List of islands by population
Islands ordered by population -- Population 500,000 to 1,000,000
Table:
Ranking
Island
Population
Country

57
Oahu
976,372 (2012)[22]
United States ( Hawaii)

58
Bangka
960,692 (2010) [33]
Indonesia

59
Tenerife
906,854 (2010 census)
Spain ( Canary Islands)

60
Unguja (Zanzibar Island)
896,721 (2012 Census)[57]
Tanzania ( Zanzibar)

61
Palawan
886,308 (2015 census)
Philippines

62
Majorca
862,397 (2009 census)
Spain ( Balearic Islands)

63
Penang Island
860,000 (2010 estimate)
Malaysia

64
Gran Canaria
838,397 (2009 census)
Spain ( Canary Islands)

65
Réunion
837,868 (2012 estimate)[58]
France

66
Cangshan
762,746 (2010 census)[59]
China (Fujian)

67
São Vicente
760,000[60]
Brazil ( São Paulo)

68
Nias
756,338 (2010 Census) [61]
Indonesia

69
Vancouver Island
748,937 (2009 estimate)[62]
Canada ( British Columbia)

70
Masbate
706,897 (2015 census)
Philippines

71
Sumba
686,113 (2010 Census)[61]
Indonesia ( East Nusa Tenggara)

72
Viti Levu
661,997 (2007 Census)[63]
Fiji

73
Crete
623,065 (2011 Census)
Greece

74
Jeju
621,550 (2014 estimate)[64]
South Korea

75
Chongming
615,297 (2013 census)[65]
China (Shanghai)

76
Phuket
525,018 (2010)[66]
Thailand

By analysing the following table along with the supporting text listed at the end.

Solve the question: What is the lowest ranking islands listed as being in Indonesia ? Provide just your answer in a JSON object {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Avoid adding external knowledge.

