Location and Boundaries

     Phuket is an island connected by bridges to southern Thailand's Andaman Sea coast, in the Indian Ocean, lying between 7'45" and 8'15" north latitude, and from 98'15" to 98'40" west longitude on the map. Phuket, Thailand's largest islands, is surrounded by 32 smaller islands that form part of the same administration, with a total area of 570 square kilometers.  Measured at its widest point, Phuket is 21.3 kilometers; at its longest, 48.7 kilometers. it is bounded thus: 

Population

      The island's official population as of December 1998 was 231,206. Most live in Muang district

      Thirty percent of the island's population are Chinese descendants. But they differ from those in Bangkok because they came from the Hokkien region of China, who migrated to Phuket during the boom of the tin mining industry in the 17 th - 18 th century. Today, the Chinese are responsible for much of the trade and commerce in the city. They also represent the strongest culture of Phuket town.

      Equal to the Chinese descendants is the Thai Muslim community which also comprises 30 per cent of the island's population. Muslims living in southern Thailand are of Malaysian extraction and arrived at an early date. There is also a small number of sea gypsies living in a village in Ko Sirey . By far, sea gypsies are the most interesting original inhabitants of Phuket island but the intrusion of tourists is impinging on their lifestyle.

      With the tourism boom in Phuket during the last decade, Phuket has attracted people from other regions to work in the tourism industry, which is now the largest source of income. So it's easy for tourists to spot the local people who can communicate in English.