Saraburi () is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Lopburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Nayok, Pathum Thani, and Ayutthaya. It is believed to have been constructed in the year 1548 during the reign of King Maha Chakkraphat of Ayutthaya as a centre for recruiting troops.
Geography
thumb|left|200px|[[Tree tunnel on Highway 2089 near Chet Sao Noi Waterfall]]
Saraburi is on the east side of the Chao Phraya River valley. The eastern part of the province is covered by high plains and plateaus, while the western part is mostly low flat plains. Saraburi province has of forest or 24.2 percent of provincial area.
- Namtok Sam Lan protects the Khao Sam Lan Forest, which consists of hilly landscape and is the source to several rivers and waterfalls. The highest elevation is the Khao Khrok at 329 m. The area was declared a national park in 1981.
Education
There are 366 schools. There are a total of 125,255 students at all levels.
Economy
In 2007 Saraburi's population had an average income per capita 214,537 baht per year, making it tenth highest in the country, second in the central provinces. Annual GDP was 129,275 million baht.
Religion and culture
In 2007, Saraburi's population was 89.34 percent Buddhist, 597,138 people. There are 499 temples. There are total of 3,443 monks and 274 neophytes. Muslims number 953 (0.32 percent). There are five Christian churches.
Symbols
The provincial seal shows the temple Wat Phra Buddha Baat. In the 17th century a hunter found a puddle of water which looked like a large footprint. It was declared a footprint of Buddha, and a temple was built around it. Phra Phutthabat means footprint of Buddha.
The provincial tree is Lagerstroemia floribunda and the provincial flower is the yellow cotton tree (Cochlospermum regium). The endemic crab, Larnaudia larnaudii is the provincial aquatic animal.
Administrative divisions
Provincial government
400px|thumb|Map of Saraburi with 13 districts
The province is divided into 13 districts (amphoe). The districts are further divided into 111 subdistricts (tambon) and 965 villages (muban).
Local government
As of 26 November 2019 there are: one Saraburi Provincial Administrative Organization - PAO (') and 38 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Saraburi, Kaeng Khoi, Phra Phutthabat and Thap Kwang have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 34 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon).
The non-municipal areas are administered by 70 Subdistrict Administrative Organizations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).
Transport
Rail
Saraburi's main station is Saraburi Railway Station. There is a major rail junction at Kaeng Khoi Junction.
Road
Saraburi can be reached via Phahonyothin Road (Highway 1). Mittraphap Road (Highway 2), a main road in the northeastern region. It has a beginning here which is a route that separates from the right side of Phahonyothin Road.
Health
The main hospital of Saraburi is Saraburi Hospital, operated by the Ministry of Public Health.
Human achievement index 2022
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="width:400px;"
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| style="text-align:center; width:100px; background:black; color:white;"| Health
| style="text-align:center; width:100px; background:black; color:white;"| Education
| style="text-align:center; width:100px; background:black; color:white;"| Employment
| style="text-align:center; width:100px; background:black; color:white;"| Income
|-
| 95px
| 100px
| 100px
| 100px
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| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 51
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 37
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 27
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 17
|-
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| Housing
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| Family
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| Transport
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| Participation
|-
| style="height:100px;"| 100px
| center|85px
| 100px
| 90px
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| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 64
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 64
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 53
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 13
|-
| colspan="4"; style="background:black; color:white;"| Province Saraburi, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6360 is "average", occupies place 45 in the ranking.
|}
Since 2003, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand has tracked progress on human development at sub-national level using the Human achievement index (HAI), a composite index covering all the eight key areas of human development. National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has taken over this task since 2017.