Capital

Niederlande

name: Amsterdam; note - The Hague is the seat of government

geographic coordinates: 52 21 N, 4 55 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

time zone note: time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, for the constituent countries in the Caribbean, the time difference is UTC-4

etymology: the original Dutch name, Amstellerdam, meaning "a dam on the Amstel River," dates to the 13th century; over time the name simplified to Amsterdam

Thailand

name: Bangkok

geographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: Bangkok was likely originally a colloquial name, but one that was widely adopted by foreign visitors; the name may derive from bang ko, where bang is the Thai word for "village on a stream" and ko means "island," both referencing the area's landscape, which was carved by rivers and canals; alternatively, the name may come from bang makok, where makok is the name of the Java plum, a plant bearing olive-like fruit; this possibility is supported by the former name of Wat Arun, a historic temple in the area, that used to be called Wat Makok;

Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, the city's Thai name, means "City of Angels, Great City" or simply "Great City of Angels" and is a shortening of the full ceremonial name: Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit; translated the meaning is: "City of angels, great city of immortals, magnificent city of the nine gems, seat of the king, city of royal palaces, home of gods incarnate, erected by Vishvakarman at Indra's behest"; it holds the world's record as the longest place name (169 letters); Krung Thep is used colloquially

Citizenship

Niederlande

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Netherlands

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Thailand

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Thailand

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Legal system

Niederlande

civil law system based on the French system; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General

Thailand

civil law system with common law influences

Suffrage

Niederlande

18 years of age; universal

Thailand

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Area

Niederlande

total: 41,543 sq km

land: 33,893 sq km

water: 7,650 sq km

Thailand

total: 513,120 sq km

land: 510,890 sq km

water: 2,230 sq km

Land use

Niederlande

agricultural land: 55.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 29.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 24.2% (2018 est.)

forest: 10.8% (2018 est.)

other: 34.1% (2018 est.)

Thailand

agricultural land: 41.2% (2018 est.)

arable land: 30.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 8.8% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 1.6% (2018 est.)

forest: 37.2% (2018 est.)

other: 21.6% (2018 est.)

Location

Niederlande

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Thailand

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Age structure

Niederlande

0-14 years: 16.06% (male 1,436,601/female 1,368,697)

15-64 years: 63.08% (male 5,532,490/female 5,483,034)

65 years and over: 20.86% (2023 est.) (male 1,658,652/female 1,984,456)

Thailand

0-14 years: 16% (male 5,720,842/female 5,443,981)

15-64 years: 69.53% (male 23,797,302/female 24,734,505)

65 years and over: 14.47% (2023 est.) (male 4,500,808/female 5,597,559)

Birth rate

Niederlande

10.5 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Thailand

10 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Niederlande

9.7 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Thailand

7.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Niederlande

Dutch (official); note - Frisian is an official language in Fryslan province; Frisian, Low Saxon, Limburgish, Romani, and Yiddish have protected status under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages; Dutch is the official language of the three special municipalities of the Caribbean Netherlands; English is a recognized regional language on Sint Eustatius and Saba; Papiamento is a recognized regional language on Bonaire

major-language sample(s):
Het Wereld Feitenboek, een onmisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Thailand

Thai (official) only 90.7%, Thai and other languages 6.4%, only other languages 2.9% (includes Malay, Burmese); note - data represent population by language(s) spoken at home; English is a secondary language of the elite (2010 est.)

major-language sample(s):
สารานุกรมโลก - แหล่งข้อมูลพื้นฐานที่สำคัญ (Thai)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Niederlande

total population: 81.7 years (2023 est.)

male: 80.1 years

female: 83.3 years

Thailand

total population: 77.9 years (2023 est.)

male: 74.9 years

female: 81.1 years

Major urban areas - population

Niederlande

1.174 million AMSTERDAM (capital), 1.018 million Rotterdam (2023)

Thailand

11.070 million BANGKOK (capital), 1.454 Chon Buri, 1.359 million Samut Prakan, 1.213 million Chiang Mai, 1.005 million Songkla, 1.001 million Nothaburi (2023)

Median age

Niederlande

total: 42.2 years (2023 est.)

male: 41 years

female: 43.4 years

Thailand

total: 41 years (2023 est.)

male: 39.8 years

female: 42.2 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Niederlande

30.2 years (2020 est.)

Thailand

23.3 years (2009 est.)

