military dictatorship. After a general election in 1992, the majority parties invited General Suchinda Kraprayoon, a leader of the coup group, to be the Prime Minister. This caused much dissent, which escalated into demonstrations that led to a large number of deaths when the military was brought in to control the protesters. The situation became increasingly critical as police and military forces clashed with the protesters. Violence and riot spread out in many areas of the capital with rumours of a rift among the armed forces.[42]
Amidst the fear of civil war, Bhumibol intervened. He summoned Suchinda and the leader of the pro-democracy movement, retired Major General Chamlong Srimuang, to a televised audience, urged them to find a peaceful resolution. At the height of the crisis, the sight of both men appearing together on their knees (in accordance with royal protocol) made a strong impression on the nation, and led to Suchinda's resignation soon afterwards.
It was one of the few occasions in which Bhumibol directly and publicly intervened in a political conflict. A general election was held shortly afterward, leading to a civilian government.[43]
2003 War on Drugs[link]
In his 4 December 2002 speech on the eve of his birthday, King Bhumibol spoke about the rise in drug use, the high social costs and deaths caused by drugs, and called for a "War on Drugs."[44] Privy Councillor General Phichit Kunlawanit called on the Thaksin Shinawatra government to use its majority in parliament to establish a special court to deal with drug dealers, stating that “if we execute 60,000 the land will rise and our descendants will escape bad karma”.[45]
On 14 January 2003, Thaksin launched a campaign to rid "every square inch of the country" of drugs.[46] His War on Drugs campaign consisted of setting provincial arrest and seizure targets including "blacklists", awarding government officials for achieving targets and threatening punishment for those who failed to make the quota, targeting dealers, and "ruthless" implementation. In the first three months, Human Rights Watch reported that 2,275 people were killed, almost double the number normally killed in drug-related violence.[47] Human rights critics claimed a large number were extrajudicially executed.[48][49] The War on Drugs was widely criticized by the international community.[50]
According to the Narcotics Control Board, the campaign was effective in reducing drug consumption, especially in schools.[51] The War on Drugs was one of the most popular policies of the Thaksin government. Bhumibol, in a 2003 birthday speech, praised Thaksin and criticized those who counted only dead drug dealers while ignoring deaths caused by drugs.[52]
"ไอ้การชัยชนะของการปราบไอ้ยาเสพติดนี่ ดีที่ปราบ แล้วก็ที่เขาตำหนิบอกว่า เอ้ย คนตาย ตั้ง ๒,๕๐๐ คน อะไรนั่น เรื่องเล็ก ๒,๕๐๐ คน ถ้านายกฯ ไม่ได้ทำ นายกฯ ไม่ได้ทำ ทุกปี ๆ จดไว้นะ มีมากกว่า ๒,๕๐๐ คนที่ตาย" "Victory in the War on Drugs is good. They may blame the crackdown for more than 2,500 deaths, but this is a small price to pay. If the prime minister failed to curb [the drug trade], over the years the number of deaths would easily surpass this toll.[53] "
Bhumibol also asked the commander of the police to investigate the killings.[54] Police Commander Sant Sarutanond reopened investigations into the deaths, and again claimed that few of the deaths were at the hands of the police.
After the 2006 coup, the military junta appointed a committee led by former Attorney General Kanit Na Nakorn to investigate deaths in the War on Drugs.[55] The committee found no evidence linking Thaksin or members of his government to any extrajudicial killings. However, critics claimed that the true findings of the committee were suppressed.[56]
While he was opposition leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva accused Thaksin of crimes against humanity for the War on Drugs. After he became Prime Minister, Abhisit opened an investigation led by former attorney-general Kampee Kaewcharoen, claiming that a successful probe could lead to prosecution by the International Criminal Court.[47][57][58] As of the August 2011 parliamentary elections, Abhisit's investigation failed to find or publicize any evidence linking Thaksin or members of his Government to any extrajudicial killings.
Crisis of 2005–2006 and the September 2006 coup[link]
Background to the coup[link]
See also: Thailand political crisis 2005-2006
Weeks before the April 2006 legislative election, the Democrat Party-led opposition and the People's Alliance for Democracy petitioned Bhumibol to appoint a replacement prime minister and cabinet. Demands for royal intervention met with much criticism from the public. Bhumibol, in a speech on 26 April 2006, responded, "Asking for a Royally-appointed prime minister is undemocratic. It is, pardon me, a mess. It is irrational".[59]
After publicly claiming victory in the boycotted April parliamentary elections, Thaksin Shinawatra had a private audience with the king. A few hours later, Thaksin appeared on national television to announce that he would be taking a break from politics.
In May 2006, the Sondhi Limthongkul-owned Manager Daily newspaper published a series of articles describing the "Finland Plot", alleging that Thaksin and former members of the Communist Party of Thailand planned to overthrow the king and seize control of the nation. No evidence was ever produced to verify the existence of such a plot, and Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai party vehemently denied the accusations and sued the accusers.
In a rare, televised speech to senior judges, Bhumibol requested the judiciary to take action to resolve the political crisis.[59] On 8 May 2006, the Constitutional Court invalidated the results of the April elections and ordered new elections scheduled for 15 October 2006.[60] The Criminal Court later jailed the Election Commissioners.[61][62]
On 14 July 2006, Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda addressed graduating cadets of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, telling them that the Thai military must serve the King – not the Government.[63]
On 20 July, Bhumibol signed a royal decree endorsing new House elections for 15 October 2006. In an unprecedented act, the King wrote a note on the royal decree calling for a clean and fair election. That very day, Bhumibol underwent spinal surgery.[64]
The coup[link]
See also: 2006 Thailand coup
In the evening of 19 September, the Thai military overthrew the Thaksin government and seized control of Bangkok in a bloodless coup. The junta, led by the Sonthi Boonyaratglin, Commander of the Army, called itself the Council for Democratic Reform under the Constitutional Monarchy, accused the deposed prime minister and his regime of many crimes, including lèse majesté, and pledged its loyalty to Bhumibol. Martial law was declared, the Constitution repealed and the October elections cancelled. Protests and political meetings were banned.[65] On 20 September, Bhumibol endorsed the coup, and ordered civil servants to take orders from Sonthi.
