Capital and most populous city in the country. During the last two hundred years it has grown to become the political, social and economic center of the country, expanding its strength towards Indochina and Southeast Asia. Its influence in art, politics, fashion, education and entertainment, as well as business, has given it the status of a global city. In 2016, according to a report prepared by MasterCard, it was recognized as the most visited city by foreign tourists with 21.47 million, surpassing London. This has changed from a homogeneous Thai population to a heterogeneous one that includes citizens of Western origin, with groups from India or China, giving the city a cosmopolitan status.