Oʻahu ( pronounced [ oˈʔɐhu ] ) anglicized Oahu ( /oʊˈɑːhuː/ ) , known as The Gathering Place , is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands . It is home to roughly one million people - about two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii . The state capital , Honolulu , is on Oʻahu 's southeast coast . Including small associated islands such as Ford Island and the islands in Kāneʻohe Bay and off the eastern ( windward ) coast , its area is 596.7 square miles ( 1,545.4 km2 ) , making it the 20th-largest island in the United States . Oʻahu is 44 miles ( 71 km ) long and 30 miles ( 48 km ) across . Its shoreline is 227 miles ( 365 km ) long . The island is composed of two separate shield volcanoes : the Waiʻanae and Koʻolau Ranges , with a broad valley or saddle ( the central Oʻahu Plain ) between them . The highest point is Kaʻala in the Waiʻanae Range , rising to 4,003 feet ( 1,220 m ) above sea level .
The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. or US ) or America , is a country consisting of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions . [ g ] At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) , it is the world 's third or fourth-largest country by total area [ b ] and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe . Most of the country is located in central North America between Canada and Mexico . With an estimated population of over 328 million , the U.S. is the third most populous country in the world . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the most populous city is New York City . Paleo-Indians migrated from Siberia to the North American mainland at least 12,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from the thirteen British colonies established along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies led to the American Revolutionary War lasting between 1775 and 1783 , leading to independence . The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century - gradually acquiring new territories , displacing Native Americans , and admitting new states - until by 1848 it spanned the continent . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the abolition of slavery in the United States . The Spanish-American War and World War I confirmed the country 's status as a global military power .
Hawaiʻi ( /həˈwaɪi/ ( listen ) hə-WY-ee ; Hawaiian : Hawaiʻi [ həˈvɐjʔi ] ) is a state of the United States of America . It is the only state located in the Pacific Ocean and the only state composed entirely of islands . The state encompasses nearly the entire Hawaiian archipelago , 137 islands spread over 1,500 miles ( 2,400 km ) . The volcanic archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania . At the southeastern end of the archipelago , the eight main islands are , in order from northwest to southeast : Niʻihau , Kauaʻi , Oʻahu , Molokaʻi , Lānaʻi , Kahoʻolawe , Maui , and Hawaiʻi . The last is the largest island in the group ; it is often called the Big Island or Hawaiʻi Island to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago . Hawaiʻi is the 8th-smallest geographically and the 11th-least populous , but the 13th-most densely populated of the 50 states . It is the only state with an Asian American plurality . Hawaii has more than 1.4 million permanent residents , along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel . The state capital and largest city is Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu . The state 's ocean coastline is about 750 miles ( 1,210 km ) long , the fourth longest in the U.S. , after the coastlines of Alaska , Florida , and California . Hawaii is the most recent state to join the union , on August 21 , 1959 .
Bangka ( or sometimes Banka ) is an island lying east of Sumatra , administratively part of Sumatra , Indonesia , with a population of about 1 million . It is the 9th largest island in Indonesia and the main part of Bangka-Belitung Province , being one of its namesakes alongside the smaller Belitung across the Gaspar Strait . The provincial capital , Pangkal Pinang , lies on the island . The island is administratively divided into 4 regencies and a chartered city .
Indonesia ( /ˌɪndəˈniːʒə/ ( listen ) IN-də-NEE-zhə ) , officially the Republic of Indonesia ( Indonesian : Republik Indonesia [ reˈpublik ɪndoˈnesia ] ( listen ) ) , [ a ] is a country in Southeast Asia , between the Indian and Pacific oceans . It is the world 's largest island country , with more than seventeen thousand islands , and at 1,904,569 square kilometres ( 735,358 square miles ) , the 14th largest by land area and 7th in the combined sea and land area . With over 267 million people , it is the world 's 4th most populous country as well as the most populous Muslim-majority country . Java , the world 's most populous island , is home to more than half of the country 's population . The country 's capital , Jakarta , is the second-most populous urban area in the world . The sovereign state is a presidential , constitutional republic with an elected legislature . It has 34 provinces , of which five have special status . The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea , East Timor , and the eastern part of Malaysia . Other neighbouring countries include Singapore , Vietnam , the Philippines , Australia , Palau , and India 's Andaman and Nicobar Islands . Despite its large population and densely populated regions , Indonesia has vast areas of wilderness that support a high level of biodiversity . The country has abundant natural resources like oil and natural gas , coal , tin , copper , gold , and nickel , while agriculture mainly produces rice , palm oil , tea , coffee , cacao , medicinal plants , spices , and rubber . China , the United States , Japan , Singapore , and India are Indonesia 's major trading partners .
Tenerife ( /ˌtɛnəˈriːf/ ; Spanish : [ teneˈɾife ] ) is the largest and most populated island of the eight Canary Islands . It is also the most populated island of Spain , with a land area of 2,034.38 square kilometres ( 785 sq mi ) and 904,713 inhabitants , 43 percent of the total population of the Canary Islands . Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of Macaronesia . Approximately five million tourists visit Tenerife each year , making it the most visited island of the archipelago . It is one of the most important tourist destinations in Spain , hosting one of the world 's largest carnivals , the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife . Tenerife is served by two airports , Tenerife North Airport ( site of the Tenerife disaster , which killed 583 people ) and Tenerife South Airport . Tenerife is the economic capital of the Canary Islands . The capital of the island , Santa Cruz de Tenerife , is also the seat of the island council ( cabildo insular ) . The city is the capital of the autonomous community of Canary Islands ( shared with Las Palmas de Gran Canaria ) , sharing governmental institutions such as presidency and ministries . Between the 1833 territorial division of Spain and 1927 , Santa Cruz de Tenerife was the sole capital of the Canary Islands . In 1927 the Crown ordered that the capital of the Canary Islands be shared , as it remains at present . Santa Cruz contains the modern Auditorio de Tenerife , the architectural symbol of the Canary Islands .