The King's role in the coup was the subject of much speculation among Thai analysts and the international media, although publication of such speculation was banned in Thailand. The King had an audience with Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda at the same time as the First Special Forces were ordered mobilised.[66] Anti-coup protesters claimed that Prem was a key mastermind of the coup, although the military claimed otherwise and banned any discussion of the topic. In a BBC interview, Thitinan Pongsudhirak of Chulalongkorn University noted, "This coup was nothing short of Thaksin versus the King... He is widely seen as having implicitly endorsed the coup." In the same interview, social critic Sulak Sivaraksa claimed, "Without his involvement, the coup would have been impossible." Sulak added that the King is "very skillful. He never becomes obviously involved. If this coup goes wrong, Sonthi will get the blame, but whatever happens, the King will only get praise."[67] On Saturday 23 September 2006, the junta warned they would "urgently retaliate against foreign reporters whose coverage has been deemed insulting to the monarchy."[68] The President of Bhumibol's Privy Council, General Prem Tinsulanonda, supported the coup. The junta later appointed Privy Council member General Surayud Chulanont as Prime Minister.
On 20 April 2009, Thaksin claimed in an interview with the Financial Times that Bhumibol had been briefed by Privy Councillors Prem Tinsulanonda and Surayud Chulanont about their plans to stage the 2006 coup. He claimed that General Panlop Pinmanee, a leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, had told him of the briefing.[69][70] The Thai embassy in London denied Thaksin's claims.
After the coup[link]
The junta appointed a Constitutional Tribunal to rule on the alleged poll fraud cases concerning the Thai Rak Thai and Democrat political parties. Guilty rulings would have dissolved both parties, Thailand's largest and oldest, respectively, and banned the parties' leadership from politics for five years. The weeks leading up to the verdicts saw rising political tensions. On 24 May 2007, about a week before the scheduled verdict, Bhumibol gave a rare speech to the Supreme Administrative Court (the President of which is also a member of the Constitutional Tribunal). "You have the responsibility to prevent the country from collapsing," he warned them in the speech, which was shown on all national television channels simultaneously during the evening. “The nation needs political parties.... In my mind, I have a judgment but I cannot say," he said. "Either way the ruling goes, it will be bad for the country, there will be mistakes."[71][72][73] The Tribunal later acquitted the Democrat Party but dissolved the Thai Rak Thai party and banned 111 of its executives from politics for five years.
The junta-appointed Constitution Drafting Assembly later tried to use the King in a propaganda campaign to increase public support for its widely criticised draft constitution. The CDA placed billboards saying, "Love the King. Care about the King. Vote in the referendum. throughout the Northeast of Thailand, where opposition to the junta was greatest.[74]
2008 crisis[link]
Main article: 2008–2010 Thai political crisis
The military's constitution passed the referendum, and general election was held in December 2007. The People's Power Party, consisting of many former Thai Rak Thai Party MPs and supporters, won the majority and formed a government.[75] The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) refused to accept the election results and started protests, eventually laying siege to Government House, Don Muang Airport, and Suvarnabhumi Airport. Although the PAD claimed they were defending the monarchy, Bhumibol remained silent. However, after a PAD supporter died in a clash with police, Queen Sirikit presided over her cremation. Princess Sirindhorn, when asked at a US press conference whether the PAD was acting on behalf of the monarchy, replied, "I don't think so. They do things for themselves."[76] Questioning and criticism over Bhumibol's role in the crisis increased, particularly from the international press.[77][78][79][80][81][82][83] “It is more and more difficult for them to hold the illusion that the monarchy is universally adored,” says a Thai academic.[84]
In April 2008, Bhumibol appointed alleged coup plotter General Surayud Chulanont to Privy Council of Thailand. In the weeks leading up to 2011 general election, Bhumibol appointed Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pukbhasuk, a leader of the 2006 military coup, to his Privy Council.[85]
Bhumibol was admitted to Siriraj Hospital in September 2009 for flu and pneumonia.[86] Rumors about his ill-health caused Thai financial markets to tumble in October 2009.[87]
Royal powers[link]
Constitutional powers[link]
- For a historical perspective on how Bhumibol's constitutional powers have changed over time, see the Constitutions of Thailand article
Bhumibol retains enormous powers, partly because of his immense popularity and partly because his powers – although clearly defined in the Thai constitution – are often subject to conflicting interpretations. This was highlighted by the controversy surrounding the appointment of Jaruvan Maintaka as Auditor-General. Jaruvavn had been appointed by The State Audit Commission. However, the Constitutional Court ruled in July 2004 that her appointment was unconstitutional. Jaruvan refused to vacate her office without an explicit order from Bhumibol, on the grounds that she had previously been royally approved. When the Senate elected a replacement for Jaruvan, Bhumibol refused to approve him.[88] The Senate declined to vote to override Bhumibol's veto.[89] Finally in February 2006 the Audit Commission reinstated Jaruvan when it became clear from a memo from the Office of the King's Principal Private Secretary that King Bhumibol supported her appointment.
