Bangkok: Geography

Located almost in the middle of the country, Bangkok became the capital city of Thailand in 1768. Bangkok is the 68th largest province in Thailand and it is one of the largest cities in the world. The Chao Phraya River, which stretches 372 km (231 mi), is Bangkok's main geographical feature. The city districts were once divided using the canals from the river, which were plentiful within Bangkok itself. Bangkok lies about two meters (6.5 ft) above sea level, which causes problems for the protection of the city against floods during the monsoon season.