Philippines

Republika ng Pilipinas

republicIndependence 4 July 1946 (from US)

Philippines as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 98 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
Position13 00 N, 122 00 E
Area300,000 sq km
LocationSoutheastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea
1997

Every edition of Philippines

Populationas each edition published it
76.1 million July 1997 est. · 66.12m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.13% 1997 est. · 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
3.62 children per woman 1997 est. · 4.3 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
35.2 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 48 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,600 1996 est. · $860 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
5.5% 1996 est. · 0.6% in 1993

Geography

Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea | and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam

17 fields

Land useshare of 300,000 sq km

arable land 19%permanent crops 12%permanent pastures 4%forests and woodland 46%other 19% (1993 est.)irrigated 15,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Area
300,000sq km
land: 298,170 sq kmwater: 1,830 sq kmslightly larger than Arizona
Coastline
36,289km
land boundaries: 0 km
Highest point
2,954m
Mount Apolowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m

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 references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

measured from claimed archipelagic baselines

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

Natural resources

timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper

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

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

Environment - international agreements

party to :
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Desertification

People

15 fields
Population
76,103,564
(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 2.13% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth
28.97Death
6.59Net migration
-1.05

Ethnic groups

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

Religions

Roman Catholic 83%Protestant 9%Muslim 5%Buddhist and other 3%
Literacy
94.6%
definition: age 15 and over can read and writemale : 95%female: 94.3% (1995 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years : 38% (male 14,677,291; female 14,203,376)

15-64 years:
59% (male 21,994,106; female 22,553,425)
65 years and over:
3% (male 1,198,079; female 1,477,287) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth :
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.81 male(s)/female
total population :
0.99 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

35.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population :
66.13 years
male:
63.35 years
female:
69.05 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.62 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Filipino(s)
adjective:
Philippine

Languages

Pilipino (official, based on Tagalog), English (official)

Government

Republic; President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992) and Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992); President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992) and Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992)

20 fields

Senate, 204 seatsone dot, one seat

Lakas/NUCD 129LDP 29NPC (opposition) 25LP 6PDP 3KBL/NPC 1results pending 11

Country name

conventional long form :
Republic of the Philippines
conventional short form:
Philippines
local long form:
Republika ng Pilipinas
local short form:
Pilipinas

Administrative divisions

72 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)

National holiday

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

Constitution

2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
  • President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992) and Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992);
  • note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:
  • President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992) and Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992);
  • 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 the same ticket by popular vote for six-year terms; election last held 11 May 1992 (next to be held NA May 1998)
election results:
Fidel Valdes RAMOS elected president; percent of vote - Fidel Valdes RAMOS 23.6% (a narrow plurality)

Legislative branch

bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (204 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - an additional 50 members may be appointed by the president)

elections :
Senate - last held 8 May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998); House of Representatives - elections last held 8 May 1995 (next to be held NA May 1998)
election results:
  • Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - LDP 14, Lakas/NUCD 5, NPC 2, LP 1, PRP 1, independent 1;
  • House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA;
  • seats by party - Lakas/NUCD 129, LDP 29, NPC (opposition) 25, LP 6, PDP 3, KBL/NPC 1, results pending 11

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

  • Democratic Filipino Struggle (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, LDP), Edgardo ANGARA;
  • People Power-National Union of Christian Democrats (Lakas ng EDSA-NUCD or Lakas-NUCD), Raul MANGLAPUS, president, and Jose DE VENECIA, secretary general;
  • Liberal Party (LP), Raul DAZA;
  • National People's Coalition (NPC), Eduardo COJUANGCO;
  • People's Reform Party (PRP), Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO;
  • New Society Movement (Kilusan Bagong Lipunan, KBL), Imelda MARCOS;
  • Nacionalista Party (NP), Salvador H. LAUREL, president;
  • Filipino Democratic Party (Partido Demokratikong Philipinas or PDP), Jose COJUANGCO, is part of the ruling coalition with the LDP

International organization participation

APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Raul Chaves RABE
chancery:
1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:
[1] (202) 467-9300

FAX

[1] (202) 328-7614

consulate(s) general:
Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle
consulate(s):
San Jose (Saipan)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission :
Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD
embassy:
1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita Manila 1000
mailing address:
APO AP 96440
telephone:
[63] (2) 521-71-16

FAX

[63] (2) 522-43-61

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

Economy

The Philippine economy, primarily a mixture of | agriculture and light industry, continued its fourth year of recovery | in 1996, led by growth in exports and investments.

