Bangkok (Thai: กรุงเทพมหานคร) is the capital city of Thailand. In 2010, the city had a population of 9,100,000 people. Since Bangkok has more than 55 times as many people as the second largest city, Nonthaburi, it is a primate city.
Bangkok has a tropical savanna climate (Aw in the Koeppen climate classification).
Bangkok is the world's most popular tourist destination; 23 million visitors stay overnight there per year. The main airport is Suvarnabhumi, 30 kilometers east of Bangkok.
The ceremonial name of the city of Bangkok in Thai is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udom Ratchaniwet Maha Sathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit ( 
) in transcribed form. It is the old Thai name of the city and with 169 Latin letters the longest place name of a capital city in the world.
In Thai script the name is (139 characters without spaces):
"กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุธยามหาดิลก ภพนพรัตน์ราชธานีบุรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์ มหาสถานอมรพิมาน อวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะ วิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์"
"City of the Devas, great city [and] residence of the sacred jewel of Indra [Emerald Buddha], impregnable city of the god, great capital of the world, adorned with nine precious gems, abounding in vast royal palaces resembling the heavenly home of the reborn god, city bestowed by Indra and built by Vishvakarman."
Devas (Thai Thep) are a category of 33 divine beings in Hindu mythology who, together with the god Indra, inhabit the sky at the top of Mount Meru. Because the devas are depicted as winged beings, Krung Thep is often translated as "City of Angels" in Western texts.
Before the town was elevated to the status of capital in 1782, its name was simply Bang Kok (บางกอก, ). Bang refers to a place on a waterway, Kok possibly derives from Makok, the Thai name for the fruit of Spondias pinnata ("yellow balsam plum") or Elaeocarpus hygrophilus. According to other theories, it comes from Ko 'island' or Khok 'hill'. This name first appeared in Europe on a Portuguese map of 1511.
Even after it became the capital and was given a much more resonant name in keeping with its importance as the royal, religious and cosmological centre of the empire (Mandala), the city continued to be referred to as Bangkok in European languages.
Thais, on the other hand, usually use the short form Krung Thep. The official name, for example on car license plates, is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon.
In 1989, the Thai rock group Asanee-Wasan set the song Krung Thep Mahanakhon to music in their album Fak tong ("Pumpkin"), the lyrics of which consist entirely of the full ceremonial name of Bangkok. Many Thais have since used this song to help them remember the long name.
The seal of Bangkok shows the deity Indra on Erawan, the mythological elephant, which in some images may also have three heads. In his hand Indra holds a thunderbolt. The seal is based on a drawing by Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong.
Bangkok's motto is:
"Help the underprivileged,
End air pollution,
Solve major traffic problems,
Everyone in the city is friendly."
