Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai (, , Lanna) whiles scrieved as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the maistmuckle culturally significant city in northren Thailand, an is the caipital o Chiang Mai Province. It is locatit 700 km (435 mi) north o Bangkok, amang the heichest muntains in the kintras. The city is on the Ping river, a muckle tributary o the Chao Phraya river.

In recent yeir, Chiang Mai haes become an increasingly modren an attracts approximately 1 million visitors ilk yeir. Chiang Mai gaint prominence in the political sphere in Mey 2006, whan the Chiang Mai Initiative wis concludit here atween the ASEAN naitions an the "+3" kintras (Cheenae, Japan, an the Republic o Korea).
Chiang Mai's historic importance derivit frae its strategic location on the Ping river an major trade routes. The city haes lang been a major centre fur haundcraftit guids, umberellaes, jewelry (particularly siller) an widcairvin.

Whiles officially the city (thesaban nakhon) o Chiang Mai ae covers maist pairts o the Mueang Chiang Mai destrict wi a population o 150,000, the urban sprawl o the city nou extends intae seevral neighborin destricts. This Chiang Mai Metropolitan Area haes a population o nearly ane million fowk, mair nor hauf the total o Chiang Mai Province.

The city is sub-dealt intae fower wairds (khwaeng): Nakhon Ping, Srivijaya, Mengrai, an Kawila. The first three are on the wast bank o the Ping River, an Kawila is locatit on the east bank. The Nakhon Ping destrict is makkit up o the north side o the ceity. Srivijaya, Mengrai, an Kawila are makkit up o the wast, sooth, an east. The city centre —athin the city waws—is maistly wi Srivijaya ward. 

 Sister cities 

 20px Uozu, Japan (8 August 1989)
 20px Saitama Prefectur, Japan (9 November 1992)
 20px Kunming, Yunnan, Cheenae (7 June 1999)
 20px Harbin, China (29 Aprile 2008)

 References 

Category:Populatit places in Thailand