Name: Phitsanulok

Country: Thailand

Area: 10,816 square kilometers

Population: 792,678

Phitsanulok is located in lower northern Thailand by Nan River. Its topography features rolling mountains in the east and plains in the rest of the province. The waterfalls and national parks are best choice for hiking. It has long a strategically important place due to its location since the ancient Khmer time, and it prospered during the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya times. 

Phitsanulok has a hot tropical climate but it is much cooler at higher elevations. It has a diverse topography comprising the Phetchabun Mountains, the Nan River and its tributaries, waterfalls, rapids, swamps, forests, grasslands, limestone caves, reservoirs and cobwebs of watercourses. In densely populated areas, natural vegetation is cleared for farming purposes. Phitsanulok is in the Nan Basin which is the watershed of the Chao Phraya River. The capital city of Phitsanulok is sometimes called Song Kwae for its location between the Nan River and the Khwae Noi River, which have great significance for the residents of Phitsanulok.

Phitsanulok is largely dependent on agriculture, fishing, mining, industrial development and tourism. Rice production is its mainstay as abundant black soil resources, together with sophisticated canal systems and plentiful rainfall, create an ideal environment for rice cultivation.

Zhejiang and Phitsanulok established friendly exchange relations in September 1999.