Philippines

Airports

total: 270 usable: 238 with permanent-surface runways: 74 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 57

Highways

total: 157,450 km paved: 22,400 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, stabilized earth 85,050 km; unimproved earth 50,000 km (1988)

Inland waterways

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

Merchant marine

553 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 8,451,047 GRT/13,934,255 DWT, bulk 241, cargo 145, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 10, combination ore/oil 1, container 8, liquefied gas 3, livestock carrier 9, oil tanker 33, passenger 1, passenger-cargo 13, refrigerated cargo 27, roll-on/roll-off cargo 14, short-sea passenger 12, vehicle carrier 35 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 Germany

Pipelines

petroleum products 357 km

Ports

Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras, Iloilo, Legaspi, Manila, Subic Bay

Railroads

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

Telecommunications

good international radio and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate; 872,900 telephones; broadcast 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

Affiliation

(dependent territory of the UK)

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $731 million, 1.4% of GNP (1992)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 17,668,781; fit for military service 12,479,312; reach military age (20) annually 733,880 (1994 est.)

Agriculture

accounts for about 20% of GDP and about 45% of labor force; major crops - rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangos; animal products - pork, eggs, beef; net exporter of farm products; fish catch of 2 million metric tons annually

Budget

revenues: $11.5 billion expenditures: $13 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.7 billion (1994 est.)

Currency

1 Philippine peso (P) = 100 centavos

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.6 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $7.9 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $5 million; Communist countries (1975-89), $123 million

Electricity

capacity: 7,850,000 kW production: 28 billion kWh consumption per capita: 420 kWh (1992)

Exchange rates

Philippine pesos (P) per US$1 - 27.725 (January 1994), 22.120 (1993), 25.512 (1992), 27.479 (1991), 24.311 (1990), 21.737 (1989)

Exports

$11.1 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: electronics, textiles, coconut products, cooper, fish partners: US 39%, Japan 18%, Germany 5%, UK 5%, Hong Kong 5% (1992)

External debt

$34.1 billion (September 1993)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; growers are producing more and better quality cannabis despite government eradication efforts; transit point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for the US

Imports

$17.1 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: raw materials 40%, capital goods 25%, petroleum products 10% partners: Japan 21%, US 18%, Taiwan 7%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Hong Kong 5%, South Korea 5% (1992)

Industrial production

growth rate -1% (1992 est.); accounts for 34% of GDP

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.6% (1993)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $171 billion (1993 est.)

National product per capita

$2,500 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

1.4% (1993 est.)

Overview

Domestic output in this primarily agricultural economy failed to grow in 1992 and rose only slightly in 1993. Drought and power supply problems hampered production, while inadequate revenues prevented government pump priming. Worker remittances helped to supplement GDP. A marked increase in capital goods imports, particularly power generating equipment, telecommunications equipment, and electronic data processors, contributed to 20% import growth in both 1992 and 1993.

Unemployment rate

9.2% (1993)

Area

total area: 300,000 sq km land area: 298,170 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Arizona

Climate

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

Coastline

36,289 km

Environment

current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; air pollution in Manila natural hazards: astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; subject to landslides, active volcanoes, destructive earthquakes, tsunamis international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change, Tropical Timber

International disputes

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

Irrigated land

16,200 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

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

Location

Southeastern Asia, between Indonesia and China

Map references

Asia, Oceania, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands

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

Capital

Manila

Constitution

2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Digraph

RP

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Raul Chaves RABE chancery: 1617 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 483-1414

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992); Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992); election last held 11 May 1992 (next election to be held NA May 1998); results - Fidel Valdes RAMOS won 23.6% of votes, a narrow plurality cabinet: Executive Secretary; appointed by the president with the consent of the Commission of Appointments

FAX

(202) 328-7614 consulate(s) general: Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle consulate(s): San Diego and San Jose (Saipan)

FAX

[632] 522-4361 consulate(s) general: 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

House of Representatives (Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan)

elections last held 11 May 1992 (next election to be held NA May 1995); results - LDP 43.5%; Lakas-NUCD 25%, NPC 23.5%, Liberal 5%, KBL 3%; seats - (200 total) LDP 87, NPC 45, Lakas-NUCD 41, Liberal 15, NP 6, KBL 3, Independent 3

Independence

4 July 1946 (from US)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Congress (Kongreso)

Member of

APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Names

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

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Filipino Struggle (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipinas, Laban), Edgardo ESPIRITU; People Power-National Union of Christian Democrats (Lakas ng Edsa, NUCD and Partido Lakas Tao, Lakas/NUCD); Fidel V. RAMOS, President of the Republic, Raul MANGLAPUS, Jose de VENECIA, secretary general; Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), Eduardo COJUANGCO; Liberal Party, Jovito SALONGA; People's Reform Party (PRP), Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO; New Society Movement (Kilusan Bagong Lipunan; KBL), Imelda MARCOS; Nacionalista Party (NP), Salvador H. LAUREL, president

Senate (Senado)

elections last held 11 May 1992 (next election to be held NA May 1995); results - LDP 66%, NPC 20%, Lakas-NUCD 8%, Liberal 6%; seats - (24 total) LDP 15, NPC 5, Lakas-NUCD 2, Liberal 1, Independent 1

Suffrage

15 years of age; universal

Type

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador John D. NEGROPONTE embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita Manila 1000 mailing address: APO AP 96440 telephone: [632] 521-7116

Birth rate

27.34 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate

6.94 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

50.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Labor force

24.12 million by occupation: agriculture 46%, industry and commerce 16%, services 18.5%, government 10%, other 9.5% (1989)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 65.39 years male: 62.88 years female: 68.02 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 90% male: 90% female: 90%

Nationality

noun: Filipino(s) adjective: Philippine

Net migration rate

-1.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Population

69,808,930 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

1.92% (1994 est.)

Religions

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

Total fertility rate

3.35 children born/woman (1994 est.)