Spain ( Spanish : España [ esˈpaɲa ] ( listen ) ) , officially the Kingdom of Spain ( Spanish : Reino de España ) , [ a ] [ b ] is a country in Southwestern Europe with some pockets of Spanish territory across the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean . Its continental European territory is situated on the Iberian Peninsula . Its territory also includes two archipelagoes : the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa , and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea . The African enclaves of Ceuta , Melilla , and Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera make Spain the only European country to have a physical border with an African country ( Morocco ) . [ h ] Several small islands in the Alboran Sea are also part of Spanish territory . The country 's mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar ; to the north and northeast by France , Andorra , and the Bay of Biscay ; and to the west and northwest by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean . With an area of 505,990 km2 ( 195,360 sq mi ) , Spain is the largest country in Southern Europe , the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union , and the fourth largest country in the European continent . By population ( about 47 million ) , Spain is the sixth largest in Europe and the fifth in the European Union . Spain 's capital and largest city is Madrid ; other major urban areas include Barcelona , Valencia , Seville , Zaragoza , Málaga and Bilbao . Modern humans first arrived in the Iberian Peninsula around 35,000 years ago . Iberian cultures along with ancient Phoenician , Greek , Celtic and Carthaginian settlements developed on the peninsula until it came under Roman rule around 200 BCE , after which the region was named Hispania , based on the earlier Phoenician name Sp ( a ) n or Spania . At the end of the Western Roman Empire the Germanic tribal confederations migrated from Central Europe , invaded the Iberian peninsula and established relatively independent realms in its western provinces , including the Suebi , Alans and Vandals .
The Canary Islands ( /kəˈnɛəri/ ; Spanish : Islas Canarias , pronounced [ ˈizlas kaˈnaɾjas ] ) are a Spanish archipelago and the southernmost autonomous community of Spain located in the Atlantic Ocean , in a region known as Macaronesia , 100 kilometres ( 62 miles ) west of Morocco at the closest point . The Canary Islands , which are also known informally as the Canaries , are among the outermost regions ( OMR ) of the European Union proper . It is also one of eight regions with special consideration of historical nationality as recognized by the Spanish Government . The Canary Islands belong to the African Plate like the Spanish cities of Ceuta and Melilla , the two on the African mainland . The eight main islands are ( from largest to smallest in area ) Tenerife , Fuerteventura , Gran Canaria , Lanzarote , La Palma , La Gomera , El Hierro and La Graciosa . The archipelago includes many smaller islands and islets : Alegranza , Isla de Lobos , Montaña Clara , Roque del Oeste and Roque del Este . It also includes a series of adjacent roques ( those of Salmor , Fasnia , Bonanza , Garachico and Anaga ) . In ancient times , the island chain was often referred to as the Fortunate Isles . The Canary Islands are the most southerly region of Spain and the largest and most populated archipelago of Macaronesia . Historically , the Canary Islands have been considered a bridge between four continents : Africa , North America , South America and Europe . The Canary Islands currently have a population of 2,127,685 inhabitants and a density of 283.08 inhabitants/km² , being the eighth most populous autonomous community . The population of the archipelago is mostly concentrated in the two capital islands , around 43% on the island of Tenerife and 40% on the island of Gran Canaria .
Unguja ( also referred to as Zanzibar Island or simply Zanzibar , in Ancient Greek : Μενουθιάς , romanized : Menuthias - as mentioned in The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea ) is the largest and most populated island of the Zanzibar archipelago , in Tanzania .
Tanzania ( /ˌtænzəˈniːə/ , [ note 2 ] Swahili : [ tanzaˈni.a ] ) , officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( Swahili : Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania ) , is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region . It borders Uganda to the north ; Kenya to the northeast ; Comoro Islands and the Indian Ocean to the east ; Mozambique and Malawi to the south ; Zambia to the southwest ; and Rwanda , Burundi , and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west . Mount Kilimanjaro , Africa 's highest mountain , is in northeastern Tanzania . Many important hominid fossils have been found in Tanzania , such as 6-million-year-old Pliocene hominid fossils . The genus Australopithecus ranged all over Africa 4 to 2 million years ago ; and the oldest remains of the genus Homo are found near Lake Olduvai . Following the rise of Homo erectus 1.8 million years ago , humanity spread all over the Old World , and later in the New World and Australia under the species Homo sapiens . Homo sapiens also overtook Africa and absorbed the older archaic species and subspecies of humanity . One of the oldest known ethnic groups still existing , the Hadzabe , appears to have originated in Tanzania , and their oral history recalls ancestors who were tall and were the first to use fire , medicine , and lived in caves , much like Homo erectus or Homo heidelbergensis who lived in the same region before them . Later in the Stone and Bronze Age , prehistoric migrations into Tanzania included Southern Cushitic speakers who moved south from present-day Ethiopia ; Eastern Cushitic people who moved into Tanzania from north of Lake Turkana about 2,000 and 4,000 years ago ; and the Southern Nilotes , including the Datoog , who originated from the present-day South Sudan-Ethiopia border region between 2,900 and 2,400 years ago . : page 18 These movements took place at about the same time as the settlement of the Mashariki Bantu from West Africa in the Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika areas . They subsequently migrated across the rest of Tanzania between 2,300 and 1,700 years ago . German rule began in mainland Tanzania during the late 19th century when Germany formed German East Africa .
Zanzibar ( /ˈzænzɪbɑːr/ ; Swahili : Zanzibar ; Arabic : زِنْجِبَار , romanized : Zinjibār ) is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania . It is composed of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean , 25-50 kilometres ( 16-31 mi ) off the coast of the mainland , and consists of many small islands and two large ones : Unguja ( the main island , referred to informally as Zanzibar ) and Pemba Island . The capital is Zanzibar City , located on the island of Unguja . Its historic centre is Stone Town , which is a World Heritage Site . Zanzibar 's main industries are spices , raffia , and tourism . In particular , the islands produce cloves , nutmeg , cinnamon , and black pepper . For this reason , the Zanzibar Archipelago , together with Tanzania 's Mafia Island , are sometimes referred to locally as the Spice Islands ( a term borrowed from the Maluku Islands of Indonesia ) . Zanzibar is the home of the endemic Zanzibar red colobus , the Zanzibar servaline genet , and the extinct or rare Zanzibar leopard .
Palawan is the largest island of the province of Palawan in the Philippines and the fifth largest island of the country . The north west coast of the island is along the South China Sea , while the south east coast forms part of the northern limit of the Sulu Sea . Much of the island remains traditional and is considered by some as under-developed . Abundant wildlife , jungle mountains , and some white sandy beaches attract many tourists , as well as international companies looking for development opportunities . As of 2016 , the main island of Palawan was rated the Most Beautiful Island in the World as voted by respective readers of rival travel publications Conde Nast Traveller and Travel + Leisure . It is the second year running that Palawan has won the Conde Nast Traveller award , as well as the second time in four years that it has occupied Travel + Leisure 's top spot ( 2013 ) . El Nido , located at the northern tip of the island , is also currently rated the Most Beautiful Beach in the World by Conde Nast Traveller readers . In 2007 , National Geographic Traveler magazine rated Palawan the best island destination in East and Southeast Asia region , having :
