Philippines

republicIndependence 4 July 1946 (from US)

Philippines as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 74 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalManila

Area300,000 km2

Populationas each edition published it

66.12 million July 1990 · 118.28m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 1.97% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 21.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 65.13 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

4.3 children per woman 1990 · 1.94 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

48 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 18.5 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $860 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 0.6% in 1993

Geography

14 fields

Land useshare of 300,000 km2

arable land 26%permanent crops 11%meadows and pastures 4%forest and woodland 40%other 19%includes 5% irrigated

Total area

300,000km2

land area: 298,170 km2Comparative area: slightly larger than Arizona

Coastline

36,289km

land boundaries: noneMaritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines);

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

Disputes

involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; claims Malaysian state of Sabah

Climate

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

Terrain

mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands

Natural resources

timber, crude oil, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper

Environment

astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year;
subject to landslides, active volcanoes, destructive earthquakes, tsunami;
deforestation;
soil erosion;
water pollution

People

14 fields

Population

66,117,284

(July 1990), growth rate 2.5% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

32Death

Ethnic divisions

Christian Malay 91.5%Muslim Malay 4%Chinese 1.5%other 3%

Religion

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

Literacy

88%

(est.)

Nationality

noun--Filipino(s); adjective--Philippine

Language

Pilipino (based on Tagalog) and English; both official

Labor force

22,889,000; 47% agriculture, 20% industry and commerce, 13.5% services, 10% government, 9.5% other (1987)

Organized labor

2,064 registered unions; total membership 4.8 million (includes 2.7 million members of the National Congress of Farmers Organizations)

Government

Republic

17 fields

Senate, 24 seats, elected 11 May 1987one dot, one seat

Pro-Aquino LDP 15Liberals LDP-Laban (Pimentel wing) 6Opposition 1independents 2

Percent of vote

Pro-Aquino LDP 63%Liberals LDP and PDP-Laban (Pimentel wing) 25%Opposition Nationalista Party 4%independents 8%

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

Independence

4 July 1946 (from US)

Constitution

2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Legal system

based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

National holiday

Independence Day (from Spain), 12 June (1898)

Executive branch

president, vice president, Cabinet

Legislative branch

bicameral Congress consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives

Judicial branch

Supreme Court Chief of State and Head of Government--President Corazon C. AQUINO (since 25 February 1986);
Vice President Salvador H. LAUREL (since 25 February 1986)

Political parties and leaders

PDP-Laban, Aquilino Pimentel;
Struggle of Philippine Democrats (LDP), Neptali Gonzales;
Nationalista Party, Salvador Laurel, Juan Ponce Enrile;
Liberal Party, Jovito Salonga

Suffrage

universal at age 15 President--last held 7 February 1986 (next election to be held May 1992);
results--Corazon C. Aquino elected after the fall of the Marcos regime;
Senate--last held 11 May 1987 (next to be held May 1993);
results--Pro-Aquino LDP 63%, Liberals LDP and PDP-Laban (Pimentel wing) 25%, Opposition Nationalista Party 4%, independents 8%;
seats--(24 total) Pro-Aquino LDP 15, Liberals LDP-Laban (Pimentel wing) 6, Opposition 1, independents 2;
House of Representatives--last held on 11 May 1987 (next to be held May 1992);
results--Pro-Aquino LDP 73%, Liberals LDP and PDP-Laban (Pimentel wing) 10%, Opposition Nationalista Party 17%;
seats--(250 total, 180 elected) number of seats by party NA

Communists

the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) controls about 18,000-23,000 full-time insurgents and is not recognized as a legal party;
a second Communist party, the pro-Soviet Philippine Communist Party (PKP), has quasi-legal status

Member of

ADB, ASEAN, ASPAC, CCC, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ISO, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Emmanuel PELAEZ;
Chancery at 1617 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036;
telephone (202) 483-1414;
there are Philippine Consulates General in Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle;
US--Ambassador Nicholas PLATT;
Embassy at 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila (mailing address is APO San Francisco 96528);
telephone [63] (2) 521-7116;
there is a US Consulate in Cebu

Flag

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

Economy

The economy continues to recover from the political turmoil following the ouster of former President Marcos and several coup attempts.

