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Thailand lies in the heart of southeast Asia. The north, the border with Burma, and the long Isthmus of Kra between the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand are mountainous. The central plain is the most fertile and densely populated area, while the low northeastern plateau is the poorest region. Thailand, formerly Siam, has been an independent kingdom for most of its history, and since 1932 a constitutional monarchy, though with frequent periods of military government. The tourism and fishing industries were severely affected by the Asian tsunami of 2004.