The Philippines ( /ˈfɪləpiːnz/ ( listen ) ; Filipino : Pilipinas [ ˌpɪlɪˈpinɐs ] or Filipinas [ ˌfɪlɪˈpinɐs ] ) , officially the Republic of the Philippines ( Filipino : Republika ng Pilipinas ) , [ a ] is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia . Situated in the western Pacific Ocean , it consists of about 7,641 islands that are broadly categorized under three main geographical divisions from north to south : Luzon , Visayas and Mindanao . The capital city of the Philippines is Manila and the most populous city is Quezon City , both part of Metro Manila . Bounded by the South China Sea on the west , the Philippine Sea on the east and the Celebes Sea on the southwest , the Philippines shares maritime borders with Taiwan to the north , Japan to the northeast , Vietnam to the west , Palau to the east , and Malaysia and Indonesia to the south . The Philippines ' location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and close to the equator makes the Philippines prone to earthquakes and typhoons , but also endows it with abundant natural resources and some of the world 's greatest biodiversity . The Philippines is the world 's 5th largest island country with an area of 300,000 km2 ( 120,000 sq mi ) . As of 2015 , it had a population of at least 100 million . As of January 2018 [ update ] , it is the eighth-most populated country in Asia and the 12th most populated country in the world . Approximately 10 million additional Filipinos lived overseas , comprising one of the world 's largest diasporas . Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands . In prehistoric times , Negritos were some of the archipelago 's earliest inhabitants . They were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples .
Mallorca ( Catalan : [ məˈʎɔɾkə ] , Spanish : [ maˈʎoɾka ] ) or Majorca ( English : /məˈjɔːrkə , -ˈdʒɔːr-/ mə-YOR-kə , -⁠JOR- ) is the largest island in the Balearic Islands , which are part of Spain and located in the Mediterranean . The native language , as on the rest of the Balearic Islands , is Catalan , which is co-official with Spanish . The capital of the island , Palma , is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands . The Balearic Islands have been an autonomous region of Spain since 1983 . There are two small islands off the coast of Mallorca : Cabrera ( southeast of Palma ) and Dragonera ( west of Palma ) . The anthem of Mallorca is La Balanguera . Like the other Balearic Islands of Menorca , Ibiza and Formentera , the island is an extremely popular holiday destination , particularly for tourists from Germany and the United Kingdom . The international airport , Palma de Mallorca Airport , is one of the busiest in Spain ; it was used by 28.0 million passengers in 2017 , increasing every year since 2012 . The name derives from Classical Latin insula maior , larger island . Later , in Medieval Latin , this became Maiorica , the larger one , in comparison to Menorca , the smaller one .
The Balearic Islands ( /ˌbæliˈærɪk/ BAL-ee-ARR-ik , also US : /ˌbɑːl-/ BAHL- , UK : /bəˈlɪərɪk/ bə-LEER-ik ; Catalan : Illes Balears [ ˈiʎəz bələˈas ] ; Spanish : Islas Baleares [ ˈizlaz βaleˈaɾes ] ) are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea , near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula . The four largest islands are Mallorca , Menorca , Ibiza , and Formentera . Many minor islands and islets are close to the larger islands , including Cabrera , Dragonera , and S'Espalmador . The islands have a Mediterranean climate , and the four major islands are all popular tourist destinations . Ibiza , in particular , is known as an international party destination , attracting many of the world 's most popular DJs to its nightclubs . The islands ' culture and cuisine are similar to those of the rest of Spain but have their own distinctive features . The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain , with Palma de Mallorca as the capital . The 2007 Statute of Autonomy declares the Balearic Islands as one nationality of Spain . The co-official languages in the Balearic Islands are Catalan and Spanish .
Penang Island , is the main constituent island of the Malaysian state of Penang . Located at the Malacca Strait , off the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia , it is separated from the mainland by the Penang Strait . The island is home to nearly half of Penang 's population ; the city of George Town , which covers the island and the five outlying islets , is Malaysia 's second largest city by population .
Malaysia ( /məˈleɪziə , -ʒə/ ( listen ) mə-LAY-zee-ə , -⁠zhə ; Malay : [ məlejsiə ] ) is a country in Southeast Asia . The federal constitutional monarchy consists of 13 states and three federal territories , separated by the South China Sea into two similarly sized regions , Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia ( Malaysian Borneo ) . Peninsular Malaysia shares a land and maritime border with Thailand and maritime borders with Singapore , Vietnam , and Indonesia . East Malaysia shares land and maritime borders with Brunei and Indonesia and a maritime border with the Philippines and Vietnam . Kuala Lumpur is the national capital and largest city while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government . With a population of over 30 million , Malaysia is the world 's 44th most populous country . The southernmost point of continental Eurasia , Tanjung Piai , is in Malaysia . In the tropics , Malaysia is one of 17 megadiverse countries , home to large numbers of endemic species . Malaysia has its origins in the Malay kingdoms which , from the 18th century , became subject to the British Empire , along with the British Straits Settlements protectorate . Peninsular Malaysia was unified as the Malayan Union in 1946 . Malaya was restructured as the Federation of Malaya in 1948 and achieved independence on 31 August 1957 . Malaya united with North Borneo , Sarawak , and Singapore on 16 September 1963 to become Malaysia .
Gran Canaria ( UK : /ˌɡræn kəˈnɛəriə , -ˈnɑːr-/ , US : /ˌɡrɑːn kəˈnɑːriə , -ˈnɛər-/ ; Spanish pronunciation : [ ɡɾaŋ kaˈnaɾja ] also Grand Canary Island is the second most populous of the Canary Islands , an archipelago off the Atlantic coast of Northwest Africa which is part of Spain . As of 2018 [ update ] the island had a population of 846,717 that constitutes approximately 40% of the population of the archipelago . Gran Canaria is located in the Atlantic Ocean about 150 kilometres ( 93 mi ) off the northwestern coast of Africa and about 1,350 km ( 840 mi ) from Europe . With an area of 1,560 km2 ( 602 sq . mi ) and an altitude of 1,956 m ( 6,417 ft ) at the Pico de las Nieves , Gran Canaria is the third largest island of the archipelago in both area and altitude . Gran Canaria is also the third most populated island in Spain after Tenerife and Mallorca .
Réunion ( French : La Réunion [ la ʁe.y.njɔ̃ ] ( listen ) ; previously Île Bourbon ) is an overseas department and region of the French Republic and an island in the Indian Ocean , east of Madagascar and 175 km ( 109 mi ) southwest of Mauritius . As of January 2019 [ update ] , it had a population of 866,506 . The island has been inhabited since the 16th century , when people from France and Madagascar settled there . Slavery was abolished on 20 December 1848 ( a date celebrated yearly on the island ) , when the French Second Republic abolished slavery in the French colonies . However , later on indentured workers were brought to Réunion from South India , among other places . The island became an overseas department of France in 1946 . As in France , the official language is French . In addition , the majority of the region 's population speaks Réunion Creole . Administratively , Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France . Like the other four overseas departments , it is also one of the 18 regions of France , with the modified status of overseas region , and an integral part of the republic with the same status as Metropolitan France . Réunion is an outermost region of the European Union and , as an overseas department of France , part of the eurozone .
