Chiang Mai

This airticle is aboot the ceity Chiang Mai. For ither uisses, see Chiang Mai (disambiguation).

Chiang Mai (Thai: เชียงใหม่ , IPA: [tɕʰiəŋ màj], Lanna) sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the lairgest an maist culturally significant ceity 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 ceity is on the Ping river, a major tributary o the Chao Phraya river.

In recent years, Chiang Mai haes become an increasingly modren ceity 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 ceity haes lang been a major center for haundcraftit guids, umberellaes, jewelry (particularly siller) an widcairvin.

While offeecially the ceity (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 ceity nou extends intae several 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 ceity is subdividit 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. Nakhon Ping destrict comprises the north side o the ceity. Srivijaya, Mengrai, an Kawila consists o the wast, sooth, an east respectively. The ceity center—athin the ceity walls—is maistly wi Srivijaya ward.

Sister ceities

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