Thailand is a large country in Southeastern Asia. This predominantly Buddhist country is twice as long (North to South) as it is wide (East to West). Nearly one fourth of the country's 61 million people live in urban areas and one tenth of the country's population live in Bangkok, the capital city. In this essay I will discuss population trends in Thailand in relation to those of the United States and how they affect the countries as a whole.
According to statistics provided by the United States Bureau the population of the US is over four times greater than that of Thailand. The United States also has significantly lower Natural Rate of Increase, Crude Birth Rate and Infant Mortality Rate. Americans live longer on average than people in Thailand and have a higher Dependency Ratio, however, that is because over twenty percent of the population cannot work.
Currently Thailand has around 61 million citizens, the majority of whom are between the ages of 15 and 45. Thailand has a population density of 119 persons per sq km (309 per sq mi), one of the lowest in Asia. Most Thai live in rural areas and probably make their living in some way from the Gulf of Thailand. Today Thailand's Population Pyramid is mostly convex. Just over fifty of the population of Thailand is capable of working, yielding a forty-three percent Dependency Ratio. Thailand suffers from most of the same problems as other major metropolitan areas, with many young men and women moving into the city seeking employment only to find there is none available. This major influx of people has led to a strain on the city's resources such as housing and public health-facilities. Thailand is also plagued by constant traffic congestion, people living in slums and prostitution. With an annual rate of population growth of 0.9 percent, Thailand's population is expected to double in 61 years. However, family size is falling. The Thai have a lo