France ( French : [ fʁɑ̃s ] ( listen ) ) , officially the French Republic ( French : République française , pronounced [ ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛːz ] ( listen ) ) , is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories . [ XIII ] The metropolitan area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea , and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean . It is bordered by Belgium , Luxembourg and Germany to the northeast , Switzerland and Italy to the east , and Andorra and Spain to the south . The overseas territories include French Guiana in South America and several islands in the Atlantic , Pacific and Indian oceans . The country 's 18 integral regions ( five of which are situated overseas ) span a combined area of 643,801 square kilometres ( 248,573 sq mi ) and a total population of 67.02 million ( as of July 2019 [ update ] ) . France is a unitary semi-presidential republic with its capital in Paris , the country 's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre . Other major urban areas include Lyon , Marseille , Toulouse , Bordeaux , Lille and Nice . France , including its overseas territories , has the most number of time zones of any country , with a total of 12 . During the Iron Age , what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls , a Celtic people . Rome annexed the area in 51 BC , holding it until the arrival of Germanic Franks in 476 , who formed the Kingdom of Francia . The Treaty of Verdun of 843 partitioned Francia into East Francia , Middle Francia and West Francia . West Francia , which became the Kingdom of France in 987 , emerged as a major European power in the Late Middle Ages , following its victory in the Hundred Years ' War ( 1337-1453 ) .
Cangshan District ( simplified Chinese : 仓山区 ; traditional Chinese : 倉山區 ; pinyin : Cāngshān Qū , Fuzhou dialect : Chŏng-săng ) is one of 6 urban districts of the prefecture-level city of Fuzhou , the capital of Fujian Province , China .
China ( Chinese : 中国 ; pinyin : Zhōngguó ) , officially the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) , is a country in East Asia and is the world 's most populous country , with a population of around 1.428 billion in 2017 . Covering approximately 9,600,000 square kilometers ( 3,700,000 sq mi ) , it is the third largest country by area . [ j ] Governed by the Communist Party of China , the state exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces , [ k ] five autonomous regions , four direct-controlled municipalities ( Beijing , Tianjin , Shanghai , and Chongqing ) , and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau . China emerged as one of the world 's first civilizations , in the fertile basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain . For millennia , China 's political system was based on hereditary monarchies , or dynasties , beginning with the semi-mythical Xia dynasty in 21st century BCE . Since then , China has expanded , fractured , and re-unified numerous times . In the 3rd century BCE , the Qin reunited core China and established the first Chinese empire . The succeeding Han dynasty , which ruled from 206 BCE until 220 CE , saw some of the most advanced technology at that time , including papermaking and the compass , along with agricultural and medical improvements . The invention of gunpowder and movable type in the Tang dynasty ( 618-907 ) and Northern Song ( 960-1127 ) completed the Four Great Inventions . Tang culture spread widely in Asia , as the new Silk Route brought traders to as far as Mesopotamia and the Horn of Africa . Dynastic rule ended in 1912 with the Xinhai Revolution , when the Republic of China ( ROC ) replaced the Qing dynasty . China , as a whole , was ravaged by feudal warlordism and Japan during World War II .
Fújiàn ( 福建 ; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien Province ) is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China . Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north , Jiangxi to the west , Guangdong to the south , and the Taiwan Strait to the east . Its capital is Fuzhou , while its largest city by population is Xiamen , both located near the coast of the Taiwan Strait in the east of the province . The name Fujian came from the combination of Fuzhou and Jianzhou ( present Nanping ) , a city in Fujian , during the Tang dynasty . While its population is chiefly of ethnic Chinese origin , it is one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse provinces in China . Historically the dialects of the language group Min Chinese were most commonly spoken within the province , including the Hokkien dialects of southeastern Fujian . This is reflected in the abbreviation of the province 's name ( 閩 ) . Hakka Chinese is also spoken , by the Hakka people in Fujian . Min dialects and Hakka Chinese are unintelligible with Mandarin Chinese . Due to emigration , a sizable amount of the ethnic Chinese populations of Taiwan , Singapore , Malaysia , Indonesia and Philippines speak Southern Min ( or Hokkien ) . As a result of the Chinese Civil War , Historical Fujian is now divided between the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) and the Republic of China ( ROC , Taiwan ) , and both territories are named the Fujian province in their respective administration divisions . The majority of the territory of historical Fujian ( the mainland territory and a few islands ) currently make up the Fujian province of the PRC .
São Vicente Island ( São Paulo , Brazil ) is an island in São Paulo state , Brazil . It has an area of 57.4 km2 and a population of 760,000 people . The population density is 13,240/ km2 , making it the most densely populated island in Brazil , and the 38th most densely populated island in the world . Parts of the cities of São Vicente and Santos are located on the island .
Brazil ( Portuguese : Brasil ; Portuguese pronunciation : [ bɾaˈziw ] ) , [ nt 1 ] officially the Federative Republic of Brazil ( Portuguese : República Federativa do Brasil , listen ( help·info ) ) , is the largest country in both South America and Latin America . At 8.5 million square kilometers ( 3.2 million square miles ) and with over 211 million people , Brazil is the world 's fifth-largest country by area and the sixth most populous . Its capital is Brasília , and its most populous city is São Paulo . The federation is composed of the union of the 26 states , the Federal District , and the 5,570 municipalities . It is the largest country to have Portuguese as an official language and the only one in the Americas ; it is also one of the most multicultural and ethnically diverse nations , due to over a century of mass immigration from around the world . Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east , Brazil has a coastline of 7,491 kilometers ( 4,655 mi ) . It borders all other countries in South America except Ecuador and Chile and covers 47.3% of the continent 's land area . Its Amazon River basin includes a vast tropical forest , home to diverse wildlife , a variety of ecological systems , and extensive natural resources spanning numerous protected habitats . This unique environmental heritage makes Brazil one of 17 megadiverse countries , and is the subject of significant global interest and debate regarding deforestation and environmental protection . Brazil was inhabited by numerous tribal nations prior to the landing in 1500 of explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral , who claimed the area for the Portuguese Empire . Brazil remained a Portuguese colony until 1808 , when the capital of the empire was transferred from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro . In 1815 , the colony was elevated to the rank of kingdom upon the formation of the United Kingdom of Portugal , Brazil and the Algarves .
