Philippines

Republic of the PhilippinesRepublika ng Pilipinas

republicIndependence 4 July 1946 (from US)

Philippines as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 109 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 and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam
2000

Every edition of Philippines

Populationas each edition published it
81.16 million July 2000 est. · 66.12m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.07% 2000 est. · 1.97% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 21.8 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
67.48 years 2000 est. · 65.13 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.48 children per woman 2000 est. · 4.3 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
29.52 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 48 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$3,600 1999 est. · $860 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
2.9% 1999 est. · 0.6% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

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. A quarter-century-old guerrilla war with Muslim separatists on the island of Mindanao, which had claimed 120,000 lives, ended with a treaty in 1996.

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, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification

People

15 fields
Population
81,159,644
(July 2000 est.)growth rate: 2.07% (2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth
27.85Death
6.13Net migration
-1.02

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2000 est.)67.48
64.65 · 70.46
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)94.6%
95% · 94.3%
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

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%

Age structure

0-14 years:
37% (male 15,344,555; female 14,807,320)
15-64 years:
59% (male 23,777,245; female 24,285,565)
65 years and over:
4% (male 1,312,646; female 1,632,313) (2000 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.8 male(s)/female
total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

29.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.48 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Filipino(s)
adjective:
Philippine

Languages

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

Government

Republic; President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1998) and Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 30 June 1998); President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1998) and Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 30 June 1998)

18 fields

Senate, 221 seats, elected 11 May 1998one dot, one seat

LAMP 135Lakas 37LP 13Aksyon Demokratiko 1other 35

Country name

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

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

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 Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1998) and Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 30 June 1998);
  • note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:
  • President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1998) and Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 30 June 1998);
  • 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 11 May 2004)
election results:
  • Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA elected president;
  • percent of vote - approximately 40%;
  • Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO elected vice president;
  • percent of vote - NA%

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 (221 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 11 May 1998 (next to be held 11 May 2001); House of Representatives - elections last held 11 May 1998 (next to be held 11 May 2001)
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 23 members with one seat vacated when Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO became vice president;
  • the seat can only be filled by election and is likely to remain open until the next regular election in 2001;
  • 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

  • Aksyon Demokratiko or Democratic Action [Raul ROCO];
  • Laban Ng Masang Pilipino or LAMP (Struggle of the Filipino Masses) [Joseph ESTRADA, titular head, Eduardo "Danding" COJUANGO, chairman, Edgardo ANGARA, party president];
  • Lakas [Raul MANGLAPUS, chairman, Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, secretary general, Jose DE VENECIA, party president];
  • Liberal Party or LP [Raul DAZA, president, Jovito SALONGA, chairman, Florencio ABAD, secretary general];
  • People's Reform Party or PRP [Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO]

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, NAM, 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 Ernesto MACEDA
chancery:
1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:
[1] (202) 467-9300
FAX:
[1] (202) 328-7614
consulate(s) general:
Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Tamuning (Guam)
consulate(s):
San Diego and San Jose (Saipan)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD
embassy:
1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita Manila 1000
mailing address:
FPO 96515
telephone:
[63] (2) 523-1001
FAX:
[63] (2) 522-4361

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

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.

31 fields
Real growth rate
2.9%
(1999 est.)industrial production growth: 1.7% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate
9.6%
(October 1998)

GDP - composition by sector(1997 est.)

agriculture 20%industry 32%services 48% (1997 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

34%
US
22%
20%
EU
14%
Japan
20%
8%
Netherlands
South Korea
8%
6%
Singapore
6%
6%
UK
Taiwan
5%
4%
Hong Kong
4%
Exports $34.8 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)Imports $30.7 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)(1998) · (1998 est.)

Budget

Revenues
$14.5 billionExpenditures
$12.6 billion (1998 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 70.12%hydro 10.75%other 19.13% (1998)nuclear 0%
Electricity production
39.623 billion (1998)Electricity consumption
36.849 billion (1998)

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 2.9% in 1999.

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, and moving toward further deregulation and privatization of the economy.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $282 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $3,600 (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
2.4%
highest 10%:
33.5% (1994)

Labor force

32 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 39.8%, government and social services 19.4%, services 17.7%, manufacturing 9.8%, construction 5.8%, other 7.5% (1998 est.)

Industries

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

Agriculture - products

  • rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes;
  • pork, eggs, beef;
  • fish

Exports

$34.8 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments, coconut products

Imports

$30.7 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, consumer goods, fuels

Debt - external

$51.9 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA, $1.1 billion (1998)

Currency

1 Philippine peso (P) = 100 centavos

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
1.959 million
(1998)
Fixed lines
1.9 million
(1997)

Telephone system

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

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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 366, FM 290, shortwave 3 (1999)

Radios

11.5 million (1997)

Televisions

3.7 million (1997)

Transportation

10 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right

4
over 3,047 m
5
2,438 to 3,047 m
26
1,524 to 2,437 m
3
31
914 to 1,523 m
66
10
under 914 m
121
Paved 76Unpaved 190

Networkskm

Highways
199,950Railways
492Waterways
3,219
Highways: paved: 39,590 km · unpaved: 160,360 km (1998 est.) · Railways: (an additional 405 km are not in operation) · narrow gauge: 492 km 1.067-m gauge (1996) · Waterways: ; limited to shallow-draft (less than 1.5 m) vessels

Railways

total:
492 km (an additional 405 km are not in operation)
narrow gauge:
492 km 1.067-m gauge (1996)

Highways

total:
199,950 km
paved:
39,590 km
unpaved:
160,360 km (1998 est.)

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:
480 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,973,024 GRT/9,025,087 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 159, cargo 122, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 9, container 7, liquified gas 13, livestock carrier 9, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 12, petroleum tanker 47, refrigerated cargo 20, roll-on/roll-off 19, short-sea passenger 32, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 20 (1999 est.)

note: a flag of convenience registry; Japan owns 19 ships, Hong Kong 5, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Greece 1, Netherlands 1, Singapore 1, and UK 1 (1998 est.)

Airports

266 (1999 est.)

Heliports

1 (1999 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: 20,731,979 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 14,607,014 (2000 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

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

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 [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Central Intelligence Agency. “Philippines.” The World Factbook 2000. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/philippines/2000.

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