| 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." In January 2001, the Supreme Court declared
Joseph ESTRADA unable to rule in view of mass resignations
from his government and administered the oath of office to
Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO as his constitutional
successor. The government continues to struggle with ongoing
Muslim insurgencies in the south. |
| 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 |
| Area: |
total:
300,000 sq km
land: 298,170 sq km
water: 1,830 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly larger
than Arizona |
| 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
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 sq km
(1993 est.) |
| 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, Desertification, 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: Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol |
| Population: |
82,841,518 (July
2001 est.) |
| 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) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.03% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
27.37
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
6.04 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-1.01 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 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 (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
28.7 deaths/1,000
live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 67.8 years
male: 64.96 years
female: 70.79 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.42 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.07% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
28,000 (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
1,200 (1999 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Filipino(s)
adjective: Philippine |
| 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% |
| Languages: |
two official
languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English, eight
major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocan, Hiligaynon or
Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.6%
male: 95%
female: 94.3% (1995 est.) |
| 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 |
| 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
(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 |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20
January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
(since 20 January 2001); 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 2001, 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: |
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 - additional members may be appointed by the president
but the Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives
from having more than 250 members)
elections: Senate - last held 11 May 1998 (next
to be held 14 May 2001); House of Representatives -
elections last held 11 May 1998 (next to be held 14 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 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 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: |
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] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| 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
chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300
FAX: [1] (202) 467-9317
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los
Angeles, New York, San Francisco
consulate(s): San Diego |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affairs
Michael E. MALINOWSKI
embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita 1000
Manila
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
- 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. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $310 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
3.6% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $3,800 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
20%
industry: 32%
services: 48% (1997 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
41% (1997 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
1.5%
highest 10%: 39.3% (1998) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
5% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
48.1 million
(2000 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.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
10% (2000) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$14.5 billion
expenditures: $12.6 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
| Industries: |
textiles,
pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing,
electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
4% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
40.745 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
61.03%
hydro: 18.68%
nuclear: 0%
other: 20.29% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
37.893 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
rice, coconuts,
corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs,
beef; fish |
| Exports: |
$38 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
electronic
equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments,
coconut products |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 34%, Japan
14%, Netherlands 8%, Singapore 6%, UK 6%, Hong Kong 4%
(1998) |
| Imports: |
$35 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
raw materials and
intermediate goods, capital goods, consumer goods, fuels |
| Imports
- partners: |
US 22%, Japan
20%, South Korea 8%, Singapore 6%, Taiwan 5%, Hong Kong 4%
(1998 est.) |
| Debt
- external: |
$52 billion
(1999) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
ODA, $1.1 billion
(1998) |
| Currency: |
Philippine peso (PHP) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Philippine pesos
per US dollar - 50.969 (January 2001), 44.192 (2000), 39.089
(1999), 40.893 (1998), 29.471 (1997), 26.216 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
1.9 million
(1997) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
1.959 million
(1998) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: 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) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
31 (1997) |
| Televisions: |
3.7 million
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.ph |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
33 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
500,000 (2000) |
| 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
note: limited to vessels with a draft of less
than 1.5 m |
| 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:
459 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,653,062 GRT/8,512,326
DWT
ships by type: bulk 149, cargo 123, chemical
tanker 4, combination bulk 10, container 5, liquefied gas
13, livestock carrier 10, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 12,
petroleum tanker 42, refrigerated cargo 21, roll on/roll off
17, short-sea passenger 31, specialized tanker 2, vehicle
carrier 16
note: includes some foreign-owned ships
registered here as a flag of convenience: Cyprus 1, Denmark
1, Hong Kong 5, Japan 14, Netherlands 1, Singapore 1, UK 1
(2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
288 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
76
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 28
914 to 1,523 m: 28
under 914 m: 11 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
212
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 81
under 914 m: 129 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Navy
(includes Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
20 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 21,220,191 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 14,942,363 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
848,181 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$995 million
(FY98) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.5% (FY98) |
| 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 |
|
