Chiang Mai province

Chiang Maiis the largestProvince(changwat) ofThailandby area.It lies inupper northern Thailandand has a population of 1.78 million people. It is bordered byChiang Raito the northeast,LampangandLamphunto the south,Takto the southwest,Mae Hong Sonto the west, andShan StateofBurmato the north. The capital,Chiang Mai, is 685 kilometres (426 mi) north of Bangkok.
Chiang Mai province is about 685 km (426 mi) from Bangkok in theMae PingRiver basin and is on average at 300 m (1,000 ft) elevation. Surrounded by the mountain ranges of theThai highlands, it covers an area of approximately 22,311 km(9,000 sq mi). The mountains of theDaen Lao Range(ทิวเขาแดนลาว) at the north end of the province, theThanon Thong Chai Range(เทือกเขาถนนธงชัย) with the highest mountain in Thailand,Doi Inthanonat 2,565 metres (8,415 ft), stretching in a north–south direction, and theKhun Tan Rangein the east of the province are covered byrain forest. The Mae Ping, one of the major tributaries of theChao Phraya River, originates in theDaen Laomountains. Severalnational parksare in the province:Doi Inthanon,Doi Suthep-Pui,Ob Luang,Sri Lanna,Huai Nam Dang,Mae Wang,andPha Daeng.The total forest area is 15,404 km(5,948 sq mi) or 69.6 percent of provincial area.
There are fifteen national parks, making upregion 16of Thailand's protected areas.
There are four wildlife sanctuaries, make upregion 16of Thailand's protected areas.
Chiang Mai has atropical wet and dry climate(KöppenAw), tempered by the low latitude and moderate elevation, with warm to hot weather year-round, though nighttime conditions during the dry season can be cool and are much lower than daytime highs. The maximum temperature ever recorded is 42.4 °C (108.3 °F) in May 2005.
The city ofChiang Mai, the capital of Chiang Mai province, was also capital of theLannaKingdom after its founding in 1296, during the same period of time as the establishment of theSukhothai Kingdom.From then, Chiang Mai not only became the capital and cultural core of the Lanna Kingdom, but also the centre of Buddhism in northern Thailand. KingMeng Raibuilt many temples in the region.
In 1558, Chiang Mai became a colony of theFirst Toungoo Empire. Chiang Mai remained its colony for more than 200 years, until theBurmese–Siamese War (1775–1776).  In 1774 the Burmese colonial regime were finally driven out of Chiang Mai by a coalition of Lanna and Siamese forces and it then became a tributary state ofSiam, which later installed aLannachieftain ally,Kawila, to independently rule over Lampang and Chiang Mai region as a monarch.
In the reign ofKing Rama Vof Siam, under his administrative centralization policy and due to the ineptitude of Chiang Mai's ruling family, Chiang Mai eventually lost its independence, was annexed and became a second level subdivision of Siam.
From 1933 on, Chiang Mai received its status as a "province" of Siam and has remained so until the present day.
Of the population, 13.4 percent in the province are members ofhill tribes
Theseal of the provinceshows awhite elephantin a glass pavilion. The white elephant is a royal symbol in Thailand, and it is depicted to remember the offering of a white elephant byThammalangka, a ruler of Chiang Mai, to his overlord, KingRama IIof Bangkok. The pavilion symbolizes that Buddhism prospered in Chiang Mai, especially when in 1477 the teachings of Buddha, theTripitaka, were reviewed.
The provincial flower andtreeis the "flame of the forest" (Butea monosperma).The ediblecyprinidfish "black sharkminnow" (Labeo chrysophekadion) is the provincial aquatic life.
The provincial slogan isIn the shadow of Mount Doi Suthep, blessed with rice customs and traditions, beautiful wild flowers, magnificent Nakhon Phing.
Chiang Mai is subdivided into 25 districts (amphoe). The districts are further divided into 204 subdistricts (tambon) and 2,066 villages (muban).
As of 26 November 2019 there are:one Chiang Mai Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 121 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Chiang Mai has city (thesaban nakhon) status. Mae Jo, Mae Hia, Mueang Kaen Phatthana and Ton Pao have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 116 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 89 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).
Since 2003, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand has tracked progress on human development at sub-national level using theHuman achievement index(HAI), a composite index covering all the eight key areas of human development. The National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) took over this task in 2017.
Chiang Mai province is the tourist hub of the north and one of Thailand's most important tourist destinations.It is considered one of the most scenic provinces in the country due to its mountain ranges, valleys, flora, and fauna. For example, theHang Dong Canyonis coveted as a great tourist attraction. Furthermore, unlike most of Thailand, in some months, the climate in the north and Chiang Mai is cool, fresh, and misty.
Each amphoe of Chiang Mai has its own hospital, but among the largest are located in Mueang Chiang Mai District and includeMaharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai HospitalandNakornping Hospital.
Chiang Mai is a handicrafts centre, with a variety of antiques, silver jewellery, and embroidery, Thai silks and cottons, basketry, celadon, silverware, furniture, lacquerware, woodcarvings, and parasols.
The north of Thailand's culture is Lanna in origin and the people are proud of their northern roots. The region is home to distinctive foods, music, arts, way of life, and even language. Chiang Mai is home to varioushill tribesand their own distinctive cultures.
There are two main sport stadia in Chiang Mai and its environs:700th Anniversary Stadiumand Province Stadium. 700th Anniversary Stadium is on Klongchonpratan Road, 7 km (4.3 mi) from Chiang Mai University. There are swimming pools, diving pool, basketball arena, and 11 tennis courts.
The province is twinned with eight provinces/states.