Map of Philippines | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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Background: The Philippines were ceded by Spain to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. They attained their independence in 1946 after being occupied by the Japanese in World War II. The 21-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986 when a widespread popular rebellion forced him into exile. In 1992 the US closed down its last military bases on the islands. The Philippines has had two electoral presidential transitions since Marcos' removal by 'people power.'


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Location: Southeastern Asia archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea east of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N 122 00 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 300,000 km²
Land: 298,170 km²
Water: 1,830 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 36,289 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 NM from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 NM in breadth

Climate: tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)

Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m

Natural resources: timber petroleum nickel cobalt silver gold salt copper

Land use
Arable land: 19%
Permanent crops: 12%
Permanent pastures: 4%
Forests and woodland: 46%
Other: 19% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 15,800 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: astride typhoon belt usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis

Geography


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Population: 82,841,518 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 2.03% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: 41% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Filipino
Adjective: Philippine

Ethnic groups: Christian Malay 91.5% Muslim Malay 4% Chinese 1.5% other 3%

Languages: two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English eight major dialects - Tagalog Cebuano Ilocan Hiligaynon or Ilonggo Bicol Waray Pampango and Pangasinense

Religions: Roman Catholic 83% Protestant 9% Muslim 5% Buddhist and other 3%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 36.87% (male 15,547,712; female 14,997,544)
15-64 years: 59.45% (male 24,374,849; female 24,873,595)
65 years and over: 3.68% (male 1,355,046; female 1,692,772) (2000 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.03% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 27.37 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 6.04 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.01 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: uncontrolled deforestation in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps which are important fish breeding grounds
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male/female
Total population: 0.99 male/female (2000 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 28.7 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 67.8 years
Male: 64.96 years
Female: 70.79 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.42 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.07% (1999 est.)
People living with hivaids: 28,000 (1999 est.)
Deaths: 1200 (1999 est.)

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 94.6%
Male: 95%
Female: 94.3% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines
Conventional short form: Philippines
Local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas
Local short form: Pilipinas

Government type: republic

Capital: Manila

Administrative divisions: 73 provinces and 61 chartered cities*; Abra Agusan del Norte Agusan del Sur Aklan Albay Angeles* Antique Aurora Bacolod* Bago* Baguio* Bais* Basilan Basilan City* Bataan Batanes Batangas Batangas City* Benguet Bohol Bukidnon Bulacan Butuan* Cabanatuan* Cadiz* Cagayan Cagayan de Oro* Calbayog* Caloocan* Camarines Norte Camarines Sur Camiguin Canlaon* Capiz Catanduanes Cavite Cavite City* Cebu Cebu City* Cotabato* Dagupan* Danao* Dapitan* Davao City* Davao Davao del Sur Davao Oriental Dipolog* Dumaguete* Eastern Samar General Santos* Gingoog* Ifugao Iligan* Ilocos Norte Ilocos Sur Iloilo Iloilo City* Iriga* Isabela Kalinga-Apayao La Carlota* Laguna Lanao del Norte Lanao del Sur Laoag* Lapu-Lapu* La Union Legaspi* Leyte Lipa* Lucena* Maguindanao Mandaue* Manila* Marawi* Marinduque Masbate Mindoro Occidental Mindoro Oriental Misamis Occidental Misamis Oriental Mountain Naga* Negros Occidental Negros Oriental North Cotabato Northern Samar Nueva Ecija Nueva Vizcaya Olongapo* Ormoc* Oroquieta* Ozamis* Pagadian* Palawan Palayan* Pampanga Pangasinan Pasay* Puerto Princesa* Quezon Quezon City* Quirino Rizal Romblon Roxas* Samar San Carlos* (in Negros Occidental) San Carlos* (in Pangasinan) San Jose* San Pablo* Silay* Siquijor Sorsogon South Cotabato Southern Leyte Sultan Kudarat Sulu Surigao* Surigao del Norte Surigao del Sur Tacloban* Tagaytay* Tagbilaran* Tangub* Tarlac Tawitawi Toledo* Trece Martires* Zambales Zamboanga* Zamboanga del Norte Zamboanga del Sur

Dependent areas

Independence: 4 July 1946 (from US)

National holiday: Independence Day (from Spain) 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898 is the date of independence from Spain 4 July 1946 is the date of independence from the US

Constitution: 2 February 1987 effective 11 February 1987

Legal system: based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the Commission of Appointments
Elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets by popular vote for six-year terms; election last held 11 May 1998 (next to be held 16 May 2004)
Election results: results of the last presidential election - Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA elected president; percent of vote - approximately 40%; Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO elected vice president; percent of vote - NA%; note - on 20 January 2000, Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was sworn in as the constitutional successor to President Joseph ESTRADA after the Supreme Court declared that President ESTRADA was unable to rule in view of the mass resignations from his government; according to the Constitution, only in cases of death, permanent disability, removal from office, or resignation of the president, can the vice president serve for the unexpired term