São Paulo ( Portuguese pronunciation : [ sɐ̃w̃ ˈpawlu ] ( listen ) ) is one of the 26 states of the Federative Republic of Brazil and is named after Saint Paul of Tarsus . As the richest Brazilian state and a major industrial complex , often dubbed the locomotive of Brazil , the state is responsible for 33.9% of the Brazilian GDP . São Paulo also has the second highest Human Development Index ( HDI ) and GDP per capita , the fourth lowest infant mortality rate , the third highest life expectancy , and the third lowest rate of illiteracy among the federative units of Brazil , being by far , the safest state in the country . The homicide rate is 3.8 per 100 thousand as of 2018 , almost 1/4 of the Brazilian rate . São Paulo alone is richer than Argentina , Uruguay , Paraguay and Bolivia combined . The economy of São Paulo State is the most developed in Brazil . With more than 46 million inhabitants in 2019 , São Paulo is the most populous Brazilian state , the most populous national subdivision in the Americas , and the third most populous political unit of South America , surpassed only by the rest of the Brazilian Federation and Colombia . The local population is one of the most diverse in the country and descended mostly from Italians , who began immigrating to the country in the late 19th century ; of the Portuguese , who colonized Brazil and installed the first European settlements in the region ; indigenous peoples , many distinct ethnic groups ; Africans , who were brought from Africa as slaves in the colonial era and migrants from other regions of the country . In addition , Arabs , Germans , Spanish , Japanese , Chinese , and Greeks also are present in the ethnic composition of the local population . The area that today corresponds to the state territory was already inhabited by indigenous peoples from approximately 12,000 BC . In the early 16th century , the coast of the region was visited by Portuguese and Spanish explorers and navigators . In 1532 Martim Afonso de Sousa would establish the first Portuguese permanent settlement in the Americas - the village of São Vicente , in the Baixada Santista .
Nias ( Indonesian : Pulau Nias , Nias language : Tanö Niha ) is an island located off the western coast of Sumatra , Indonesia . Nias is also the name of the archipelago ( Kepulauan Nias ) of which the island is the centre , but also includes the Batu Islands to the south-east and the small Hinako Islands to the west . Nias Island covers an area of 5,121.3 km2 ( 1,977.3 sq mi ) ( including the minor offshore islands ) . It is mostly a lowland area rising to around 800 m ( 2,600 ft ) above sea level . There were 756,338 inhabitants on the island ( including the Batu Islands and minor offshore islands ) at the 2010 Census ; at the 2015 Census this had risen to 798,506 .
Vancouver Island is in the northeastern Pacific Ocean , part of the Canadian province of British Columbia . The island is 460 kilometres ( 290 mi ) in length , 100 kilometres ( 62 mi ) in width at its widest point , and 32,134 km2 ( 12,407 sq mi ) in area . It is the largest island on the West Coast of the Americas . The southern part of Vancouver Island and some of the nearby Gulf Islands are the only parts of British Columbia or Western Canada to lie south of the 49th Parallel . This area has one of the warmest climates in Canada , and since the mid-1990s has been mild enough in a few areas to grow subtropical Mediterranean crops such as olives and lemons . Vancouver Island had a population in 2019 of 870,297 . Nearly half of that population ( 401,700 ) live in the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria . Other notable cities and towns on Vancouver Island include Nanaimo , Port Alberni , Parksville , Courtenay , and Campbell River . Victoria , the capital city of British Columbia , is located on the island , but the larger city of Vancouver is not - it is on the North American mainland , across the Strait of Georgia from Nanaimo . Vancouver Island has been the homeland to many Indigenous peoples for thousands of years . The island was explored by British and Spanish expeditions in the late 18th century . It was named Quadra 's and Vancouver 's Island in commemoration of the friendly negotiations held in 1792 by Spanish commander of the Nootka Sound settlement , Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra , and by British naval captain George Vancouver , during the Nootka Crisis .
Canada is a country in the northern part of North America . Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean , covering 9.98 million square kilometres ( 3.85 million square miles ) , making it the world 's second-largest country by total area . Its southern border with the United States , stretching some 8,891 kilometres ( 5,525 mi ) , is the world 's longest bi-national land border . Canada 's capital is Ottawa , and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto , Montreal , and Vancouver . As a whole , Canada is sparsely populated , with most of its land area dominated by forest and tundra . Its population is highly urbanized , with over 80 percent of its inhabitants concentrated in large and medium-sized cities , and 70 percent residing within 100 kilometres ( 62 mi ) of the southern border . Canada 's climate varies widely across its vast area , ranging from Arctic climate in the north to hot summers in the southern regions , with four distinct seasons . Various indigenous peoples inhabited what is now Canada for thousands of years before European colonization . Beginning in the 16th century , British and French expeditions explored and later settled along the Atlantic coast . As a consequence of various armed conflicts , France ceded nearly all of its colonies in North America in 1763 . In 1867 , with the union of three British North American colonies through Confederation , Canada was formed as a federal dominion of four provinces . This began an accretion of provinces and territories and a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom .
British Columbia ( BC ; French : Colombie-Britannique ) is the westernmost province in Canada , located between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains . With an estimated population of 5.1 million as of 2019 [ update ] , it is Canada 's third-most populous province . The first British settlement in the area was Fort Victoria , established in 1843 , which gave rise to the City of Victoria , at first the capital of the separate Colony of Vancouver Island . Subsequently , on the mainland , the Colony of British Columbia ( 1858-1866 ) was founded by Richard Clement Moody and the Royal Engineers , Columbia Detachment , in response to the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush . Moody was Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works for the Colony and the first Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia : he was hand-picked by the Colonial Office in London to transform British Columbia into the British Empire 's bulwark in the farthest west , and to found a second England on the shores of the Pacific . Moody selected the site for and founded the original capital of British Columbia , New Westminster , established the Cariboo Road and Stanley Park , and designed the first version of the Coat of arms of British Columbia . Port Moody is named after him . In 1866 , Vancouver Island became part of the colony of British Columbia , and Victoria became the united colony 's capital . In 1871 , British Columbia became the sixth province of Canada . Its Latin motto is Splendor sine occasu ( Splendour without Diminishment ) . The capital of British Columbia is Victoria , the fifteenth-largest metropolitan region in Canada , named for Queen Victoria , who ruled during the creation of the original colonies . The largest city is Vancouver , the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada , the largest in Western Canada , and the second-largest in the Pacific Northwest .
