*Philippines, Geography Location: Southeast Asia, between Indonesia and China Map references: Asia, Oceania, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World Area: total area: 300,000 km2 land area: 298,170 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Arizona Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 36,289 km 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 International disputes: involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; 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, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper Land use: arable land: 26% permanent crops: 11% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 40% other: 19% Irrigated land: 16,200 km2 (1989 est.) 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 *Philippines, People Population: 68,464,368 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.97% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 27.9 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 7.03 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: -1.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 51.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 65.13 years male: 62.59 years female: 67.79 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.45 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: Filipino(s) adjective: Philippine Ethnic divisions: 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: Pilipino (official; based on Tagalog), English (official) Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 90% male: 90% female: 90% Labor force: 24.12 million by occupation: agriculture 46%, industry and commerce 16%, services 18.5%, government 10%, other 9.5% (1989) *Philippines, Government Names: conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines conventional short form: Philippines local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas local short form: Pilipinas Digraph: RP Type: republic 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) 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, 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 Suffrage: 15 years of age; universal *Philippines, Government Elections: President: 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 Senate: 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 House of Representatives: 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 Executive branch: president, vice president, Cabinet Legislative branch: bicameral Congress (Kongreso) consists of an upper house or Senate (Senado) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan) Judicial branch: Supreme Court Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government: President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992); Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992) 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 (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Raul RABE chancery: 1617 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 483-1414 consulates general: Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'affaires Donald WESTMORE embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila mailing address: APO AP 96440 telephone: [63] (2) 521-7116 FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361 consulate 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 *Philippines, Economy Overview: Domestic output in this primarily agricultural economy remained the same in 1992 as in 1991. Drought and power supply problems hampered production, while inadequate revenues prevented government pump priming. Despite a flat GDP performance, GNP mustered a small 0.6% expansion, attributable to inflows of workers' remittances combined with smaller foreign interest payments. A marked increase in capital goods imports, particularly power generations equipment, telecommunications equipment, and electronic data processors, contributed to a 20.5% import growth in 1992. Exports rose 11%, led by earnings from the Philippines' two leading manufactures - electronics and garments. National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $54.1 billion (1992 est.) National product real growth rate: 0.6% (1992 est.) National product per capita: $860 (1992 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.9% (1992 est.) Unemployment rate: 9.8% (1992 est.) Budget: $11.0 billion; expenditures $12.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.) Exports: $9.8 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: electronics, textiles, coconut oil, copper partners: US 39%, EC, Japan, ASEAN Imports: $14.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: raw materials 45%, capital goods 26%, petroleum products 18% partners: US, Japan, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia External debt: $29.8 billion (1992) Industrial production: growth rate -1% (1992 est.); accounts for 34% of GDP Electricity: 7,850,000 kW capacity; 28,000 million kWh produced, 420 kWh per capita (1992) Industries: textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing Agriculture: accounts for about one-third of GNP 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 Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; growers are producing more and better quality cannabis despite government eradication efforts *Philippines, Economy Economic aid: 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 Currency: 1 Philippine peso (P) = 100 centavos Exchange rates: Philippine pesos (P) per US$1 - 25.817 (April 1993), 25.512 (1992), 27.479 (1991), 24.311 (1990), 21.737 (1989), 21.095 (1988) Fiscal year: calendar year *Philippines, Communications Railroads: 378 km operable on Luzon, 34% government owned (1982) Highways: 157,450 km total (1988); 22,400 km paved; 85,050 km gravel, crushed-stone, or stabilized-soil surface; 50,000 km unimproved earth Inland waterways: 3,219 km; limited to shallow-draft (less than 1.5 m) vessels Pipelines: petroleum products 357 km Ports: Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras, Iloilo, Legaspi, Manila, Subic Bay Merchant marine: 562 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 8,282,936 GRT/13,772,023 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 11 short-sea passenger, 13 passenger-cargo, 155 cargo, 27 refrigerated cargo, 25 vehicle carrier, 9 livestock carrier, 13 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 8 container, 38 oil tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 3 liquefied gas, 1 combination ore/oil, 249 bulk, 8 combination 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 Germany Airports: total: 270 usable: 238 with permanent-surface runways: 73 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 57 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 *Philippines, Defense Forces Branches: Army, Navy (including Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force Manpower availability: males age 15-49 17,188,695; fit for military service 12,144,278; reach military age (20) annually 716,881 (1993 est.) Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $915 million, 1.9% of GNP (1991)