Thailand, officially known as the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country located at the center of the Southeast Asian Indochinese peninsula. It was formerly known as Siam until the country changed to its present name in 1948. Thailand has 76 provinces with a total land area of 513,120 km2. With its unique geographical features and tropical climate, Thailand is a popular study abroad destination.
Thai people are the largest ethnic group in Thailand. They represent 91.5% of the country's total population, followed by the Khmer people (2.3%) and the Malay people (2.1%). Thailand is known throughout the world for its exceptional hospitality. The country is also called the "land of smiles" for its friendly people. Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Hinduism are the major religions in Thailand.
Just like many other Asian countries, Thailand highly values education. It has a high literacy rate of 98.15% for male and female population ages 15-24 (2015).