17 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

10.6%

(1989)

Unemployment rate

8.7%

(1989)

External debt

$27.8billion

(1988)

Exports revenues $8.1 billion (f.o.b., 1989)commodities, where a share is given

electrical equipment

19%textiles

16%minerals and ores

11%farm products

10%coconut

10%chemicals

5%fish

5%forest products

; partners--US 36%, EC 19%, Japan 18%, ESCAP 9%, ASEAN 7%

Imports $10.5 billion (c.i.f., 1989)

raw materials

53%capital goods

17%petroleum products

17%

; partners--US 25%, Japan 17%, ESCAP 13%, EC 11%, ASEAN 10%, Middle East 10%

Overview

The economy continues to recover from the political turmoil following the ouster of former President Marcos and several coup attempts. After two consecutive years of economic contraction (1984 and 1985), the economy has since 1986 had positive growth. The agricultural sector, together with forestry and fishing, plays an important role in the economy, employing about 50% of the work force and providing almost 30% of GDP. The Philippines is the world's largest exporter of coconuts and coconut products. Manufacturing contributed about 25% of GDP. Major industries include food processing, chemicals, and textiles.

GNP

$40.5 billion, per capita $625; real growth rate 5.2% (1989)

Budget

$7.2 billion; expenditures $8.12 billion, including capital expenditures of $0.97 billion (1989 est.)

Industrial production

growth rate 7.3% (1989)

Electricity

6,700,000 kW capacity; 25,000 million kWh produced, 385 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

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

Agriculture

accounts for about one-third of GNP and 50% of labor force;
major crops--rice, coconut, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapple, mango;
animal products--pork, eggs, beef;
net exporter of farm products;
fish catch of 2 million metric tons annually

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; growers are producing more and better quality cannabis despite government eradication efforts

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $3.2 billion;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $6.4 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $5 million;
Communist countries (1975-88), $123 million

Currency

Philippine peso (plural--pesos); 1 Philippine peso (P) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

Philippine pesos (P) per US$1--22.464 (January 1990), 21.737 (1989), 21.095 (1988), 20.568 (1987), 20.386 (1986), 18.607 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Merchant marine, 595 ships by type

passenger 1short-sea passenger 10passenger-cargo 16cargo 166refrigerated cargo 17vehicle carrier 30livestock carrier 8roll-on/roll-off cargo 7container 6petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker 36chemical tanker 2liquefied gas 6combination ore/oil 3bulk 282combination bulk; note--many Philippine flag ships are foreign owned and are on the register for the purpose of long-term bare-boat charter back to their original owners who are principally in Japan and FRG 5595 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,134,924 GRT/15,171,692 DWT

Airports, 301 total, 237 usable

permanent-surface runways

70runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

9runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

156,000Railroads

378 (1982)Inland waterways

3,219

Highways: (1984); 29,000 km paved; 77,000 km gravel, crushed-stone, or stabilized-soil surface; 50,000 km unimproved earth · Railroads: , 34% government owned · Inland waterways: ; limited to shallow-draft (less than 1.5 m) vessels

Railroads

378 km operable on Luzon, 34% government owned (1982)

Highways

156,000 km total (1984);
29,000 km paved;
77,000 km gravel, crushed-stone, or stabilized-soil surface;
50,000 km unimproved earth

good international radio and submarine cable services;
domestic and interisland service adequate;
872,900 telephones;
stations--267 AM (including 6 US), 55 FM, 33 TV (including 4 US);
submarine cables extended to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan;
satellite earth stations--1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT, and 11 domestic

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Constabulary--Integrated National Police

3 fields

Military manpower

males 15-49

16,160,543fit for military service

11,417,451reach military age (20) annually

684,976

Defense expenditures

2.1%of GNP

or $850 million (1990 est.)

Branches