Phuket province

Statistics
Capital:	Phuket city
Area:	543.0 km² Ranked 75th
Inhabitants:	249,446 (2000) Ranked 68th
Pop. density:	459 inh./km² Ranked 6th
ISO 3166-2:	TH-83
Map

Phuket (Thai ภูเก็ต) is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Phang Nga and Krabi, but as Phuket is an island there are no land boundaries. The island is served by Phuket International Airport, located in the north of the island.

Table of contents

1 Geography
2 Economy
3 History
4 Demographics
5 Symbols
6 Administrative divisions
7 External links

Geography

Phuket is the biggest island in Thailand, located in the Andaman Sea on the west of Malay Peninsula. The island is mostly mountainous with a mountain range in the west of the island from the north to the south. The mountains of Phuket from the southern end of a mountain chain, which ranges for 440 km from the Kra Isthmus. The highest elevation of the whole Phuket chain is the Khao Phra Mi with an elevation of 1138 m, however the highest elevation on the island itself is Mai Tha Sip Song (Twelve Canes), at 529 m above sea level.

70% of the island is covered by forest. The western coast has several sandy beaches, while on the east coast are more muddy beaches. Nearly the southernmost point is Laem Promthep, which is a popular sunset viewpoint.

Economy

Tin mining has been a major source of income for the island since the 16th century. Many Chinese workers were employed in the mines, and their influence on Phuket culture can still be felt today. With falling tin prices, the mining has now all but ceased. Nowadays, Phuket's economy rests on two pillars: rubber tree plantations (making Thailand the biggest producer of rubber in the world) and tourism.

Since the 1980s Phuket has become one of the major tourist attractions of Thailand, and most of the sandy beaches on the western coast of the island have been developed into tourist centers, with Patong, Karon and Kata being the most popular ones.

History

The most significant event in the history of Phuket was the attack by the Burmese in 1785 after king Taksin had fought them back. Sir Francis Light, a British East India Company captain passing the island, sent word to the local administration that Burmese forces were preparing for an attack. Kunying Jan, the wife of the recently deceased governor, and her sister Mook then assembled forces. After one month of siege the Burmese had to turn back on March 13, 1785, and the two women became local heroines, receiving the honorary names Thao Thep Kasatri and Thao Sri Sunthon from King Rama I.

During the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) Phuket became the administrative center of the tin-producing southern provinces. In 1933 the Monthon Phuket was dissolved and Phuket became a province by itself.

Old names of the island include Ko Thalang, and Junk Ceylon, an English corruption of the Malay Tanjung Salang.

Mueang Phuket
Kathu
Thalang

External links

Provinces of Thailand
{\|		North:	Chiang Mai \| Chiang Rai \| Kamphaeng Phet \| Lampang \| Lamphun \| Mae Hong Son \| Nakhon Sawan \| Nan \| Phayao \| Phetchabun \| Phichit \| Phitsanulok \| Phrae \| Sukhothai \| Tak \| Uthai Thani \| Uttaradit
North-East:	Amnat Charoen \| Buriram \| Chaiyaphum \| Kalasin \| Khon Kaen \| Loei \| Maha Sarakham \| Mukdahan \| Nakhon Phanom \| Nakhon Ratchasima \| Nongbua Lamphu \| Nong Khai \| Roi Et \| Sakhon Nakhon \| Sisaket \| Surin \| Ubon Ratchathani \| Udon Thani \| Yasothon
Central:	Ang Thong \| Ayutthaya \| Bangkok \| Chainat \| Kanchanaburi \| Lopburi \| Nakhon Nayok \| Nakhon Pathom \| Nonthaburi \| Pathum Thani \| Phetchaburi \| Prachuap Khiri Khan \| Ratchaburi \| Samut Prakan \| Samut Sakhon \| Samut Songkhram \| Saraburi \| Sing Buri \| Suphanburi
South:	Chumphon \| Krabi \| Nakhon Si Thammarat \| Narathiwat \| Pattani \| Phang Nga \| Phattalung \| Phuket \| Ranong \| Satun \| Songkhla \| Surat Thani \| Trang \| Yala
East:	Chachoengsao \| Chanthaburi \| Chonburi \| Rayong \| Prachinburi \| Sa Kaeo \| Trat