:Philippines Geography Total area: 300,000 km2 Land area: 298,170 km2 Comparative area: slightly larger than Arizona Land boundaries: none 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 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, crude oil, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper Land use: arable land 26%; permanent crops 11%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and woodland 40%; other 19%; includes irrigated 5% 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: 67,114,060 (July 1992), growth rate 2.0% (1992) Birth rate: 28 births/1,000 population (1992) Death rate: 7 deaths/1,000 population (1992) Net migration rate: -1 migrant/1,000 population (1992) Infant mortality rate: 53 deaths/1,000 live births (1992) Life expectancy at birth: 62 years male, 68 years female (1992) Total fertility rate: 3.5 children born/woman (1992) 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 (based on Tagalog) and English; both official Literacy: 90% (male 90%, female 90%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) Labor force: 24,120,000; agriculture 46%, industry and commerce 16%, services 18.5%, government 10%, other 9.5% (1989) Organized labor: 3,945 registered unions; total membership 5.7 million (includes 2.8 million members of the National Congress of Farmers Organizations) :Philippines Government Long-form name: Republic of the Philippines Type: republic Capital: Manila 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) 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 (from Spain), 12 June (1898) 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 Corazon C. AQUINO (since 25 February 1986); Vice President Salvador H. LAUREL (since 25 February 1986) Political parties and leaders: Alliance of Philippine Democrats (LDP), Neptali GONZALES and Jose (Peping) COJUANGCO; Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), Fidel Valdes RAMOS; Liberal Party, Jovito SALONGA; New Society Movement (KBL), Amelda MARCOS Suffrage: universal at age 15 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 :Philippines Government Senate: last held 11 May 1992 (next election to be held NA May 1998); results - LDP 66%, NPC 20%, Lakas-NUCD 8%, Liberal 6%; seats - (24 total) LDP 24, NPC 5, Lakas-NUCD 2, Liberal 1 Elections: House of Representatives: last held 11 May 1992 (next election to be held NA May 1998); results - LDP 43.5%; Lakas-NUCD 25%, NPC 23.5%, Liberal 5%, KBL 3%;seats - (200 total) LDP 87, Lakas-NUCD 51, NPC 47, Liberal 10, KBL 5 Communists: the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) controls about 15,500-16,500 full-time insurgents and is not recognized as a legal party; a second Communist party, Philippine Communist Party (PKP), has quasi-legal status 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, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Emmanuel PELAEZ; Chancery at 1617 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036; telephone (202) 483-1414; there are Philippine Consulates General in Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle US: Ambassador Frank G. WISNER II; Embassy at 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila (mailing address is APO AP 96440); telephone [63] (2) 521-7116; FAX [63] (2) 522-4361; there is a US Consulate in 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: Following the recession of 1984-85, the Philippine economy grew on the average of 5.0% per year during 1986-89. It slowed again during the period 1990-91. The agricultural sector together with forestry and fishing, plays an important role in the economy, employing about 45% of the work force and providing almost 30% of GDP. The Philippines is the world's largest exporter of coconuts and coconut products. Manufacturing contributes about 35% of GDP. Major industries include food processing, chemicals, and textiles. GNP: exchange rate conversion - $47 billion, per capita $720; real growth rate 0.1% (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 17.6% (1991 est.) Unemployment rate: 10.0% (1991 est.) Budget: $8.4 billion; expenditures $9.36 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8 billion (1991 est.) Exports: $8.7 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.) commodities: electrical equipment 19%, textiles 16%, minerals and ores 11%, farm products 10%, coconut 10%, chemicals 5%, fish 5%, forest products 4% partners: US 36%, EC 19%, Japan 18%, ESCAP 9%, ASEAN 7% Imports: $12.3 billion (c.i.f., 1991) commodities: raw materials 53%, capital goods 17%, petroleum products 17% partners: US 25%, Japan 17%, ESCAP 13%, EC 11%, ASEAN 10%, Middle East 10% External debt: $28.9 billion (1991) Industrial production: growth rate - 5% (1991 est.); accounts for 35% of GNP Electricity: 7,500,000 kW capacity; 31,000 million kWh produced, 470 kWh per capita (1991) Industries: textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing Agriculture: accounts for about one-third of GNP and 45% of labor force; major crops - rice, coconut, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapple, mango; 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 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: Philippine peso (plural - pesos); 1 Philippine peso (P) = 100 centavos :Philippines Economy Exchange rates: Philippine pesos (P) per US$1 - 25.810 (March 1992), 27.479 (1991), 24.311 (1990), 21.737 (1989), 21.095 (1988), 20.568 (1987) Fiscal year: calendar year :Philippines Communications Railroads: 378 km operable on Luzon, 34% government owned (1982) Highways: 156,000 km total (1984); 29,000 km paved; 77,000 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: 552 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 8,150,425 GRT/13,624,527 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 11 short-sea passenger, 13 passenger-cargo, 155 cargo, 22 refrigerated cargo, 23 vehicle carrier, 8 livestock carrier, 13 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 8 container, 35 petroleum tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 6 liquefied gas, 2 combination ore/oil, 247 bulk, 7 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 Civil air: 53 major transport aircraft Airports: 278 total, 244 usable; 72 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 9 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 53 with runways 1,220-2,439 m 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 15-49, 16,719,421; 11,816,366 fit for military service; 698,683 reach military age (20) annually Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $915 million, 1.9% of GNP (1991)