Bhumibol has vetoed legislation very rarely. In 1976, when the Parliament voted 149–19 to extend democratic elections down to district levels, Bhumibol refused to sign the law.[90] The Parliament refused to vote to overturn the King's veto. In 1954, Bhumibol vetoed parliamentary-approved land reform legislation twice before consenting to sign it.[91] The law limited the maximum land an individual could hold to 50 rai (80,000 square metres (860,000 sq ft)), at a time when the Crown Property Bureau was the Kingdom's largest land-owner. The law was not enforced as General Sarit soon overthrew the elected government in a coup and repealed the law.
Bhumibol has the constitutional prerogative to pardon criminals, although there are several criteria for receiving a pardon, including age and remaining sentence. The 2006 pardoning of several convicted paedophiles, including an Australian rapist and child pornographer, caused controversy.[92][93][94] However under the Thailand Constitution, the King has the prerogative to grant a pardon and all laws, Royal Prescripts and Royal Commands relating to State affairs must be countersigned by a Minister unless otherwise provided in this Constitution. The pardon list is created and proposed by the government official, which was under the Shinawatra's 2006 government.
Network monarchy and extraconstitutional powers[link]
Several academics outside of Thailand, including Duncan McCargo and Federico Ferrara have noted the active political involvement of Bhumibol through a "network monarchy," whose most significant proxy is Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanond. McCargo claimed that Bhumibol's deeply conservative network worked behind the scenes to establish political influence in the 1990s, but was deeply threatened by the landslide election victories of Thaksin Shinawatra in 2001 and 2005.[95] Ferrara claimed, shortly before the Thai Supreme Court delivered its verdict to seize Thaksin Shinawatra's assets, that the judiciary was a well-established part of Bhumibol's network and represented his main avenue to exercise extra-constitutional prerogatives despite having the appearance of being constitutional. He also noted how, in comparison to the Constitutional Court's 2001 acquittal of Thaksin, the judiciary was a much more important part of the "network" than it was in the past.[96]
The network's ability to exercise power is based partly on Bhumibol's popularity and strict control of Bhumibol's popular image. Bhumibol's popularity was demonstrated following the 2003 Phnom Penh riots in Cambodia, when hundreds of Thai protesters, enraged by rumors that Cambodian rioters had stomped on photographs of Bhumibol, gathered outside the Cambodian embassy in Bangkok. Photographs of the stomping were not published in Thailand, but were available on the internet. The situation was resolved peacefully only when Police General Sant Sarutanonda told the crowd that he had received a call from royal secretary Arsa Sarasin conveying Bhumibol's request for calm. The crowd dispersed.[97]
Royal projects[link]
History[link]
The development of the country must be fostered in stages. It must start with the construction of infrastructure, that is, the provision of food and basic necessities for the people by methods which are economic, cautious and conforming with principles. Once the foundation is firmly established, progress can be continually, carefully and economically promoted. This approach will prevent incurring mistakes and failures, and lead to the certain and complete achievement of the objectives.—Bhumibol's speech at Kasetsart University Commencement Ceremony on 19 July 1974.[98]
Bhumibol has been involved in many social and economic development projects. The nature of his involvement has varied by political regime.[99]
The government of Plaek Pibulsonggram (1951–1957) limited Bhumibol to a ceremonial role. During that period Bhumibol produced some films and operated a radio station from Chitlada Palace using his own personal funds.
In the military governments of Sarit Dhanarajata and his successors (1958–1980), Bhumibol was re-portrayed as the "Development King" and the inspiration of the economic and political goals of the regime. Royally-ordered projects were implemented under the financial and political support of the government, including projects in rural areas and communities under the influence of the Communist Party of Thailand. Bhumibol's visits to these projects were heavily promoted by the Sarit government and broadcast on the state-controlled media.
During the governments of General Prem Tinsulanond (1981–1987), the relationship between the Thai state and the monarch was at its closest. Prem, later to become President of Bhumibol's Privy Council, officially allocated government budgets and manpower to support royal projects. Most activities in this period involved the development of large scale irrigation projects in rural areas.
During the modern period (post-1988), the structured development of the Royal Projects reached its apex. Bhumibol's Chaipattana Foundation was established, promoting his "sufficiency economy" theory, an alternative to the export-oriented policies adopted by the period's elected governments. Following the 2006 coup, establishment of a "sufficiency economy" was enshrined in the constitution as being a primary goal of the government, and government financial support for royal projects boomed.
Example projects[link]
- Rama VIII Bridge. Suggested by Bhumibol, funded by the government
- Huai Ongkod land reform project, Kanchanaburi province. Suggested by Bhumibol, using government-owned land.
- Royal Medical Team. Bhumibol's private physicians accompanying him on village tours were encouraged to provide medical care for local residents. In addition, the Royal Household sends letters of support to physicians who volunteer to serve in hospitals in provinces where royal palaces are situated.[100]
Awards[link]
Bhumibol has received numerous royal and state orders as befitting of his stature. In addition, the king was awarded the William J. Donovan Medal, Award of Friendship OSS, New York, U.S.A.presented by the Office of Strategic Services (soon to be CIA) on 29 October 1987.[101]
Bhumibol, who serves as head of The National Scout Organization of Thailand, was presented the Bronze Wolf award on 20 June 2006, the highest award of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, for his support and development of Scouting in Thailand by Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden and Honorary President of the World Scout Foundation. The presentation took place at Chitralada Palace in Thailand and was witnessed by Chairman of the World Scout Committee Herman Hui.