22 fields
Real growth rate
5.5%
(1996 est.)industrial production growth: 6.3% (1996)
Labor force
29.13million
(1996 est.)by occupation : agriculture 43.4%, services 22.6%, government services 17.9%, industry and commerce 16.1% (1995)

GDP - composition by sector(1996 est.)

agriculture 22%industry 32%services 46% (1996 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$18.4 billionExpenditures
$16.5 billion (1996 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Economy - overview

The Philippine economy, primarily a mixture of agriculture and light industry, continued its fourth year of recovery in 1996, led by growth in exports and investments. Officials have targeted 7.1%-7.8% growth for 1997 after achieving an estimated 5.5% growth in 1996. The government is continuing its economic reforms to enable the Philippines to move closer to the development of the newly industrialized countries of East Asia.

The strategy includes improving infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to bolster government revenues, and moving toward further deregulation and privatization of the economy.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $194.2 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

7.64 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production

25.22 billion kWh (1994)

Agriculture - products

  • rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes;
  • pork, eggs, beef;
  • fish catch of 2 million metric tons annually

Exports

total value :
$20.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities:
electronics, textiles, coconut products, telecommunications equipment, fruit, fish
partners:
US 36%, Japan 16%, Singapore 5%, Hong Kong 5%, UK 5% (1995)

Imports

total value :
$33.3 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities:
crude petroleum, telecommunications equipment, electronics, plastics, cars, textiles
partners:
Japan 22%, US 18%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Taiwan 5%, South Korea 5% Singapore 4% (1995)

Debt - external

$42.7 billion (June 1996)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $934 million (1993)

Currency

1 Philippine peso (P) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates

Philippine pesos (P) per US$1 - 26.36 (May 1997), 26.216 (1996), 25.714 (1995), 26.417 (1994), 27.120 (1993), 25.512 (1992)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields
Fixed lines
1.8 million
(1996)

Telephone system

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

domestic:
domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations
international:
submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 261, FM 55, shortwave 0

Radios

9.03 million (1992 est.)

Televisions

7.6 million (1996)

Transportation

9 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m
103
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m : 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 30

Networkskm

Highways
182,000 (1994 est.)Waterways
3,219
Highways: paved: NA km · unpaved: NA km note : probably less than 30,000 km are designated arterial roads and not all of these are all-weather roads · Waterways: ; limited to shallow-draft (less than 1.5 m) vessels

Railways

total :
499 km
narrow gauge:
499 km 1.067-m gauge (1993)

Highways

total:
182,000 km (1994 est.)
paved:
NA km
unpaved:
NA km

note : probably less than 30,000 km are designated arterial roads and not all of these are all-weather roads

Waterways

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

Pipelines

petroleum products 357 km

Ports and harbors

Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras Island, Iligan, Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga

Merchant marine

total:
523 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,614,831 GRT/12,246,321 DWT
ships by type :
bulk 223, cargo 124, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 9, container 8, liquefied gas tanker 9, livestock carrier 11, oil tanker 45, passenger 3, passenger-cargo 13, refrigerated cargo 18, roll-on/roll-off cargo 14, short-sea passenger 23, vehicle carrier 20

note: a flag of convenience registry; Japan owns 24 ships, Hong Kong 4, UK 2, Denmark 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 1, Singapore 1, and Taiwan 1 (1996 est.)

Airports

234 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total : 66 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 63 (1996 est.)

Military

Army, Navy (includes Coast Guard and Marine Corps), | Air Force

7 fields

Military branches

Army, Navy (includes Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 19,231,427 (1997 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

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

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 methamphetamines PITCAIRN ISLANDS (dependent territory of the UK)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Philippines.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/philippines/1997.

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