Legislative branch
Elections: Senate - last held 11 May 1998 (next to be held 14 May 2000); House of Representatives - elections last held 11 May 1998 (next to be held 14 May 2000)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LAMP 12, Lakas 5, PRP 2, LP 1, other 3; note - the Senate now has only 22 members with one seat vacated when Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO became vice president and another seat vacated upon a senator's death; the two seats can only be filled by election and will remain open until the next regular election in May 2000; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - LAMP 135, Lakas 37, LP 13, Aksyon Demokratiko 1, other 35

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council)

Political parties and leaders: People Power Coalition or PPC includes: Aksyon Demokratiko or Democratic Action [Raul ROCO] Lakas-NUCD [Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO titular head Teofisto GUINGONA party president] Liberal Party or LP [Florencio ABAD] Probinsiya Muna Development Initiative or Promdi [Lito OSMENA] and Reporma Party [Renato DE VILLA]; Puwersa ng Masa (Force of the Masses) includes: Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or LDP [Eduardo ANGARA] Laban Ng Masang Pilipino or LAMP (Struggle of the Filipino Masses) [Joseph ESTRADA] and People's Reform Party or PRP [Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO]; Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (New Society Movement) [Imelda MARCOS]; Nacionalista Party [Jose OLIVEROS]; National People's Coalition or NPC [Eduardo COJUANGCO]

International organization participation: APEC ARF AsDB ASEAN CCC CP ESCAP FAO G-24 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICFTU ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Inmarsat Intelsat Interpol IOC IOM ISO ITU NAM OAS (observer) OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNMIK UNTAET UNU UPU WCL WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Acting Ambassador Ariel ABADILLA
In the us chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,036
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 467-9,300
In the us fax: [1] (202) 467-9,317
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
In the us consulates: San Diego
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affairs Michael E. MALINOWSKI
From the us embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita 1000 Manila
From the us mailing address: FPO 96,515
From the us telephone: [63] (2) 523-1001
From the us fax: [63] (2) 522-4,361

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small yellow five-pointed star

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: In 1998 the Philippine economy - a mixture of agriculture light industry and supporting services - deteriorated as a result of spillover from the Asian financial crisis and poor weather conditions. Growth fell to about -0.5% in 1998 from 5% in 1997 but recovered to about 3% in 1999 and 3.6% in 2000. The government has promised to continue its economic reforms to help the Philippines match the pace of development in the newly industrialized countries of East Asia. The strategy includes improving infrastructure overhauling the tax system to bolster government revenues moving toward further deregulation and privatization of the economy and increasing trade integration with the region.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3.6% (2000 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2000 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 20%
Industry: 32%
Services: 48% (1997 est.)

Agriculture products: rice coconuts corn sugarcane bananas pineapples mangoes; pork eggs beef; fish

Industries: textiles pharmaceuticals chemicals wood products food processing electronics assembly petroleum refining fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 1.7% (1999 est.)

Labor force: 48.1 million (2000 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 39.8%
By occupation government and social services: 19.4%
By occupation services: 17.7%
By occupation manufacturing: 9.8%
By occupation construction: 5.8%
By occupation other: 7.5% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10% (2000)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 41% (1997 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.5%
Highest 10: 39.3% (1998)

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $14.5 billion
Expenditures: $12.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 5% (2000 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $34.8 billion (f.o.b. 1999 est.)
Commodities: electronic equipment machinery and transport equipment garments coconut products
Partners: US 34% EU 20% Japan 14% Netherlands 8% Singapore 6% UK 6% Hong Kong 4% (1998)

Imports: $30.7 billion (f.o.b. 1999 est.)
Commodities: raw materials and intermediate goods capital goods consumer goods fuels
Partners: US 22% Japan 20% South Korea 8% Singapore 6% Taiwan 5% Hong Kong 4% (1998 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $51.9 billion (1999)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Philippine pesos (P) per US$1 - 40.427 (January 2000) 39.089 (1999) 40.893 (1998) 29.471 (1997) 26.216 (1996) 25.714 (1995)


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Electricity
Production: 39.623 billion kWh (1998)
Consumption: 36.849 billion kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 1.9 million (1997)
Mobile cellular: 1.959 million (1998)

Telephone system: good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate

Broadcast media

Internet
Service providers isps: 93 (1999)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $995 million (FY98)
Percent of gdp: 1.5% (FY98)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 266 (1999 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)

Pipelines: petroleum products 357 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 3,219 km; limited to shallow-draft (less than 1.5 m) vessels

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China Malaysia Taiwan Vietnam and possibly Brunei; claim to Malaysia's Sabah State has not been fully revoked

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: exports locally produced marijuana and hashish to East Asia the US and other Western markets; serves as a transit point for heroin and crystal methamphetamine