In May 2006, UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, presented the United Nations' first and only Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award to Bhumibol.[102]
Bhumibol set a world record for receiving the greatest number of honorary university degrees (136) in 1997.[103] Most of his degrees came from Thai universities: for instance, Kasetsart University awarded him ten honorary doctoral degrees at once.
60th Anniversary celebrations[link]
Also called the Diamond Jubilee, the 60th Anniversary Celebrations of His Majesty the King's Accession to the Throne were a series of events marking Bhumibol's reign. Events included the royal barge procession on the Chao Phraya River, fireworks displays, art exhibitions, pardoning 25,000 prisoners,[104] concerts and dance performances.
Tied in with the anniversary, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan presented Bhumibol with the United Nations Development Programme's first Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award on 26 May 2006. National holidays were on 9 June and 12–13 June 2006. On 9 June, the King and Queen appeared on the balcony of Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall before hundreds of thousands of people. The official royal barge procession on 12 June was attended by the King and Queen and royal visitors from 26 other countries. On 13 June, a state banquet for the royal visitors was held in the newly constructed Rama IX Throne Hall at the Grand Palace, the first official function for the hall. The Chiang Mai Royal Flora Expo was also held to honour the anniversary.
On 16 January 2007, the CDRM officially declared the end of the 60th anniversary celebrations and commenced year-long celebrations of Bhumibol's 80th birthday.[105]
Private life[link]
| Monarchs of the Chakri Dynasty |
|
|---|---|
 |
Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke (King Rama I) |
 |
Buddha Loetla Nabhalai (King Rama II) |
 |
Jessadabodindra (King Rama III) |
.jpg){kind=small} |
Mongkut (King Rama IV) |
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Chulalongkorn (King Rama V) |
 |
Vajiravudh (King Rama VI) |
 |
Prajadhipok (King Rama VII) |
 |
Ananda Mahidol (King Rama VIII) |
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Bhumibol Adulyadej (King Rama IX) |
Bhumibol is a painter, musician, photographer, author and translator. His book Phra Mahachanok is based on a traditional Jataka story of Buddhist scripture. The Story of Thong Daeng is the story of his dog Thong Daeng.[106]
In his youth, Bhumibol was greatly interested in firearms. He kept a carbine, a Sten gun, and two automatic pistols in his bedroom, and he and his elder brother, King Ananda Mahidol, often used the gardens of the palace for target practice.[107]
There are two English language books that provide extensive detail – albeit not always verifiable – about Bhumibol's life, especially his early years and then throughout his entire reign. One is The Revolutionary King by William Stevenson, the other is The King Never Smiles by Paul M. Handley. A third and earlier work, The Devil's Discus, is also available in Thai and English. All three books are banned in Thailand.
Bhumibol's creativity in, among other things, music, art, and invention, was the focus of a 2 minute long documentary created by the government of Abhibisit Vejjajiva that was screened at all branches of the Major Cineplex Group and SF Cinema City, the two largest cinema chains in Thailand.[108]
Health[link]
Bhumibol suffers from lumbar spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the canal that contains the spinal cord and nerve roots, which results in back and leg pain and numbness in the legs. He received a microsurgical decompression in July 2006.[109][110]
Bhumibol was taken to Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital on 13 October 2007, complaining he felt weak down his right side; doctors later found out through scans that he had a blood shortage to his brain.[111] He was discharged on 7 November 2007.[112]
On 19 September 2009, he was once again admitted to Siriraj Hospital, apparently with the flu and pneumonia. US diplomatic cables from 2009, published by Wikileaks in 2011, reported that the king is suffering from Parkinson's disease and depression.[113] His youngest daughter HRH Princess Chulabhorn Walailak confirmed in an April 2011 television interview that the king remains in the hospital.[114]
On 17 November 2011, Bhumibol was diagnosed with diverticulitis while being confined in Siriraj Hospital. He is also forced to remain in fast until the disease is cured, the Bureau of the Royal Household announced.[115] He received further treatment for the condition in January 2012.
