Chiang Mai
This is the most important city in northern Thailand. It is located about 800 
km north of Bangkok, at the Ping River and surrounded by some of the country’s highest mountains.
The Province of Chiang Mai is 20.107 km ², Thailand’s second largest province. It lies entirely in the catchment area of the river Mae Nam Ping, which, further south, flows into the Gulf of Thailand in Bangkok. The province includes the river valley and two mountain ranges on either side of the valley. The Tanen Taunggyi mountain range in the west is the longest and peaks at 1500-1800 meters while the mountain range east of the valley is shorter in length, but climbs to 2000 meters.
Mount Doi Hua Mae Raeng in the far north is the highest of 2.249 m., while 
Doi Luang further south, peaks at 2205 meters.
There is no natural, larger lakes, but the river is dammed at the Mae Taeng 50 km north of Chiang Mai by the dam Mae Ngat. In the mountains there are a number of national parks: In the western mountains we find the parks Huai Nam Dang and Doi Inthanon, in the east is located (from north to south) Si Lanna, Khun Chae, Doi Khuntan, and Mae Ping parks.
Tourism is a major source of livelihood, concentrated around the city of Chiang Mai and the nature and trekking adventures in the mountains also. Around the capital, there are well developed tourist facilities around the sights of the temples Wat Pa Lan and Wat Phra That Haripunchai, both located just south of Chiang Mai in the close neighboring province of Lamphun. There are well grown orchids and elephant safaris and other nature-based activities can be arrangedto the north of Chiang Mai, and here lies the temple of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.
The economy is also driven by substantial agriculture and forestry in the province.
