Countries and states
Several countries are located on the Indochinese Peninsula. The west is occupied by Myanmar (which until 1989 was called Burma). It consists of 7 national areas: Chin, Kachin, Karen, Kayah, Mon, Arakan and Shan States and 7 administrative divisions. In 2006 the capital of the country was relocated to a small town called Pyinmana on river Sittaung located between the former capital Yangon (Rangoon) which evoked associations with the country’s colonial past, and the ancient royal capital Mandalay.
The central part of the Indochinese Peninsula and north of Malacca Peninsula are occupied by the Kingdom of Thailand (until 1939 – Siam), a constitutional monarchy. The country is divided into 72 provinces. The capital is Bangkok.
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) is divided into 16 administrative provinces. The capital of the country is Vientiane.
The Independent (since 1976) State of Vietnam is the easternmost country on the Peninsula. It is divided into 35 provinces and 3 province-level cities – Hanoi, Haiphong and Ho Chi Minh. The capital is Hanoi.
Between Thailand, Laos and Vietnam the Kingdom of Cambodia is located. Administratively it is divided into 20 provinces and several municipalities – Phnom Penh (the capital), Kampong Som, Kep, Kiri and Pailin.
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