Music[link]
Bhumibol is an accomplished jazz musician and composer, particularly for his works on the alto saxophone. He was the first Asian composer awarded honorary membership of the Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts in Vienna at the age of 32.[116] He used to play jazz music on air on the Or Sor radio station. In his travels, he has played with such jazz legends as Benny Goodman, Jack Teagarden, Lionel Hampton, Maynard Ferguson, and Preservation Hall Jazz Band. His songs can often be heard at social gatherings and concerts. In 2003, the University of North Texas College of Music awarded him an Honorary Doctorate in Music. The king's abilities as a jazz musician were mentioned by Aunt Jenny (Imogene Coca) in an episode of The Brady Bunch titled "Jan's Aunt Jenny", which originally aired on 21 January 1972.[117]
Sailing[link]
Bhumibol is an accomplished sailor and sailboat designer.[118] He won a gold medal for sailing in the Fourth Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games in 1967, together with HRH Princess Ubol Ratana whom he tied for points.[119] This accomplishment is all the more remarkable given Bhumibol's lack of binocular depth perception. Bhumibol has also sailed the Gulf of Thailand from Hua Hin to Toey Harbour in Sattahip, covering 60 nautical miles (110 km) in a 14-hour journey on the "Vega 1," an OK Class dinghy he built.[107]
Like his father, a former military naval engineer, Bhumibol was an avid boat designer and builder. He produced several small sail-boat designs in the International Enterprise, OK, and Moth Classes. His designs in the Moth class include the “Mod,” “Super Mod,” and “Micro Mod.”[120]
Patents[link]
Bhumibol is the only Thai monarch to hold a patent.[121][122] He obtained one in 1993 for a waste water aerator named "Chai Pattana", and several patents on rainmaking since 1955: the "sandwich" rainmaking patent in 1999 and lately the "supersandwich" patent in 2003.[123][124][125]
Wealth[link]
Estimates of the post-devaluation (circa 1997–1998) wealth of the royal household range from 10 billion to 20 billion USD.[126] In August 2008, Forbes came out with its 2008 version of The World's Richest Royals. King Bhumibol took first place on the list with an estimated wealth of $35 billion.[127] A few days later the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand issued a statement that the Forbes report erred in attributing wealth owned by the Crown Property Bureau (CPB) solely to Bhumibol.[128] In the 2009 version of its list, Forbes acknowledged the government's objections, but justified the continued inclusion of the CPB's assets on the ground that Bhumibol was its trustee.[10] The 2009 estimate was down to $30 billion due to declines in real estate and stocks.[10]
The wealth and properties of Bhumibol and the royal family are managed by the Crown Property Bureau and the Privy Purse. The CPB was established by law but is managed independently of the Thai Government and reports only to Bhumibol.[107][129]
Through the CPB, Bhumibol and the royal family own land and equity in many companies and massive amounts of land, including 3,493 acres in Bangkok.[130] The CPB is the majority shareholder of Siam Cement (the largest Thai industrial conglomerate), Christiani & Nielsen (one of the largest Thai construction firms), Deves Insurance (which holds a monopoly on government property insurance and contract insurance), Siam Commercial Bank (one of the largest Thai banks), and Shin Corporation (a major Thai telecommunications firm, through the CPB's holdings in Siam Commercial Bank). The CPB also rents or leases about 36,000 properties to third parties, including the sites of the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, the Suan Lum Night Bazaar, Siam Paragon and the Central World Tower. The CPB spearheaded a plan to turn Bangkok’s historical Rajadamnoen Avenue into a shopping street known as the “Champs-Élysées of Asia” and in 2007, shocked longtime residents of traditional marketplace districts by serving them with eviction notices.[131] Bhumibol's substantial income from the CPB, estimated to be at least five billion baht in 2004 alone, is exempt from taxes.[131][132] The CPB receives many state privileges. Although the Ministry of Finance technically runs the CPB, decisions are made solely by Bhumibol. The CPB's annual report is for the eye of Bhumibol alone; the annual report is not released to the public.[131]
In addition, Bhumibol has numerous personal investments independent of the CPB. He is personally the majority shareholder of the Thai Insurance Company and Sammakorn, as well as many other companies.[133] He currently holds 30% in Siam Cement,[134] and 20% in the Siam Commercial Bank.[135]
The CPB has a fleet of three aircraft for the use of the royal family, including a Boeing 737-800 and an Airbus A319. The newer Airbus had been purchased by the Thaksin Shinawatra government for government use, but after the 2006 coup, the junta offered it to the king. The other planes are used by members of the royal family.[136]
Among other vehicles, Bhumibol owns two custom-built stretch limousines from LCW Automotive Corp.[137] The Golden Jubilee Diamond, the largest faceted diamond in the world, was given to him by businessman Henry Ho.
Lèse majesté[link]
Main article: Lèse majesté in Thailand
Although Bhumibol is held in great respect by many Thais[citation needed], he is also protected by lèse majesté laws which allow critics to be jailed for three to fifteen years.[138] The laws were toughened during the dictatorship of royalist Premier Tanin Kraivixien, such that criticism of any member of the royal family, the royal development projects, the royal institution, the Chakri Dynasty, or any previous Thai King was also banned.
During his 2005 birthday speech, Bhumibol invited criticism: "Actually, I must also be criticised. I am not afraid if the criticism concerns what I do wrong, because then I know. Because if you say the king cannot be criticised, it means that the king is not human", he claimed. "If the king can do no wrong, it is akin to looking down upon him because the king is not being treated as a human being. But the king can do wrong."[8] A widespread barrage of criticisms resulted, followed by a sharp rise in lese majeste prosecutions. Lese majeste cases rose from five or six a year pre-2005 to 478 in 2010.[139]
Biographies[link]
American journalist Paul Handley, who spent thirteen years in Thailand, wrote the biography The King Never Smiles. The Information and Communications Ministry banned the book and blocked the book's page on the Yale University Press website in January 2006. In a statement dated 19 January 2006, Thai National Police Chief General Kowit Wattana said the book has "contents which could affect national security and the good morality of the people."[140] The book provides a detailed discussion of Bhumibol's role in Thai political history and also analyzes the factors behind Bhumibol's popularity.
William Stevenson, who had access to the Royal Court and the Royal Family, wrote the biography The Revolutionary King in 2001.[141] An article in Time says the idea for the book was suggested by Bhumibol.[142] Critics noted that the book displays intimate knowledge about personal aspects of Bhumibol. However, the book has been unofficially banned in Thailand and the Bureau of the Royal Household warned the Thai media about even referring to it in print. An official ban was not possible as it was written with Bhumibol's blessing. The book has been criticised for factual inaccuracies, disrespecting Bhumibol (it refers to him by his personal nickname "Lek"), and proposing a controversial theory explaining the death of King Ananda. Stevenson said, "The king said from the beginning the book would be dangerous for him and for me."[142]
Succession to the throne[link]
Bhumibol's only son, Prince Vajiralongkorn, was given the title "Somdej Phra Boroma Orasadhiraj Chao Fah Maha Vajiralongkorn Sayam Makutrajakuman" (Crown Prince of Siam) on 28 December 1972 and made heir apparent (องค์รัชทายาท) to the throne in accordance with the Palace Law on Succession of 1924.[143]
On 5 December 1977, Princess Sirindhorn was given the title "Siam Boromrajakumari" (Princess Royal of Siam). Her title is often translated by the English-language press as "Crown Princess", although her official English-language title is simply "Princess".[144]
Although the constitution was later amended to allow the Privy Council to appoint a princess as successor to the throne, this would only occur in the absence of an heir apparent. This amendment is retained in Section 23 of the 1997 "People's Constitution." This effectively allowed Princess Sirindhorn to potentially be second in line to the throne, but did not affect Prince Vajiralongkorn's status as heir apparent.