Masbate Island is the largest of three major islands of Masbate Province in the Philippines . The other two major islands are Ticao Island and Burias Island . It is the 11th largest island in the Philippines and the world 's 155th largest island by area and the world 's 70th most populous island . The island is divided into 14 municipalities and 1 city , and has a total population of 706,897 people . Masbate Island was severely affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda , which caused the evacuation of about 15,700 people .
Sumba ( Indonesian : Pulau Sumba ) is an island in eastern Indonesia . It is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands and is in the province of East Nusa Tenggara . Sumba has an area of 11,059.6 square kilometres ( 4,270.1 square miles ) , and the population was estimated to be 755,849 in 2015 . To the northwest of Sumba is Sumbawa , to the northeast , across the Sumba Strait ( Selat Sumba ) , is Flores , to the east , across the Savu Sea , is Timor , and to the south , across part of the Indian Ocean , is Australia .
East Nusa Tenggara ( Indonesian : Nusa Tenggara Timur - NTT ) is the southernmost province of Indonesia . It comprises the eastern portion of the Lesser Sunda Islands , facing the Indian Ocean in the south and the Flores Sea in the north . It consists of more than 500 islands , with the largest ones being Sumba , Flores , and the western part of Timor ; the latter shares a land border with the separate nation of East Timor . The province is sub-divided into 21 regencies and the regency-level city of Kupang , which is the capital and largest city . A Christian-majority region , East Nusa Tenggara is the only Indonesian province where Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion . The province has a total area of 47,245.82 km2 , and the population at the 2010 Census was 4,683,827 , which rose to 5,112,760 at the 2015 Census ; the latest official estimate in mid 2019 was 5,437,200 . Economically , East Nusa Tenggara still remains one of the least developed provinces in Indonesia . It currently focuses on expanding the tourism sector , with the most well-known attractions including Labuan Bajo , Komodo National Park , and Mount Kelimutu .
Viti Levu ( pronounced [ ˈβitʃi ˈleβu ] ) is the largest island in the Republic of Fiji , the site of the nation 's capital , Suva , and home to a large majority of Fiji 's population .
Fiji ( /ˈfiːdʒi/ ( listen ) FEE-jee ; Fijian : Viti [ ˈβitʃi ] ; Fiji Hindi : फ़िजी , Fijī ) , officially the Republic of Fiji ( Fijian : Matanitu Tugalala o Viti ; Fiji Hindi : फ़िजी गणराज्य , Fijī Gaṇarājya ) , is an island country in Melanesia , part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean about 1,100 nautical miles ( 2,000 km ; 1,300 mi ) northeast of New Zealand 's North Island . Its closest neighbours are Vanuatu to the west , New Caledonia to the southwest , New Zealand 's Kermadec Islands to the southeast , Tonga to the east , the Samoas and France 's Wallis and Futuna to the northeast , and Tuvalu to the north . Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands - of which 110 are permanently inhabited - and more than 500 islets , amounting to a total land area of about 18,300 square kilometres ( 7,100 sq mi ) . The most outlying island is Ono-i-Lau . The two major islands , Viti Levu and Vanua Levu , account for 87% of the total population of 883,483 . The capital , Suva , on Viti Levu , serves as the country 's principal cruise-ship port . [ failed verification ] About three-quarters of Fijians live on Viti Levu 's coasts , either in Suva or in smaller urban centres such as Nadi - where tourism is the major local industry - or Lautoka , where the sugar-cane industry is paramount . Due to its terrain , the interior of Viti Levu is sparsely inhabited . The majority of Fiji 's islands formed through volcanic activity starting around 150 million years ago . Some geothermal activity still occurs today , on the islands of Vanua Levu and Taveuni . The geothermal systems on Viti Levu are non-volcanic in origin , with low-temperature ( c. 35-60 degrees Celsius ) surface discharges . Sabeto Hot Springs near Nadi is a good example .
Crete ( Greek : Κρήτη , Kríti [ 'kriti ] ; Ancient Greek : Κρήτη , Krḗtē ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands , the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea , after Sicily , Sardinia , Cyprus , and Corsica . It bounds the southern border of the Aegean sea . Crete lies approximately 160 km ( 99 mi ) south of the Greek mainland . It has an area of 8,336 km2 ( 3,219 sq mi ) and a coastline of 1,046 km ( 650 mi ) . Crete and a number of surrounding islands and islets constitute the region of Crete ( Greek : Περιφέρεια Κρήτης ) , the southernmost of the 13 top-level administrative units of Greece ; the region is the fifth most populous region of Greece . Its capital and largest city is Heraklion , located on the northern shore of the island . As of 2011 [ update ] , the region had a population of 623,065 . The Dodecanese are located to the northeast of Crete , while the Cyclades are situated to the north , separated by the Sea of Crete . The Peloponnese is to the region 's northwest . Humans have inhabited the island since at least 130,000 years ago , during the Paleolithic age . Crete was the centre of Europe 's first advanced civilization , the Minoans , from 2700 to 1420 BC ; the Minoan civilization was overrun by the Mycenaean civilization from mainland Greece . Later , Crete fell under Roman rule , and afterwards the Byzantine Empire , Andalusian Arabs , the Venetian Republic , and the Ottoman Empire successively ruled Crete .
Greece ( Greek : Ελλάδα ) , officially the Hellenic Republic ( Greek : Ελληνική Δημοκρατία ) , historically also known as Hellas , is a country located in Southeast Europe . Its population is approximately 10.7 million as of 2018 ; Athens , the nation 's capital , is its largest city , followed by Thessaloniki . Situated on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula , Greece is located at the crossroads of Europe , Asia , and Africa . It shares land borders with Albania to the northwest , North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north , and Turkey to the northeast . The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland , the Ionian Sea to the west , the Cretan Sea and the Mediterranean Sea to the south . Greece has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Basin and the 11th longest coastline in the world at 13,676 km ( 8,498 mi ) in length , featuring many islands , of which 227 are inhabited . Eighty percent of Greece is mountainous , with Mount Olympus being the highest peak at 2,918 metres ( 9,573 ft ) . The country consists of nine traditional geographic regions : Macedonia , Central Greece , the Peloponnese , Thessaly , Epirus , the Aegean Islands ( including the Dodecanese and Cyclades ) , Thrace , Crete , and the Ionian Islands . Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilisation , being the birthplace of democracy , Western philosophy , Western literature , historiography , political science , major scientific and mathematical principles , Western drama and the Olympic Games . From the eighth century B.C. , the Greeks were organised into various independent city-states , known as poleis ( singular polis ) , which spanned the entire Mediterranean region and the Black Sea . Philip of Macedon united most of the Greek mainland in the fourth century BC , with his son Alexander the Great rapidly conquering much of the ancient world , from the eastern Mediterranean to India . Greece was annexed by Rome in the second century B.C. , becoming an integral part of the Roman Empire and its successor , the Byzantine Empire , which adopted the Greek language and culture .
