Chiang Mai

This airticle is aboot the ceety Chiang Mai. For ither uses, see Chiang Mai (disambiguation).

Chiang Mai (Thai:  เชียงใหม่^?, Template:IPA-th, Lanna) sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the lairgest an maist culturally significant ceety 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 ceety is on the Ping river, a major tributary o the Chao Phraya river.

In recent years, Chiang Mai haes become an increasingly modren ceety an attracts approximately 1 million visitors each year. Chiang Mai gained prominence in the poleetical sphere in Mey 2006, when 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 derived frae its strategic location on the Ping river an major trade routes. The ceety haes lang been a major center for handcraftit guids, umbrellas, jewelry (particularly silver) an woodcarvin.

While offeecially the ceety (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 ceety nou extends intae several neighborin destricts. This Chiang Mai Metropolitan Aurie haes a population o nearly ane million fowk, mair than hauf the total o Chiang Mai Province.

The ceety is subdividit intae fower wards (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. Nakhon Ping destrict comprises the north side o the ceety. Srivijaya, Mengrai, an Kawila consists o the wast, sooth, an east respectively. The ceety center—athin the ceety walls—is maistly wi Srivijaya ward.

Sister ceeties

• Kunming, Yunnan, Cheenae

References

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Chiang Mai