Recent constitutions of Thailand have made the amendment of the Palace Law of Succession the sole prerogative of the reigning king. According to Gothom Aryan, former election commissioner, this allows the reigning king, if he so chooses, to appoint his son or any of his daughters to the throne.[145]
Titles and styles[link]
| Monarchical styles of King Bhumibol Adulyadej Rama IX of Thailand |
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|---|---|
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| Reference style | His Majesty |
| Spoken style | Your Majesty |
| Alternative style | Sir |
King Bhumibol Adulyadej's Thai full title is "Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Bhumibol Adulyadej Mahitalathibet Ramathibodi Chakkrinaruebodin Sayamminthrathirat Borommanatbophit" (Thai: พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรมินทรมหาภูมิพลอดุลยเดช มหิตลาธิเบศรรามาธิบดี จักรีนฤบดินทร สยามินทราธิราช บรมนาถบพิตร; listen (help·info)), which is referred to in the chief legal documents; and in general documents, the title is shorthened to "Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Bhumibol Adulyadej Sayamminthrathirat Borommanatbophit" or just "Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Bhumibol Adulyadej."
The literal translation of the title is as follows:[146]
- Phra—a third person pronoun referring to the person with much higher status than the speaker, meaning "excellent" in general. The word is from Sanskrit vara ("excellent").
- Bat—"foot," from Sanskrit pāda.
- Somdet—"lord," from Khmer "samdech" ("excellency").
- Poraminthara—"the great," from Sanskrit parama ("great") + indra ("leader")
- Maha—"great," from Sanskrit, "maha"
- Bhumibol—"Strength of the Land," from Sanskrit bhumi ("land") +bala ("strength")
- Adulyadej—"Incomparable power," from Sanskrit atulya ("incomparable") +teja ("power")
- Mahitalathibet—"Son of Mahidol"
- Ramathibodi—"Rama, the Avatar of God Vishnu to become the great ruler"; from Sanskrit rama + adhi ("great") + patī ("president")
- Chakkrinaruebodin—"Leader of the People who is from the House of Chakri", from Sanskrit Cakrī + nari ("men") + patī ("president")
- Sayamminthrathirat—"the Great King of Siam," from Sanskrit Siam (former name of Thailand) + indra + ati ("great") + rāja ("king)
- Borommanatbophit— "the Royalty who is the Great Shelter", from Sanskrit parama ("great") + nādha ("the one who others can depend on" or "Power/Right") + "pavitra" ("royalty")
Ancestors[link]
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See also[link]
- Monarchy of Thailand
- Golden Jubilee Diamond, the largest faceted diamond in the world, was presented to Bhumibol Adulyadej on the 50th anniversary of his coronation.
- Constitutions of Thailand, describing the evolution of Bhumibol's constitutional rights and responsibilities.
- History of Thailand (1932-1973)
- History of Thailand since 1973
- Public Holidays in Thailand
- Thai royal and noble titles
- List of longest reigning monarchs of all time
- Royal Flags of Thailand
References[link]
- ^ "A Royal Occasion speeches". Journal. Worldhop. 1996. Archived from the original on 12 May 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20060512194220/http://www.worldhop.com/Journals/J5/ROYAL.HTM. Retrieved 5 July 2006.
- ^ Doherty, Ben (15 October 2009). "Fears for Thai monarch set stockmarket tumbling for second day". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/15/thailand-bhumibol-stockmarket-sickness. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
- ^ Aphornsuvan, Thanet (2004), "Bhumibol Adulyadej", Southeast Asia: A Historical Encyclopedia, From Angkor Wat to East Timor (ABC-CLIO): p. 232, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=QKgraWbb7yoC&pg=PA232&dq=bhumibol+respected&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ZM1YT9PICsrU0QXKuOjHDQ&ved=0CEUQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=bhumibol%20respected&f=false
- ^ Nimanandh, Kongphu; Andrews, Tim G. (2009), "Socio-cultural context", The Changing Face of Management in Thailand (Taylor & Francis): p. 73, http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=FIDKY-RFDTMC&pg=PA73&dq=bhumibol+respected&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ZM1YT9PICsrU0QXKuOjHDQ&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=bhumibol%20respected&f=false
- ^ a b "Why Thailand's king is so revered". News. UK: BBC. 5 December 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7128935.stm. Retrieved 3 February 2010.
- ^ Handley, Paul M. (2006). The King Never Smiles. Yale University Press. pp. 136–137. ISBN 0-300-10682-3.
- ^ a b Thak Chaloemtiarana (1979). Thailand: The Politics of Despotic Paternalism. Social Science Association of Thailand. p. 98.
- ^ a b "Royal Birthday Address: 'King Can Do Wrong'". National Media. 5 December 2005. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2005/12/05/headlines/data/headlines_19334288.html. Retrieved 26 September 2007.
- ^ Declaration on Crown Property and Royal Assets, TH: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 22 August 2008, http://www.mfa.go.th/web/200.php?id=20551 .