Jeju Island ( Korean : 제주도 ; Hanja : 濟州島 ; Korean pronunciation : [ t͡ɕed͡ʑudo ] ) is an island in the Jeju Province of South Korea . The island lies in the Korea Strait , below the Korean Peninsula , south of the South Jeolla Province . The island contains the natural world heritage site , Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes . Jeju has a moderate climate ; even in winter , the temperature rarely falls below 0 °C ( 32 °F ) . Jeju is a popular holiday destination and a sizable portion of the economy relies on tourism and economic activity from its civil/naval base .
South Korea ( Korean : 한국/韓國 ; RR : Hanguk or literally 남한/南韓 ; RR : Namhan ) , officially the Republic of Korea ( Korean : 대한민국/大韓民國 ; RR : Daehan Minguk ) is a country in East Asia , constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea . The name Korea is derived from Goguryeo , which was one of the great powers in East Asia during its time , ruling most of the Korean Peninsula , Manchuria , parts of the Russian Far East and Inner Mongolia under Gwanggaeto the Great . Its capital , Seoul , is a major global city and half of South Korea 's over 51 million people live in the Seoul Capital Area , the fourth largest metropolitan economy in the world . The Korean Peninsula was inhabited as early as the Lower Paleolithic period . Its first kingdom was noted in Chinese records in the early 7th century BC . Following the unification of the Three Kingdoms of Korea into Silla and Balhae in the late 7th century , Korea was ruled by the Goryeo dynasty ( 918-1392 ) and the Joseon dynasty ( 1392-1897 ) . The succeeding Korean Empire was annexed into the Empire of Japan in 1910 . After World War II , Korea was divided into Soviet and U.S.-administered zones , with the latter becoming the Republic of Korea in August 1948 . In 1950 , a North Korean invasion began the Korean War and after its end in 1953 , the country 's economy began to soar , recording the fastest rise in average GDP per capita in the world between 1980 and 1990 . Authoritarian rule ended in 1987 and the country is now the most advanced democracy with the highest level of press freedom in Asia . South Korea is a member of the OECD 's Development Assistance Committee , the G20 and the Paris Club . South Korea is a highly developed country and the world 's 12th-largest economy by nominal GDP .
Chongming , formerly known as Chungming , is an alluvial island at the mouth of the Yangtze River in eastern China covering 1,267 square kilometers ( 489 sq mi ) as of 2010 . Together with the islands Changxing and Hengsha , it forms Chongming County , the northernmost area of the provincial-level municipality of Shanghai . At the time of the 2010 Chinese census , its population was 660 000 . A 20-kilometer-long ( 12 mi ) stretch of the north shore of the island is not part of Chongming County or Shanghai but are instead two pene-exclaves of Jiangsu , formed by the connection of Chongming to the formerly-separate island of Yonglongsha .
Shanghai ( Chinese : 上海 ; Shanghainese pronunciation : [ zɑ̃.hɛ ] ( listen ) , Putonghua pronunciation : [ ʂâŋ.xài ] ( listen ) ) is one of the four municipalities of the People 's Republic of China . It is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze , and the Huangpu River flows through it . With a population of 24.2 million as of 2018 [ update ] , it is the most populous urban area in China and the second most populous city proper in the world . Shanghai is a global center for finance , innovation , and transportation , and the Port of Shanghai is the world 's busiest container port . Originally a fishing village and market town , Shanghai grew in importance in the 19th century due to trade and its favorable port location . The city was one of five treaty ports forced open to foreign trade after the First Opium War . The Shanghai International Settlement and the French Concession were subsequently established . The city then flourished , becoming a primary commercial and financial hub of the Asia-Pacific region in the 1930s . During the Second Sino-Japanese War , the city was the site of the major Battle of Shanghai . After the war , with the CPC takeover of mainland China in 1949 , trade was limited to other socialist countries , and the city 's global influence declined . In the 1990s , economic reforms introduced by Deng Xiaoping resulted in an intense redevelopment of the city , especially the Pudong district , aiding the return of finance and foreign investment to the city . The city has since re-emerged as a hub for international trade and finance ; it is the home of the Shanghai Stock Exchange , one of the largest stock exchanges in the world by market capitalization , and the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone , the first free-trade zone in China .
Phuket ( Thai : ภูเก็ต , [ pʰūː.kèt ] ( listen ) , Malay : Talang or Tanjung Salang ) is one of the southern provinces ( changwat ) of Thailand . It consists of the island of Phuket , the country 's largest island , and another 32 smaller islands off its coast . It lies off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea . Phuket Island is connected by the Sarasin Bridge to Phang Nga Province to the north . The next nearest province is Krabi , to the east across Phang Nga Bay Phuket Province has an area of 576 square kilometres ( 222 sq mi ) , somewhat less than that of Singapore , and is the second-smallest province of Thailand . The island was on one of the major trading routes between India and China , and was frequently mentioned in foreign ships ' logs of Portuguese , French , Dutch , and English traders , but was never colonised by a European power . It formerly derived its wealth from tin and rubber and now from tourism .
Thailand , [ a ] officially the Kingdom of Thailand and formerly known as Siam , [ b ] is a country at the centre of the Southeast Asian Indochinese Peninsula composed of 76 provinces . At 513,120 km2 ( 198,120 sq mi ) and over 68 million people , Thailand is the world 's 50th-largest country by total area and the 21st-most-populous country . The capital and largest city is Bangkok , a special administrative area . Thailand is bordered to the north by Myanmar 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 Myanmar . Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast , and Indonesia and India on the Andaman Sea to the southwest . It is a unitary state . Although nominally the country is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy , the most recent coup , in 2014 , established a de facto military dictatorship under a junta . Tai peoples migrated from southwestern China to mainland Southeast Asia from the 11th century ; the oldest known mention of their presence in the region by the exonym Siamese dates to the 12th century . Various Indianised kingdoms such as the Mon kingdoms , Khmer Empire and Malay states ruled the region , competing with Thai states such as the Kingdoms of Ngoenyang , Sukhothai , Lan Na and Ayutthaya , which rivaled each other . Documented European contact began in 1511 with a Portuguese diplomatic mission to Ayutthaya , now one of the great powers in the region . Ayutthaya reached its peak during cosmopolitan Narai 's reign ( 1656-1688 ) , gradually declining thereafter until being ultimately destroyed in the 1767 Burmese-Siamese War . Taksin ( r. 1767-1782 ) quickly reunified the fragmented territory and established the short-lived Thonburi Kingdom .