Net migration rate

Niederlande

4.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Thailand

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Niederlande

an area known as the Randstad, anchored by the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague, and Utrecht, is the most densely populated region; the north tends to be less dense, though sizeable communities can be found throughout the entire country

Thailand

highest population density is found in and around Bangkok; significant population clusters found througout large parts of the country, particularly north and northeast of Bangkok and in the extreme southern region of the country

Population growth rate

Niederlande

0.48% (2023 est.)

Thailand

0.2% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Niederlande

1.61 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Thailand

1.54 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Niederlande

urban population: 93.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Thailand

urban population: 53.6% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Niederlande

5.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Thailand

3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Niederlande

total: 19 years

male: 18 years

female: 19 years (2020)

Thailand

total: 15 years

male: 15 years

female: 16 years (2016)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Niederlande

1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Thailand

-3.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Niederlande

4.93% (2021 est.)

Thailand

3.34% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Niederlande

9.902 million (2021 est.)

Thailand

40.213 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Niederlande

13.6% (2019 est.)

Thailand

9.9% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate

Niederlande

4.01% (2021 est.)

3.82% (2020 est.)

3.38% (2019 est.)

Thailand

1.42% (2021 est.)

1.1% (2020 est.)

0.72% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Niederlande

56.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

61.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment, debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Thailand

50.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

40.13% of GDP (2019 est.)

39.25% of GDP (2018 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are sold at public auctions

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Niederlande

2.68% (2021 est.)

1.27% (2020 est.)

2.63% (2019 est.)

Thailand

1.23% (2021 est.)

-0.85% (2020 est.)

0.71% (2019 est.)

Exports

Niederlande

$839.6 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$712.3 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$751.2 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Thailand

$296.002 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$257.981 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$323.878 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - partners

Niederlande

Germany 20%, Belgium 12%, United Kingdom 9%, France 7%, United States 5% (2019)

Thailand

United States 16%, China 13%, Japan 9%, Vietnam 4%, Australia 4% (2021)

Imports

Niederlande

$735.7 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$620.5 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$662 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Thailand

$295.78 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$232.039 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$272.831 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - partners

Niederlande

Germany 15%, China 11%, Belgium 9%, United States 8%, Russia 7%, United Kingdom 5% (2019)

Thailand

China 28%, Japan 12%, Malaysia 5%, United States 5%, United Arab Emirates 4% (2021)

Airports

Niederlande

29 (2021)

Thailand

101 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Niederlande

total: 7,525,016 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2020 est.)

Thailand

total: 11,478,265 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Niederlande

total: 16.56 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 92% (2021 est.)

Thailand

total: 61.2 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 85% (2021 est.)

Railways

Niederlande

total: 3,055 km (2020) 2,310 km electrified

Thailand

total: 4,127 km (2017)

standard gauge: 84 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (84 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 4,043 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge

Roadways

Niederlande

total: 139,124 km (2016) (includes 3,654 km of expressways)

Thailand

total: 180,053 km (2006) (includes 450 km of expressways)

Telephones - fixed lines

Niederlande

total subscriptions: 5.024 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29 (2021 est.)

Thailand

total subscriptions: 4.6 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Niederlande

total subscriptions: 21.888 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2021 est.)

Thailand

total subscriptions: 120 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 170 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Niederlande

6,237 km (2012) (navigable by ships up to 50 tons)

Thailand

4,000 km (2011) (3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m)

Disputes - international

Niederlande

none identified

Thailand

Thailand-Burma: in 2016, Thailand expressed its interest in investing in Burma’s Hatgyi Dam project on the Salween River near the Thai-Burma border; the dam has the potential to supply electricity and water during the drought season; approximately 100,000 mostly Karen refugees fleeing civil strife, political upheaval, and economic stagnation in Burma live in nine remote camps in Thailand near the border

Thailand-Cambodia: Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of their border; in 2011, Thailand and Cambodia resorted to arms in the dispute over the location of the boundary on the precipice surmounted by Preah Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962 and part of a planned UN World Heritage site; in 2013, the International Court of Justice ruled that the land with the temple was Cambodian territory but that a nearby hill belonged to Thailand

Thailand-Laos: talks continue on completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over several islands in the Mekong River

Thailand-Malaysia: separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Malay-Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem insurgent activities; disputed areas are the Bukit Jeli area at the headwaters of the Golok River and the continental shelf boundary in the Gulf of Thailand