- ^ a b c Serafin, Tatiana (17 June 2009). "The World's Richest Royals". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/17/monarchs-wealth-scandal-business-billionaires-richest-royals.html.
- ^ Tatiana Serafin, “The world’s richest royals”, Forbes, 7 July 2010.
- ^ The Crown Property Bureau – Youth Development Archived 10 August 2011 at WebCite
- ^ Some information about HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej Archived 10 August 2011 at WebCite
- ^ Channel News Asia, Thais celebrate Queen's birthday as govt investigates monarchy threat, 12 August
- ^ "Biography of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej". http://kanchanapisek.or.th/biography/index.en.html.
- ^ Wimuttanon, Suvit (ed.) (2001). Amazing Thailand (special collector's edition). World Class Publishing. p. 33. ISBN 974-91020-3-7.
- ^ "Biography of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej". The Golden Jubilee Network. Kanchanapisek Network. 1999. http://www.kanchanapisek.or.th/biography/hmk.en.html. Retrieved 5 August 2006.
- ^ Handley, Paul M (2006). The King Never Smiles. Yale University Press, pp. 78–9. ISBN 0-300-10682-3.
- ^ Bhirom Bhakdi, Soravij. "Queens of the Chakri Dynasty". http://www.soravij.com/queens.html. Retrieved 1 August 2006.
- ^ "The Making of a Monarch". Bangkok Post. 5 December 2005. http://www.bangkokpost.net/60yrsthrone/60yrsthrone/index.html. Retrieved 12 July 2006.
- ^ Handley, Paul M (2006). The King Never Smiles. Yale University Press, p. 104. ISBN 0-300-10682-3.
- ^ "Khun Poom Jensen, Son of Princess Ubolratana". Soravij.com. http://soravij.com/poomjensen.html. Retrieved 24 November 2007.
- ^ "Royal Power Controversy". 2Bangkok.com. http://www.2bangkok.com/news05t.shtml. Retrieved 4 January 2007.
- ^ Royal Regalia and Royal Utensils of Siam + images
- ^ "Thailand Monarchy". Thailand Travel and Tours. 2006. http://www.thailandtraveltours.com/thailand-thai-monarchy-thailandthaimonarchy.htm. Retrieved 26 September 2007.
- ^ Head, Jonathan. Why Thailand's king is so revered, BBC News, 5 December 2007. Accessed 11 May 2008.
- ^ Handley, Paul M. (2006). The King Never Smiles. Yale University Press. pp. 129–130, 136–137. ISBN 0-300-10682-3.
- ^ Suwannathat-Pian, Kobkua (1995). Thailand's Durable Premier. Oxford University Press. p. 30. ISBN 967-65-3053-0.
- ^ "The Proclamation Imposing Martial Law throughout the Kingdom". The Government Gazette of Thailand 74 (76). 16 September 1957.
- ^ "The Proclamation Appointing the Military Defender". The Government Gazette of Thailand 74 (76). 16 September 1957. http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2500/A/076/1.PDF.
- ^ Evans, Dr. Grant; citing Christine Gray (1998). "The Politics of Ritual and Remembrance: Laos since 1975". Laosnet.org. http://www.laosnet.org/fa-ngum/ewans.htm. Retrieved 5 July 2006.
- ^ Evans, Dr. Grant (1998). The Politics of Ritual and Remembrance: Laos since 1975. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 89–113. ISBN 0-8248-2054-1.
- ^ Klinkajorn, Karin. "Creativity and Settings of Monuments and Sites in Thailand: Conflicts and Resolution" (PDF). International Council on Monuments and Sites. http://www.international.icomos.org/xian2005/papers/2-18.pdf. Retrieved 5 July 2006.
- ^ ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง ให้ถือวันพระราชสมภพ เป็นวันเฉลิมฉลองของชาติไทย, ราชกิจจานุเบกษา เล่ม 77 ตอน 43 24 พฤษภาคม 2503 หน้า 1452
- ^ Thongthong Chandrangsu, A Constitutional Legal Aspect of the King's Prerogatives (M.A. thesis) Chulalongkorn University, 1986, page 160
- ^ ใจ อึ๊งภากรณ์, บทความ รศ.ใจ อึ๊งภากรณ์ วิจารณ์ : The King Never Smiles, 14 ธันวาคม 2549
- ^ ทักษ์ เฉลิมเตียรณ, การเมืองระบบพ่อขุนอุปถัมภ์แบบเผด็จการ, สำนักพิมพ์มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์ 2525
- ^ "His Gracious Majesty". The Nation. 2 February 2007. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/webblog/view_blog.php?uid=492&bid=1817%20His%20Gracious%20Majesty. Retrieved 25 September 2007.
- ^ Michael Schmicker, Asian Wall Street Journal, 23 December 1982
- ^ สุลักษณ์ ศิวรักษ์, "ลอกคราบสังคมไทย", กรุงเทพฯ: หนังสือไทย, 2528
- ^ Anonymous, "The Chakri Dynasty and Thai Politics, 1782–1982", cited in Handley, Paul M. (2006). The King Never Smiles. Yale University Press. p. 298. ISBN 0-300-10682-3.
- ^ "Development Without Harmony". Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization. 2000. http://www.seameo.org/vl/92may/92may1.htm. Retrieved 26 September 2007.
- ^ "BIOGRAPHY of Chamlong Srimuang". The 1992 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Government Service. Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation. 2000. http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Awardees/Biography/BiographySrimuangCha.htm. Retrieved 26 September 2007.
- ^ The Royal Jubilee Network, พระราชดำรัส พระราชทานแก่คณะบุคคลต่างๆ ที่เข้าเฝ้าฯ ถวายชัยมงคล ในโอกาสวันเฉลิมพระชนมพรรษา ณ ศาลาดุสิดาลัย สวนจิตรลดา พระราชวังดุสิตฯ วันพุธที่ ๔ ธันวาคม พ.ศ. ๒๕๔๕ (ฉบับไม่เป็นทางการ)
- ^ Michael K. Connors, Ambivalent About Rights: “Accidental” Killing Machines, Democracy and Coups D’etat., Draft paper presented to Human Rights in Asia Workshop, University of Melbourne, 1–2 October 2009.
- ^ Anucha Yuwadee, Bangkok Post, 15 January 2003
- ^ a b National News Bureau of Thailand, Academics call for law to prosecute Thaksin in World Court, 28 June 2010
- ^ "A Wave of Drug Killings Is Linked to Thai Police" By Seth Mydans, 8 April 2003 New York Times [1]
- ^ Amnesty International report: Thailand: Grave developments – Killings and other abuses
- ^ March 2003 "DRUG-RELATED KILLINGS: Verify the toll, say diplomats". The Nation. 4 March 2003. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/page.arcview.php?clid=2&id=75010&date=4 March 2003.
- ^ Thailand: Public Senses War On Drugs Futile 20 March 2005
- ^ "พระราชดำรัส พระราชทานแก่คณะบุคคลต่างๆ ที่เข้าเฝ้าฯ ถวายชัยมงคล ในโอกาสวันเฉลิมพระชนมพรรษา ณ ศาลาดุสิดาลัย สวนจิตรลดา พระราชวังดุสิตฯ วันพฤหัสบดีที่ ๔ ธันวาคม พ.ศ. ๒๕๔๖ (ฉบับไม่เป็นทางการ)". The Golden Jubilee Network. 2003. http://kanchanapisek.or.th/speeches//1204.th.html. "ไอ้การชัยชนะของการปราบไอ้ยาเสพติดนี่ ดีที่ปราบ แล้วก็ที่เขาตำหนิบอกว่า เอ้ย คนตาย ตั้ง ๒,๕๐๐ คน อะไรนั่น เรื่องเล็ก ๒,๕๐๐ คน ถ้านายกฯ ไม่ได้ทำ นายกฯ ไม่ได้ทำ ทุกปี ๆ จดไว้นะ มีมากกว่า ๒,๕๐๐ คนที่ตาย ที่ตายทั้งคนที่เสพติด แล้วก็ขึ้นไป ฆ่าคน หรือทำอะไร เผาอะไรต่าง ๆ รวมทั้งเจ้าหน้าที่ที่ต้องไปปราบปกติ ก็ตายมากเหมือนกัน แต่ไม่พูดเท่านั้นเอง ไม่ไปนับ แต่นี้เขาก็นับไปชี้ ชี้ ชี้นับ พวกที่ค้า พวกที่ทำ ก็ตายเยอะเหมือนกัน ก่อนนี้ แต่ไม่พูดถึง เชื่อว่าพอๆ กับที่ได้จดว่า มีผู้ที่ตายในการสงครามต่อสู้ยาเสพติด ที่ทราบว่าคนตาย เพราะยาเสพติดนี่ มากมาย"
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Literature[link]
- HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. The Story of Tongdaeng. Amarin Book, Bangkok. 2004. ISBN 974-272-917-4
- HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. The Story of Mahajanaka. Amarin Book, Bangkok. 1997. ISBN 974-8364-71-2
- HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. The Story of Mahajanaka: Cartoon Edition. Amarin Book, Bangkok. 1999. ISBN 974-272-074-6
- HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. His Majesty the King's Photographs in the Development of the Country. Photographic Society of Thailand & Thai E, Bangkok. 1992. ISBN 974-88805-0-8
- HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand. Paintings by his Majesty the King: Special exhibition for the Rattanakosin Bicentennial Celebration at the National Gallery, Chao Fa Road, Bangkok, 1 April – 30 June 1982. National Gallery, Bangkok. 1982. ASIN B0007CCDMO
- HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, Chaturong Pramkaew (Ed.). My Country Thailand...land of Everlasting Smile. Amarin Book, Bangkok. 1995. ISBN 974-8363-53-8
External links[link]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rama IX |
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Wikisource has original text related to this article: |
- The Sixtieth Anniversary Celebrations of His Majesty's Accession to the Throne – official website for the Diamond Jubilee
- A Visionary Monarch – provides a lot of insights on his visions and contributions to the country.
- Songs composed by Bhumibol
- The Golden Jubilee Network – has many subjects on Bhumibol, including his projects, speeches, and his royal new year card.
- Supreme Artist – see works of art created by Bhumibol.
- The King's Birthplace
- Thai monarchy
- Thailand’s Guiding Light
- Thailand: How a 700-Year-Old System of Government Functions – article by David Lamb (LA Times staff writer) on Bhumibol
- "'The King Never Smiles': L'etat, c'est moi", Sreeram Chaulia, worldpress.org, 4 October 2006
- Far Eastern Economic Review, “The King’s Conglomerate”, June 1988. Contains an interview with Chirayu Isarangkun Na Ayuthaya, Crown Property Bureau
- King of Thailand
|
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Born: 5 December 1927 |
||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ananda Mahidol |
King of Thailand 1946–present |
Incumbent Heir: Maha Vajiralongkorn |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bhumibol Adulyadej |
| Alternative names | Rama IX, the Ninth Rama, King Bhumipol |
| Short description | King of Thailand |
| Date of birth | 5 December 1927 |
| Place of birth | Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
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